The Brookline Early Education Program.   BEEP Enrolled Parents . 617.713 .5471

BEEP ENROLLED PARENTS

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Posted September 24, 2009 2:21 pm

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Starting School

Children should bring the following items on the first day of school:

* A complete change of clothing in a box or bag. A complete change of clothing should include underwear (or diapers), socks, pants, shirt and sweater. All should be clearly marked with your child's name. All other clothing worn or carried by the child should also be marked, e.g., coats, sweaters, boots, etc.

* A snack and a beverage in a brown bag or lunch box, labeled with your child's name and lunch and a beverage for those children attending an extended day program.

* A family photograph and an individual photo of your child, if possible.

* Completed forms - health forms, emergency information, developmental history. ALL FORMS MUST BE RETURNED IN ORDER FOR YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND.

Adjustment to new situations is an important and exciting part of growth and development. Each child adjusts to new situations differently. An important task for children and parents is separation. Both parents and children need to know that the classroom is a secure and safe place for them. Please be prepared to spend some time accompanying your child through the initial routines and arrival time activities. For some children this may mean 10 minutes on the first day only; for others it may mean a longer period of time for a few days.

Unless a special plan is made with the teacher, we ask that all parents say good-bye before circle time starts.

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Things The Teacher Will Do To Promote A Positive Adjustment

* Teachers will greet each child by name every day and introduce him/her to the routine and the classroom environment in a nurturing, reassuring manner.

* Teachers will help children get involved in activities. Sometimes diversion helps a child forget about good-byes and begin his/her day.

* Teachers will work on developing a special relationship with your child in an effort to get to know your child's strengths, needs, interests and preferences.

* Teachers will put up photographs of each child and his/her family. Sometimes if a child misses someone, looking at a photo can be the next best thing to that person being there. If possible, please send in a family photo when your child enters the program.
* If your child is having a difficult transition, the teacher will work with you to develop an appropriate separation plan.

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Things Parents Can Do To Promote A Positive Adjustment

* Bring your child to the program on time feeling confident about this new experience.

* A child can sense when a parent is uncertain about leaving and this can make the child anxious. Once a good-bye is said, follow through by leaving. (Often when a child is upset, within 10 minutes of the parent leaving, he or she is calm and playing.)

* Prompt arrival and pick up is very important. Part of your child's sense of security while in school is his/her awareness of the daily routine. If for any reason you cannot adhere to the schedule, please discuss this with the teacher.

* If you feel that having your child bring a transitional object to school (e.g. stuffed animal) will help ease separation, please discuss this with the teacher.

Remember, each child is different. Some children separate easily from their parents or caregivers, others have greater difficulty. Some children separate and seem to adjust very well initially but, after several weeks when the novelty has worn off, they exhibit a delayed reaction and may get upset in the mornings. All these reactions are typical and the teachers are prepared to help children and their parents make this adjustment.

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Arrival

The personalized nature of the program is planned to accommodate individual arrival times within the first 15 minutes of the program. Arrival time can be overwhelming when there are too many adults in the classroom. Our goal is to create a child-centered environment where children can say good-bye and settle in comfortably. We ask that you follow these guidelines to make for a smooth beginning each day:

* Please do not enter the classroom before the official beginning of class. Teachers need this time to set up activities and review daily plans.
* Help your child to hang up his or her coat and put snack in the cubby, but encourage independence with these tasks.

* If you wish to spend a little more time with your child, remember to stay low, participating at his/her level.

* Always say good-bye to your child and tell him/her when you will return or who will be picking him/her up.

* Please refrain from chatting with other parents in the classroom. This can be distracting for the children. Step into the hallway, away from the classroom, where you can talk comfortably and not disturb the class.

* Arriving on time and attending consistently is important for your child to feel comfortable and secure. We depend on all children arriving during the arrival period when teachers are available to individually greet you and your child and support a successful transition. If, on occasion, you are unable to arrive during the designated arrival period, please wait until circle time is over before entering the classroom.

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Departure

* After an active school day, children eagerly await the arrival of their parent or caregiver. In order to help your child feel secure it is essential that s/he be picked up promptly at the end of the session.

* At pick up time, your child can only be released to his/her parents/legal guardians unless you authorize, in writing, that another specified adult(s) has permission to pick up your child. You can write your own letter of authorization or you can use BEEP's Child Release Authorization Form to authorize people who will be picking up your child on a regular basis during the school year.

* At the end of the program your child needs your support to say good-bye, gather his/her clothing and artwork, and leave for home. A regular routine makes this a positive transition.

* Parents should check at pick up time for newsletters from the teachers and notices about special projects, activities, events, meetings and conferences. If you have specific questions about your child, please contact the teacher for an appointment or a phone call. We try to respect issues of confidentiality at drop off and pick up.

* Please be sure to read notices and newsletters. Teachers depend on this to keep you connected to the life of the classroom. designated arrival period, please wait until circle time is over before entering the classroom.

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Snacks

Parents are asked to provide a snack and beverage for their child each day. (For those attending extended day, lunch and a second beverage are needed as well, packed in a separate bag.) Please send snack or lunch in a labeled lunch box or bag. Foods that need to be kept cold should be sent in an insulated lunch bag with a frozen gel pack or a frozen juice box. Please refrain from sending in "sweets" (candy, soda, cake) as part of the snack. Some suggestions of foods you might provide include: crackers and cheese, cut up fruits, raw vegetables, bagel and cream cheese, muffins or breads, yogurt, milk, juice. The teacher has additional snacks on hand if children need it. Please note: In the event that a child in the group has a life-threatening allergy, some foods might need to be restricted.

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Clothing

Work and play clothes. Each day your child will be involved in projects on the floor, painting activities, working with clay, etc. Please provide easily washable clothes that can take wear, tear and occasional spills. Sturdy shoes, such as sneakers or other shoes with rubber soles, are essential. Please do not send children in "party shoes" or any shoes with slippery soles. Periodically check your child's extra clothing box to make sure it has a complete change of clothing appropriate for the season. If you take soiled clothes home to be washed, remember to bring a fresh supply the next morning. If your child uses diapers, please make sure there is an adequate supply on hand.

Winter Clothing. Your child will play outdoors at school every day except when it is raining or if it's exceptionally cold. Children need plenty of exercise and the freedom to explore snow, ice and even an occasional mud puddle. This means that every day your child should wear appropriate outdoor clothing including a warm coat, snow pants, boots, hat and mittens.

PLEASE LABEL ALL CLOTHING, BACKPACKS AND LUCHBOXES WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME.

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Items From Home

We discourage bringing toys from home to school. Favorite toys can be misplaced or broken and sharing can be difficult. Our goal is to have the child use the classroom toys and materials and to leave his or her personal toy at home.
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Birthdays

Children are welcome to celebrate their birthdays by bringing a "special snack" to share with their friends. Please inform the teachers ahead of time. We prefer that birthday invitations not be distributed at school.
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Storm Closings

We will follow the Brookline Public Schools' decision to close or delay the opening of school due to storms. Please listen to any of the Boston radio stations for the announcement or watch the television. Normally the announcements begin at 6:00 a.m. If the school opening is delayed by one hour, the early childhood classes will open one hour later than usual. If the school opening is delayed by 2 hours, the early childhood classes will start at 10:00 a.m. Children in the extended day program may report to their classroom at 10:00 a.m. and the afternoon class will take place at its regularly scheduled time.
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Change In Information

It is very important that parent(s)/guardian(s)' addresses, work and home telephone numbers and emergency names and telephone numbers be kept up to date at all times. Please inform the teacher in writing of any changes.
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BEEP Grievance Process

It is the mission of the early childhood programs of the Public Schools of Brookline to provide an inclusive environment where all children from ages three to five can learn social competency, develop cognitive motor and language skills and expand their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.
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Gifts

During the course of the school year, parents sometimes want to show their appreciation for the work the teaching team has done with their child. We strongly discourage giving personal gifts to teachers. The following are suggested ways, if you feel so inclined, to show your appreciation: * A note to the teachers or a gift for the classroom such as a book or game. * A contribution to the BEEP PTO designated for your child's classroom account. * A donation to the Barbara Murphy Early Childhood Professional Development Fund, via the early childhood secretary, in honor of your child's teacher. (Acknowledgment will be sent to the teacher.) * A gift certificate to a toy store, children's bookstore or "school supplies" store. * A donation to the Brookline Education Foundation, the Brookline Community Foundation or to the Fund for Young Children in honor of your child's teacher. (Acknowledgment will be sent to the teacher.)
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Policy Regarding Staff Providing Daycare

In order to maintain the integrity of the program and the professional status of the teachers and the support staff, we request that parents not seek to employ their child's classroom staff for childcare outside of the school day.
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Mission Statement - Brookline Early Education Program

It is the mission of the early childhood programs of the Public Schools of Brookline to provide an inclusive environment where all children from ages three to five can learn social competency, develop cognitive motor and language skills and expand their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.