Welcome to Parent Orientation

SCPS VPK Program 2018-2019

VPK Parent Orientation

July, 2018

Welcome

Special Guests:

Dr. Walt Griffin

Introductions

…Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow

Welcome to SCPS

Your child is about to begin an exciting time of

learning in the Seminole County Public Schools.

School starts August 10th.

SEMINOLE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Our SCPS VPK Program

Our VPK Program is designed to prepare

children for success in Kindergarten.

Delayed Enrollment

As of July, 2016, a change has been made that

states that families of young children (born

February 1 –August 31) may choose to enroll

their VPK child either this year or next year –

postponing VPK and Kindergarten entry.

The child can only attend VPK once.

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Our Full Day Program

Our Full Day VPK Program is designed for parents

who need child care for the whole school day. Once

the free 3 hour VPK block is over, $310 per month

tuition is charged for the remainder of the school day.

Students in a full day site may not drop down to half

day. Parents will have to transfer their child to a

location that offers half day. (We often have wait lists

for full-day programs.)

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Payment Reminder

The tuition is divided equally for 180 school days so

it is the same each month.

In order to hold your child’s spot, please make sure that you have paid tuition for August in the Pre-K Office.

August’s payment of $310 must be in the form of

Visa, Mastercard, or a money order. Each month thereafter can be paid online.

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Payment Reminder

The online payment window will be open 10 days each month. Please refer to your Online Payment Calendar for exact dates.

Late payments must be made in the Pre-K Office. A $20 late

fee will apply.

After the payment window closes, your child may only attend the VPK portion of the day for three (3) days. If payment still hasn’t been made by the end of the 3rd day, your child may be dismissed from the program

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Using MySchoolbucks

You can access MySchoolBucks to make your online

payment by visiting www.scps.k12.fl.us. Click on the

following tabs: Schools, Early Learning, Voluntary

Pre-K. You will see the Payment Schedule,

instructions on how to access the site, and the link

to make payment for the school in which your child

attends VPK.

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Class Statistics and Support

Class Size

State requirement of 11 students to one teacher or

20 students with 2 adults.

Resource Teachers

Each classroom is supported by a certified, early

childhood resource teacher.

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Staff Credentials

All lead teachers must have CDA credentials

(Child Development Associate) or higher.

All assistants must have a high school diploma or

higher.

All employees meet VPK state requirements and

have background clearances.

Areas of Focus

Our program focuses on early literacy, which

includes beginning reading & writing skills, and

also math and social-emotional development.

What do our classrooms look like?

Activities are age-appropriate

and hands-on.

Routines are consistent.

Lessons are organized by ‘theme.’

For example: “Community Helpers”

There are daily opportunities for

building oral language.

Children are busy and involved with rich

conversation that occurs throughout the day.

Indoor and outdoor activities

occur daily.

There are open areas for large group

activities like ‘circle time.’

Materials are easily accessible for

children in work areas.

Children plan their own activities

during Center Time.

Small group instruction is a result

of student needs.

STEM

Our students are given daily experiences in the

field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics.

Technology

Students in each classroom are given the

opportunity to work on a computer daily.

Many classrooms are equipped with interactive

white board technology.

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Curriculum Guidelines

VPK uses a framework that emphasizes active

learning. Teachers facilitate children’s learning.

Our curriculum goals include building

independence, curiosity, decision-making, creativity,

problem-solving, critical thinking and cooperation.

Curriculum

Our VPK classes use the Frog Street Press Pre-K

Curriculum. It is approved by the state for VPK.

Lesson plans are written by one of our Resource

Teachers, Dr. Carol Crownover, who incorporates

the FL. Birth – Five Standards.

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Florida Birth to Kindergarten Standards

Adopted by the State Board of Education in 2017

& cover the following domains of learning:

Physical Development

Approaches to Learning

Social and Emotional Development

Language and Literacy

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Florida Birth to Kindergarten Standards

Adopted by the State Board of Education in 2017

& cover the following domains of learning:

Scientific Inquiry

Mathematical Thinking

Social Studies

Creative Expression Through the Arts

Meeting the Standards

These Standards are reflected in every lesson,

in every activity, every day!

You can find these Standards at:

flbt5.floridaearlylearning.com

It is our goal for children to meet with success each

day.

Behavior is managed through positive reinforcement,

redirection, conflict resolution, and modeling. These

are used to help students make appropriate

decisions and choices.

Discipline Philosophy

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Assessment

Report cards and grades are not used in VPK.

The VPK Assessment is given 3 times a year.

Student growth is monitored which helps to inform

instruction.

After each assessment, a parent letter will be sent

home with student scores.

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The Florida Kindergarten

Readiness Screener

State law requires screening for all public school

kindergarteners within the first 30 days of school.

This screener assesses how prepared each

student is for kindergarten based on the Florida

Birth to Kindergarten Standards.

A new instrument called Star Early Literacy is now

used. It is online and assesses early language and

number skills.

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Readiness Rates

Since children are required to use a keyboard and

mouse, it is very important to give your child plenty

of opportunities to use a computer.

Scores from the assessment are used to calculate

the VPK Readiness Rates for providers. This

measures how well a provider prepares a child for

readiness for kindergarten.

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Parent Handbook

More details about the VPK Program can be found

in the Parent Handbook which you should have

received when you registered your child at the

Pre-K office.

The handbook will be posted on our website.

This powerpoint and other resources can be found

there as well.

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Parent Participation

Parent involvement is strongly encouraged

since you are your child’s first teacher.

The best way to contact your child’s teacher is through a note in daily folder, an email, ora voicemail message on classroom phone.

You must be a “Dividend” in order to visit the

classroom except for “Bring Your Parent Day.”

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Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Can VPK students ride the bus?

No, parents must provide transportation for their child.

Who can pick my child up from school?

Children must be picked up by an adult 18 years or older.

Can a VPK student attend KidZone & Beyond

(formerly Extended day)?

Yes, it is available at several sites at an additional cost.

You can apply on the SCPS website.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Once school starts, can I switch my child to another

school?

Only one transfer is allowed. A form from the coalition is

needed.

Is there financial assistance available for the tuition?

No. SCPS no longer participates in the School

Readiness Program.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Do we have to send in supplies?

You do not need to send in any supplies. Please just

send in a backpack, a folder, and a change of clothing.

Do the children have a snack?

Yes. Some teachers ask parents to send in a healthy

snack for their child and other teachers ask parents to

donate snacks for the classroom. Check with your child’s

teacher at “Meet the Teacher”.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Do the children take a nap in the afternoon?

The students rest for an hour in the afternoon. They

aren’t required to sleep. They can do something quietly

such as read or listen to a story on tape.

Do the children have to wear a uniform?

No. Children in VPK are not required to wear a uniform.

However, if the school uses them, you may purchase

one if you would like.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Who do I tell about my child’s allergies?

Tell the teacher and write it down on the Student

Information Card.

Can my child attend any school for kindergarten?

No, once a child goes to kindergarten, he/she must

attend the home zone school or the assigned region

school.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Can I bring in homemade cookies, etc. for the class?

All food must be store-bought.

What about lunch?

Students may purchase lunch or bring lunch from home.

Parents may apply for free/reduced lunch online. From

the SCPS home page, click on District at the top and

scroll to Dining Services under Departments.

Dining Services Card

These are on

the back table

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Attendance

Please make sure your child is in school every day

and on time so they don’t miss instructional time.

Students that have more than 4 unexcused absences

per month may be replaced with another student.

Please make sure your child is picked up on time to

avoid a late fee or dismissal from the program.

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You can enroll your child in KidZone & Beyond,

formerly known as Extended Day, if you need

childcare after the school day is over.

Representatives are in the lobby tonight if you would

like to register your child or ask questions.

KidZone & Beyond

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Meet the Teacher

We encourage you to bring your child to meet

his/her teacher and to see the classroom

during the scheduled ‘Meet the Teacher.’

A list of ‘Meet the Teacher’ schedules can

be found on the back table.45

Contact Us

Pre-K Office – (407) 320-0463

AnaLynn Jones - (407) 320-9416

Director of Early Learning

Carla Betts – (407) 320-0228

Pre-K Coordinator

Jessica Reinhardt (407) 320-0463

Secretary

Amy Goff (407) 320-0232

Accountant

Thanks from the Pre-K Team!

Thank you for sharing your little ones with us!

We look forward to working with you and

watching your child learn and grow.

Questions?

We will be glad to answer any questions you

have if you would like to stay afterwards.