New Parent Guide2024-2025V2

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Parent Guide 2024-2025

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” —Ignacio Estrada

Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees Mayor Keith Pekau Village Clerk Brian Gaspardo Trustees William R. Healy Cynthia Nelson Katsenes Michael R. Milani Sean Kampas Brian J. Riordan Joni J. Radaszewski Administration

George Koczwara, Village Manager Jim Cullota, Assistant Village Manager Ray Piattoni, Director of Recreation & Parks Greg Bruggeman, Assistant Director of Recreation & Parks Jean Petrow, Recreation Division Manager Andrea Smaga, Recreation Supervisor Brooke Windle, Senior Program Coordinator Jennifer McQuinn, Program Assistant Village of Orland Park Recreation Department Franklin E. Loebe Recreation Center Preschool Facility 14650 S. Ravinia Avenue

708.403.6208 Preschool Office 708.417.3092 Preschool Cell

Sportsplex | 11351 S 159th St | 708.403.5000 Village Hall | 14700 Ravinia Ave | 708.403.6100

OrlandPark.org

OrlandParkRec

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preschool Philosophy Program Particulars

Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 4 Page 4

Junior Preschool Senior Preschool

Instruction at both levels

General Information

Pages 5 - 9

POSITIVE EDUCATION BEGINS AT HOME

Children whose parents take an active, positive interest in their education and activities fare better academically and socially. As part of its commitment to a positive learning experience, the Preschool Program administrators and teachers encourage all parents to actively listen to their children. Praise your children and most importantly, openly demonstrate the love that you have for them.

PRESCHOOL PHILOSOPHY The Village of Orland Park Preschool Program aids in developing the skills necessary for independent learning and positive socialization. We realize the need to nurture a child’s early interests and promote a love for learning in all children. The formative preschool years are integral for all children as attitudes developed early in life continue with students throughout their lives. Orland Park Preschool is an adventure for children — the beginning of an exciting new phase of life — the school years!

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PROGRAM PARTICULARS Socialization, movement, exploration and motor coordination are very important for children’s positive emotional and physical growth. Primary consideration is given to socialization, and sensory motor development, making preschool the fun learning experience that it’s meant to be. Often times these fundamentals prove to be most valuable at this stage. Junior Preschool Junior Preschool is offered for children age three, many of whom are experiencing their first time away from their parents, siblings and home. Designed specifically for the developmental level of three year olds, Junior Preschool focuses on the following skills: socialization, independence, recognizing letters and numbers, art, music and more! Teacher/Student ratio: 1 to 8 or less Senior Preschool The primary objective of the Senior Preschool Program is to prepare children age four and five for kindergarten. This program offers a more defined level of skills described above, in addition to fine motor and reinforcement and strengthening of junior skills. Teacher/Student ratio: 1 to 10 or less Instruction — Both Levels Along with the developmentally specific activities described above, both the Junior and Senior Preschool Program curricula includes: calendar and weather, color and shape recognition, science, letter and number recognition, creative art, free-play, body movement and coordination, song, stories,games, holiday parties, field trips and more! Behavior Policy The Village of Orland Park Recreation Department has an established behavior policy relative to inappropriate behavior. Please refer to your seasonal recreation program guide, or this can be printed upon request. Regardless of age, we cannot tolerate violence, threats and many other disruptive or dangerous behaviors.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Calendars

Preschool calendars note the dates of special events, parties, field trips, school closings, and units of study. Monthly calendars are posted on-line at OrlandPark.org under Recreation & Parks, then go to the left navigation Programs/Preschool and click on your classroom. If you do not have access to the internet and need a copy of the calendar, please see your classroom teacher. Calendars can also be found via the Class Dojo app used to communicate with parents on the classroom story page monthly. Car Pools Car pooling may be arranged among parents; however, the instructors must be informed who may pick up your child. Also, it is the responsibility of the parent picking up the child to let the other parents know of any announcements made or information distributed, not the Preschool staff. Changes If there is a change of address and/or telephone numbers during the course of the school year, please notify your teacher and the Preschool Office at 708.403.6208, and we can also alert the Recreation Department to update your account upon request. Classroom Aides Classrooms may have additional support staff to aide the students. Feel free to reach out with any questions if your room has an aide. Clothing Please send your Preschooler in “user friendly” clothing. All removable articles of clothing should be labeled with your child’s name. Please be sure to clearly label boots, sweaters, hats, mittens, jackets, school bags, and back packs. As a safety precaution, slip-on shoes/sandals without a backstrap will not be allowed. Rubber soled shoes are recommended. On gym days, gym shoes must be worn in the gym. There will be many days that are listed on the calendar that we ask parents to dress students in a special color, theme, etc., if possible as well.

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Emergency Information By the first day of school, an emergency information form needs to be filled out by all parents/guardians. Please be prepared to leave emergency contacts and phone numbers. If your child has a medical condition that we should be made aware of (severe food allergies, etc.), please speak to your child’s teacher or program coordinator prior to first day of class, and fill out the additional medical form. Also, refer to Snacks/Special Treats on page 10. End of Year Festivities The Junior Preschool year ends with a Spring Sing and class Get-Together. The Senior Preschool year ends with a recital and graduation ceremony. Information on these festivities will be distributed as the dates near. Field Trips Both Junior and Senior Preschool Programs feature field trips during the year. Information about field trips, some of which may require an additional fee, will be sent home with the students at least two weeks in advance. We need parent participation for some of our trips. Holiday Parties Celebrations are held for many holidays. Party information will be sent home at least one week in advance. On occasion, donated treats may be requested for these special days; however, homemade items are not allowed, nor are items made with peanuts, tree nuts or your classroom specific allergens. Health and Illness For your child’s protection as well as other children and our staff, you will need to keep your child home if he/she has had any of the following within the past 24 hours: sore throat and/or cough, discharge from the eyes or ears, severe nasal discharge, diarrhea, vomiting, temperature over 99 degrees or a contagious disease. If you are in doubt about your child’s health, please keep your child at home.

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Health and Illness continued Should a child become ill in school, he/she will be isolated from the other children as much as possible until he/she is picked up. Parents will be notified so that the child may be picked up as soon as possible. In the case of a communicable disease, i.e. chicken pox, head lice, measles, Covid-19, etc., parents must notify the Preschool Office at 708.403.6208, as soon as the child is diagnosed. The name of the affected child is not released; however, preschool parents are notified of the contagious illness, and often the classroom it occurred in. Inclement Weather The Preschool Program follows the Emergency Closing Schedule of Orland School District #135, (www.orland135.org). If it is reported on the radio or television the Orland School District #135 is closed due to severe weather, then Preschool is also cancelled for the day. Parents can listen to most Chicago AM format radio stations for school closing information or call the recreation department RainoutLine at 708.401.0043 after 8 a.m or download the app — RainoutLine.com and add ext. 80 to your favorites, or refer to the Class Dojo app . Cancelled classes will not be rescheduled for make-up or refunded. Pick-Up Policy All children must be picked up by their classroom ending time. In the event of an emergency, the parents are responsible for making arrangements for the child to be picked up. The Village of Orland Park has a three strike late pick-up policy. • A written warning will be given after each offense a parent/ guardian is more than five minutes late in picking up their child. • At the third written warning, a $1.00 per minute fee will be issued after the initial five minutes the next time the parent/ guardian is late. • The late fee must be paid at the registration office prior to the participant being admitted back into the next class.

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Preshool Plus Program Preschool Plus is an extension of the Senior Preschool day, intended for the child who is both academically & socially ready for Kindergarten, but doesn’t meet the age requirement. Please register your child only if he/ she can handle a longer day and rigorous pace. Student should be able to recognize and write his/her first name, use scissors, know alphabet, etc. Medication Prior to administering any medication, a completed Medication Authorization Form must be submitted to the classroom teacher. All medications need to be stored in the original container with the pharmacy label intact. Non-prescription drugs will not be administered, but the parent can come in anytime to administer. Open House In the Spring we hold an Open House for area families seeking information for the fall preschool programs. Come join us or spread the word! Parent Orientation Before the school year begins, an informal parent meeting is held. Parents may meet the Preschool Staff and have their questions answered. Classroom assignments will be available at the meeting. Payment We require a credit card number for all payment schedules. Payments can be taken prior to the scheduled due date by cash, check, or credit card at the Sportsplex office or Village Hall. All payments will be charged to your credit card on the due date if not paid in advance (please see back cover for payment schedule.) A $25 service charge will be assessed for all rejected credit card payments.

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Personal Needs All preschool participants must be potty trained prior to the beginning of the school year. Please note: For the health and safety of all concerned, the children must be able to handle their own bathroom needs, i.e., belts, zippers, buckles, wiping, etc. Please dress your child in “user friendly” clothing. To help avoid accidents, please have your child use the washroom prior to the start of their class time. Pull-ups are not allowed. Children who are noticably wearing pullups will be asked to leave the program. Preschool Screening Preschool screening is available through all area elementary school districts. Please contact your school district for more information. Orland Park is within School District 135. This is of great importance for families concerned with their child’s development. Progress Reports In May, a detailed progress report will be sent home. Due to the number of students enrolled in the Preschool Program, individual Parent/Teacher conferences are not possible. However, parents are encouraged to discuss concerns with the teachers anytime throughout the year. • Parents are reminded not to allow children to bring gum, candy, toys or money to class. • All cell phones should be silenced while in the Preschool facility. • No weapons of any kind are allowed at school; real or pretend; this also applies to Halloween costumes too. Miscellaneous

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Snacks/Special Treats We do allow “treats” for birthdays and have a few yearly celebrations. Any and all food items MUST BE peanut and tree nut free. Each individual class will receive a list of acceptable food items that have been okayed by the coordinator, teachers and parents of the children in that class. If any snack has peanuts, tree nuts or allergens that are specific to the classroom itself , they will be sent home and not distributed. Thank you for your cooperation in helping all the kids have a fun and safe preschool experience!

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Children Learn What They Live by Dorothy Law Nolte

Children who live with criticism, learn to condemn. Those who live with hostility, learn to fight. Children who live with ridicule, learn to be shy. Those who live with shame learn to feel guilty. Children who live with tolerance learn to be patient Those who live with encouragement, learn confidence. Children who live with praise, learn to appreciate. Those who live with fairness, learn justice. Children who live with security, learn to have faith. Those who live with approval, learn to like themselves.

Children who live with acceptance and friendship, learn to find love in the world.

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IMPORTANT PRESCHOOL DATES September 9, 2024 through May 8, 2025 Due to conflicts or unforseen circumstances some dates are subject to change. Monday, September 9 students attending M / W / F classes—First day of school Tuesday, September 10 students attending T / Th classes—First day of school Non-Attendance Days October 14 – Columbus Day November 5 – Election Day November 25 through 29 – Thanksgiving Break *Classes resume December 2, 2024 December 13, 2024 through January 3, 2025 – Holiday Break *Classes resume January 6, 2025 January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 17 – Presidents’ Day March 3 – Casimir Pulaski Day March 24 through March 28, 2025 – Spring Break *Classes resume April 2, 2025 March 31 – Non-attendance day April 1 – Election day April 18 – Non-attendance day Holiday Parties October 30 (M-W-F) Senior classes – Halloween Party October 31 (T-Th) Junior classes – Halloween Party December 11 (M-W-F) Senior – Winter Holiday Party December 12 (T-Th) Junior – Winter Holiday Party February 13 (T-Th) Junior – Valentine’s Day Party February 14 (M-W-F) Senior – Valentine’s Day Party May 6 – Junior Students (T-Th) Spring Sing • Last class day May 8 – Junior Students Get Together/Last Day May 12 – Senior Students • Last class day with Special Guest *No Preschool Plus May 14 – Senior Students • Graduation Preschool Photographs

September 25 – Senior Picture Day September 26 – Junior Picture Day Preschool Payment Due Dates are PRIOR to October 5, 2024 / December 5, 2024 Scholastic Reading Club All on-line orders due by the 1st of each month October thru May www.scholastic.com/readingclub Activation code: GZHLK Entire school belongs to code GZHLK.

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