Parent Handbook
Our Parent Handbook is chock full of useful information on a whole bunch of topics, from enrollment questions to information on separation anxiety, discipline, birthdays, dietary restrictions, your child's prescribed medications, and much more.
Please read the entire handbook. For your convenience, some of the most frequently referenced policies are listed below.
Birthdays and Celebrations
Each child’s birthday is celebrated in the classroom in the same way for each child: on the day closest to their birthday, children receive a crown, get to sit on our special birthday rug, and have “Happy Birthday” sung to them. There are also games and dancing in celebration, as arranged by their teachers.
We do not allow birthday cakes or food items of any kind, balloons or other activities to be brought to the classroom by the parents/guardians. No goodie bags or treats are allowed for birthdays or other celebrations such as last days, etc.
At the present time, we strongly discourage you arranging for birthday parties with your child’s classmates.
Absences
Please notify the school if your child will be be absent for any reason. Saint Mark’s Preschool is funded solely by tuition monies. Tuition is determined based on the annual cost of caring for your child and the expenses associated with running a school and maintaining the buildings and grounds. The annual cost is divided into twelve equal installments to arrive at the monthly amount due, with a discount factored in for full day enrollments. Tuition cannot be prorated or refunded for holidays, or days your child is otherwise not in school.
Last Day Notice
If for whatever reason you need to withdraw your child’s enrollment, we require one month’s written notice so that we can offer your child’s space to a child on our waiting list. One month’s notice is required and tuition must be paid for that notice period. Last Day Notice forms are available for submission on the forms page.
NUT FREE School
We are a NUT FREE school in order to keep all our children safe who have, or may have, nut allergies. Please do not send peanut butter sandwiches, whole nuts, granola or breakfast bars with nuts, etc. If you have packed a sunflower seed spread sandwich, that resembles peanut butter), please let your child’s teacher know to avoid confusion.
Ouches
Ouches are an inevitable consequence of children who are busy and active, and having fun. When your child suffers a minor injury (such as a scrape, bruise, scratch or bump), the witnessing teacher will complete an Ouch Report describing the circumstances and actions taken. One copy of this Ouch Report will be handed to you at pick up time and additional copies will be provided to the director. If your child suffers an injury more serious than a scrape, bruise, scratch or bump, you will be contacted immediately by telephone or email. In the case of a more severe injury, emergency personnel will be contacted, after which you will be contacted. If you cannot be reached, a designated emergency contact will be called and/or your child’s pediatrician.
Sick Policy
Please notify the school office by email or voice message if your child will be absent for any reason. If your child is sick and has a fever, diarrhea or vomiting, they must be kept at home for his or her own well-being, as well as that of his or her classmates and the teaching staff. Your child may return to school only when they have been fever-free for 48 hours and have not had an incidence of vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours. Certain other illnesses have their own timetables for return to school as governed by the Health Department.
More Serious Communicable Diseases
Please notify the school office as quickly as possible if your child has been diagnosed with a more serious communicable disease than a cold or flu, such as measles, chicken pox, head lice or conjunctivitis, etc. If any member of your household becomes symptomatic for Covid-19, you must self-quarantine all household members, arrange for Covid testing, and inform the school of the test results. If any member of your household tests positive for Covid-19, your child must stay home from school for the period of time determined by the County Health Department.
Parent - Teacher Conferences
We offer formal parent-teacher conferences once a year, optional to parents. Advance notice is given in the weekly emails and a message via the app. Sign ups will be either on clipboards in the classrooms or via an app. We prefer conferences in person, but can arrange for zoom conferences if preferred. If at any other time, you would like a conference with your child’s teacher or a meeting with the director, let us know and we will be happy to set up a time.