Mission

The mission of our preschool community is to provide a safe, inclusive, joy-filled learning environment for the students in our district. We value connection and collaborate to guide children and families to find their place in our schools and as global citizens. Preschoolers experience a love of learning through a balance of child-directed and uninterrupted play and discovery, as well as teacher-initiated standards-aligned curriculum both in nature and within our classrooms.

Vision

We BELIEVE our school communities foster positive family connections and partnerships where children can grow, thrive, and learn to become contributing members in their local and global world. All children have unique strengths and abilities that can be accessed and nurtured through fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity. Love is at the center of preschool - love of learning, love of experiences, love in relationships within our community.

Collective Commitments

We WILL:

• Model kindness, empathy, respect, and understanding, instilling these qualities in our students.
• Provide a supportive, caring, and engaging learning environment that is meaningful for all students.
• Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive practices so that all students can thrive.
• Facilitate and observe developmentally appropriate play, activities, exploration, and communication.
• Actively listen and partner with families to build relationships and share goals.

Non-Discriminatory Enrollment

We are committed to inclusivity and equal access to services. Entry into the program will not be denied based on race, creed, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, or the parents’ marital status or gender identification.

Inclusion & Special Education

Our preschool programs are dedicated to fostering inclusion utilizing a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Early Childhood Educators plan for the full and successful inclusion of all children and work closely with the MMUUSD special education teams. Through a team process, special education services are designed to meet the needs of the student through Individualized Education Plans (IEP).

Equity & Diversity

We value diversity and honor the importance of family, culture, and socioeconomic background as integral parts of each child. We strive to create a sense of community for children, welcoming and respecting their individuality.

Guided by a combination of the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) and Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) Objectives for Development and Learning, our curriculum reflects our commitment to best practices in Early Childhood Education. Social and emotional learning is foundational in our program and these concepts are modeled, practiced, and incorporated daily. Our goal is to help children recognize, express, and manage their feelings so friendships and healthy relationships can be developed.

Social Cognition & Responsive Classroom

We recognize that every child has unique needs and responds to different interactions. Our educators use the Responsive Classroom Approach as a proactive component to positive community building and classroom regulation. It focuses on learning cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.

We ask that if changes at home are happening (i.e. medication, sleeplessness, change in family situation, illness, death of a significant family member or pet, etc.) that this is shared with teachers. Conversely, teachers will communicate any concerns or changes in behaviors observed at school.

Research shows that children learn through play, relationships, and exploration, so our teachers use a variety of assessments to gain a deeper understanding and consider the whole child. The following assessments are a few of the more formal assessments we utilize:

• Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3): A developmental screening tool that pinpoints developmental progress in children between the ages of one month to 5 ½ years.
• Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE-2): A parent-completed, highly reliable system focused solely on social-emotional development in young children.
• Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG): An authentic, ongoing observational system for assessing children from birth through kindergarten.
• Boehm-3 Preschool: Designed to assess young children’s understanding of basic relational concepts important for language and cognitive development.
• Heggerty: This literacy assessment is designed to evaluate and track the development of crucial reading skills, specifically phonemic and phonological awareness.

Our school-based programs provide pre-kindergarten opportunities to families that are residents of Bolton, Jericho, Huntington, Richmond or Underhill free-of-charge. Availability is limited so there is a lottery for placement.

If your preschooler gets a slot, then the school your preschooler will be attending will need the following items in order to be enrolled:

• Completed admission forms in PowerSchool that are signed and dated by the parent/caregiver including the child's name, current home address, current home telephone number, and child’s date of birth.
• Name, address and all applicable current telephone numbers for parents/caregivers.
• Name, address and all applicable current telephone numbers for at least two other people designated by the parents/caregivers as emergency contacts.
• Names for all persons authorized to pick the child up.
• Copy of your child's birth certificate.
• Proof of residency in the form of a lease, mortgage, electric bill, or tax bill with your name and address.
• Immunization record or Vermont Department of Health approved exemption document.
• Record of an annual physical and health history.
• Completed school entry health information form in PowerSchool.
• Written authorization for the school to be able to obtain emergency medical care and transportation.
• If applicable, a copy of court orders custody and visitation arrangements.

Sample Daily Schedule

Though each classroom has their own schedule, this is an overview of a typical day in one of our preschool classrooms:

• 7:30 - Arrival, Handwashing, Free Play
• 9:00 - Bathroom, Handwashing
• 9:15 - Breakfast/Snack
• 9:45 - Outdoor Explorations
• 11:45 - Bathroom, Handwashing
• 12:00 - Lunch
• 12:30 - Literacy
• 12:45-1:45 - Calming Rest Time
• 1:45-2:15 - Outdoor time
• 2:15-2:30 - Dismissal

Drop-off & Pickup

When dropping children off at school please follow teacher instructions regarding where drop-off will be. Establishing a quick goodbye routine with your preschooler helps with this transition. If you are picking up your child early, please let your child’s teacher know in advance as much as possible. Any change in the regular transportation routine will require a parent/caregiver note or phone call.

Transportation

For preschoolers who attend our full-day program, families can opt for their preschooler to ride the bus to and from school. Preschool staff are present at arrival and dismissal and assist all preschoolers off and on the bus. If you have specific questions regarding bus schedule or other bus-related issues please contact the bus garage at [email protected] or 802-899-4840.

Nutrition

The MMUUSD participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which provides free nutritional meals, a snack and lunch, every school day. Additionally, our program serves meals family-style where teachers and students eat together. This approach practices social interactions during meals, allows students to make choices about their food, and helps them develop healthy habits.

Preschool staff and families are partners in the early childhood educational journey. We ask families to please:

• Arrive on time
• Provide a spacious backpack
• Label all clothing, and other personal items
• Encourage children to dress appropriately for the weather and outdoor play
• Provide an extra set of seasonally appropriate clothing
• Wear safe, comfortable shoes (sneakers are best)
• Keep your contact information up-to-date with the office
• Please share major life events with classroom teachers

Nurturing Independence

We know that fostering self-help skills builds confidence, so at preschool we encourage children to: Walk on their own, Carry their belongings, Dress and undress themselves, Wash their hands, Wipe their nose, and Communicate their needs and wants.

Conferences & Communication

Parent/Caregiver and Teacher Conferences are an excellent opportunity for teachers and families to share information and concerns. Our Preschool Program has scheduled conferences twice each school year, one in November and one in June. Each teacher has a unique way of sharing updates with families, so stay tuned to the format your child’s teacher uses.

Children are only able to participate in the school day activities when they are healthy and symptom free. As required by Vermont Preschool Program Licensing Requirements, staff will observe each child for symptoms of communicable disease and signs of injuries upon arrival each day.

When to Stay Home

Children should stay home in the following instances: If the child is diagnosed with any of the following: Bacterial meningitis, chicken pox, campylobacter, salmonella, giardia, polio, impetigo, diphtheria, hepatitis A, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (german measles), streptococcal infection, tuberculosis (active). *Children may return only when a medical professional indicates that it is safe to do so.

Children must stay home and may return 24 hours after symptoms have disappeared for:

• Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, severe cough, pink-eye, jaundice, rash with fever or behavioral change or other symptoms of possible severe illness.
• Scabies, pinworm, or ringworm; may return 24 hours after treatment is initiated.

For Lice; may return after appropriate treatment is completed.

Medication Administration

Medication or herbal remedies will not be administered to a child unless we have received written permission from parents/caregivers for each medication given. All prescription and non-prescription medication administered by staff must be in its original container, properly labeled for the child, and administered prior to the expiration date on the container.

Accidents & Emergencies

Our staff is trained and certified in CPR and First Aid to handle most emergencies. Accident/Incident forms will be filled out for any injury or incident occurring during school hours. In the event of a serious emergency, our policy is to first call 911. We will then attempt to call and locate the parent/caregiver. Preschool staff and students regularly practice and prepare for evacuations, lockdowns, and sheltering in place.

Child Abuse & Neglect

We have a legal obligation under Vermont law to report suspected abuse or neglect of any student to the State of Vermont Department of Children and Families. Because each case is different, and the Department of Children and Families will determine the risk and contact families when appropriate, the school will not share with families when calls are made to DCF.

Licensing & STARS

MMUUSD preschool programs are fully licensed by the State of Vermont, meeting all health, safety and fire regulations. We participate in the Step Ahead Recognition System, Vermont’s Quality Recognition and Improvement System (QRIS) for child care, preschool, and afterschool programs.

Other Policies

• Confidentiality: Students and their families are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Lead Testing: All drinking water has been tested for lead and has been determined to be safe for drinking by the State of Vermont.
• Smoking: Smoking is not allowed on the grounds of, or in the buildings of any of our MMUUSD Schools.

For your reference, here are some resources we as Early Childhood Educators recommend:

• Help Me Grow VT: Prenatal parents and caregivers of young children through age eight can dial 2-1-1 ext. 6 or text HMGVT to 898211 to speak with trained child development specialists. Specialists are available from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday – Friday and can answer questions about children’s behavior and development and connect families to local resources and services.
• CDC's Developmental Milestones: This is a great resource for exploring the developmental milestones of infants and children. There is even a free Milestone Tracker App!
• Ages and Stages Toolkit: A 27-page document with tips, resources, and guides for families to promote healthy development through the ages and stages.
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations Family Engagement: Scroll down to see excellent resources for teaching Social-Emotional skills at home including behavior regulation, friendship skills, emotional literacy, and problem-solving skills, and more!
• National Association for the Education of Young Children: Find research-based resources, tips and ideas for families- from child development to reading, writing, music, math and more!

Grievances: Should parents/caregivers have concerns or grievances they’d like to address, we ask that communication with the teacher take place first. If the issue is not resolved to satisfaction, please reach out to school administrators and/or the Director of Early Childhood, Angela Hermoian. If concerns are still present, parents/caregivers have the right to contact the DCF Childcare Consumer Line at (802)649-2642 (option 3) or [email protected].