Handbook

Color pencil on student table and notebook

Welcome to Sycamore Community School District 427's Little Spartans Early Learning Program. We look forward to beginning a positive home-school relationship with you and your student.

At the Little Spartans Early Learning Program, we believe that all students can learn. We are an inclusive community preschool providing developmentally appropriate learning experiences through a play- and research-based curriculum. We are hands on, child centered, and future focused.

This handbook was designed for the Little Spartans Early Learning Program in the Sycamore Community School District 427. It is not fully inclusive of all Board of Education policy. Please reference the Elementary Schools Handbook and Board of Education policies for more information.

Our Vision

In order to become a competent and confident learner, each student will:

Use and understand language in everyday experiences
Engage in positive social relationships
Acquire and use knowledge and skills
Develop independence to meet their own needs

Our Values

Decisions made in the context of what is best for our students
The social and emotional well-being of our students and staff
The belief that all students can learn
The ideal that students should be challenged at their highest level in all learning areas
Communication that is open, honest, accessible, and reciprocal among all stakeholders

Program Overview

Overview

Materials

Required Materials

Please do not label the following items:

(1) Box of Crayola markers, washable
(1) Roll of Paper Towels
(2) Packages of Glue Sticks
(2) Glue Bottles, washable
(1) Set of watercolor paints, washable
(1) Container of dish soap
(1) Box of Ziploc bags, gallon size
(1) Container of baby wipes
(1) Magic Eraser
(1) Package of paper plates
(2) Boxes Kleenex
(3) Cans of Play- Doh
(1) Package of stickers
(1) Container of Clorox wipes
(1) Package of dry erase markers
(1) package of construction paper, any color, any size
(1) Family picture for our family album
(1) Backpack that fits standard folder (no wheels please)
An extra set of clothes to be kept in your student's cubby — pants, shirt, underwear, and socks
Diapers, pull-ups, and/or wipes for students with identified disabilities and a current IEP

Curriculum

Our curriculum reflects foundational best practices established through Creative Curriculum. Our teacher developed instructional activities are aligned to the Illinois State Board of Education's Early Learning and Development Standards. We use authentic, performance based assessment to monitor student progress using Teaching Strategies Gold.

The Little Spartans Early Learning program is committed to teaching our youngest learners foundational skills in the area of social emotional development through the use of the Second Steps Social Emotional Learning curriculum. We offer blended classrooms composed of students with and without disabilities. One teacher and up to two teacher assistants are staffed in each classroom. Classroom teachers are required to have a four year teaching degree with an emphasis on early childhood education. Requirements also include a certification by the Illinois State Board of Education in both general education and special education. In addition, related service staff (speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists) provide services to children with disabilities, in accordance to each special education student’s IEP. Mental health staff professionals, such as school psychologists and social workers, are also a part of your student's classroom team to support the learning of all children.

Enrollment

Requirements

Before enrolling in our preschool program, each child’s family is requested to present and complete:

Online registration information
Student Health Information Card and Emergency Consent Form
Proof of Residence in Sycamore Community School District 427
Copy of Birth Certificate
Certificate of Child Health Examination
$50.00 registration fee due at the time of registration

Children must be at least three years of age to be enrolled in preschool. The Little Spartans Early Learning program is for children ages three through five who are not eligible for kindergarten. Students who are age five on or before September 1st of the current school year, will attend Kindergarten at their home school.

Residency

Contact the District Registrar located at the Administration Center at (815) 899-8100, 245 W Exchange Street, Sycamore to schedule a Registration Appointment.
Bring proof of residency and birth certificate(s), to your registration appointment. During the registration application, you will complete the remainder of the registration process. The following information will be needed to complete the process:
- Household Information – Address and Phone Numbers
- Parent Information – Work and Cell Phone Numbers, Email Addresses
- Student Information – Demographic and Health/Medication Information
- Emergency Contact Information – Address and Phone Numbers. You will need to provide at least two emergency contacts.
Your student’s school will contact you to review school information and answer all questions

It is your responsibility to notify the Preschool office if you move out of the district. Administrative staff will work with you to discuss a reasonable transition for your child regarding their exit from our program.

Certification of Health Exam

Illinois State law requires that each child must complete a physical examination and immunization against preventable communicable diseases, including but not limited to measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT), poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, chickenpox, and haemophilus influenzae B. A record of necessary immunizations must be presented. The completed Certificate of Health Examination Form must be turned in to the school nurse prior to the first day of attendance. Immunization records that are not complete may be accepted if the provider submits an immunization schedule or medical letter explaining why the immunization is not administered. If a medical reason prevents a student from receiving a required immunization by the first day of school, the student must present, by the first day of school, an immunization schedule and statement of the medical reasons causing the delay. The schedule and statement of medical reasons must be signed by the physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or local health department responsible for administering the immunizations.

Exemptions

In accordance with the rules adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health, a student will be exempted from this policy’s requirement for:

Religious objection — allowed if the student’s parents/guardians present to the Superintendent a completed Religious Exemption Form; This must be signed by a medical provider (MD, DO, PA or APN);
The Health examination or immunization requirements on medical grounds if physician provides written verification; or
Any homeless child shall be immediately admitted, even if the child or child’s parent/guardian is unable to produce immunization and health records normally required for enrollment. The requirement must be met in a reasonable amount of time following admission to The Little Spartans Early Learning program

Tuition

Tuition is $185.00 per month
- 8 equal payments (shortened months are grouped together as one month )
- First payment to be paid at the time of registration or prior to the first day of attendance
- Remaining 7 payments are due by the 15th of each month $50.00 registration fee is due at the time of registration
Children will be excluded from attending the Little Spartans program if payments are not kept current

The School Day

In addition to our schedule, there are a number of daily expectations to be aware of.

Attendance

To ensure continuity of instruction and to develop positive habits it is important that your child attends school regularly and arrives at school on time. Sycamore Community School District 427 discourages vacations during school days.

A student shall be released from school, as an excused absence, for the purpose of observing a religious holiday. The parent(s)/guardian(s) should give notice to the District 5 days before the student's anticipated absence.

On average, children are absent no more than four or five days the entire school year. We request parental assistance in supporting regular attendance in school. Parents should attempt to schedule medical and dental appointments outside of school hours when possible. If an appointment must be made during school hours, please notify the school by written request. Parents must call the school office before picking up the child.

Tardy Procedure

If you bring your child to school after the start of class (9:00 AM and 1:00 PM), you must bring your child into the South Prairie main office. The secretary will assist you in signing your child into school and seeing that they get to class.

Absence Procedure

All absences must be reported on the attendance line. Please call the Attendance Line at (815) 899-8299 to report the absence as soon as possible. Please indicate specific illness symptoms and/or reason for absence.

A “chronic or habitual truant” shall be defined as a child who is absent without valid cause from such attendance for 5% or more of the previous calendar year. Chronic truancy will be monitored by the Early Childhood program. Parents of these students will receive written notice of their child's attendance record and concern. A conference with the appropriate team members will be required with the receipt of the second truancy notice. A third notice may result in losing the student’s enrollment within the program. No refunds would be provided for deposit or tuition.

Illness

It is important that your child attends school regularly to maximize the benefits of the program. If your child is absent from school, please call the 24 hour attendance line (815) 899-9299 before 9:00 AM. When leaving a message on the answering machine, please clearly identify your child’s name, teacher, and reason for absence. Please call each day that your child is absent. If we do not hear from the parent or guardian, phone calls will be made to locate your child.

Your child should stay home from school for:

A fever 100 degrees or over
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Diagnosed with a contagious illness
- Your child may return to school 24 hours after symptoms have ceased (with medication), 24 hours being fever free (without the use of fever reducing medications) or 24 hours after the start of prescription antibiotics
Persistent cough or copious nasal drainage
Red and watery eyes not associated with seasonal allergies
Unidentified/undiagnosed rash

If you are unsure whether your child should attend school, please call the school nurse and discuss your child’s health concerns with our school nurse. If your child arrives at school with the above mentioned symptoms, or develops symptoms during class he/she will be assessed by the school nurse. A parent/guardian will be contacted for pick up from school if needed.

Dress Code

Children should come to school wearing play clothes so they can participate in: climbing, running, sand play, water play, finger paint, and other active learning experiences. Shoes must cover toes and/or be athletic shoes. Students wearing skirts or dresses should wear shorts and/or leggings underneath.

Outerwear

Students will go outside when the temperature is above 20 degrees. Make sure your child brings or wears a jacket and other outerwear: a hat, mittens, snow pants, and boots on snowy days.

Change of Clothes

Please send a change of clothes to school. It should be placed in a large Ziploc bag. Mark all clothing with your child’s name. The clothing will be kept at school in case your child has an accident or if his/her clothing becomes soiled. The change of clothes should include: sweatpants, underwear, a shirt, and socks. These clothes should be large enough to allow the child to wear them throughout the school year.

Backpacks

Your child will need a backpack for school. Your child will need a backpack that fits squarely shoulder to shoulder. The backpack should be large enough to fit a standard school sized folder No wheeled backpacks please. Wheeled backpacks are a safety risk for the child pulling the backpack and for their peers.

Operation

Parking

The Early Childhood program shares parking with South Prairie Staff. In order for our families to arrive and depart safely from school each day, please follow the guidelines below:

The entrance for the Early Childhood Program parking lot is located at the south end of the parking lot of South Prairie Elementary School located on Borden Avenue
The parking lot is a one way traffic loop, please drive slowly.
School buses park directly in front of the Early Childhood entrance doors at the south end of the parking lot. Cars are not allowed to park in this space.
It is against the law to pass a school bus when the stop sign is out.
It is against the law to use a cell phone and other electronic devices while driving and is especially dangerous in a school zone. The school zone signs are posted along Borden Ave.
You may park your car in any open space in the parking lot.
The handicapped parking spaces are reserved for vehicles with a handicap placard or handicap license plate issued by the State of Illinois.
Supervise your children by holding their hands when walking through the parking lot.
The main office waiting area is reserved for families with walk-in speech services or families waiting for appointments.

Family Transportation

Arrival and departure is a busy time at the Little Spartans Early Learning program. In order to assure your child is released to an authorized person; families will be asked to utilize an identification system. This list of authorized people needs to completed within the registration information. We ask that the adult member walk up to the Little Spartans dismissal door. In the event of an alternative family member or friend picks up your child from school, please notify the school prior to the end of the school day. You may phone the school office or write a note to the classroom teacher. The adult picking up your child should be prepared to show a photo ID to the school staff upon request.

Arrival

Upon arrival, please walk your child to the Drop off/Pick Up door and be prepared to say your goodbyes outside the door so that class staff may facilitate a smooth separation.
Your child will enter the building and be guided to their classroom by early childhood staff.

Departure

When the school day is over, the classroom staff will wait with the students inside the Little Spartans door.
Students will not be released outside the door until a family member (or designated adult) comes to the door for his/her child’s dismissal.

Bus Transportation

Upon arrival, school staff ensure each child’s safe entry into the school building. When it is time to go home, school staff escort students into their designated buses.

Bus transportation is available for students with disabilities if it is listed within their IEP.

Transportation routes are arranged by the bus company
Families are provided estimated times for pickup and drop off
The routes are adjusted throughout the school year as new students enter the program
Times may vary depending upon road construction or weather
You will be informed of any time changes for pickup or drop off of your child
Please make sure your child is ready and waiting at the designated time
You should put the Safety Vest on your child before he/she gets on the bus each day
Food is not allowed on the bus for safety reasons
On days your child will not attend school due to illness etc., you must contact the bus company to let them know that your child will not need transportation.

Bus transportation services can be provided to Little Spartan tuition students for a fee through the district transportation department. For information and fee information, please call the Little Spartans program at 815-899-8299.

Bus Procedures

Teachers and paraprofessionals escort children to and from the bus each day.
After all children have exited the bus, the bus driver walks through the bus to assure all students have left the bus.
Seat belts, car seats and vest harnesses are provided by the school district based on identified IEP accommodations.
Your child’s teacher and/or ec para professional will put the vest on your child for the ride back home.
If wearing a safety harness is a requirement, your child may not ride the bus without it.

Late Arrivals and Pickups

Students are expected to be picked up at the scheduled dismissal time. The doors will be closed at 9:05 AM for morning preschool and 1:05 PM for afternoon session. If a parent drop off occurs after that time, please take your child to the main office located at the far north of the building. Children need to be picked up at the end of their session. Any child remaining 5 minutes past their session will be taken to the main office of the school.

On occasion, emergency situations arise that cause a parent to be delayed in picking up a child. When such a delay occurs, the parent is expected to call the office of the school to make temporary arrangements with the building secretary, principal, or coordinator . Prior to the arrival of the parent or emergency contact, the child will be brought to the main office. Should a pattern of late pickups emerge, or should a significant late pick-up occur, the Coordinator and /or building principal may involve the police liaison or Sycamore Police Department in resolving the situation.

Building Security

All parents entering the school building must enter through the Little Spartans entrance on the south end of the building door W.

There are two doors utilized for arrival and departure times. Children with bus services will be escorted through the middle entrance. Children being transported by their family will use the Little Spartans drop off/pick up door at the south end of the building.

Policies and Procedures

Suspected Child Abuse

According to Illinois Law, a staff member who has reasonable cause to suspect that a student may be an abused or neglected child, must report such a case to the Department of Children and Family Services.

School officials and officials of the Department of Children and Family Services are prohibited from revealing the identification of the reporting employee. The reporting employee is protected by law from liability and is, in fact, liable for prosecution if the suspected abuse or neglect is not reported. The determination of abuse or neglect is not the responsibility of any school staff member. The Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for initiating the investigation and recommending action as a result of the investigation. All requests by agency or police officials to interview a student shall require a district administrator, social worker, psychologist, or certified nurse to be present. A police officer may interview a student in school providing he/she presents proper identification to the Building Principal prior to the interview. A building administrator will notify parents before the student is interviewed. “Notice” includes telephone contact with parent(s)/guardian(s) or leaving a voicemail message. The interview shall be conducted in the presence of a teacher, counselor or Building Principal and/or the parent(s)/guardian(s), if the parent(s)/guardian(s) desire to be present for the interview.

Court Orders

During times of family difficulties, a court order may prohibit a parent or other family member from having contact with a specific child. A copy of any legal document which mandates this separation must be on file with the school office. These documents can only be honored through the dates defined in the document. This procedure assures that the child is released ONLY to the appropriate adults.

Toilet Training

Children must be potty trained with no pull-ups.

Potty training can be an exciting and challenging time in both your and your child’s life. At Sycamore's Little Spartans Early Learning program, we define successful independent toileting as having the ability to lower their underpants (as well as deal with other clothing), completing the act of urinating and/or defecating in the toilet, wiping themselves, flushing , re-dressing themselves, and washing hands.

We realize that “accidents” will happen. “Accidents” by definition are unusual incidents and should happen infrequently.

Medications

Students should not take medication during school hours or during school-related activities unless it is necessary for a student’s health and well-being. When a student’s licensed health care provider and parent/guardian believe that it is necessary for the student to take a medication during school hours or school-related activities, the parent/guardian must request that the school dispense the medication to the child and otherwise follow the District’s procedures on dispensing medication. All prescription medications and “over-the-counter” medications are required to be in the nurse’s office. Any student in possession or use of their own prescription medication or over the counter medication without permission from the school nurse will be subject to disciplinary action. Students cannot distribute these types of material to others. Doing so represents a disregard for a serious school procedure and as such will be dealt with in accordance with the disciplinary procedure. No School District employee shall administer to any student, or supervise a student’s self-administration of, any prescription or nonprescription medication until a completed and signed “School Medication Authorization Form” and self-administration form is submitted by the student’s parent/guardian. No student shall possess or consume any prescription or nonprescription medication on school grounds or at a school-related function other than as provided for in this policy and its implementing procedures. A student may possess an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®) and/or medication prescribed for asthma for immediate use at the student’s discretion, provided the student’s parent/guardian has completed and signed a “School Medication Authorization Form.” The School District shall incur no liability, except for willful and wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from a student’s self-administration of medication or epinephrine auto-injector or the storage of any medication by school personnel. A student’s parent/guardian must indemnify and hold harmless the School District and its employees and agents, against any claims, except a claim based on willful and wanton conduct, arising out of a student’s self-administration of an epinephrine auto-injector and/or medication, or the storage of any medication by school personnel. Nothing in this policy shall prohibit any school employee from providing emergency assistance to students, including administering medication.

Emergency School Closings

School Visitors

Parents and visitors are always welcome to visit classrooms, observe a lesson or activity and volunteer to help here at school. To maximize instructional time, teachers appreciate advance notice to help prepare their students. This helps to ensure that a visitor walking into the classroom will not break the flow of instruction. We ask that parents and visitors refrain from ‘dropping by’ classrooms unless the teacher is aware of the visit ahead of time. Therefore, visits should be arranged in advance with the teacher or EC coordinator.

All visitors must sign a visitors’ log, provide identification, wear a visitor’s badge and receive permission to remain on school property. When leaving the school, visitors must return their badge and identification will be returned. On those occasions when large groups of visitors will be attending an event during a school day, visitors must follow school officials' requirements for checking into the building. Persons on school property without permission will be directed to leave and may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Schools frequently receive requests for children who are visiting with Sycamore school families to spend the day at school with a school-age friend or relative. If accompanied by an adult, the visiting child may visit the building and/or class of the school-age friend or relative, but may not spend the day. This is due to liability concerns as well as the potential disruption to the other students’ academic program. If you have specific questions regarding this issue please contact the EC coordinator or building principal.