Metropolitan Nursery School 2011-2012 Parent Handbook

Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20016

(202) 362-8746

www.nationalchurch.org

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Table of Contents

Calendar & Holidays 3 Metropolitan Nursery School Staff 4 School Hours 6 First Week Schedule 6 Early Morning Drop off Service 6 Arrival and Dismissal 7 Adjusting to School 7 School Clothes 7 Lunch 8 Rest Time 8 Parent Conferences 8 Annual Halloween Party 8 Program Description 9 Typical Daily Schedule 10 Absences 10 Field Trips 10 Inclement Weather 11 Emergency Procedures 11 Fire Drills 12 Health Guidelines 12 Birthdays 13 Belongings from Home 13 Admission 13 Tuition Payments 14 School Photographs 14 Students with Special Needs 14 Parent Participation 15 Communication between Parents & Staff 16 Required Forms 16 Discipline 17 Class Pets 17 Reporting of Unusual Incidents 17 Notes 18

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Calendar & Holidays Student and Parent Visit Yellow Class Thursday, Sept. 8

Student and Parent Visit All Classes Friday, Sept. 9

First Day of School & Parent Coffee Monday, Sept. 12

Parent Coffee Yellow Class Tuesday, Sept. 13

Back-to-School Night (Parent Event, 7p.m.) Tuesday, Sept. 13

Metropolitan Family/Church Picnic Sunday, Sept. 18

Columbus Day Monday, Oct. 10

Teacher’s Professional Day – school closed Friday, Oct. 21

Halloween Parade - 9:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31 (Dismiss at 11 a.m.)

Parent/Teacher Conf. – school closed Tuesday, Nov. 1

Veterans’ Day Friday, Nov. 11

Thanksgiving Holiday Wednesday, Nov. 23 through Friday, Nov. 25

Christmas Concert - 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14

Christmas Holidays Monday, Dec. 19 through

Monday, Jan. 2

Martin Luther King Day Monday, Jan. 16

Presidents’ Day Monday, Feb. 20

Parent/Teacher Conf. – school closed Tuesday, Feb. 21

Spring Vacation Monday, April 2 through

Monday, April 9

Spring Sing – 9:30 AM Friday, May 11

Last Day of School Friday, May 25 (Dismiss at 11 a.m.)

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Metropolitan Nursery School Staff The Metropolitan Nursery School is fortunate to have a wonderful long serving staff. Some have served for over 30 years. Director/Administration: Linda Smith lsmith@mmumc-dc.org (301) 320-4158 Martha Mizroch Martha_miz@hotmail.com (202) 338-3212 Yellow/Blue Class: Donna Parzow dparzow@aol.com (301) 977-6741 Sarah Vassiliou sarah@daltonglobal.com (202) 250-8277 Courtney Severe courtsevere@gmail.com (240) 281-0762 Heather Clessuras heatherclessuras@mac.com (301) 654-5565 Orange Class:

Marni Kehler mkehler@comcast.net (301) 657-3788 Peggy Stone derekstone@mindspring.com (301) 564-0595

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Metropolitan Nursery School Staff cont. Red Class: Wendy Reyes wendylynnreyes@mac.com (301) 312-8331 Susan Barnes murphysskc@aol.com (303) 263-0421 Green Class: Karen Swagart Swags6@aol.com (202) 337-6198 Marie Walsh mariehwalsh@gmail.com (301) 229-6034 Music: Heidi Cornnell hcornnell@comcast.net (703) 217-8962 Children’s Ministries: Anita Seline aseline@mmumc-dc.org (202) 363-4900

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School Hours School starts at 9 a.m. All classes dismiss by 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. Yellow Class 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday Blue Class 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Orange Class 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday Red Class 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday Green Class 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. half day Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. full day Monday - Thursday First Week Schedule Experience has shown that young children adjust more easily to school with shorter classes early in the school year. Blue/Yellow Class – the school day ends at 10:30 a.m. for the first week of school. Orange/Red Class – the school day ends at 10:30 a.m. for the first two days of school. Green Class –the school day ends at 12:30 p.m. during the first two days of school. Early Morning Drop off Service Hours: 8:15 to 9 a.m. Days: Monday through Friday Fees: $5 per morning paid in advance monthly Drop in: $7 per morning paid at drop off. Room: 102 Parents may enroll their children on a month to month basis. Fees must be paid even if the child is absent. Billing will be done twice a year for this service.

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Children may not be left in the school building prior to 9 a.m. unless left in the early drop off program with one of our staff members. Drop off services are not available when either D.C. or Montgomery County Schools are closed or have a delayed opening due to inclement weather. Arrival and Dismissal Please drop your children off each morning in their classroom by 9 a.m. Access to the church is available only through the glass doors facing the parking lot or Newark Street between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Be aware that D.C. parking enforcement is extremely diligent. Dismissal time procedures for each class will be communicated to parents prior to the first day of school and may change throughout the school year. Please check with your teacher if you have any questions. Adjusting to School Many children and parents have a difficult time adjusting to school in the beginning. Help your child by talking about school and what their day will be like. Mention all the fun and exciting things that will happen at school. Keep in mind that a child may believe you are leaving them, but keep your good-byes short, make them routine and your child will feel secure about your leaving. The teachers will do what they can to see that your child feels safe and will call if they do not acclimate. Please feel free to call the office to check on your child’s progress. School Clothes We encourage children to come to school wearing appropriate play clothes and shoes. Attire should allow children maximum independence in their play as well as using the toilet on their own. The teachers provide “messy” art activities on a daily basis, including glue, paste, clay, play-dough, markers and paint. The children spend time on the playground nearly every day and closed toe shoes allow them to play safely and comfortably. We recommend sneakers with Velcro so the children can easily manage their shoes.

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Children in the two year old class should bring a complete change of clothes (excluding shoes) in a plastic bag marked with the child’s name. Since the children play outside most days they should also bring appropriate outer wear, such as raincoats, snow pants, boots and coats. We also recommend knit rather than padded mittens so the children can use their hands more easily. Lunch Children should bring their lunch to school in a lunch box or lunch bag with their name on it. We recommend water to be included as their beverage. Rest Time Children enrolled in the full day program may choose to bring a lightweight blanket and/or small pillow with their name on it. The blanket/pillow will be left at school as cots to rest on are provided for the children. Parent Conferences Individual parent-teacher conferences are scheduled in the fall and winter. If you desire to have a conference at any other time, please contact your child’s teacher and she will gladly arrange an appointment for you. November conferences are designed for families who are applying to private school for the 2011-2012 school year. However, all parents are invited to request a conference. February conferences are for parents of children in all classrooms. Annual Halloween Party Halloween is a time for fun and pretending. As you and your child plan their Halloween costume, please encourage age appropriate costumes. We recommend costumes that do not encourage aggressive or violent dramatic play. Pretend weapons of any kind

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are not permitted. School will be dismissed at 11 a.m. on the day of our Halloween party. Program Description Nursery school is as broad as life, and the interests of the child are many. Children are encouraged to develop their own insights and skills through a variety of daily activities in the areas of language arts, literature, music, dramatic play, art, math, science and nature. The 2 year old program is an unstructured program where children learn to play together, take turns and make friends. The morning schedule provides a balance of active, quiet, individual and small and large group activities. The 3 and 4 year programs provide a definite routine designed to develop good social and academic skills while still providing plenty of creative free time. When the children arrive they can choose from a variety of activities including puzzles, books, blocks, imaginative play, or art. Each day they participate in circle time which allows the children to participate in singing, rhythm, conversation, games and stories. We recognize the importance of outdoor play to the children’s development. Each classroom plays on our convenient playground on a daily basis. Snacks and a short rest time are also part of each day. The children participate in a fifteen minute weekly chapel led by the Director of Children’s Ministries or the ministers of the Church. They also enjoy a weekly music program that is interactive and emphasizes singing and movement. The 4 year old class may take field trips to visit nature centers, pick pumpkins, see live performances and visit local fire stations. All of our classes experience special visits to the school from musicians, theater groups, puppeteers and others.

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Typical Daily Schedule 9 – 9:15 a.m. – Arrival 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. – Free play 9: 30-9:50 a.m. – Circle time 9:50-10:05 a.m. – Snack 10:05-10:15 a.m. – Reading and Story time 10:15 -11:00 a.m. – Outdoor play 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Planned Activities 11:30 – 11:45 a.m. – Preparation for Dismissal or Lunch begins 11:45 – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch Full Day continues 12:30 – 12:45 p.m. – Clean up 12:45 – 1:45 p.m. – Planned Activities & Outdoor Play 1:45 – 2:30 p.m. - Rest time 2:30 – 2:45 p.m. – Preparation for Dismissal Absences School is a great opportunity for your child to build skills and relationships. These skills and relationships thrive best if your child is consistently in school. If your child will be absent because of illness, please call us so that we may inform other parents. Also, if you will be out of town for an extended period of time, please call us to let us know. Field Trips Field trips are occasionally held for children in the 4 year old class. The D.C. Travel and Activity Form needs to be signed and on file at school in order for your child to attend any field trips. Parents are expected to chaperon and provide transportation throughout the school year. Copies of insurance information and your driver license are required to have on file for insurance purposes. The teachers will coordinate the field trip schedule and chaperons.

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Inclement Weather The school will close whenever the District of Columbia Public Schools are closed or have a delayed opening. Metropolitan may also close at the discretion of the director. The director will communicate a school closing by one of the following methods.

The voice mail greeting on the school phone will indicate if the school is closed.

An email will be sent to all families whenever school is cancelled or delayed.

Closing information will also be posted on the Church’s web site: www.nationalchurch.org if the school is closed for more than one day.

Emergency Procedures At Metropolitan Nursery School the safety and wellbeing of children and staff is our number one priority. All schools in Washington, D.C. are required to have an evacuation site in the event of emergencies. The nursery school’s evacuation site is the church parsonage, located a block from the school at 3311 Nebraska Avenue. The school considers the need for evacuation from the church, where there is a secure basement, snacks, water and first aid kits, to be extremely rare, and likely used only in the case of a fire. You will be given an information form that provides all possible contact telephone numbers for you and three emergency contacts. The lead teacher in each classroom will have a set of these emergency phone numbers. Another set of the contact information is provided to the room parent to be used in the event of an emergency when a telephone tree must be established. In the event of a wider emergency, parents are welcome to pick up their child at any time during the school day, without notifying the school staff first. Parents are also encouraged not to send their children to school if the parent feels uneasy about a situation.

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Fire Drills Monthly fire drills are held during the school year to instruct children as to the signals used, exits, and proper evacuation procedures in case of fire. Health Guidelines Sick children may NOT attend school. Parents must be aware that if their child is ill, the child cannot attend school on that day. Students should stay home from school if they experienced a fever in the past 24 hours, have vomited within the past 24 hours or have not yet taken a full 24-hour course of prescribed antibiotics or medication. The school requests that parents notify the school if their child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness such as strep, chicken pox, impetigo, pink eye or other illness, so that other parents in that child’s class can be informed. If a child becomes ill at school, a parent or caregiver will be contacted and asked to pick up the child and take him home. Teachers will not administer antibiotics or any other medication to a child who is feeling ill. In an emergency, teachers will use epi-pens and rescue inhalers that have previously been provided by the parent. In such cases, the staff will place a follow up call to the parent of the affected child. If a student is injured at school, such as a bruise or cut, parents are notified during dismissal time. In case of a more serious injury the director or a teacher will escort the child to the physician or hospital that has been designated. The parents will be notified prior to leaving the school. For a severe injury or life threatening situation the director or teachers will call 911 for medical support.

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Birthdays Children enjoy celebrating their birthdays. You are welcome to provide a special treat for your child’s birthday. Please make arrangements with your child’s teacher ahead of time. The teacher will alert you to any food allergies in the class. Please do not send party favors, hats, etc. or invitations. Belongings from Home Children in the two year old class should bring a complete change of clothes (excluding shoes) in a plastic bag marked with the child’s name. Children who are not potty trained should bring a package of diapers and/or pull-ups, plus 2 boxes or 2 refill packages of baby wipes. Children should not bring bottles or pacifiers from home, but are welcome to bring an item to help the transition such as a blanket. Please be sure all items are labeled. We recommend small or fragile items be left at home. We do appreciate when children bring in a book or item that is relevant to a topic the children are focusing on. Admission Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis with preference given to Metropolitan Church members, current student and siblings of current students until February 1st. Applications may be picked up at the school or requested by calling the school’s director at (202) 362-8746. The school admits children without regard to race, color, creed, national and/or ethnic origin. Open Houses are scheduled monthly starting in October through January to provide information about the school to interested families. Children are eligible to attend the 2 year old class provided they are 2 by August 31. Children who are 30 months by August 31 may attend the 3 day class. Children must be 3 by August 31 and toilet trained to attend the 5 day 3 year old class.

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Children must be 4 by September 30 for the 4 year old class. A limited number of scholarships are available for families with financial need. Applications may be picked up in the nursery school’s office or by calling (202) 362-8746 and the materials will be mailed to you. Tuition Payments Applications for enrollment must be accompanied by a non-refundable $50.00 fee. In order to reserve a space in a class, a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit is due by March 15. The balance of the tuition is payable in two non-refundable payments, 60% by July 15 and 40% due by January 15. Two-Day Mornings T, Th 9 a.m. –noon $4500 Three-Day Mornings M, W, F 9 a.m. -noon $5600 Five-Day Mornings M-F 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. $7800 Five-Day Full Day M-Th 9 a.m. -2:45 p.m. F 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. $8650 School Photographs School photos are taken once a year. Individual and class pictures will be taken and can be purchased from the photographer. At times, we do take photos of the children to be used in art projects, etc. We do not publish your children’s photos in a public forum without your consent. Students with Special Needs Admittance of students with special needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If a student is identified as having special needs or developmental delays during the academic year, strategies for assisting these students will be discussed with the child’s parents. After evaluation by a professional, if it seems a child’s needs would be better served by another facility, children may be asked to withdraw from the school. Tuition will be prorated and the remaining balance for the school year refunded.

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We will make every effort to accommodate the presence of therapists and aides who may be treating a child with special needs. There will be a limit of one extra non-nursery school staff in the classroom on any school day. The presence of such an aide must be scheduled with the teacher in advance and with the express approval of the nursery school director. This aide must have completed professional and related coursework, required health certificates and a criminal background check prior to becoming an aide in a child’s classroom. Parents in that classroom will be notified if such an aide is to be a regular presence in the classroom. Metropolitan Nursery School will make efforts to accommodate the one time or occasional presence of aides who are in the classroom for the purposes of observing a child with special needs. The school strongly encourages parents to schedule individualized treatment of special needs children, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, outside of school hours. However, if individualized treatment must take place during school hours, those sessions will not be conducted in the classroom but as a nearby locale on the school grounds, such as the Director’s office. Because of Metropolitan’s size and facility, the school is unable to accept and accommodate any children with certain disabilities. Parent Participation We welcome parent involvement. Parents have opportunities to provide support to their child’s classroom. They include, but are not limited to: serving as a room parent, serving on the Parent Steering Committee, volunteering for fund-raising and family events, and providing class parties to celebrate holidays. We have family activities throughout the year, which provides an excellent time to get to know other families. We invite parents to share their professions to the children as well as any creative ideas you may have for the teachers. Parents are also welcome to visit their child’s classroom at any time.

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Communication between Parents & Staff Each classroom provides a monthly newsletter that is sent home with the children during the first part of each month. In addition, parents are encouraged to speak with their child’s teachers as needed. Parents may schedule conferences with their child’s teachers at a time that is mutually convenient throughout the school year. Telephone numbers of teachers are published in the school’s directory and parents are encouraged to call their child’s lead teacher at home, if so needed. Parents are to address issues and concerns regarding their child’s care with their child’s teacher. If they feel that their concerns were not met, they are then asked to take their concerns to the Director. Required Forms All forms must be received by Metropolitan Nursery School by September 1. UNDER THE LAW OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES YOUR CHILD MAY NOT ATTEND CLASS UNTIL THESE FORMS ARE RECEIVED BY THE SCHOOL. Please make sure that all your forms are filled out completely and returned to the school by the dates requested. The following is the list required for our records. Please be sure you have received and returned each one.

1. EMERGENCY CONTACT FORM 2. DIRECTORY LISTING INFORMATION 3. STUDENT INFORMATION FORM 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR CHILD’S EMERGENCY MEDICAL

TREATMENT 5. REGISTRATION RECORD FOR CHILD RECEIVING

CARE AWAY FROM HOME 6. D.C. HEALTH FORM 7. DENTAL FORM (for children over 3 years of age)

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8. TRAVEL & ACTIVITY INFORMATION (for children going on 4 year old field trips)

9. SIGNED RECEIPT OF METROPOLITAN STUDENT HANDBOOK AND OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

10. TUITION CONTRACT Discipline Positive discipline is the focus at Metropolitan Nursery School. However, in cases where a student misbehaves, the child may be asked to step out of the classroom circle. In some cases, time-outs are utilized. In the case of a child experiencing chronic discipline issues, the teacher or nursery school director will meet with parents of that child to discuss steps to take so that child can become a positive contributor to his or her classroom. The nursery school director, in consultation with the Nursery School Advisory Committee, has the authority to ask a student who is a physical danger to together children in the classroom to withdraw from the nursery school. Tuition will be prorated and the remaining balance for the school year will be refunded. The nursery school director, in consultation with the Nursery School Advisory Committee and a child’s teachers, has the discretion to request a child to withdraw from the four year old extended day programs if it appears the extended time at school is not beneficial to the child. Class Pets The four year old class has a pet rabbit. If at any time, the animal shows signs of illness, it will be removed from the facility. Reporting of Unusual Incidents Metropolitan Nursery School will report any unusual incident that may adversely affect the health, safety or well-being of any child.

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Notes