Parent Information for Leika’s School
Admission
Children will be placed in classes based on their age as of September 1 of the current year. This is consistent with public school placement.
A limited number of students are enrolled for each class to ensure a proper teacher-student ration. A waiting list will be initiated for students who wish to enroll after that time.
Scholarship information is available through the directors and applications will be reviewed by the Committee on Pre-School Ministries.
Attendance
Consistent attendance and prompt arrival are essential. Children should arrive no earlier than ten minutes before the designated time and should be picked up promptly at 12:00 noon or 1:00 p.m. for extended lunch. If an emergency should alter this schedule, please call one of the directors.
Health and Safety
Your child’s safety is important to us and we ask that you follow drop-off and pick-up traffic markings. (See Traffic Flow below) Also, open car doors toward the building and away from the street so that children may get to the sidewalk without coming in contact with street traffic.
Your child should not attend school when visibly ill. Children should be clear of FEVER, nausea, diarrhea, etc. for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Children with pink eye should not return to school until after a doctor’s visit and they have completed taking an antibiotic. If your child should become ill at school, we will try to contact you. If we deem it an emergency, we will call the emergency numbers you have provided on the enrollment form, and when necessary, we will utilize the emergency release you have provided.
Call when your child will be absent due to illness. Please report communicable diseases as soon as possible.
If your child needs to be excused from any normal activity such as outdoor play, please let us know.
Our school operates under a “Safe Sanctuary” policy as directed by the United Methodist Church.
Traffic Flow
All the children will unload on the Lauderdale Street entrance to our Educational Building. ALWAYS let the children out of the car through those doors that open toward the building and away from the traffic. PLEASE do not get out of the car yourself as this creates a bottleneck. A teacher will assist you in getting your child into the car at pick up time.
Clothing and Possessions
Please mark any removable clothing, books, toys or other items with your child’s name. A change of clothing should be provided for each child in case of an accident.
Children should wear clothing which is durable and comfortable. We go outside whenever possible, so please dress children accordingly. Select shoes which give support and allow freedom of movement. Cowboy boots are discouraged.
Guns, ropes, knives and other toys which encourage rough play are not to be brought to school. In fact, no toys should be brought to school unless they are to be shared.
Please bring no gum, candy, or money to school. If your child has something special to share with the class, arrangements should be made with the teacher. We encourage you to send items that would enhance unit studies or holiday observations. Parents with expertise in unit studies are also invited to come and share. (See schedule of weekly units.)
Snacks
Midmorning snacks are provided with juice. We will ask parents to help keep a supply of cookies or crackers available on a volunteer basis.
Also, we welcome the celebrations of birthdays in the classroom. Please check with the teacher on the date and number of children to be served. If your child has a summer birthday, consider celebrating at the beginning or end of the school year or help with a special holiday instead. Please, no “pretend” birthdays in May as we are busy practicing for graduation. We request that no invitations be sent for birthday parties during school hours so that no one feels obligated to bring gifts.
Field Trips
The permission slip for field trips in included in your enrollment packet. Field trips will be announced in advance in the monthly newsletter or by a note sent home from the teacher.
We also plan to use the library in which case the children will walk with the special supervision of the teacher and volunteers when needed.
Conferences
Guidelines for Bad Weather
Please note that we have an immensely secure place to go in case of strong storms…our basement. That is where we will take the children and stay if a tornado warning should occur. We will remain there until the warning is over. If you wish to pick up your child before a warning occurs, you may do so but we will not conduct our usual car pool during a warning. If you are out in the bad weather, you may wish to join us in the basement! We just want everyone to be safe…students and teachers.
Monthly Newsletters
We believe that parents’ meetings sometimes present a problem to many of those who work outside the home. For that reason, we have devised a monthly newsletter to keep you informed. Upcoming events, “parental helps,” and current topics of study will be among those items discussed. We want you to be kept full apprised of “what’s happening” at Leika’s.
Remember…
There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children-
One is roots…the other, wings.
