First Day of School

Greetings new parents!

Enclosed is a brief overview of the first day of school and how transitions are handled. Please take a moment and go over this information before your child’s first day. If you have any questions we can be reached at info@camelotkids.org. The contact number for the school is 323-662-2663.

Starting school is such a significant transition for a child, it’s very important to get it right as a child’s first days may affect the way they feel about school forever. Your behavior on the first day of school can also affect your child’s transition. The idea is to be happy, smiling and let your child know education is a great thing! If you are secure you will instill that sense in them. Letting go is difficult but rest assure that they are in great hands!

First Day:
Please note that children may not attend school until all required paperwork has been filled out, immunization records included, tuition and the matriculation fees has been paid in full. You are also required to fill out our “Update Parent Info” tab on the bottom left side of our website. This will ensure you are placed in our Parent Directory.

Be early! Don’t panic your child or yourself by having to rush. As your child leaves home for his first day of preschool at Camelot Kids, let him or her know how proud you are. Go to school with your child - but don’t stay too long - and be patient. Many young children are overwhelmed at first, because they haven’t had much experience in dealing with new situations. They may not like school immediately for the first few days because a little separation anxiety takes place or they may be incredibly excited!

Your child may cry or cling to you when you say goodbye each morning but with support from you and their teacher this can change rapidly. Be prepared for your own feelings - it can be a very emotional time for you as well. Consider volunteering - the teachers might appreciate having an extra adult to help do everything from passing out paper and pencils to supervising children on the playground. Please note that all volunteers need to sign up for specific dates and times they will be coming to the school for safety reasons and also will be required to have a negative TB test on file with the school.

Dropping off:

On the first day of school try to arrive between 8-8:30am. You should plan on staying with your child for about 30-45 minutes, when you are ready to leave, please “hand off” the child to Ms. Gaby, Mr. Robert, Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Gohar, Mr Sean, Ms Natalie, Ms Tracy, Ms Tezeta, Ms Maricris, Ms Doris, & Ms Ana. Ms Alicia & Ms Kathleen will be available for our afternoon program kids from 1-2pm. All the teachers will be handling the transitions both in the morning and afternoon to provide better one on one attention. Some separation is normal and you may see your child cry. Reassure him or her that you love them and that you will be back. The staff will work on letting your child know he or she is safe and that mommy or daddy or another caregiver such as a nanny will be back to get them. Most children take about 30 minutes to settle into the day. We will give you a call to check in if necessary. If your child is doing well, no call is necessary. Depending on your schedule pick up time is promptly at 1pm or by 5pm/6pm. Late fees will be applied for late pick-ups in the afternoon. The gate is locked at 9am in the morning. We do not suggest coming later than 8:30am when transitioning your child for the first few weeks (and even thereafter). It’s a great time for the children to socialize with their peers and “ease” into their day.

Packed Lunches:

Morning Program lunch is from 11-12noon and Afternoon Program lunch is at 1pm. Children tend to eat healthier if they have a say in preparing a meal. Foods need to be either non-perishable or able to be kept in a lunchbox for half the day.

1) Have you asked your child what they would like to eat for their school lunches?

2) Have you considered making a weekly school lunch menu with your child’s assistance?

3) What sort of containers will the food be put into? We suggest easy to open containers.

4) Is the box insulated so that food is kept at the right temperature or do you have re-freezable ice packs to keep the food cold? We do have a refrigerator that he or she can put their lunches into if necessary and we will heat up foods that need to be warmed.

5) Does your child know how to open their lunch box? We encourage the children to do so but are available to assist them as well.

6) Do they know how to open cling wrap packages & drink containers? Have you got some special notes telling your child how special they to put into their boxes? This can boost self-esteem & make their school day more enjoyable.

7) Fridges are available to place your child’s lunch pack inside as well as any snacks that are bought to share.

Try to keep lunches simple with things that the kids like to eat. Please know that sometimes at school the children will not eat a lot due to socialization and excitement. It takes awhile to make that adjustment. We encourage healthy eating habits and etiquette at lunch time. Please do not forget to bring utensils and napkins for your child.

Also, please do not bring candy or soda and know that our school policy is that we do not “share” lunches due to a precautionary measure towards food allergies.

Backpack or School Bag:

The following items are required on the first day:

1) Full change of clothing (pants, shirt and two pairs of underwear) Please note that Children should not be in diapers or pull ups. All enrolled preschool students are expected to be “potty learned”. The changes of clothes are for common accidents that occur as they negotiate the timing on when they have to use the restroom. We are happy to help the children change their clothing when necessary. Actual potty training occurs only in our Discovery Program.

2) Baby wipes for your child in a small container

3) Picture of him or her and a picture of the family

4) Please no pacifiers at school or large items such as your king size duvet cover)

5) Bottle of water

6) One packed lunch (we provide daily snacks via monthly snack calendar roster)

7) Please label everything with your child’s first AND last name

Please no toys or valuable items.

9) Nappers’ are required to bring a separate bag with a blanket/sheet/pillow which will be stored in our studio. Please take this home at the end of each week to wash. $15 sheet fee applies.

PLEASE PUT CLOTHES IN ZIP LOCK BAGS CLEARLY LABELED WITH CHILDS NAME. THIS ALLOWS US TO PUT SOILED CLOTHING BACK IN BAG TO TAKE HOME.

Earthquake Pack:

At Camelot we have an Earthquake Kit that is stored in case of an emergency. We store food and fresh water along with an earthquake back pack for each child. There is an annual fee of $25 required to replenish these goods each year.

For the earthquake kit please include the following IN A ZIP LOCK BAG and bring the first day of school: (NO BACK PACKS PLEASE)

- a pair of closed toed shoes

- a change of clothes including a sweatshirt

- a family photo

- a comfort item (stuffed animal, blanket, etc.)

- clearly mark your child’s first and last name on the outside of the zip lock bag.

Who do I go to?

Our door is always open to any questions pertaining to the different aspects of the Camelot Kids program. Below is an outline of who you would talk to about the different portions of our program. We appreciate any questions pertaining directly to your child be directed first with their class room teacher, as they are the ones who deal with your child on a daily basis.

Director

Renae Plant is the schools owner/Director and handles any questions related to the program. She manages all parent & staff relations and plans overall events and programming that go on in the school. She can always be reached by email at renae@camelotkids.org.

Assistant Director/Office Manager

Melissa Gill (Missy) is the Assistant Director/Office Manager and handles any tuition, administrative questions. .

Site Director

Ms Gohar is our Site Director and is responsible for making sure Camelot Kids is DSS compliant. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the safety of our site please let her know immediately. Ms Gohar is also responsible for staff schedules & supervision.

Department Heads

Our Department Heads are as follows:

Big Dragons – Ms Tracy

Little Dragons – Miss Gaby

Baby Dragons – Miss Natalie

Enrichment – Miss Elizabeth

Discovery –

These teachers are responsible for planning program curriculum, scheduling and supervising other teachers within their Department.

Lead Teachers/Co-teachers

These are the first people that you would go to if you have behavioral issues and curriculum questions that pertain to your child’s classroom. You are able to schedule meetings with teachers or contact them through email as well.

Update Parent Info

Don’t forget to go to our website and update your information onto our school directory. “Update Parent Info” tab. The sooner this is done the sooner we can email each family a PDF our “Parent Directory”.

Recycle Center

Please make an effort to donate your recyclables to the bins that are located outside in the parking lot. A little goes a long way and all the money(s) goes directly back into the schools overall maintenance & supplies.

Parent Handbook:

Please keep in mind that our parent handbook is up on our website and is available for you to peruse at anytime. It has all of our daily information policies and procedures. We urge you to take some time and read overall of its material.

Year Book Committee:

Yay! We compile a yearbook every year and we need your help. We’re looking for parent photographers and people to assist in the overall compiling of the book.

Winter Solstice:

This year’s holiday event will be just as fabulous as last year’s but we need your input. Please email us if you are interested in organizing and planning this jolly event!

If you have any questions please feel free to email info@camelotkids.org.

Renae Plant

Director

A Green Back-to-School

Going back to school can be an anxiety-producing experience, filled with tantrums, crying spells and misery-and that’s just the parents!

But it can also produce excitement and anticipation of new things to come, and new ways of being more environmentally conscious and cost-efficient. As we mark the start of the school year, here are some helpful tips that parents (and grandparents) can incorporate throughout the school year and beyond.

• Pack your star student’s lunch in a recycled lunch bag. These bags are made of various materials, such as pre-consumer cotton “table waste” clippings (gathered from cut and sew facilities) or recycled juice packs, that would otherwise be hauled off to the landfill. Check out these earth-friendly choices at http://www.reusablebags.com/ or visit  http://www.ecobags.com/.
• If feasible, have your child ride his or her bike or walk to school. It’s good exercise AND cuts down on pollution.
• When it’s time to pick up new supplies during the school year, consider buying refillable or recyclable pens and pencils; purchase recycled paper and canvas and cardboard binders instead of plastic; and have your child create his or her own bookmarks. Many office supply stores now carry a wide array of green products, including low-odor dry erase markers, “no-dust” chalk and recycled content construction paper. Other green products include Elmer’s washable school glue, Prang Soybean Crayons (made from renewable soybean wax, not the petroleum-based paraffin wax used in most crayons) and Staples 1-Subject Notebooks, made with 100 percent recycled paper. For more items, check out Planet Green’s back-to-school tips at http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-back-school/green-school-tips.html .
• Donate last year’s school clothes instead of throwing them away; or organize a clothes swap with your friends.
• Have your child reuse his or her backpack and decorate it with cool patches.
• Carpool to school and after-school activities.
  

*From National Geographic’s Green Guide and thegreenguide.com.

Separation

The Preschool “separation policy” is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of our program. Beginning school is a significant occasion and can be a source of positive growth for everyone involved – children, parents and teachers. It is a common fallacy that a young child who “does not mind” when her parent leaves her or when she leaves them has coped well with separation. The child who really copes well allows herself to miss the absent one, to feel sad, lonely and angry and to express her feelings appropriately.

Establishing trust with the teachers as a base enables children to become comfortable with the separation from their parents. The younger the child, the more intense the feelings of fear. Some research has shown that until the children are around three years old, they cannot retain a stable inner mental image of their absent parents. Attachment is at the root of separation feelings. The early bonding phenomenon is different from the stable, deep and abiding attachment between parents and children that is usually formed during the first year of life.

The term “attachment” has special meaning. It is not the same as “dependence”. Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, they are significantly different. According to John Bowlby (1969), the author of a major work about separation, dependence, which refers to an infant’s state of helplessness, is present at its “maximum at birth and diminishes more or less steadily until maturity is reached, (whereas) attachment is altogether absent at birth and is not strongly in evidence until after an infant is past six months.” He further describes dependency in human relations as a condition to be avoided and attachment as a condition to be cherished. Frequently, young children who tightly hold their parent’s body or hide in their clothing when entering an unfamiliar school setting are regarded as dependent rather than attached. However, such actions are legitimate attachment behaviors. Translated into the language of a child, this feeling of attachment might be stated like this:

”I really know that you are my parents. I know that I need you to take care of me in all situations. I am afraid that if you leave me, I won’t be able to take care of myself. It makes me angry that you want to go away like that and I feel sad and hurt. So, in order not to feel that way, I’m going to do what I know how to do best to keep you here. I can cry. I can hold on to you, I can follow you, I can pull you.”

As children grow into preschoolers of three and four, separation reactions take a different form from those they had at age two. For one thing, most children have completed the phase of their “psychological” birth. They have emerged from infancy and toddler hood with a clear sense of themselves as individuals, attached to, but distinctly separate, from their parents. They are described as having attained a state of “constancy” which is the inner conviction of being me (separate, differentiated from others) and nobody else.

Another reason that three and four-year-olds may handle separation differently from two-year olds and toddlers is that they are able to consistently mentally represent their absent parents. Being able to separate, becoming a “real school person” at three and four is most gratifying and pleasurable for many young children. Separation for these children is an adventure and a challenge. However, the ability to tolerate the stress of separation and the ability to adjust to strange new situations vary greatly from child to child.

Self-confidence arises from separations that are well achieved. Children who are supported by their teachers and parents as they separate from home have the opportunity to move into new realms of learning and growth. Coping with stress and gaining mastery over feelings are important requisites for maturing. Assuming that children will “get over it” or “grow out of it” (uncomfortable feelings) does not provide them with the opportunity to work through their feelings. In an environment of understanding and support, children become competent and self-confident. They learn not only how to leave, but how to venture out – how to try new things. They are on their way to becoming confident, happy preschoolers, able to function successfully without parents.

Three Stages of Separation

Separation at the Preschool is done in three stages:

First a parent and child arrive at school and are greeted into the classroom. The parent should walk around the room with the child and then find a chair and sit down. During this first stage, the parent is the secure base from which the child may observe the classroom. Slowly, (or evenly immediately for some children) the child will leave the parents’ side to observe or participate in classroom activities.

During the second stage of separation, the parent will be the safe haven to which the child may occasionally return to “check in”. Once the child participate in classroom activities successfully, and no longer needs to “check in”, true separation can take place.

Saying “good-bye” is the third stage of separation, and the most difficult. Children desire proximity to their parents and will become anxious if they anticipate the absence of a parent. For this reason, the third stage is most critical. Parents first leave for several minutes and then return, creating a trusting relationship with the child that “we always come back”. Soon the intervals of a parent’s absence become longer, each time preceded by a “good-bye” and “I will come back”. Finally, the parent can leave for the entire day. We encourage parents to try to make the good-byes a set routine, using the same phrase each time so that the routine becomes consistent.

Saying Goodbye

Spend some time in the classroom while your child adjusts. For most children there comes a time when it’s okay if Mom goes away for just a little while. When this happens depends on each child.

Be flexible. Even if it’s very hard for you to spend the time, do try to stay with your child for 20 or 30 minutes at least once. Your child may be ready for the separation, but if he seems unready, think about whether there might be someone else who could come with him for another day or two. Bring something from home that would make your child feel more comfortable. Arrive earlier, before the other children, and spend some time with your child in the room.

Be sure to say good-bye. Three kisses; waving good-bye from the window; talking on the way to school about what you are going to do for the first five minutes and doing just that – create your own rituals that allow you and your child to express your feelings. You may think it’s better to leave while your child is not looking. But if you are to build trust between you, it is very important to let your child know you are leaving and that you will return later.

Bring comfort objects from home. A favorite toy, a stuffed animal, a special book, or something that belongs to Mom or Dad can lend security and warmth to a new situation.

Beware the delayed reaction. Any time between six weeks and three months, a child may suddenly realize that Mom’s not here. He may articulate it quite clearly: “I want my mommy!” Interestingly, he may have handled separation quite smoothly in the beginning; now, perhaps, something has happened that has made him aware that his parents aren’t there. Parents should come back for a few days if possible. If not, someone else very close to the child might spend a few days at school.