Dear Parents,
Welcome to the All Superstars Voluntary PreKindergarten Program! We are
confident that you have made an excellent choice and we assure you that we will
make every effort to ensure your child's VPK experience is the best it could
possibly be.
This letter is to let you know what our program is like, what our goals
are, and to give you some suggestions as to what you can do to make your child's
experiences with us as happy and rewarding as possible.
CURRICULUM
In our VPK class, we use a research-based curriculum called the "Creative
Curriculum".
This VPK approved curriculum offers a wealth of activities that will
give your child the very best preparation for Kindergarten. We add themes to the
curriculum to make it all the more enjoyable for the children. A vital component of
the curriculum is your involvement.
There will be many enjoyable activities for you
to do with your child at home, or while out and about, that will help him or her get
the full benefit from the program.
You will find by our classroom door our daily and weekly curriculum as well as our
parent information board to see what fun and exciting things we do each day. Also,
periodically, there will be important notices and sign-up sheets on the door.
The themes of the week are always displayed on a poster board at the front office as
well explained to you in our weekly information letter which is put into your child's
file every Friday.
PUNCTUALITY
Please be sure that your child arrives on time. Circle time is the first activity
of the day and we need to keep this time as little disturbed as possible. We don't
charge any additional fees if your child attends beyond the VPK hours. They are
9:15 AM till 4:45 PM. We will operate every weekday, except July 4th, through
August 1st.
IMMUNIZATIONS AND PHYSICAL EXAMS
Please be sure that your child has up to date immunizations recorded on the
Department of Children and Families' blue form # 3040 and a current physical
recorded on the Department of Children and Families' yellow form # 680.
ATTENDANCE
The VPK program requires that ALL absences be documented. It is essential that
you call us immediately if your child is sick and unable to attend. You will then need
to bring in a note as soon as possible, and certainly before the end of the calendar
month, explaining the absence.
If your child has to be absent for more than 7 days in any one month due to extenuating circumstances such as serious illness, hospitalization, or a death in the family, you will need to have someone other than a family member write the note, for example, a Doctor.
WHAT TO BRING
If your child still takes a nap, please see that he or she has a labeled blanket and
maybe a little pillow as well as a cuddly toy. It is important for your child to feel
secure and comfortable.
Our naptime schedule is from about 12:30 PM until about 2:30 PM. Your child will also need at least two changes of clothing in case of accidents or spills. Please be sure that all items are clearly labeled and can fit in your child's bin in his or her cubby.
WHAT NOT TO BRING
Children very often want to bring a toy, in addition to his or her naptime toy, from
home. Please do not allow this. We could have unnecessary tears and distress over
these items. We can assure you that the children have more than enough to occupy
them while they are here! Every Friday we have "Show and Tell" and the children
are asked to bring in an item that relates either to the theme or the letter of the
week.
WATERPLAY
While waterplay in our water tables is a part of our daily routine in the summer
months, we also have an extra special waterplay day (Friday) in our waterplay area.
Please provide your child with labeled sunscreen, a towel, bathing suit, and water
shoes (to prevent slipping). On Fridays, please have your child come to class already
wearing his or her bathing suit.
CUBBIES AND FILES
Each child has his or her own file and cubby. We ask that you check both daily. Be
very sure to check your child's file on Friday as the weekly Newsletter and
Homework assignment will be there.
MEALS AND SNACKS
We provide breakfast, lunch, and a snack for full time children. Our menu is posted
on our website - Allsuperstarspreschool.com. We participate in the USDA Food
Program here and our menus are carefully planned and approved so that we can be
sure the children have a healthy, balanced diet.
Our teachers are encouraged to sit with the children during meals and snacks, so if
you bring your child in at this time, please have your child wash his or her hands
and join the other children at the table. If your child has any food allergies, please
be sure to let us know. You will need to bring in a Doctor's note if your child is
unable to drink milk or is on a special diet. If you arrive 15 minutes after the
starting time for breakfast, please be sure that your child has eaten at home.
FOOTWEAR
After outdoor play, we have the children empty the sand from their shoes before
going back into the classroom. They love, and need, to do things themselves, so it
might be a good idea to have them wear shoes with Velcro closings until they start
to learn to tie their shoes. Tying is a skill we like to have the children accomplish
by the end of the PreK year.
Help us get your child's name on our shoe-tying chart! Practice at home! Please be sure that all shoes have closed toes. Sandals and flip-flops are not suitable for the kinds of activities we have here.
SELF HELP
The children are encouraged to take care of their belongings, to dress themselves
neatly, and to have good habits of hygiene such as using the bathroom properly and
washing their faces and hands at all appropriate times.
How you can help:
Please plan enough time into your daily routines that your child has time to do as
much as he or she can with your encouragement and support.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
All children need the skills necessary to get along with other people, to be
well-mannered, considerate, to give and receive respect, and to be able to
communicate effectively.
We help children with their communication skills by encouraging them to talk about what they are doing and how they are feeling and how they think their friends are feeling. If they have a problem with one of their friends, we help the children solve these problems with words.
They are shown how to avoid conflict and how to develop cooperation skills. Children who tend to be shy are helped to be politely assertive, children who tend towards aggression are helped to understand the concept of negotiation and sharing. We have all kinds of activities to encourage healthy social development.
How you can help:
Please be sure that your child has a regular routine and enough sleep. Be sure that you follow through with fair and consistent discipline at home and are reasonable with your expectations.
LITERACY
Reading:
We read several times a day to the children and discuss the stories with them
during and after the reading to develop their listening, comprehension, and
concentration skills.
Children who have positive early reading experiences mostly become enthusiastic
readers. We are also very mindful of children's interests and you will see that we
have all kinds of books in the different learning centers related to the subject
matter of that area, such as books about trucks in the block area and about bugs in
the science area.
We frequently write down the things that the children say so that they see immediately that their words can be both written and read. With carefully planned activities, we encourage children to recognize letters, words, and numbers.
How you can help:
Read, read, read to your child!! Have regular rituals at bedtime so that this happens every evening.
Take your time to enjoy the reading homework activities. Point out words on signs as you drive around town. Let your child see you read and write. Have him or her help you make your shopping lists.
Writing:
For some children at this age writing is extremely difficult and this is NO REFLECTION on their future ability to write. When children do start to write, normally the most important thing for them is their name. Children at All Superstars can usually write their first and last names clearly and correctly by the end of the VPK program.
How you can help:
When you practice writing with your child, be sure that you use basic print only.
This is what they will learn in the Lee County public schools. Be sure that we have
given you a copy of the Basic Print letters.
It is more important to do a LITTLE correctly than lots incorrectly. It is hard for children to start Kindergarten having to UNLEARN things they have been told that they have accomplished correctly. Be sure that they form the letters in the way that the arrows show. Be sure that your
child's name is written with the first letter in upper case and the following letters in lower case.
Be very patient. This is really difficult. If he or she resists, try again later. At this
age, the ability to recognize letters and to recognize the initial sounds in words is
far more important than the ability to form letters.
MUSIC AND MOVEMENT
All children love music and "Music and Movement" is an important part of our daily
routine. Your child will know numerous songs and fingerplays by the time he or she
has completed preschool here. Children develop a good sense of rhythm by
regularly playing musical instruments in time to a piece of music. The great classical composers are a part of our curriculum.
How you can help:
Play lots of different kinds of music with your child. Listen actively rather than
just having music in the "background." Dance with your child.
MATH, SCIENCE, AND COOKERY
Math skills are encouraged with all kinds of counting and classification games and
activities such as pouring and measuring during waterplay and making graphs in the
classroom.
A love of science is developed through fascinating science experiments from
growing plants in our garden and keeping insects to using magnets. We have various
pets the children like to help take care of.
We have regular cooking projects. This often involves preparing foods from
different cultures so the children not only have the opportunity to follow step by
step directions, measure, and pour, and observe chemical changes, but also to
discover new tastes and ideas about food. We grow vegetables and herbs in our
hydroponic garden and the children love to help prepare them to eat for lunch and
snack.
How you can help:
Encourage your child to help you prepare meals. Have your child count and weigh
fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Have your child help you set the dinner
table and count the number of settings.
FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Fine motor skills are developed by activities such as cutting, lacing, drawing,
painting, pegboards, shape sorting, sewing, and puzzles. These activities are
important for strengthening the muscles needed to hold a pencil and write
correctly as well as for eye-hand coordination. We always make sure that children
learn to hold pencils and use scissors correctly.
We are well-known for our fabulous spacious playgrounds where children develop
every possible gross motor skill so important for self-confidence as well as physical
fitness.
How you can help:
Give your child the right kinds of toys and activities to develop those muscles in his
or her hands. Help him or her hold pencils and use scissors properly. Make sure
that you teach him or her to tie his or her shoes.
Give your child plenty of opportunities for fresh air and exercise.
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES
We have many children and staff at All Superstars who speak more than one
language. We love them to share their abilities with us. The human brain is
designed to absorb and use language at a very early age and has no difficulty
whatsoever learning more than one at the same time. We sing many songs in both
Spanish and English.
How you can help:
If your first language is not English, keep using your first language in the home.
Your child will easily learn English outside the home.
CARE OF EQUIPMENT, PROPERTY, AND PETS
Children are encouraged to handle toys and equipment properly and to put them
back where they belong. They are shown how to handle books carefully and how to
handle and care for class pets.
How you can help:
Be sure that your child always cleans up after him or herself. If clean-up is
overwhelming, of course he or she will need your help. Be sure that he or she
handles property respectfully.
PERSONAL SAFETY
We like all our children to know what to do in any kind of emergency and feel it is
important that they know their name, address, and telephone number by the end of
the VPK session. Please be sure that we always have the correct information.
How you can help:
Have a plan for how to handle emergencies. Teach your child how to be with
strangers and who to turn to for help. Make sure he or she knows his or her
address and phone number.
FLORIDA
Children here are taught a considerable amount about the Florida environment.
They learn to identify common Florida plants, animals, birds, and marine life and to
recognize signs of changing seasons.
How you can help:
Help your child be observant. Point out plants and animals. Know their names and
what they do.
HOME ACTIVITIES
Your child will be given activities to enjoy with you at home to help reinforce skills
that we are working on during class. Please let your teacher know if your child
experiences any difficulties so that we can all work together to help his or her
progress.
PARENT VOLUNTEERING
Active parent involvement is the biggest key to the future success of your child.
There is nothing your children like better than to share their experiences with the
ones they love best - YOU! In addition to your continual support and
encouragement of your child, we love to have you help in the classroom, on field
trips or with fund-raising events.
PROGRESS ASSESSMENT AND CONFERENCES
Children are assessed within a month of starting VPK using the AP assessment tool
from the Office of Early Learning. We will do another one just before school
starts in August. We share all the results with you and you are very welcome to
request a conference with your child's teacher to discuss your child's progress at
any time.
Likewise, we may approach you to set up a conference if we feel we need to discuss
any matters with you concerning your child's progress.
Finally, we would like you to feel welcome to join our VPK class ANY time you like.
We would love you to share your comments and suggestions. Thank you for choosing
All Superstars for your child. Once again, you can be sure that we will make every
effort to make you feel confident you made a good choice!
Yours very sincerely,
Miss Tracie and the All Superstars Downtown Management team.