Mission and vision statement
At Villamar Child Development Center, we believe that nothing is more important than educating our young children. The mission of the center is to offer a child-focused educational system in a safe, secure, serene, and friendly environment that prepares the children for after preschool endeavors and that endears them to the learning process and society as a whole. The center’s vision is to provide high-quality preschool education based on an emergent curriculum. The teachers create developmentally appropriate plans that are responsive to the needs, abilities, and interests of children.
Goals of a pre-school program
Like any other quality preschool program, Villamar has goals for its preschool program. The purpose of these goals is to ensure our teachers use set methodologies to teach children about matters that are of particular importance to them. Though these goals are often universal, the center has set aside goals that are unique to our environment (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). These goals include:
- Goal one: develop social and interpersonal skills. The major role of our preschool is to ensure the children are able to get along with their peers and other adults. The center also ensures there is a great teacher-student relationship which is essentially important for the promotion of learning. Our preschool program teaches children how to follow class rules, which is an important step in the growth of a child (CSEFEL, 2017).
- Goal two: develop self-help skills. The teachers work with the children to teach them how to accomplish tasks such as tying, zipping, and buttoning their clothes (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). The children are also taught basic skills such as how to use a napkin and how to serve themselves. Daily toothbrushing and naps are also offered to the children in order to help them learn health skills.
- Goal three: learning how to learn. Learning how to learn entails ensuring the children have essential and sufficient knowledge about themselves and their families (Yildirim, 2010). It also involves the children developing a sense of self-worth and understanding basic skills such as turn-taking during conversations. These skills lead to the more confident and well-developed learner.
- Goal four: develop language and literacy skills (Black, 1985). Literacy is best promoted through teacher guidance in ensuring learners acquire oral language skills, are able to read and write, and develop a language vocabulary. Through daily conversations with the teachers and basic teacher-assisted literacy and language tasks, the children are able to identify and use the letters of the alphabet to come up with words and simple sentences.
- Goal five: character development. This is made possible through assigning tasks to the children. These tasks are meant to foster their persistence and ensure cooperation, honesty, and trust (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). This is important because it ensures the school produces a holistic individual who can fit in the dynamic and ever-changing world.
- Goal six: promote wellness and healthy living. Our preschool program is able to do this through role-modeling good nutritional practices, outdoor learning experiences, and sports-related activities. These various activities are critical for the development of children.
- Goal seven: develop music and art appreciation. For art, it is made possible through a wide range of activities from a simple crayon drawing to painting with oil paints on canvas. For music, the classes sing songs, listen to music, and perform simple plays that expand their thinking. In addition, they take field trips to museums, plays, and concerts.
Policies and procedures
Our preschool program has specific policies that guide and govern how it is run. These policies are in adherence to both the human and educational rights of children, their parents, and the center’s employees (Yildirim, 2010).
Health, safety, and nutrition
The center policy advocates for a healthy diet for children, this is essential for their growth and development. The center has enrolled the Child and Adult Food Program (2017) which helps us keep tuition rates reasonable as well as ensure we can provide healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Below is a sample of our center’s menu:
The nutritious contents of these meals allow children to remain active throughout the day and keep them healthy. Please note that as part of our goal to promote wellness and healthy living all children and staff are required to wash their hands prior to meal service and children brush their teeth after eating. The hygiene rules that our center encourages help children to stay healthy and safe from diseases.
It is also important for parents to inform the center if their child has allergies. We will modify meals as needed to accommodate your child’s needs. The center will require a note from your pediatrician outlining the guidelines for your child’s allergy (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). All temporary restrictions should be reported as well. Please remember that the health of the children is the primary responsibility of both parents and staff. By providing necessary information about dietary restrictions, parents help the center to create the best environment for all attending children.
All food has to be eaten at the center during meal breaks. It is important to introduce children to new products and foods at this stage of development. Therefore, the center’s menu changes regularly. However, all means adhere to the standards of the state’s nutrition guidelines. The center’s policy is to provide meals that are healthy, nutritional, and diverse. Moreover, all foods must be seasonal and fresh.
The center realizes that mealtime has to be not only nutritional but also educational. That is why the staff encourages children to learn proper table etiquette. Parents can participate in teaching children healthy nutrition practices and etiquette as well by joining them for meals at home. Moreover, parents can strengthen the healthy habits of their children by repeating the same behavior at home.
Please note that children should not bring unhealthy and allergy-inducing foods to the center in order to avoid health-related problems. The health of all children should remain a priority for the center and its attendants. If you have any concerns or questions about the contents of the menu, please refer to the center’s supervisors.
There are several health and safety procedures that have to be undertaken in the center. In the event of a fire, all the children will be directed out of the building using the closest fire exit and parents will be called. The center has an alarm system that notifies the staff and children in such emergencies. Additionally, we have fire extinguishers at specific locations. Staff is trained to use the extinguishers to clear a path to safely exit the building. When there are harsh weather conditions parents are advised to monitor the local news, our center will close if the local schools close due to the weather. If there are any reports of contagious illnesses in the center we will follow the recommendations put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011).
Enrollment, attendance, tuition, and fees
The center believes that all children have equal chances to acquire education. We do not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, nationality, or disability. In the event an individual perceives to have been discriminated, they are advised to report to the center director for further action.
Our center’s policy is that it only enrolls children who are 3 years old and completely toilet trained. Parents are required to provide a copy of their child’s birth certificate upon admission. Failure to provide necessary documentation may delay the admission of the child.
It is important to note that the center follows a three-hour program that takes place every day from Monday to Friday (Black, 1985). After the class time which ends at noon, the center policy states that time is set aside for meetings and training, and home visits. These programs are essential for the development of children enrolled in our program.
The center has an open-door policy for the parents of attending children. You are welcome to get involved in every part of the program. The development of children can be positively influenced by the active participation of their parents. Thus, we believe that you can make a big difference in your children’s lives and guide their achievements forward. The mission and vision of the center correlate to this statement and encourage continuous improvement.
Children follow a set schedule of activities during their time at the center. It is vital for parents to remember the time on which the schedule ends in order to pick up the children at the right time. Unless established otherwise, both parents have the right to pick up their child. If you know that you will not be able to pick up your child on time, you must notify the staff or late pick-up fees will be applied. Otherwise, please contact the center to inform the workers about the person picking up your child. It is helpful for the staff to have a list of emergency contacts on hand to ensure that the child leaves with a trustworthy person at the appropriate time.
Tuition rates are discussed prior to enrollment along with the establishment of payment dates, which usually are placed at the beginning of each month. Fees are non-refundable. Please note that such events as a child’s illness and family vacations cannot become a reason for a refund as the charges are not based on attendance but enrollment. The fees for childcare allow the center to provide children with the best equipment and products. If you want to inquire about any additional information about tuition and fees, please do not hesitate to contact the center.
Curriculum and daily activities
Our center’s policy is ensuring that we have qualified personnel working with your children. Therefore, our policy clearly stipulates that the program administrator is in charge of the supervision of the center. The policy also stipulates the director has to meet the qualifications set aside in the preschool program standards. Teachers are a major stakeholder in the running of our preschool program. Therefore, the center has taken the responsibility of employing teachers who fit the state set standards and are also proven success stories (Yildirim, 2010). These teachers are assisted by well-qualified teacher assistants.
NAEYC (2017) states that “young children learn best through direct sensory encounters and not through a formal academic process.” Our policy is providing children hands-on learning experiences and opportunities to explore nature. Our preschool curriculum is well planned, developmentally appropriate, stimulating, and culturally responsive. We have developed a comprehensive approach to support kindergarten readiness.
The policy of our preschool program is to purposefully assess children in order to measure their development. These policies have to be SMART. That is specific, measurable, accurate, reliable, and time-conscious. Upon establishing the outcomes of the children’s results the preschool teachers plan for experiences that will foster improvement. The preschool teachers track assessment results throughout the year to monitor progress (Yildirim, 2010). The methods the center has set aside to use for the assessment of the learners include a creative curriculum that analyzes all aspects of development, according to their ages and the stages of learning and how they respond to environmental conditions set forth for them.
The center’s discipline policy is geared towards positive guidance and uses redirection techniques. In the event a child exhibits extreme behaviors, we will schedule a conference to discuss a course of action. Note that the center does not engage in any form of corporal punishment. No form of harsh speaking to the children, spanking, pinching, or grabbing of children is acceptable (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). The children are also not to be denied basic necessities such as food as part of the punishment for the wrongs they do in the center.
Our preschool program takes a proactive approach to the development of positive character development. The approach is set by the administration and utilized by the staff. The center staff is aware of the role they play in encouraging positive behavior among the children. Both the teaching and the non–teaching staff play a critical role in the shaping of behavior by acting as good role models to the children. Through positive strategies the procedures are able to guide behavior by redirecting children’s behavior, giving encouragement to the children, acting as role models, and communicating at the child’s level.
The preschool program also ensures that the staff is attentive to the environment and structure of the program this is specifically important in encouraging positive behavior among the children. The program also creates awareness of the program rules and expectations (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). The teachers are responsible for implementing the program’s discipline policy in the classroom. It is important to note that in the case a child’s behavior is not redirectable or they become extremely aggressive, they will be removed from the class until they are able to control their behavior (Yildirim, 2010). Once the child is able they are returned to the class. The behavior is discussed with parents when they pick up their child at the end of the day.
The set schedule for attending children includes three meal breaks and a three-hour activity program. The program ends at noon. Rest times are provided in between different activities. Furthermore, children have time to wash their hands prior to and brush their teeth after mealtimes. Children attend the center every day from Monday to Friday. The schedule is subject to change because of special projects.
The main activities are a balanced combination of learning and playing. Learning opportunities for children are aimed at developing adequate literacy and language, self-help, and social skills. Moreover, such activities as drawing and painting are included in the curriculum to foster creativity and self-expression. The children are expected to perform group activities as well as individuals tasks during the day. As the program progresses throughout the year, children begin to learn new topics and understand more about the surrounding world.
The devised curriculum supports the diverse interests of the attending children and encourages learning of different aspects of their cultures. One’s distinguished identity plays a significant role in the learning experience of the entire group.
Regular participation in field trips to museums and plays is a part of the center’s program as well. During these activities, children learn how to behave in public places and study the world around them. The plans for field trips will be available to parents in advance. The staff accompanying children will always be in touch with the center and parents.
On a monthly basis, the center invites the enrolled families to the center to attend learning events, plays, concerts, and other special events. Inviting the parents into the center gives them the opportunity to assess whether their funds have been put to good use (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). Additionally, the preschool program plans field trips, and we encourage parents to attend as chaperones in these special learning opportunities.
Family and community involvement
As an institution, we strive to ensure that parents are involved in the day-to-day running of our center. We see parents as partners in the learning environment and we offer many ways for parents to be involved in their child’s preschool experience. It is essential to engage children in the learning process. Some children find it difficult while transitioning from one level to another in a learning environment (Weist, Lever, Bradshaw, & Owens, 2014). Several procedures have been put in place to attract teachers into the preschool environment. For instance, the preschool ensures that all teachers prepare short biographies about themselves (Yurt & Cevher-Kalburan, 2011). These biographies go a long way in ensuring that parents are able to personally know the teacher who is in charge of their children. The sharing of our teacher’s interests with the parents enables them to lessen the anxiety when the parents are interacting with the teachers.
Another method we utilize to encourage our parents to participate in the running of the school is questionnaires. These questionnaires offer valuable information to the teachers about the children in their care. The completion of questionnaires is particularly important when new children enroll in our program. The preschool program ensures that the teachers prepare a daily dialogue book. This book is specifically meant to give parents information on their children’s day. The dialogue book is utilized by both the parent and the teacher providing for two-way communication.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011). Caring for our children: National health and safety performance standards; guidelines for early care and education programs (3rd ed.). Aurora, CO: National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education.
Black, T. (1985). Budget and program planning in early education programs. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 5(1), 53-62.
Child and adult care food program (CACFP). (2017). Web.
CSEFEL: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (2017). Web.
NAEYC. (2017). Early learning program accreditation. Web.
Weist, M. D., Lever, N. A., Bradshaw, C. P., & Owens, J. S. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of school mental health: Research, training, practice, and policy (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Springer US.
Yildirim, A. (2010). Creativity in early childhood education program. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 1561-1565.
Yurt, Ö., & Cevher-Kalburan, N. (2011). Early childhood teachers’ thoughts and practices about the use of computers in early childhood education. Procedia Computer Science, 3, 1562-1570.