2's to Preschool (3's & 4's) Transition--What to Expect!

Preschool Schedule:

7am-8:40am- Greet children and parents / free choice
8:40am-8:55am- Potty
8:55am-9:05am- Prayer
9:05am-9:25am- Circle time / Bible
9:25am-9:30am- Prepare to go outside
9:30am-10am- Outside time
10am-10:15am- Potty
10:15am-11:15am- Centers
11:15am-11:30am- Prepare for lunch
11:30am-12pm- Lunch
12pm-2pm- Nap time
2pm-2:30pm- Potty / snack
2:30pm-3pm- Centers
3pm-3:30pm- Outside
3:30pm-3:45pm- Wash hands / potty
3:45pm-5:30pm- Centers / prepare to go home

What to Expect:
  1. 9am is the latest drop-off time for your child unless they have a scheduled appointment.
  2. The preschool classroom does not have a sink in the classroom, but hand washing is still required by parents during drop-offs and pick-ups.  Please just use the sinks in the restrooms, in the hallway, to wash your hands and your child's hands during drop-offs.  You may not send your child to the restroom alone to wash their hands, you must accompany them to the restrooms.  The teacher cannot take your child to wash their hands in the morning because he/she would have to take every child, so please add hand washing in your daily drop-off schedule.
  3. In the preschool classroom, parents are asked to only send enough items to last each day for their child.  Small packs of diapers/pull-ups and wipes are allowed, but not in large quantities.  Snacks and other food items are to be sent each day, not in bulk.  
  4. The preschool teacher does not focus as much on potty training as the 2's classroom.  Some students may be asked to remain in the 2's classroom if they still need help with potty training.  Transitions are on a case-by-case basis and age is not the only deciding factor.  Students should be physically, emotionally, and mentally ready to transition.  If potty-training is the only factor holding a child in the 2's classroom, we will consider transitioning them to the preschool classroom with some special restrictions that will be discussed with you, the parent.  The teacher takes the students for a "potty break" based on the need and the schedule.  Please do not send your child to school in underwear if they are having several accidents each day.  Keep them in pull-ups until you and your child's teacher agree on underwear use.  Even when your child starts to wear underwear, your teacher will decided whether or not to use pull-ups on your child at nap-time to avoid wet cots and sheets. 
  5. Preschool students are expected to have their cups labeled and dated just as they did in the 2's classroom.  We realize that you may occasionally forget to label a cup or bottle, but please remember that all food items must be labeled and dated each day with a tape or other adhesive material that will stay on all day long.  If cups/bottles are not labeled, we are placed in jeopardy of a violation/write-up from an inspector if they come onsite.
  6. Pacifiers are not allowed in the preschool classroom. 
  7. Please do not send your preschool students in open-toed shoes or shoes with shoe strings.  Preschool students should come to school in shoes that fit their feet snugly and support their movements.  If your daughter wears skirts to school, they must wear shorts under the skirt or wear skorts.
  8. Preschool students should have meals and snacks that allow them to feed themselves.  Their food items should be age-appropriate in content and portion sizes. Preschool students will be expected to feed themselves using spoons, forks, etc.
  9. Please do not send your child's lunch to school in plastic bags (ie.  plastic grocery bags, any other plastic, etc).  Vinyl lunch bags are allowed.
  10. Preschool students should have an extra set of clothing that remains at school.  If you are able to send 2 sets, that would be great.  If your child does not have an appropriate change of clothing at school, we will attempt to fit them into clothes that have been donated to the school.  If your child is unable to fit into any of the donated clothing items, you will be contacted to bring them another set of clothing.
  11. Teachers will attempt to send home memos if your child is in need additional clothing, wipes,  etc.  Please partner with your child's teacher to check on your child's supplies to be sure they have what they need at school.  Teachers care for your child as well as other children, so please "partner" with them for smooth transitions and strong relationships.
  12. In the Preschool classroom, the students sleep on cots/mats.    Our school provides the cot/mat and sheets for each student, and we also launder the sheets weekly.  No blankets from home are permitted for sanitation purposes.
  13. Please do not send large book bags  to school with your preschooler, small book bags or lunch boxes should be sent only for holding their lunches and/or snacks, and their work papers.  The cubbies are narrow and will not allow the large, bulky bags to fit.  Please check your child's bags before leaving them at school, they should not have any medication, sharp objects, or any adult items left in them.
  14. The preschool students nap from 12pm until 2pm, please do not enter their classroom during nap-time.  Out of consideration for the teacher and the other students, if you need to pick up your child early, please do it before nap-time or after nap-time.
  15. As with all students, the longer it takes for mom or dad to drop-off, the more the child may remain upset.  Generally, preschool students are quite independent, but they will would rather be with their parent all day.  If your child has an attachment to you, they will calm down quickly after the you have left the room.  During drop-offs, please all your child to place his/her belongings in their cubbie and let the teacher know if your child needs to eat breakfast.  The teacher will get your child settled for breakfast according to the classroom schedule.
  16. If you child arrives after 8:45am, he/she will not be allowed to eat breakfast.  At 8:45am, the teacher begins to clean up the breakfast table and prepare the students for corporate prayer time.  If a child comes in late for breakfast, the teacher will be behind schedule.  It is important that we keep the students on a routine schedule.
  17. If you have more than one child enrolled, please pick-up and drop-off the youngest child first.  It is easier on older children to depart from parents,  and can be difficult for younger children if they hear their parents talking in another classroom prior to picking them up.  If you have more than one child enrolled, you must enter each child's classroom for drop-offs and pick-ups, neither child may leave their classroom to meet you.  A child's sibling younger than 18 years old is not allowed to remove them from the classroom.
  18. If you have a complaint or concern about your child's classroom/teacher, the first step in your communication should be with your child's teacher.  Teachers are human and are not expected to be perfect, and they are great, but cannot read minds.  If you have a concern, please talk with your child's teacher first and if it cannot be resolved, you may schedule time to consult the director, Roxanne Knight, for assistance.  Your child's teacher is in the classroom with your child all day long and will have answers to your questions that the Director will not have.  Please remember that each teacher is different and possess their own set of gifts and talents, so please avoid comparing your child's new teacher with their old teacher.  Please take the time to get to know the new teacher and allow time for the teacher to get to know you and your child.  Remember, a teacher has several people they must learn about during transitions, you only have 1, the teacher.  Besides complaints or concerns, please remember to tell your child's teacher about the things she is doing well.  People tend to work better and harder when they feel appreciated.