SECTION TWO - COMMUNICATION

Bookbags and Folders

Please make sure that your child has a school bag every day. We will send home a folder each day with a behavior update and any necessary papers. Parents are asked to check their child's bookbag and folder each day.

Conferences

Parents/guardians are encouraged to confer with teachers. One date in the fall and one in the spring is set aside for a parent-teacher conference; however, parents/guardians are urged to contact the teacher or head of preschool for an appointment when a change in the student’s behavior occurs or when a concern about an academic, emotional, social, or disciplinary matter arises. If desired, the student may be invited to attend this appointed meeting.

School Evaluations

In the preschool, report cards are issued at the end of each nine-week period. However, evaluation of students is a continuing process and is reflected in the papers that are sent home daily. Ongoing assessments enable teachers to identify strengths on which to build, as well as weaknesses for remediation.

Preschool Behavior Plan

Students at MPCS are expected to treat others kindly. Hitting, punching, kicking, biting, spitting, etc. are not allowed. Harassment of others will not be tolerated. MPCS will not tolerate bullying. Cases of bullying will be dealt with in a manner appropriate for the age of the student and the incidents that have occurred.

Please refer to the Behavior Expectations portion of the preschool "Little Eagles" folder for the full policy for your classroom.

Behavior Management

Our basic rules are as follows: we use loving touches, kind words, listening ears, quiet voices, and walking feet. We will go over these rules daily. The rewards for positive behavior will be praise, stickers, and small treats. The consequences for negative behavior will be discussion with the teacher, review of the rule broken, and, if needed, a time-out.

Good behavior will be noted each day in the child’s folder unless he/she has some problem following a rule that day, of which you will be notified. Together, we want to help your child grow and develop positively in every way. The following are expectations for students:

• Guns, knives, or weapons of any kind are prohibited on school property and must not be brought on to the school grounds or to any school event. MPCS reserves the right to search the personal possessions of students suspected of violating this rule. This includes toy or look-a-like guns or weapons.

• Students whose conduct is continuously disrespectful may be suspended, and ultimately expelled, if behavior does not improve.

• Students should not leave class without permission.

• When the class pledges the American and Christian flags, students are expected to participate.

Playground Safety Rules

During regularly scheduled recess time, teachers and paraprofessionals supervise children. In order to remain safe while having fun, students are taught the following:

• to use crosswalks when going to the playground area

• to play safely on the playground equipment (no climbing on top of equipment)

• to swing safely and avoid
     o twisting or swinging sideways
     o flipping the seat of the swing over the bar to raise the swing’s level
     o jumping off the swings
     o standing on the swing seat

• to use slides safely and avoid
     o climbing up the slides
     o sliding more than one student at a time
     o going down the slide headfirst on stomach

• to leave rocks, sticks, dirt, etc. where they belong

• to refrain from throwing items at others

• to abstain from physical contact with other students

• to stay away from the fence (there should not be any climbing or playing on the fence)

• to stay inside the fenced playground or in the area designated by the teacher

• to stay and play in an age-appropriate area

• somersaulting over side bars

A review of these rules at home is advisable and appreciated. The consequences for playground misconduct may consist of, but is not limited to, the following:

• all or part of recess may be missed

• parents may be notified either by note or phone

• a conference with the preschool head may be called

• suspension may be invoked (in-school or out-of-school