VPK
Voluntary Pre-K
Smith
County Schools Early Childhood Programs
Jump Start to Educational Excellence
Carthage Elementary School Defeated Elementary School
Forks River Elementary School Gordonsville Elementary School
New Middleton Elementary School Union Heights Elementary School
A Place to Discover the Fun in Learning
2016-2017
Voluntary
Pre-K
VPK
Welcome
Pre-kindergarten students and families. The
Smith County School System is pleased that you have chosen our program for your
child. It is our desire that we work
cooperatively with you with the well-being and success of your child as our
guiding goal.
We
want to provide a quality preschool experience for children. We believe that you will discover that our
preschool program will provide meaningful, early learning experiences for your
child in a warm, nurturing, and supportive environment. We will work diligently to provide your child
with the educational experiences that will provide a successful transition to
kindergarten.
The
activities of the VPK are designed with child development in mind and are based
on current research of how young children best learn. We believe that children learn best through
active engagement and exploration. We
want your child to develop confidence, independence, and other skills as he or
she participates in a variety of individual or group activities that develop
language, reading readiness, and concepts of math. Just as important, the activities are
designed to enhance physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth, and
to develop skills and attitudes that will expand your child’s potential. However, we recognize that you as the parent
have the most profound influence on your child’s development and education. To optimize the preschool learning
experience, we encourage you to become an active participant in your child’s
education. There will be many
opportunities for you to volunteer in the classroom, chaperone field trips,
share special talents and interests, and participate in other parent
activities.
This
handbook has been developed to answer some of the questions that you may have
concerning the program and to inform you of our policies and procedures. The procedures have been developed to help us
provide your child with a wonderful learning environment that is safe and
secure. Please review the handbook and
keep it in a convenient place as a ready reference. If at any time you have additional questions,
concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with your child’s
teacher.
Curriculum
Daily lesson plans are designed around the
Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards (TN-ELDS). These standards are written to provide high
quality, developmentally appropriate early learning experiences for children
before they begin kindergarten and align with the content areas found in
Tennessee’s state English language arts and mathematics standards as well as
the Tennessee state standards for kindergarten.
TN-ELDS Developmental Standards for Four
Year-Olds include developmental standards in:
- Approaches to Learning
- Social and Emotional Development
- Language and Early Literacy
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
- Creative Arts
- Physical Development
Eligibility
Children are admitted to
all services without regard to race, color, national origin, creed, religion,
gender, age, disability, or handicap.
Our preschool program will make reasonable accommodations as described
by the American’s with Disabilities Act
in order to serve all children and families.
Children with special needs are routinely integrated into all
classrooms.
Available openings are
dependent on the following:
- Age of the child
- Program eligibility requirements mandated by
contracts held by the agency with funding sources
- Admission priorities established by the Smith
County Board of Education
- Capacity of the site
Participation is limited
to children whose custodial parent or guardian is a resident of Smith
County. Proof of residency is required.
We reserve the right to
require additional documentation from parents who are seeking to qualify for
scholarships. Documentation may be
requested for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to verifying income,
family size, social security numbers, or place of residence
Enrollment
In order to enroll, a student must
be four years of age on or before August 15th of the current school year. Only parents/guardians who reside in
Smith County may register children in the program. The following will be required at
registration:
- Birth Certificate or Birth Record
- Child’s Social Security card
- Immunization Record/Current Physical
- One proof of Residency (The following items will
meet the requirement for proof of residency: tax bill, rent receipt, utility bill, or
official proof of mailing address.)
Each student will be
required to show proof of a physical within last twelve (12) months prior to
attendance of the program. A completed
set of enrollment forms is required for each child attending the early childhood
program. A child will be allowed to
attend the program only after all forms have been completed and returned. Parents and guardians are expected to keep
enrollment form information current.
The Tennessee Department
of Health requires that children who enroll in public preschool programs
provide an up-to-date immunization record.
The Tennessee Preschool Immunization Certificate must be completed.
The Smith County Schools VPK
is licensed by the Tennessee Department of Education. The number of program participants is
restricted based on licensing criteria.
Enrollment will not exceed twenty (20) students per classroom. Programs supported by state or federal funds
designated to service pre-kindergarten aged children will first be directed to
children who are at-risk due to economic disadvantages. Should the program not be able to accommodate
every applicant seeking to be enrolled, a waiting list will be established from
those students whose parents or guardians choose to do so at the time of
registration. Students on the waiting
list will be notified of the availability of an opening in the program. If the parent or guardian declines
participation in the program after notification of an opening, that child’s
name will be removed from the waiting list.
Parents or guardians will
receive notification by phone of their student’s acceptance into the program.
Calendar and Hours of Operation
The
Smith County Schools early childhood classrooms will operate on the same
calendar as Smith County Schools. When
it is necessary to close schools for inclement weather, the center will also
close. If it should be necessary to
close schools, please tune to local radio stations for announcements. Parents are expected to pick up children
immediately upon dismissal of school.
You will find a copy of the school
calendar and individual school times attached to this handbook.
Arrival and Departure
Parents
are responsible for transportation to and from school. It is important that your child arrive on
time for all of the day’s activities. We
request that your child arrive no earlier than twenty (20) minutes before the
beginning of the school day. The time
before class is very important to the teacher in the preparation of the day’s
activities.
Due
to the high volume of traffic in the afternoon, parents may pick up their child
from 2:00 – 2:15 and MUST sign the child out in the pre-k classroom; however,
if parents have older children who attend the school they may pick their pre-k
child up no later than 3:15. Children
who ride buses will be put on the bus by the teacher or paraprofessional.
Children
must be picked up no later than fifteen (15) minutes after the end of the
school day. It is very important that
your child is not left waiting for his or her ride, as this can be very
upsetting for a child. A written note is
required in advance if your child is to be picked up by anyone other than the
parent or those indicated on the emergency information card.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Procedures
Specific
instructions for driving patterns and the drop-off and pick-up of children will
be provided by the site administration at the orientation.
Custody
Those
parents who have custody issues should consult with an attorney regarding legal
protection for their children. To assist
us in protecting the rights of you and your child, please provide to the
program coordinator any court documents that are relevant to visitation and
rights of parents.
Late Arrival
It
is very important to your child to arrive on time each morning. As we are an early childhood education
program and not a childcare center, our staff creates very in-depth lesson
plans for each day. It is unfortunate
when children miss out on exciting activities. Students who arrive after the
start of school must be escorted to the school office by parent/guardian for
sign-in.
Early Dismissal
If your child is being
picked up or dropped off by someone other than the parent, guardian, or those
listed on the Emergency Card, you must:
a) Inform the office and/or teacher of
the name of the person who will be transporting your child by written
notice. Verbal notices will only be
accepted in cases of extreme emergencies.
b) Please inform the person transporting
your child that visitors to the school must first sign in at the office to
obtain a visitor pass and present appropriate identification at the time of
pick-up. This is for the safety of your
child.
c) Please inform the person transporting
your child of the pick-up and drop-off procedures that have been established by
the administration.
Late Pick-Up
Please
arrive on time to pick up your child at the end of class. This will help avoid situations in which the
child may become anxious. If you must be
late, please contact the teacher.
Health and Safety
If your child has a known medical
condition, please be sure the preschool personnel know what to do if a problem
should occur during program hours.
Parents and guardians must make sure that any medication is available
and that the forms for its use have been completed.
In case of serious accident or
illness, parents will be called immediately.
However, if we are unable to contact you or other emergency contacts, we
will seek emergency care for your child.
Caregivers are required by law to
report suspected cases of child abuse.
This includes the reporting of parents and guardians who appear to be
impaired by drugs or alcohol. Program
staff will make every effort to keep a child from getting into a car with a
parent or guardian who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or
who seems unusually angry or violent.
Health and Illness
For your child’s protection as well
as for other students and our staff, you will need to keep your child home if
he or she has any of the following:
- Sore throat or cough
accompanied by a fever or difficulty in breathing (wheezing)
- Unusual discomfort on
the part of the child
- Discharge from the eyes
or ears
- Severe nasal discharge
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Temperature of 99
degrees Fahrenheit
- Undiagnosed rash
- Contagious disease
Any child who has a fever
(temperature above 99), diarrhea, or has vomited must be kept at home for 24
hours after all symptoms have subsided.
In case of contagious disease, please contact your child’s teacher immediately. If your child contracts any of the following,
notification is necessary: measles,
mumps, RSV, chicken pox, or strep throat.
All other parents will be notified as soon as possible. Your child’s name will remain
confidential. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
Illnesses and
Medication
The
early childhood program is not equipped to provide for sick children. Please do not send your child to school if he
or she is ill. We are concerned about
the health and general welfare of each child; therefore, we require that your
child be picked up as soon as possible in the event that he or she becomes ill
while in attendance.
If your child is required
to take prescribed or over-the-counter medicine(s) during program hours, an
Administration of Medicines form must be completed and signed by the parent or
guardian. In the case of prescription
medications, the physician must also sign the form. The child should not bring medication to
school. Medication must be brought to
school and picked up by a responsible adult.
Clothing
Our
preschool program is one that is marked by its high degree of activity and
child engagement. Clothing that provides
freedom to learn and play is very important.
In preschool, dressing for success means providing clothing that is easy
for the child to manage and which can protect from harm in play. It is possible that your child may come home
with evidence of his or her activity, including dirt from the playground or
paint from art activities.
Please
provide tennis shoes or other closed-toed shoes to help your child safely run
and climb. Shoes that cover the toe and
have a back are necessary for admittance into the classroom.
Mark
all of your child’s clothing with permanent ink or name labels. This includes sweaters, jackets, hats,
mittens, and gloves. We encourage all
children to care for their clothing and other belongings, but we cannot take
responsibility for items that are lost at the school.
Each
child will need an extra set of clothing in his or her cubby that is
appropriate to the season. This will
ensure that your child has dry clothes in case of water play or a toileting
accident. On these occasions, please
wash and return a set of clothes for the cubby on the next day.
Play
is an important component of the day’s activities. Outside playtime will be scheduled through
all seasons of the year. Please check
the daily forecast and provide long pants, sweaters, jackets, hats, and
mittens, as required by weather conditions.
Toilet Training
It is the expectation that children will be toilet
trained when classes begin. Pull-up
pants are not appropriate. A conference
will be scheduled with families of students who have repeated accidents. Intervention strategies will be discussed at
that time. Repeated accidents may result
in removing the child from the program until toilet training is successful.
Absences
If
your child will not be attending the program because of scheduled appointments,
vacations, illness, injury, or other planned absence, please notify the program
coordinator as soon as possible. This
impacts the teachers’ planning and preparation for the day. Should you have any unusual circumstances
regarding absences, please discuss these with the teacher as soon as possible.
Doctor’s
excuses are expected in case of student illness. Three (3) consecutive days of absence without
notification will be considered voluntary withdrawal by the parents. Unexcused absences will result in the
following procedure:
·
First unexcused
absence – parents will receive a verbal warning and be provided with
a copy of the attendance policy.
·
Second
unexcused absence – a letter stating the policy and consequences will
be sent home from the teacher and principal.
·
Third
unexcused absence – a conference will be held with the parent, teacher
and principal with possible dismissal from the program
Field Trips
Field trips provide a
wonderful extension to classroom learning.
Parents will be informed about field trips through announcements and
through newsletters. Permission slips
must be completed in order for children to participate
Meals and Snacks
Nutrition is
an important part of your child’s development.
A well-balanced meal is important to start the day off right and to
sustain energy for active learning.
Breakfast and lunch are available through the Smith County School
Nutrition Program. Breakfast is provided
free of charge to all students during the designated breakfast time. This program encourages children to try new
foods, as well as enjoy foods that are traditional favorites of young children. Mealtime is for socializing and modeling good
habits. Some meals may be served family
style, while on other occasions, students may go through the lunch line to gain
independence and become acquainted with kindergarten activities. Students have the option of bringing a lunch
from home. For your convenience, the teacher
will be providing monthly menu plans to assist in your decision of whether to
purchase school lunches or send one from home.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements may receive free or
reduced meals. From time to time you may
be requested to provide a nutritious snack for your child’s class.
Food Allergies
It
is very important for us to know about your child’s food allergies. An allergy form must be completed and signed
by your child’s health care provider.
Discipline
The
policies and procedures concerning discipline are designed to promote the
safety, health, and well-being of each child.
The development of self-discipline, self-esteem, and responsibility is
perceived as an ongoing process in a child’s growth, and is an integral part of
school success. Children are encouraged
to problem-solve and cooperate. Positive
behavior in the class will be encouraged through modeling, reinforcement, redirecting,
and the use of alternate activities.
Parents will be informed if their child is having adjustment
difficulties. The staff will work with
parents to address the situation in a positive manner.
Termination of
Services
Termination
of services can occur for the following reasons:
- Failure to provide
required documentation.
- Failure to complete
required paperwork in a timely manner.
- Failure to provide
verification of child’s physical examination.
- Failure to provide
updated immunization records.
- Failure to pay fees or
penalties.
- Delinquent fees.
- Checks returned for
insufficient funds.
- Three (3) late pick-ups
in three months.
- Failure to abide by the
guidelines under Absences in the handbook.
- Failure to comply with
guidelines under Toilet Training in the handbook.
- Failure to adhere to
the policies and procedures of the Smith County Board of Education.
- Group settings are not
appropriate for all children. In
the event that our program is not appropriate for your child, or if your
child constitutes a safety or legal hazard to himself, other children,
staff, or the program, we reserve the right to withdraw services.
- If we find that the
eligibility is based on false information or false documentation, services
will be withdrawn. Should this
occur, we are required to recover from you the entire cost of the services
for the entire time of enrollment.
- Ineligibility for
services due to laws, regulations, or other legal requirements.
Documentation
of phone calls, letters, and parent conferences concerning cause for
termination of services will be kept by the teacher. A conference will be held in all cases where
termination is being considered. The
principal, teacher and parent will attend this conference. Failure of parent to attend the conference
may result in automatic termination.
Parents and
Guardians Are Always Welcome
Parents and
guardians are invited to visit their child’s classroom at any time during the
day. If you wish to join the class, as a
courtesy, please let the teacher know in advance in order to ensure that the
learning process is not interrupted. To
ensure a safe and secure learning environment, all visitors to Smith County
Schools must first sign-in at the school office and obtain a visitor’s
pass.
If You Experience Problems
Parents and guardians are
encouraged to schedule conferences with the classroom teacher whenever they are
experiencing child or classroom related problems. Every effort will be made to resolve the
problem or, when indicated, make appropriate referrals to other helping
agencies within the community.
Thank you for allowing us to serve your family. Family involvement is strongly encouraged in
Pre-K. We encourage you to
volunteer in child's classroom, go on field trips and assist with classroom
projects. Parents are always welcome.
Hours of Operation
School hours
vary by school and are as follows:
Carthage Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:30
AM
Breakfast Service 8:00
AM
School Day Starts 8:00
AM
School Day Ends 2:00
PM
Pick-up Time Ends 3:00
PM
Defeated Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:35
AM
Breakfast Service 7:55
AM
School Day Starts 8:00
AM
School Day Ends 2:00
PM
Pick-up Time Ends 3:00
PM
Forks River Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:20 AM
Breakfast Service
7:20 AM
School Day Starts
8:00 AM
School Day Ends
2:00 PM
Pick-up Time Ends
3:00 PM
Gordonsville Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:20
AM
Breakfast Service 7:45
AM
School Day Starts 8:00
AM
School Day Ends 2:00
PM
Pick-up Time Ends 3:00
PM
New Middleton Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:30
AM
Breakfast Service 7:45
AM
School Day Starts 8:00
AM
School Day Ends 2:00
PM
Pick-Up Time Ends 3:00
PM
Union Heights Elementary School
Early Drop-Off 7:10
AM
Breakfast Service 7:50
AM
School Day Starts 8:00
AM
School Day Ends 2:00
PM
Pick-Up Time Ends 3:00
PM