preschool Handbook
Welcome
We are delighted that you have joined our Preschool. With children, learning is a continuous wonder, finding out, and discovering. Learning is catching an insect in a jar, watching it, and feeling the importance of letting it go. It is seeing how a crab and a spider are alike, it is encouraging children to research, seek answers, make sense of what they find, and to instill the enjoyment of exploring objects, organizing events, and discovering the world. We hope to encourage parent involvement in order to foster a true partnership between our families and our school. Our school community eagerly anticipates an eventful and adventurous year filled with a variety of experiences for both you and your child. Beginning Preschool is, as you know, an important step in your child’s life. Every child is different. Every child is special, with special needs, special interests and special characteristics. Your child is important to you, and important to us, and we need to work hand in hand to help him or her grow, learn, and develop, both as an individual and as a member of our school.
We believe that parents are the prime educators of their children, and it is our task to work in collaboration with you to help our children develop to their full potential during their time with us. We hope this handbook will help you and your child to adjust readily and happily from the Preschool Department.
MISSION STATEMENT
The school’s mission is to create a nurturing and safe environment where quality education lays the foundation of life-long learning through building self-esteem, confidence, creativity, and preparing our students to be effective group members, within the family, direct community, country, and the globe at large. The learning setup at Universal School of Lebanon reflects hands-on, investigative, and project based learning. The school faculty at USL respects and caters to individual needs among students; each child is given the opportunity to develop to his/her fullest potential. Multicultural awareness is strongly advocated through daily interactions, a community outreach program, and local and international projects.
Our mission is strongly tied to the following beliefs:
We believe that student learning is the chief priority and that the child’s educational program should be a shared responsibility involving the home, school, teacher, and students.
We believe that our curriculum must be flexible, challenging, and ever changing so that each child will achieve success and satisfaction in life.
We believe in an educational program that helps to develop the whole child in the cognitive, affective, social, aesthetic, and physical domains.
We believe that the school should provide a safe environment and an educational program to meet the needs of each child so that he/she is encouraged to function at his/her full potential.
We believe that each child should be provided with opportunities to establish him/herself both as an individual and a member of a group.
We believe that educational experiences should enable students to learn to communicate effectively, solve problems competently, think critically and creatively, and behave responsibly.
We believe that integrating technology in a meaningful way enables students to develop information technology skills and be updated with most recent advances in computer education.
We believe in promoting awareness at the social, environmental, and multicultural levels.
Our Philosophy
We believe:
- That children should be valued as individuals
- That children need to feel safe, supported, and happy
- That playing and expressing themselves are the ways in which young children learn about themselves and the world around them
- That all learning should be meaningful, fun, and creative
- That children are actively involved in learning
- That children learn through hands-on experiences
- That children learn through taking risks, making mistakes, and celebrating success
- That what children can do rather than what children cannot do are the starting points in their learning
- That learning should cater to the needs and interests of individuals
- That the process of learning is more important than the end product
- That children develop their Social, Affective, Aesthetic, Physical, Language, and Cognitive skills at different levels
- That all aspects of a child’s development are equally important and interlinked
- That children need time and space to produce work of quality and depth
- That children need to develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning
- That children who are encouraged to think for themselves are more likely to act independently
- That parents play a major role in their children’s learning experiences
Our Goals
To foster the development of a healthy self-image which will help the children in understanding themselves as people who are important, good friends of classmates, active/positive learners and eager participants in activities.
To ensure that each child in our care feels safe, secure and well cared for.
To develop in each child curiosity about the world and an enthusiasm for learning.
To provide opportunities for the children to build fundamental skills and acquire new information and knowledge.
To provide opportunities to enable children to be expressive and creative through the use of language, physical activity, play materials, art and music.
To develop the "whole child" aesthetically, affectively, socially, cognitively and physically.
To ensure that parents and teachers work together in the interests of the individual child.
Throughout the year, children will learn by participating in a variety of activities both within and outside the school grounds. The most natural way for a child to learn is through play, observing, exploring, and by doing things themselves. The learning environment will be flexible in order to cater to the interests, needs and abilities of the children.
Our Children are Encouraged to:
- Be independent thus enhancing their self-confidence
- Make friends
- Co-operate and share with others
- Participate in all activities with a positive attitude towards learning
- Express themselves and communicate with others
As Educators we will:
- Provide a learning environment which encourages children to participate in concrete activities through active learning experiences based on their interest and curiosity
- Create a learning environment which is welcoming, safe, fun and caters for the needs and interests of individuals
- Plan developmentally appropriate experiences to cater to individual needs
- Praise all learning experiences and accomplishments whether big or small
- Provide an environment where the children are able to think for themselves and learn with and from one another
How Children Learn
A sample of typical things children do when they play are listed below, to help you better understand the skills children acquire through the activities they do.
When Children Do This |
They Are Learning To: |
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Put blocks in trucks and dump them out |
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Use blocks and wooden animals to create a zoo
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Balance one large block on top of another
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Put on dress-up clothes |
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Put pegs in a pegboard |
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Finish a puzzle
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Sort pictures that are the same |
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Playing with play dough |
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Draw a picutre
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Make boats sink |
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Pour without spilling |
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Turn pages of a book from beginning to end |
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Scribble on paper |
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Listen to a story and talk about what happened |
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Prepare a recipe that calls for adding ingredients by teaspoons, cups, etc. |
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Create different sounds by putting more (or fewer) beans in cans and shaking them |
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Sing or do a finger play with the other children and the teacher |
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Find ways of moving across the carpet without their feet touching it |
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Try out a computer program together with another child |
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Using paint and gadgets to create their own art work |
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Talk about changes in plants, people and things outside as seasons change |
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Helping Your Child to Learn at Home
Here are some things you can do to be more involved in your child’s world at school:
- Open your child’s folder daily and make sure your child does the required activities.
- There will be many opportunities for you to share a story with your child. Please take the time and read with your child and share your comments.
- Listen to what your child has to say about his/her day by using phrases like “How was your day?” It seems like you had a ……. day (depending on child’s expressions) etc. “Wow! Look at all your beautiful work…. I wish I could do that… Can you show me how to do it?”
- Discuss with your child upcoming events/themes.
- Praise your child’s accomplishment when he/she brings home his or her work or theme packages, keeping in mind it is the process that counts not the product.
- Display and hang your child’s masterpieces and art work at home.
- Learn the songs your child has learned and join in singing.
- Set some quality time aside to play, encourage art activities, interactive games such as blocks, building toys, all sorts of manipulatives, puzzles, and outdoor games.
- Encourage your child to practice self –help skills, like trying to dress alone, put on and tie shoes, put toys away, clean up.
- Make sure that computer games and television do not occupy your child’s whole day.
- For ideas on activities you can share at home with your child, please consult your child’s teacher. (I’m sure they have a lot of creative and fun activities up their sleeves).
Clothing
There is uniform code in Preschool. Jewelry is considered to be hazardous and unsafe. Please make sure your child does not wear jewelry to school. Please provide your child with a change of clothes in case of an accident and a sun hat to wear at playtime during the hotter spring/summer months. Make sure to label all items with your child’s name to prevent any loss of clothing.
Meals/Snacks
Children are provided with breakfast every morning. Homemade meals are made available during lunch time. A menu and prices are sent to parents weekly. Parents who want their children to purchase the meal can send money by placing it in their child’s folder. Children who do not purchase lunch meals will have to bring their own lunch or sandwiches from home. Snacks can be sent with your child on a daily basis. Do not send chocolates, chips, candies, lollypops, chewing gum, nuts, or juice in glass bottle. Children will eat their snacks and meals in the school cafeteria.
Birthdays
Birthdays are important to children, and they like to share them with their friends. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, please notify the Front Desk Officer one week in advance.
Attendance
If your child is ill or going to be absent, please contact the school and let us know.
Fieldtrips
Throughout the year, fieldtrips will be organized for the children’s educational interests. A memo informing parents of the fieldtrip will always be sent home. A child will only be allowed to participate in the fieldtrip if the permission slip is signed by a parent or guardian. The parents are advised well in advance of any planned fieldstrips and have the right not to send their child on the fieldtrip.
Health Policy
Children with an infectious disease must be excluded from Preschool for specified times. If your child contracts German measles (Rubella), please inform the teacher immediately. In case of infectious diseases, some procedures for parents include the following :
- Measles and German Measles – child to be excluded for seven days after beginning of the rash.
- Mumps and Chicken Pox – child may return to school when he/she is feeling well again and the swelling or scabs have dried up.
- Head Lice – child to be excluded until effectively treated.
- Ringworm – child to be kept home until a medical certificate is received stating that the child is being treated.
- Conjunctivitis (pinkeye) – child to be excluded from school until there is no longer any discharge.
In cases of illness, parents are asked to use their own judgment about whether a child is fit to attend. If parents think a sickness is likely to worsen, the child should be kept at home. A child who becomes ill during a session will be removed from the group to rest in a quiet place; parents will then be contacted immediately.
We Want Your Junk!!
Scraps of cardboard/paper of any size, color, or shape |
Empty and clean milk tins or cartons |
Silver and gold foil |
| Magazines ,catalogues, old picture |
Ice cream sticks |
Cardboard cylinders |
Material scraps |
Sand paper |
wood |
| Small boxes/match boxes |
Squirt bottles |
Shirt Box |
Spools |
Calendars |
Stamps/envelopes |
Pipe cleaners |
Corks |
Bottle tops |
| Wrapping paper |
Newspapers |
Old paintbrushes |
Cellophane/crepe paper |
Paper bags/gift bags (not plastic bags) |
Greeting cards |
String/lace/ribbon |
Buttons |
Books |
Library
The Preschool children will borrow books from the school library each week for the purposes of establishing good library habits. Your assistance will be required to help care for our library books. If a book is damaged, please do not mend it yourself with sticky tape.
Parents in the Preschool
There are a number of ways you can assist us in providing your child with the best possible education:
- Supporting and encouraging your child to develop a positive sense of self-worth
- Discussing any problems or worries directly with the teacher
- Check your child’s folder for memos, letters or activities to be done at home.
- Collecting junk materials for use in and art activities
- Join school events and class activities
Phone Calls
Contact with the Preschool is through the school office. The school’s office hours are from 7:30 to 3:30. The school phone numbers are 06 930-964/5/6, mobile 03 228200.
Please feel free to phone the school office if you have any concerns regarding your child.
Sharing Information
As part of our school family we welcome you and invite you to share any family news with us – happy or sad. The sharing of information helps to create community and an increased understanding of the behavior patterns of the children. Additional excitement or stress can affect children’s behavior. It may help if we are informed. Any information of a confidential nature will be treated as such.
Treasures from Home
We do not wish to diminish your child’s enthusiasm, but we would appreciate it if toys are not sent to school. Treasures can be lost and broken. Your child will be given a chance to share precious and special things from home during Show and Tell. Your child is always encouraged to bring interesting objects such as rocks, shells, flowers etc. Bringing in tame pets would require a pre-arrangement with your child’s teacher.
Parent/Teacher Meetings and Progress Reports
You will be notified of regularly scheduled Parent/Teacher meetings to discuss your child’s progress in Preschool at the end of every term. Written progress reports are sent home at the end of the year. Teachers report on the following development domains: Aesthetic, Cognitive, Language, Physical, and Social Development. Preschool teachers will be in touch with you whenever they need to discuss any issue concerning you child. You are also welcome to contact us to make an appointment if you feel necessary.
Books to share with your child on starting school:
“Ned”, by Selina Young, published by Walker Books
“What Will Mommy Do While I’m at School”, by Dolores Johnson, published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
“Will I Have a Friend?”, by Miriam Cohen, published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill