Our
Kids Club
is geared to children ages 3 to 5 years.
We are pleased to offer our Kids’ Club Program to better
serve families in our community who may want or need more
enrichment play opportunities for their children or more well-
planned, well-staffed child care opportunities. Our Kids’ Club
provides a supervised
educational setting for children ages 3 to 5 years of age. The spacious
classroom is full of play opportunities: age-appropriate toys; an
abundance of art materials; kitchen corners; dress-up props; sand and
water play; and books for the children to read and enjoy. Also included
in the curriculum for Kids’ Club is the use of technology. Computers,
cameras and other technology will be available for the children to use.
The Large Motor Room features
balls, parachute play and a space for organized games.
Eligibility: Our
Kids’ Club is geared to children ages 3 to 5 years.
Schedule:
Kids’ Club meets five days a week Monday through Friday mornings and
afternoons. Children can attend anywhere from one to five half-day
sessions per week, depending on your needs. You choose which day(s) of
the week to send your child. Groups meet for 2 ½ hours and enjoy a
snack.
Staff: Each Playgroup is staffed by a head teacher and one or two assistants,
depending on class size and ages of children. We meet national
adult/child ratio recommendations. Many of our caregivers are early
childhood specialists; all have a great deal of experience with this
program. A full-time Assistant Director is on site. Kids’ Club has no
Parent Participation component.
Facility: Our
Kids’ Club meets in the education building of
St. John’s
Lutheran
Church
on
Fenimore Road
. Kids’ Club is a tenant of the Church
and has no religious affiliation. A dedicated and cheerful classroom is
reserved for Kids’ Club. We also have access to a kitchen, where
supervised cooking takes place, as well as a Large Motor Room where
children can play no matter what the weather.
Snack: Snack
time is an important part of our day both nutritionally and socially.
The Kids’ Club will supply a simple snack. Our policy requires that
all snacks be healthy; we also ban foods and food products that could
cause life-threatening allergic reactions in our students.
Developmental Issues:
Separation:
For many children in the
Kids’ Club especially the younger children, this may be their first
regular activity away from home and parents. For these children almost
everything will be “new”: the teacher, the children, the
surroundings, the equipment, the routines. All of the children will need
the support and understanding of their parents. But some will need the
physical presence of their parents longer than others. This is normal.
We have years of experience helping parents and children separate for
the first time. Know that you are encouraged to stay in the classroom at
first, and out in the hall as things progress-for as long as it takes.
Toileting
Concerns: We have no
requirements when it comes to children in diapers. Children reach toilet
readiness at their own pace, so some children will wear diapers; others
won’t. Soiled diapers will be changed by a staff member adhering to
health codes; children who use the toilet will be escorted to the
bathroom as needed. Please update teachers as to toileting particulars.
We will work with you to help your child through transitions.
Communication:
We believe that communication between the teacher, the school, and your
family is the key to a positive experience. We offer two scheduled
parent/teacher conferences each year as well as an open door policy
should additional questions or concerns arise. Teachers send home
regular activity plans to keep you informed as to what’s going on in
the classroom. Periodically, the Director sends home letters and
announcements via our convenient “school bag mail system.” Teachers,
staff, and parents contribute to our school newsletter several times a
year. We also provide you with a Parent Handbook that details our school
policies.
Registration & Tuition: Participation
in our Kids’ Club does not mean that your child is eligible for
priority registration at the
MCNS
Nursery School
. Registrations for Nursery School on
behalf of Kids’ Club children will be treated as a new family
registration. There is a 10 percent sibling discount when two or more
family members are enrolled in the
Community Playgroup and/or Kids’ Club at the same time.