Footsteps Newsletter

Footsteps Newsletter

vol 3 Issue 2

Welcome to the 2017-2018

St. Catherine Preschool School Year

We survived our first three days! It is completely normal for students (parents and teachers) to feel extremely tired during the first few weeks. It is hot and there is a new routine. Your child might be more emotional than usual while he/she is adjusting to the school routine. Be sure to let us know if you have any concerns.

Solar Eclipse

On Monday there will be a partial eclipse of the sun which will extend into our dismissal time. Please discuss with your children the importance of protecting the eyes. Do not allow your children to look into the partially eclipsed sun without proper glasses made for eclipse viewing. If you are concerned about the safety of your child at dismissal time, you have the following options on Monday.

Keep your child home (call or email the office)
Pick your child up early prior to the eclipse which begins at 1 PM
Come into the office between 2:30 and 2:45 to pick your child up and escort him/her to the car
Line up in the pickup line as usual at 3 PM and we will bring your child to the car. While we will remind your child about not looking at the sun and your child will be escorted by a teacher, we can't guarantee that your child will not try to look up. Please make the best decision for your family and your child.

Snack Information

AM & PM student will have snack around approximately an hour to an hour 1/2 after arrival. Students are offered water, milk, apple or white grape juice and a healthy snack (fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese, crackers, pretzels etc.)

All day students have snack with the AM students.

If your child is attending extended day in the PM, snack will be provided around 3:30 PM

*We request that you provide either a $15 ($8 for those enrolled 2 half days) donation toward the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables or 3 (2 f or those enrolled 2 half days) shelf stable snacks enough to feed 25 students per snack.

For students attending the all-day program

The hot lunch and breakfast program will begin September 1st. Please send a packed lunch prior to 9/1. Breakfast and Hot Lunch is an optional service. You will have the opportunity to order each month. We will send home the first order form the first week of school. We are part of the National School Hot Lunch Program. This means that your child may qualify for free or reduced prices on meals. The applications will be sent home the first week of school. If your child has been approved for the ECE grant, meals are free. If your child receives SNAP or OWF benefits, he/she may be automatically qualified. Ms. Huber will notify you if this is the case. You can also contact the office if you feel your child will automatically qualify. Please check the folder for a free and reduced lunch application.

Clothing Choices

Please try to send your child in clothing items that he/she can manage independently. Elastic waistband pants are wonderful! Belts, zippers, buttons and anything that your child hasn't mastered yet should be saved for later in the year. Right now the focus for all of our students is separating from loved ones independently, learning rules, making friends and handling routines successfully. Zippers, buttons, ties on shoes and other fine motor skills will be added later.

Thank you!

Tuition Payments are due by the 25th of each month. If you chose invoicing, you will be sent an invoice through the yellow folder that is sent home weekly. You may pay at any point during the month up to and including the 25th. Some families chose to make smaller weekly payments. How you pay is up to you. We accept cash, check, money order, automatic deductions through FACTS, direct pay through your bank account and we hope to have the option to pay with credit card set up soon. Payment for school is a set amount broken up over ten months. The first payment is due by August 25th. Your invoice will be mailed to you at the beginning of August with subsequent invoices arriving in the yellow folder.

Don't think that you can afford PK or preschool?

We're excited to announce that St. Catherine Preschool has been awarded a large grant which will assist 4 year old students from low income families in receiving a quality preschool education. Only 6 spots are still available. Call the school office for details.

If your are an active parishioner from Most Blessed Sacrament, St. Catherine, St. John the Baptist, St. Clement or St. Michael the Archangel, you may qualify for an active parishioner scholarship. Contact the school office for details.

[email protected] (419)478-9900

Allergies, Medical Conditions and Medication

If your child has an allergy, medical condition or medication that needs to be administered at school, please contact the school office so we can be sure to prepare the faculty to meet the needs of your child. All medications must be hand delivered to a faculty member (do not send in backpacks) with the appropriate permissions and forms. Medications must be in the original bottles. Some medications require physician instructions and permission for us to administer.

Bathroom Concerns

Please rest assured, we are part of your team now! We understand that there will be accidents. Because of this, we schedule MANY trips to the bathroom each day. As we learn the needs of the class, breaks are adjusted. Our goal for each child is to learn to:

1.speak up when a bathroom break is needed

2.Independently manage clothing

3.wipe independently

4.operate soap and towel dispensers

5. wash hands appropriately

Part of preschool and PK is learning independence. Children thrive when they can be self-reliant. We will support your child at their current level and work on these goals. You can help us by dressing your child in clothing that can be managed easily by the child, practice independent wiping using verbal cues, understanding that accidents happen and by supporting your child's development in this area. As a final note, students may not attend school in pull-ups.

Independence in the bathroom

Teaching your child to wipe

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Enrollment Paperwork

All students must have a complete file within 30 days from the first day of school. Items in BOLD below must be completed on the first day of school.

1. current physical (valid for 12 months)

2. immunization records

3. registration paper (please fill out ALL portions of the dentist, physician and

emergency contact information including addresses and phone numbers )

4. baptismal or birth certificate

5. any custody paperwork that we need to be made aware of

6. Dentist form -Does not need to be signed by a dentist

7. Publicity Form

8. An emergency care plan for any children diagnosed with severe asthma, food or insect

allergies requiring an EPI-pen, medical concerns requiring medications to be administered at school or other health related concerns that would require our faculty to have a plan in place in the event of an emergency. Please ask your doctor for a form or call the school office. Please attach a picture of your child to the form.

Forms can be found here!