Located inside Parkallen School • 6703 – 112 Street Edmonton, AB 780-435-3129 • www.greencirclepreschool.com

Green Circle Preschool

Parent Handbook2019 / 2020

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People often remark on Green Circle’s strange name and ask what it means. Green Circle was originally conceived in the 1960’s as a unique educational experience for very young children. It was to exist, literally, under a solarium type dome and was to foster the most liberal concepts of playschool education.

By the early 1970’s the idea of the dome faded but the basic idea had not. It flourished among a small group of families. In April 1972, the Green Circle Council came into legal being with six founding members and a large list of essential equipment. Within the year the name had changed to Green Circle Preschool Association.

They envisioned 40 children divided between two sessions per day, continuous yearly operation, exceptional equipment, high parent involvement, and two carefully selected and well salaried teachers. The right of parents to choose and defend a particular kind of education was the basic premise.

Meeting and building workshops were held weekly and were quite festive as they struggled to establish what is now one of the oldest, successful parent cooperative preschools in the city. By August 1972, membership, and convic-tion, had doubled. The average slowly rose and was stable for a few years at approximately 30 plus members. In 1990 the membership grew to 45 plus.

Today we run two morning programs of two to three days per week, and run an afternoon class two days per week when there is demand for it. Class sizes are limited to 20, with one teacher and a teacher’s assistant overseeing the entire program.

Green Circle Preschool has been housed at several locations including McKernan School, Lendrum School, Malmo School, and now at Parkallen School. The original learn-through-play concept is embraced and we believe the children are the happy benefactors.

History of Green Circle Preschool

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Learn-Through-Play means that all aspects of the children’s preschool experience are enjoyable and are intentionally infused with opportunities to learn and enhance a variety of important life skills. Green Circle Preschool is a unique natural learning environment that provides children aged 3 to 5 with opportunities to learn and play in and from nature. Our guiding principle is to provide a creative preschool experience that emphasizes intellectual, emotional, social and physical development. We incorporate natural audio, visual and other sensory experiences into the indoor classroom, located within Parkallen Elementary School, and take advantage of the luscious green spaces just outside our doors in the Parkallen community whenever possible.

Aims & Objectives of the Program

Our specialized program draws on the Nature Principles developed and promoted by the Child and Nature Network and Richard Louv’s books Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle. Children connect with their natural environment by discussing the time of the sun-rise and sunset each day; celebrating natural phenomenon like Summer and Winter Solstice; participating in the Parkallen Community Garden; learning from naturalists about the urban landscapes around them; and playing in a space filled with plants and the sounds of nature.

Social Development

Respect for others is encouraged by the teacher and other adults in the classroom. This is implemented when children are in group situations: they learn to share, wait one’s turn, be polite. During group play children may learn new strategies from each other and cooperate to form new ideas and accomplish tasks.

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Through interaction with the teacher, children are able to develop a healthy respect for an outside authority without loss of rights or self-esteem. This is a gentle preparation for the school system.

Special days are celebrated together. Birthdays allow a child to share a treat with and receive special attention from their classmates. Holidays offer the opportunity to give cards or gifts to classmates (eg. Valentine’s day), parents or special adults (eg. Mother’s/Father’s day activities), or strangers in need (eg. food bank or mitten trees at Thanksgiving or Christmas). A graduation celebration is planned each year for those advancing to kindergarten.

Physical Development

The program provides materials to overtly encourage the child’s manipulative skills: water and sand tables, play-doh, finger and brush painting, crafts, and interest corners. Fine motor skills development is often a part of other learning activities, such as use of plastic forceps to sort coloured pompoms (pre-math activity).

The children engage in daily vigorous whole body activities. We aim for as much outdoor play as possible each day, with each class end-ing with time in the recently upgraded play-ground (weather permitting), and the children enthusiastically climb, slide, jump, run, etc.

Children are encouraged to put on and take off their own outdoor attire as much as possible (coats, boots, shoes, etc).

Many of these activities fulfill the learning outcomes for preschool children as suggested by Occupational Therapists (i.e. play/leisure activities; development of skills needed for school; self-care). Activities are intended to en-hance fine motor and gross motor skills, visual perception, and sensory processing abilities.

Creative and Emotional Development

Each child, at his/her own pace, learns to accept temporary absence from his/her parents. To make this transition desirable and enjoyable, there is a wide choice of pleasant activities from which to choose. Older children are encouraged to include newer/younger children in their games as a way to nurture friendships.

Self-reliance is encouraged, such as dressing oneself or participating in general clean-up time, and is rewarded with thanks or perhaps a privilege or a natural consequence (i.e. be-ing first dressed can mean being first to go outside).

Individual expression is built into all activities, to aid in development of feelings of self-worth. Children discover their own creativity in open-ended crafts, molding playdough, dressing up in the house corner. During the free-play time the activities chosen reflect the interests of the children in attendance: They may choose from a wide assortment of puzzles, large and small building blocks of many types, toys (cars,

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dinosaurs, dolls, etc), dress-up (fireman, robot, chef, etc), puppets with the puppet stage; the toys used with playdough, sand table and water table are changed regularly to give new excitement to these areas. Available classroom activities and centers change every two weeks when the theme changes. During whole-group activities such as circle time the teacher elicits and incorporates ideas from all of the children whenever possible (eg. what kind of tag to play, choose which animal to imitate).

Intellectual Development

Each day begins with free play, which allows the children to explore the different learning centers. This is followed with a circle time that includes the calendar, incorporating counting and pattern recognition games along with months, days of the week, and weather. In all areas of the classroom the teacher incorporates concepts relating to speech and literacy. Tracing pages for letters and numbers are included as a complementary, optional sit-down activity. During circle time the teacher reads a book each day and may also use poems, songs, rhyming words, tongue twisters, and nursery rhymes to model correct speech patterns.

Children may take one book home from the preschool library each day they attend and exchange it the following day. Basic

mathematical concepts, such as more or less, beginning or end, shapes, measurement, matching similar objects and the recognition of numerals and sequence are intentionally included.

Dramatic and creative play using puppets, acting out stories, acting out feelings, sing-songs, finger plays, etc. are all used.There are costumes and props in the costume box, and our playhouse is well equipped. The items available rotate out as the themes change.

Children are natural investigators and are pre-sented with scientific ideas at their own level. They can be encouraged to learn many simple principles of physics at the sand and water tables, with blocks, at the woodwork bench, at crafts, and while at the playground. Exposure to biological science may include watching a chicken egg hatch or a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis, or simply enjoying the skills and func-tions of their own bodies. There is a specific table for science-based concepts, with a new activity each week.

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9:00 am Arrival Children arrive, outerwear placed in lockers, water bottle and library book are placed into bin, sign child in, put on indoor shoes and name tag. Free play at centers.

9:30 am Circle Time (songs, poems, finger plays) Welcome song, calendar, identifying special person, alphabet song, theme of week identified, story time, craft explained

9:50 am Craft and Interest Centres

10:15 am Prepare for snack time Clean up time and washroom visit.

10:30 am Snack Time Children will have their snack outside picnic style while socializing

through conversations with others (weather permitting). Emphasis will be placed on remembering manners and safety while eating.

11:00 am Outdoor Free Play Children will explore nature, feed birds, collect natural items, climb trees, take care of outside community garden.

11:30 am Home Time Sign child out with teacher, gather water bottle, library book and backpack

Please note that this daily plan is weather dependent (-20 C or warmer or at teacher’s discretion).

Sample Daily Plan

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1. What does my child need to bring each day?

• Indoor shoes that can be left in the classroom.

• A healthy snack (allergy aware please)

• Backpack (sufficient size for crafts and large library books)

• Library book in the provided book bag

• Water bottle (empty - to be filled in class)

• Clothing appropriate for playing outside

• Extra set of clothing that can be left in their locker (unless still there from previous day)

Please clearly label all of the above with your child’s name!

2. How do things go at drop-off and pick-up time?

Drop-off - Children should arrive for class at 9AM. Parents please help your child put on their indoor shoes and name tags. Parents must sign in their children on the attendance sheet before leaving. Your child has been assigned a locker outside the classroom for their outdoor clothing and footwear. We ask that you keep an extra change of clothes (labelled) in there. Please check often for paper notices and crafts that should be taken home.

Pick-up - Children will be outside playing on one of the playgrounds, weather permitting. Please be on time at 11:30 am for morning classes and 3:30 pm for afternoon classes, due to licensing regulations. Be sure to sign out your child before leaving. The teacher is required to write down the pick up time for each child.

3. How does snack time work?

Each child is required to bring his/her own snack. It is recommended that two healthy choices are provided for snack. Please DO NOT

Frequently Asked Questionssend foods containing eggs, nuts or nut by-products due to allergy concerns. Please note sharing of food items between students cannot be controlled. Student allergies are posted in the classroom in the kitchen.

4. What if I can’t be present on my scheduled Parent Helper day?

Please find another parent to switch with (the parent contact list is in each newsletter and the parent helper schedule is emailed out monthly), and mark the change on the calendar posted in the classroom so that the teacher knows who to expect. If you experience this difficulty on the morning that you are scheduled (eg. sick kid) please call the classroom (780-435-3129). PLEASE try to find another parent to cover for you. Note! We are happy to have grandparents or other family members fulfill your parent helper day and they often really enjoy it!

5. What do I bring on my Parent Helper day?

Please see the Parent Helper section on the next page.

6. How does fundraising work?

Some families are more interested in fundraising than others, but to maintain the equity of our program, we have come up with a bond program. Upon registration each family will be responsible for providing a post dated cheque ($120 cheque post-dated to May 1, 2020) which will serve as their fundraising bond. If that family elects to participate in the fundraising activities and meets or exceeds their fundraising target (Per child - full or partial year enrollments - 12 sales/points) their cheque will be returned/destroyed. Should the family not meet or exceed the fundraising target even if they withdraw from the program then the cheque will be cashed.

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Green Circle is a parent cooperative. As such, by registering your child in Green Circle you have made a commitment to help in the classroom approximately once or twice per month. Being a parent helper allows you to see your child interact with their teacher and peers, it gives you a glimpse of who they are when they are not with you. It also allows you to contribute to their development in an educational setting.

If, when the monthly schedule is received, you cannot attend on your assigned parent helper day, then it is your responsibility to find a replacement and advise the teacher. You will receive a class list (including phone numbers) and usually another parent will be able to exchange parent helper days with you. Grandparents, aunts, uncles or nannies are also welcome substitute helpers. If you know in advance (prior to the next month’s schedule being published) that you will be unavailable, please advise the class scheduler and they will accommodate your request.

It is very important that the helper arrive 15 minutes before preschool starts to discuss emergency procedures, review lesson plan and discuss any special considerations for the morning.

The daily plan is on the bulletin board.

You can help by:

• arriving early

• supervise classroom entrance

• introduce children to different stations

• welcoming children and helping to put on name tags

Your Job as a Parent Helper

• helping with return and check out of library books

• taking attendance and signing children in and out

• filling the water bottles half full

What to bring (3 things):1. 1 roll of paper towel

2. Indoor shoes for yourself

Snack preparation• Wipe tables and counter with bleach/

water spray solution before and after the snacks

• Empty and clean the water table before the snacks

• Wash your hands with soap and water

• Fill each child’s water bottle with water from the faucet (if a bottle was forgotten use a dixie cup). Place the bottles at the places at the tables

• Put a paper towel at each child’s place

• Clean up the counters

Clean-up at the end of the Day• Refer to the list hanging by the sink

• Wipe tables

• Vacuum/sweep the floor and rugs when children are out of the classroom

• Empty and clean the water table

• Wipe up any spills and paint (paint jars only cleaned out on Fridays)

• Empty all small garbage cans into large green garbage can located in the kitchen area.

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Playground• Actively supervise the children while

on the playground

• Spread out so the adults are around the outside of the playground

Other ways to help• Help to supervise hand washing and

lining up.

• Sit with the group at story time and help children settle and participate

• Gather art work to put in backpacks

• Help the children get dressed, check that they are dressed appropriately and have their backpack.

• Supervise children on playground until they are picked up.

• Clean the sink area, counter top, cutlery, equipment; tidy the playhouse and work bench, sort toys.

Have fun and enjoy the day!

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Here are some suggestions for ways that you can assist in the classroom. Keep in mind that enjoying the activities with the children is really your most important job as a classroom helper.

Your presence and interest will stimulate the children’s interest. It is a good rule of thumb for each helper to be interacting with 3 or 4 children at a time during the morning’s activities.

PAINTING

• Put paint smocks on (but if the child feels strongly about not wearing one, let it go).

• Check if the child wants to or can print their own name first! If not, print the child’s name on their artwork (use upper case for the first letter and lower case for the rest).

• Hang paintings to dry, and give out pic-tures at the end of the class.

Ways to Help in the Classroom

ARTS & CRAFTS

• Assist the teacher and especially the little ones who need extra help and encourage-ment.

• Again, check if the child wants to or can print their own name first. If not, print the child’s name on the project, using lower case letters except the first letter.

• Crafts will be need to be put into the back-packs at some point (you will be glad you got them to write their name clearly).

BLOCKS

• Play with the blocks to stimulate children’s interest.

PUPPET THEATRE

• Act as an audience for the children’s pup-pet plays.

• Try reading or telling a short story while they act it out.

• Ask questions of the puppet characters.

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PUZZLES & GAMES

• Work on a puzzle to stimulate activity.

• Put puzzles back together at the end so that they will be ready for the next day.

• Play a game with 2 or 3 children.

SMALL TOYS

• Help out with the construction toys (e.g. building Marbleworks, Duplo, logs, bristle blocks, etc.) Sometimes your interest and suggestions will stimulate interest.

• Sort and tidy at the end of the day.

• Make sure all the little parts stay in that area.

STORY CORNER

• Help the children choose library books and sign them out.

• Read or tell a story to 2 or 3 children.

TREEHOUSE

• Stimulate activity e.g. set up the camping dishes as if making lunch, ask the children to show you the nature specimens, pick up a doll and pretend it is a baby who needs attention.

• Sort clothes, dishes, and play food.

PLAYDOUGH

• Give a couple of children a challenge on what to make or see if you can get the building something with each other.

• Use the various tools to make imprints and generally get them using their imagination.

MUSIC

• Sing, sing, sing!!!

• Make sound effects to go with a story or a game (e.g. trains, ocean, wind, animals).

• Let the teacher know if you have a musical skill to share.

WATER TABLE

• Play and discover the different toys in the table and talk about how they relate to the theme

• Make sure the table is emptied and cleaned before snack.

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General Policies & Program Information

Class HoursGreen Circle morning classes run from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Afternoon classes run from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Please help your child to re-move their outerwear, put on their classroom shoes, and put on their name tag. You are welcome to stay for a few minutes or until your child feels comfortable. Punctuality is appreciated when dropping off your child, and is essential when picking them up at the end of class time.Clothing & FootwearChildren must wear shoes with non-slip soles and closed toes. These indoor shoes should be kept at school in their shoe cubby. Please send your child in play clothes. Dress them for outdoors as the children go outside daily (-20°C or warmer). During the winter months, snow pants are required. Please ensure that all clothing and footwear is clearly marked with your child’s name. A change of clothing can be stored in your child’s locker. A backpack is recommended for bringing home library books and artwork.

General MeetingsThere are four meetings per year, and one representative from each family must attend. Attendance at these meetings is mandatory. There is a parent orientation in September – this is held in the classroom. The meetings in No-vember, January and April are held in the school lunchroom. Business

matters are discussed, as well as planning of the preschool organi-zation. Parents should feel free to discuss any day-to-day problems with the teacher and to raise any suggestions or concerns about the program or the operation of the school to the Executive at anytime.

SiblingsPlease note that siblings of Green Circle students are not permitted to attend Green Circle classes or field trips, due to insurance and licensing restrictions.

DisciplineAll persons in the Green Circle Preschool classroom are expected to demonstrate respect for others at all times – this is true for the teacher, parent helpers, visitors and children. Children are expected to behave in a manner that does not endanger or encroach upon the freedom of the others around them. Prevention of conflict situations is the primary focus at Green Circle. In most cases, when a conflict does arise, the teacher is responsible for guiding and/or redirecting the energies of the children concerned in a fair and consistent manner. Occasionally, adult intervention may be required to separate a child from a situation until he/she can regain self-control and is ready to return to the classroom activity. In no case is the child ever physically reprimanded. In the rare situation where a child is found to be a consistently disturbing

influence in the classroom, the Executive, in conjunction with the teacher, may take special action and request that the child be removed from the program. More details are available in our Policies and Procedures document, available in the classroom.

BirthdaysBirthdays are celebrated at school on your child’s special day and “half-birthdays” are celebrated for those children who have birthdays in July and August. The teacher will send a note home reminding you of your child’s half-birthday. We do not permit home-baked foods, so if you wish to send a birthday treat to share with class-mates, it must be store-bought. Some acceptable choices include store-bought mini-cupcakes, one-bite brownies, or mini-real fruit popsicles. Many parents choose to celebrate by sending a SMALL non-food item for each child such as pencils, bubbles or stickers. The birthday child may choose to present a gift for the classroom such as their favorite book to add to our library.

Allergy AlertFrom time to time, there have been children enrolled in Green Circle with severe allergies. We ask parents not to send foods containing eggs, peanuts, nuts or peanut butter to school. Parents are required to sign a waiver allowing their child(ren) to participate in the communal snack time for birthdays. Children who may

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require the emergency use of an Epipen must provide one to remain in the classroom. Epipens should be sealed in a zip-lock bag together with a picture of the child and relevant information such as name, allergies and emergency contact numbers. The bag will then be hung up on a wall in the kitchen for easy access. Please discuss this with the teacher as well.

Field TripsDuring the year the teacher schedules a number of field trips in which we are off-site from the preschool classroom. During the week prior to the field trip the teacher will post a permission form: parents are asked to add their child’s name and sign the form to fulfill licensing require-ments. In order that each child can travel safely to and from the field trip site, we meet at the site (not at the classroom) and the children go directly home from the site. Green Circle does not provide trans-portation. The required ratio of parents to children will be posted in advance of the event; another family member or another parent from the class may also fulfill this on your behalf, but please inform the teacher beforehand. For insurance reasons, siblings are not permitted on field trips. Please talk to the teacher if you have any questions.

Bathroom UsageChildren must know how to use the toilet by themselves. It is important that children be fully toilet trained (can deal with pants/

dresses, wipe themselves and redress) with minor assistance for any tricky buttons, etc. No children in diapers, please.

As the teacher is not able to deal with soiled diapers or clothing, such an event will result in the parents being called in to clean up their child.

Health Problems/IllnessPlease keep your child home if they have a cold, flu or seem ill – such as sneezing and cough-ing, have a fever, are lethargic, or unable to actively participate in classroom activities. This helps from spreading any germs and allows your child to recuperate at home. Please advise the teacher if your child has been exposed to a contagious illness, or if they have a communicable disease such as chicken pox, pink eye, strep throat or head lice. These communicable diseases are kept in the strict-est confidence but need to be reported to Capital Health and a note needs to be posted to inform all the preschool families of pos-sible exposure for their children (without indicating the source of exposure). Please also make the teacher aware of any other health problems such as allergies and epilepsy. A more detailed explana-tion is available in our Policies and Procedures document.

In the event that a child exhibits or appears to exhibit signs or symp-toms of illness, as determined by the teacher: The child’s parent(s) or guardian will be contacted to

arrange for the immediate removal of the child from the classroom. If the parent/guardian cannot be reached then the emergency contact person will be contacted to pick up the child.

The teacher will ensure that the sick child is comfortable while en-suring that s/he is kept as far away from other children as is practical; the child should remain at the writing table near the door in the north part of the classroom, with a parent helper if necessary, until they are picked up.

Enrolment & ImmunizationChildren are allowed to register in only one class (ie., Tuesday/Thurs-day morning, Tuesday/Thursday afternoon or Monday/Wednesday/Friday). The programming for each class is designed to provide age appropriate learning for the children enrolled.

All children must be three years of age before they commence classes.

Children must be fully immunized (as related to their age), with the exception of pertussis (whooping cough) if there is a documented medical reason for non-immunization. The registration of children with identified special needs will be con-sidered on an individual case basis. The Executive will ensure that there is an appropriate match between the child’s needs and what Green Circle can offer. Children with special needs would be subject to the same

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registration procedures and discipline policies as all other children, with the following restrictions:

A) One child with special needs per class, andB) A child with special needs must be accompanied

by a qualified aide provided by the child’s family or appropriate agency, unless the Executive and the teacher agree that an aide is not required in that child’s case.

Classroom Clean-upThe classroom clean-up is an important contribution to Green Circle because it makes the classroom more inviting and helps to limit the spread of illness. Each family is expected to actively participate in clean-up sessions during the year. The cleaning schedule will be created in the spirit of equity based on the number of children in the program and the number of days each child attends. A cleaning schedule will be generated and it will be the responsibility of the families to ensure that their assigned cleaning is completed. The scheduler will give a reminder call or email.

Each weekly clean is done by one or two people on Friday afternoons, starting anytime between noon and 3:00 pm, and takes approximately 2-3 hours. If you cannot possibly attend on Friday, arrangements may be made with the Cleanup Scheduler to do a

Thursday afternoon cleaning or you can attempt to make arrangements to trade dates with another family.

A weekly cleaning checklist is posted in the classroom and includes tasks such as cleaning and sorting toy shelves, washing the floor and some of the toys, and dusting surfaces. The teacher may also supply a special list of duties which require attention. Materials found to be no longer useful should be given to the teacher to see what should be done with them. Note any cleaning supplies that need to be restocked on the “Green Circle Shopping List” posted on the cabinet near the kitchen.

Sign up for the year’s clean-up sessions will take place at the Parent Orientation meeting before classes begin in September, so please attend the meeting and bring your calendars. The schedule is posted on the classroom bulletin board if you need to check it or sign up at a different time. The Cleanup Scheduler attempts to give a reminder phone call earlier in the week but if you are unable to attend it is your responsibility to switch with another family or find someone who can do your cleaning. Please also notify the Cleanup Scheduler of the change.

It is an option for parents to hire a professional to complete the cleaning responsibilities for families, however it will be the responsibility of the family to

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ensure that the cleaner has clear instructions on what needs to be done. It should be clear however that if a family elects to hire their own cleaner this in no way absolves them of the responsibility of the cleaning if the hired person is not able to complete on the designated date or cancels. It is the responsibility of the family assigned to that date to ensure that the cleaning still happens. Further, any payment or other arrangements involved will be external to Green Circle and strictly between the family and the cleaner. If you elect to hire a cleaner then you will be responsible for educating them on the work involved outside of classroom hours.

Administration of MedicineIt is the policy of the preschool NOT to administer medication except in cases of emergency (asthma/diabetes/allergic reac-tion), and ONLY if the child’s parents have previously signed

and dated a form giving written consent to administer medication. The form will also specify what symptoms require emergency medication. If emergency medica-tion is administered, the teacher will record the date and details of the event, and the parent’s signature will be required on the form to verify their knowledge of it. Emergency medications that are stored in the classroom will be kept in the kitchen cupboards out of reach of children. The medica-tions must be provided by the parents of the child for whom they are intended and must be in the original container with instructions. The medication is to be stored in a SEALED clear plastic bag together with the instructions and a current, easily recognizable photograph of the child for whom the medication is intended. Under no circum-stances shall a GCPA staff member or parent helper give emergency

medication to any child except the child for whom it has been desig-nated. If parents have indicated in writing that their child may require emergency medication, the child shall not be permitted to attend classes until the teacher verifies that the emergency medication has be stored as specified above.

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Accident/Incident FormShould a serious accident/incident occur, the Ac-cident/Incident form provided by Child Care Services will be completed by any witnesses and the teacher. The forms are available in the classroom and are kept in the licensing binder.

An accident is defined as “An unexpected or unin-tended occurrence that results in injury to a child or staff member of a child care program.” When an accident has occurred, necessary medical attention must be given to the child and parents must be noti-fied immediately.If the accident results in serious injury requiring emer-gency medical attention or overnight hospitalization it must be reported as an incident to the regional licensing office.” An incident is defined as ”An emergency or an unusual occurrence or event during the program’s hours of operation that affects a child’s safety or that causes or has the potential to cause harm to a child’s health or well-being.”

In the case of a serious accident/incident (as defined above), the parent or guardian of the child will be contacted immediately by telephone. If they cannot be reached, the emergency contact will be contacted by telephone. Parents are asked to ensure that the information provided on registration forms is current and correct; the teacher keeps this information in the portable records and carries it with her at all times.

Our registration procedures require parents to sign a waiver to allow us to provide emergency first aid (including administration of an epipen), if required. All health care that will be provided by GCPA is in the nature of first aid, emergency medical personnel will be immediately summoned if the situation is of a serious nature. If it is not an emergency situation then it is our policy to not administer health care to children; instead, we will immediately contact the parent/guardian/emergency contact using information in the portable records and request that they arrange for health care.

WithdrawalOne month’s written notice must be given to the Registrar to avoid liability for an extra month’s fee. The written notice must be received on the first day of the month prior to withdrawal to avoid forfeiting one month’s fees. The Fundraising Bond is not refundable upon a withdrawal.

FundraisingFundraising is a very important aspect of the operations of Green Circle. We have made efforts to minimize the number of fundraisers and tried instead to focus on the initiatives that will generate the greatest revenues for the program. As some families are more interested in fundraising than others but it is important to maintain the equity of our program, we have come up with a bond program.

Upon registration each family will be responsible for providing a post dated cheque ($120 cheque post-dated to May 1) which will serve as their fundraising bond. If that family elects to participate in the fundraising activities and meets or exceeds their fundraising target (Per child - full or partial year enrollments - 12 sales/points) their cheque will be returned/destroyed. Should the family not meet or exceed the fundraising target even if they withdraw from the program then the cheque will be cashed.

This year we may be exploring some new fundraising options. Fundraisers will be announced well in advance and usually consist of one winter fundraiser in December and 1-2 spring fundraisers in May.

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In the interest of safety and keeping the school clean, Parkallen School Administration seeks your assistance and cooperation in observing the following guidelines.

• Use the Southeast entrance.

• Park only on 112th Street. All on-site parking is rented.

• Park on the street and escort your child in. Do not pull into the parking lot or park there temporarily to unload passengers as it endangers other children.

• REMOVE WET FOOTWEAR AT THE SCHOOL ENTRANCE, both children and adults. Store your child’s footwear in their locker. We have limited custodial care, so preventative maintenance is key!

• Except in cases of emergency, messages are not to be relayed through the school office telephone. Please call the Green Circle Classroom phone at 780-435-3129 should your need to reach the teacher.

Fire Drill & Evacuation Procedure

Fire drills are held on a monthly basis throughout the year.

• A smoke detector will signal a fire drill OR the fire alarm will sound.

• All the children are immediately gathered at the door.

• The teacher will take the attendance sheet and emergency card box. With this, she will have all the information pertinent to each child.

• The teacher will do a head count before leaving the classroom.

• Duty parents are asked to space themselves among the children rather

Parkallen School Policies

than being at the end of the line.

• The children will leave using the exit on the south side of the school; the classroom door will be closed.

• Unless weather conditions are extreme, we leave the school and go as far as the fence.

• Duty parents will assist with the monthly fire drills.

Re-Evacuation Procedure

Should the class not be able to return to the school, the class will proceed to:

Parkallen Community Hall 11104-65 Avenue Phone: 780-436-0834• The teacher and duty parents will

re-evacuate the children to the Community Hall from the fence. (See above FIRE DRILL & EVACUATION PROCEDURE)

• Parents will be notified to pick up their children as soon as possible. Should you hear of this incident through the media, please go directly to the Parkallen Community Hall to pick up your child.

Lockdown Procedure

Parkallen School has a lockdown procedure that Green Circle participates in and parent helpers will be informed of the protocol.

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All cheques should be made payable to ‘Green Circle Preschool Association’.

For normal monthly fees, post-dated cheques are payable on the first of each month. Green Circle will charge a $15 processing fee for any cheque received that is not honoured at the bank. It is the parent’s responsibility to advise the Treasurer and provide replacement funds on or before the first of the month.

The following fees will apply for each child registered:

Initial registration fee $50 Field trip fee (due Sept 1) $40 Monthly fee (two days per week) $120 Monthly fee (three days per week) $160

Associate Membership

An interested person who does not have a child attending Green Circle may hold an annual membership in the association by paying a $5 registration fee.

Tax Deductible Donations

Green Circle Preschool is able to issue tax receipts for donations to our program. If you would like to make a financial donation or a donation in kind (eg. goods or services) to our terrific preschool, please contact a member of the Executive.

Green Circle will also accept donations of toys or other classroom equipment. Items must be new or gently used. Check with the teacher to see what is needed. Thanks!

Fees