Arrivals and Departures

The Weekday School operates from September through May from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We observe an early dismissal at 12:00 noon for all Toddlers and Twos classes during the first two weeks of school in order to ease the transition for these younger children. Otherwise, all classes end at 1:00 p.m.

Children may be dropped off no earlier than 9:00 a.m. and must be picked up by 1:00 p.m. At 1:05, children that still remain in the classroom will be taken to the Director for pick up and late pickup fees will be charged to your account. It is essential to the quality of the program that teachers have the time before/after the children arrive to do the necessary preparation required for the classroom. Please respect their need for this time by not entering the classroom before 9:00 a.m. and by picking up and exiting promptly at 1:00 p.m.. Drop-off and pick-up is a busy time and is not conducive to in-depth conversations. Keep in mind that it is more appropriate to talk about concerns at a time when the children are not present.

Children in the Toddlers, Twos and Threes classes must be walked to their classroom each morning, signed in, and picked up there each afternoon. Please park in the rear parking lot behind the sanctuary. A car-pool system is in place for children enrolled in the Fours and TK classes beginning the second week of school. Fours and TK should be dropped off at end of the main building sidewalk each morning. After being greeted by at least two staff members, the children will be guided to their classrooms. Please do not allow your child to exit your car and walk in unless a teacher is present. Each classroom of Fours and TK has a different designated pick-up point as described in the initial classroom paperwork. In case of rain, morning drop-off will remain the same, but in the afternoon parents should park next to the curb and walk up to pick up their child. In order for car-pooling to run smoothly, please ask our teachers to call you if there is a need for discussion. We ask all parents of Fours and TK to please call the administrative office by 9:30 a.m. if your child is going to be absent that day. We will relay this information to the proper teacher.

All parents/guardians must complete an “Authorization to Pick Up Child” form. This form lists all persons authorized to pick up a child from school. Anyone not listed on that form will be not be allowed to leave with your child. Parents must provide written notice or have direct phone communication with the director or teacher for any changes. Those picking up children may be asked to show photo identification.

For safety reasons, we ask that you follow these simple rules for the parking and drop-off and pick-up procedures:

• PLEASE PARK ONLY IN THE INTERIOR LOT
• PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE CAR-POOL LOADING AREA – except for Fours and TK parents if it is raining at pick-up time, in which instance you will need to park there and walk up to pick up child
• NO U-TURNS ARE ALLOWED ANYWHERE ON CAMPUS DURING DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP TIMES
• ONE-WAY ONLY where indicated
• GOODBYES AND STAFF DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE QUICK
• DO NOT LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED IN CAR
• DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES VISIBLE IN YOUR CAR

Items from home

In order to make the transition from home easier, children are allowed to bring security items to help them feel more comfortable in their new environment. The teachers welcome items that are related to the theme of that week, however, please be advised that the school will not be responsible for any broken/lost items that are brought from home. Toys are not allowed.

Food Requirements

The Weekday School provides a morning snack and water each day. Typical snack items are goldfish crackers, granola bars, pretzels, and graham crackers. Children need to bring a lunch (including a drink) from home everyday. Please provide only healthy items – candy is not allowed. Make it easy – make everything you send nutritious! Since we are always encouraging self-help skills, we ask that you send easy-open containers and food that is ready for the child to eat. Please pay close attention – certain fruits/vegetables should be cut lengthwise into small portions prior to being sent to school. Some food, especially whole grapes, can be a choking hazard for preschool children.

Some healthy lunch suggestions are fresh fruits/vegetables, cheese cubes, yogurts, raisins, crackers, bagels with cream cheese, and turkey roll-ups.

Clothing

Please dress your child so that he or she feels comfortable and free to participate in play and learning activities. Learning activities include water, dirt, sand, mud, paint, glue, and play-dough, so please dress your child appropriately.
Children must wear shoes. Shoes that are comfortable and sturdy enough to run, jump and play are appropriate. With our mulch and concrete, open toed shoes may lead to injuries. Sneakers are the best/safest.

Each child needs a complete change of clothes at school at all times (more than one during potty training). Accidents can happen at any time. Please keep this set of clothing (shirt, pants, underwear and socks) in a large Ziploc bag in your child’s bag at all times. Since we do go outside on an almost daily basis, an extra jacket or sweatshirt is highly recommended. We also recommend clothing that is easy to pull off and on. Please no overalls, belts, and outfits with lots of snaps/buttons. The child’s clothing should not prohibit the child from participating in the daily routine of preschool.

Diapers/Toilet Training

Children who are not potty trained must bring their own supply of diapers. Wipes are provided. All children are required to wash their hands with the assistance of the teacher after having their diaper changed or using the toilet.

If you are toilet training your child, please let your teachers know – we have helpful information to share with you. If the training process becomes disruptive or interferes with the class, the teachers may require that the child wear diapers during school. The child should show signs of being physically and emotionally ready to begin the process. Our teachers are willing to assist in the training process and prefer to work cooperatively with the parent’s pattern of training at home.

Curriculum

Trinity Weekday School believes that preschool children learn best through play. It is our belief that children learn all areas of the curriculum through carefully planned activities. Each child is given quality materials and time to experiment with them so that the concept can be fully explored. Teachers act as facilitators to help the children think through situations. We believe that all children learn best at their own pace. Our lessons are organized thematically. Teachers create lesson plans that include art, music, language, science, housekeeping, and blocks. Each age level has team planning, so that all of the children of the same age are experiencing the same theme at the same time. However, teachers are able to use their creativity/interest of the group to best present the themes to their individual classroom. Math concepts are built through real experiences with problems to be solved. Our children will learn to read from hearing quality literature each day. Often this literature will be dramatized into a play or illustrated into artwork. Each child will also participate in various enrichment activities such as woodworking, My Gym, Play Spanish, and Creative Movement. Monthly Chapel is provided for all of our Fours and TK. All of these foundations for learning help to build skills for future success by incorporating the social, emotional, physical, sensorial, and spiritual areas of development.

Birthday Celebrations

We will be happy to celebrate a child’s birthday while at school. Simple cupcakes/muffins/cookies and birthday cups/napkins/plates are appropriate for parents to provide. Please ask your child’s teacher if there are any food allergies in the class. We welcome parents; however, balloons/treat bags/presents and extended family members are more appropriate for parties outside of school. Children will not be allowed to exchange presents at school. Party invitations cannot be given out at school unless the entire class is invited. A school directory with contact information for each child is provided at the beginning of each year.