The newest additon to our Preschool/Kindergarden playground is a raised bed garden.  We constructed the garden this Fall so that it would be ready for planting in the Spring.  This project was generously supported by a grant from the Lanesborough Initative for Excellence (LIFE) Fund and will be used by both Preschool and Kindergarten students to explore the growth and developments of native plants. Thanks again to the LIFE Fund for making this project possible!

sparsons@lanesboroughschool.org

I began teaching preschool at Lanesborough Elementary School in 2005.

The Lanesborough Preschool Program is an integrated program serving 3, 4, and 5 year old children. Our classroom has a broad range of ages, skills, abilities, and interests. Our mission is to discover and respect the individuality of each child and to be consistently kind, thoughtful, and careful as we work to nourish their individual development.

Throughout the school year we work to tie our curriculum to children’s daily lives and experiences. We take full advantage of our outdoor environment and the change of seasons to enrich classroom learning.

We take a play based, developmentally appropriate approach to instruction. We respect that each child is working on their own set of skills and following their individual interests as they work and play alongside peers. Our goal is to create an interest and excitement about learning that children will carry with them to Kindergarten and beyond.

General Information

School Schedule: Preschool is a 4-day per week program. Wednesday is a stay home day. The morning session begins at 8:35, with dismissal at 11:20. The afternoon session begins at 12:10, with dismissal at 3:05. The attendance slip is delivered to the Main Office before we walk to the playground. If you are bringing your child in late, please check your child in at the Office.

Bathroom Policy:

Children may go into the bathroom at ANY time. We encourage children to be independent with toileting activities. If your child is using a bathroom outside of our classroom, a staff member will accompany them and wait outside the bathroom door until they are ready to return to the classroom.

Extra Clothes:

Please send your child with an extra set of clothes to be used in the event that your child needs a change. If your child has “an accident” while at school, we encourage children to meet their own needs and to undress and dress themselves. Teachers are always available to assist if the child needs help and will provide reassurance and positive support.

Children are welcome to leave extra warm clothes in their cubbies. In the winter, please feel free to leave an extra pair of shoes in the classroom for the children to wear after they have changed out of their boots.

Snack:

The school cafeteria staff provides snacks each day. The cost is included in your tuition payment. No additional money is needed. Milk is provided each day. Typical snacks include fruit, pudding, crackers, or cookies. Please notify me immediately if your child has any dietary restrictions or food allergies. The School Nurse will need a doctor’s note regarding any restrictions or special diets.

Allergies and Medical Conditions:

In the case of children who have allergies or other medical conditions, the School Nurse will need additional information from you and any allergy medication your child may require. Please do not send medications (cold medicine, ointments, etc.) to school with your child. If your child requires medicine during school hours, it is given in the Nurse’s Office by the School Nurse. .

Birthdays:

To help us celebrate your child’s birthday we would be happy to host a mini-birthday party snack at school. We welcome any treats for the whole class.

Dress:

Your child will be using paint, playdough, and other messy materials during the course of the year. We will ask children to wear a school-supplied plastic smock when appropriate. We start and end each day outside (weather permitting). Please dress your child for the weather and in comfortable play clothes, including shoes that are appropriate for running, climbing, and active outdoor play.

Toys from home:

Though toys from home can often be a comfort to children, they can also bring unhappiness. If they get lost or broken in school, the owner usually has a sad school day. Toys can frequently lead to competition and social unrest between children. We do discourage bringing toys from home and do ask children to store them safely in their backpacks or cubbies and to take them home carefully so that they won’t get lost or broken.

Bus Tags:

We will provide each child with a BUS TAG on the first day of school. The bus driver wants to be able to see the child’s name on the front and his/her address on the back. We will tie the tag to your child’s backpack and ask that you to check that it stays on your child’s backpack throughout the school year. This will help insure that your child rides the correct bus and gets off at the right stop. Please remember to meet your child when he or she gets off the bus. If the driver does not see you waiting, the driver cannot let your child get off at the home stop and will bring your child back to school. If this should happen, your child will be safe in the school office and we will phone you.

Should there be any change in after school transportation for your child, you must inform us in writing, usually by sending in a note. We are not able to release a child to ride home on an unspecified bus or with an unspecified person.

Questions or Concerns:

Please feel free to call me at school (443-0027) if there are any issues that you want to discuss or clarify. I am also available to meet with you before or after school and anytime during the day on Wednesday if you would prefer to speak in person. My school email address is: sparsons@lanesboroughschool.org.

*Please note that I do not check my email until after the school day. Changes to busing or pick-up information needs to be written in a note sent with your child or called into the school office so that they can relay the message.

If there are issues at home that affect your child (Dad or Mom away from home, illness in the family, mood swing due to medication, etc.) please feel free to alert us to any possible behavior changes we might see or wonder about. Any information you share with staff will be kept confidential.

Preschool Math Exit Expectations:

·         Recognize and count 0 to 10

·         Arrange items by size

·         Recognize the difference between whole and half

·         Extend a 2 color pattern

·         Sort and classify objects by recognizing similarities and differences

·         Expressively identify circle, square, heart, and triangle

·         Use and understand positional and comparative words

·         Identify, count, and match objects with understanding from 0 to 5

Preschool Math Vocabulary:

Big, bigger, biggest       Half

How many?                   In/Out

Match                            Next to

Number                         On

Part                               Pattern

Same/different             Similar

Top/bottom/middle      Under/over

First/next                      More/less

Short/long                     Small, smaller, smallest