PRESCHOOL PROGRAM HANDBOOK
2010-2011
PLANT THE SEED …
NURTURE THE GROWTH…
EXPERIENCE THE AWE!  

OUR PHILOSOPHY:

The Salto Gymnastics Preschool program is focused on the total well being of each child. We believe that an active mind grows from a strong, healthy body. Gymnastics skills and life skills are developed in an atmosphere of Movement, FUN and Play!

OUR OBJECTIVES:

…to provide children with a multi-movement centered preschool education program. 

…to teach the children Fun, Fitness and Fundamentals as outlined through the Canadian gymnastics program.
 
…to provide a quality program of activities that will enable the development of the whole child.

PROGRAM GOALS:

Salto Gymnastics’ Preschool is proud to offer a balanced program of physical, intellectual, social and emotional growth created for your preschooler.

Delivered in a bright and nurturing place for preschool children to move and learn, we offer three-year-old and four-year-old programs incorporating the fun, fitness and fundamentals of gymnastics and thematic-based curriculum in the classroom as well.

Our students develop through a variety of educational and physical challenges, as well as activities and experiences that focus on healthy socialization skills and positive self esteem.

Daily Classroom Schedule

Curriculum

The circle times, activity centres and gymnastics curriculum are planned to include the following subjects during the preschool year:

Gymnastics & Movement:
We will enhance your child’s health and well-being using a fun, active, safe,
multi-movement gymnastics preschool program. Each class focuses on
building skills (e.g. tumbling, apparatus skills, obstacle courses & games, etc.)
in a fun, positive environment.

Each day includes a warm-up (i.e. a game, stretch and group activity) before
moving on to the apparatus circuits. Salto’s program helps children develop
vital motor skills; improve coordination, flexibility and strength.

ABC's & Prewriting:
Your child will learn to recognize letters and sounds using the Animated
Literacy Program. Introductory pre-printing activities will be offered on a
regular basis to three and four year olds and skills will be refined in the four
and five year old classes. They will work on tracing, recognizing and printing
their names.

Enrichment:
We will use little activities to create awareness of big ideas like
communication skills, financial responsibility and global consciousness.

Language Art:
Finger plays, nursery rhymes, poetry, stories and more are utilized to enhance
your child’s vocabulary and encourage a love for books.

Science:
Hands-on activities encourage exploration of bugs, animals and rocks.
Concepts such as weights and measures are discovered through play and at
the sensory table.

Nutrition & Food:
Snack time encourages good eating habits, learning and use of table
manners. We request that families do not send nut products in daily snacks
or in special treats sent from home. Every attempt is made to ensure that the
preschool environment is safe for children with food allergies. Please feel free
to make an appointment with our preschool director to discuss the specifics of
our food allergies policies and procedures.

Dramatic Play:
Salto’s “tickle trunk” is filled with costumes that ignite your child’s
imagination! As super heroes, grown-ups and other community workers, and
by playing at the Little Tykes kitchen and tool areas, your child experiences
role playing, creativity and learns socialization skills.

Social Studies:
Activities focus on learning about self, home, family, transportation and the
community.

Art: Our art projects correspond with each week's theme. The projects encourage creativity as well as develop fine motor skills.

Day to Day

Bathroom Routine
Parents/Guardians are required to take their child to the bathroom before class.
Each day we will confirm he or she visited the bathroom before class.

Arriving & Leaving Preschool
To enjoy a successful day, it is very important your child is at school on time. At the end of the day, your child must be picked up by either a parent or designated adult listed on the registration contact sheet. Please notify the Preschool if someone else will be dropping off or picking up your child.

Late Pickups
Please call the Gym and notify us if you will be arriving late to pick up your child. A late pick up fee of $1.50/ min. after 15 minutes will be charged if a child is picked up past the designated class ending times.

Discipline Policy
Our Staff is instructed to use positive methods of discipline, encouraging the child to develop self-control. We first try redirecting the child to another activity. If the problem continues, the child may be given a short time out. At the end of the time out, the director and the child will discuss the reason for the time out and how to make better choices. If the problem persists, the parent, director and child will
conference and a plan will be implemented.

Volunteering
While volunteering is not mandatory for the Salto Preschool Program, it is both greatly appreciated and extremely helpful in delivering outstanding programming.  Please sign up on the volunteer calendar on the bulletin board. Volunteer days will be posted in advance. Please let the staff know if you would like to volunteer on an ongoing basis.

Snack Time
Each child is required to provide their own small snack (1-2 items max)
and drink (juice or water). We are a nut-free facility — all food is to
be nut-free! Please see the preschool program director if you’d like a
suggested list of nut-free snacks.

Birthdays
The Preschool celebrates birthdays for children whose birthdays fall in
that given month. Summer birthdays will be celebrated in June. A signup
sheet will be posted on the bulletin boards. On the child’s birthday,
parents/caregivers of the b-day children may bring nut-free treats to
share for the class. Please see the preschool program director if you’d
like a suggested list of nut-free snacks.

Field Trips
You will be notified in advance of any field trips the Preschool is
planning. Volunteer parents will be required to provide a 1-5 ratio
of supervision. Field trips take the place of regularly scheduled class
times. The Salto Preschool Program does not provide transportation.
The child’s parent(s) or other caregivers will provide transportation and
we will meet at the Field Trip location. Fees for field trips (if applicable)
will be announced and due prior to the field trip.

What Your Child Needs At Preschool
Please bring a small back pack with a full-set of extra clothing to class
each day. Mark the clothing with your child’s name. Your child will
also use the backpack to bring home art projects and notes.

Items From Home
Toys or other items from home should not be brought to Preschool
except on special, designated days. Please make sure items are
identified with your child’s name. Each child will be given a special
day during each session. Parents will be notified of their child’s special
day on the calendar posted outside the classroom as well as on the
calendar attached to the monthly newsletter. Parents can also consult
the website for an updated calendar if necessary.

Health Policy

Please do not send a child who has these common signs and symptoms of illness:

• Thick or discoloured discharge/drainage from the nose
• Persistent cough or sneezing
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea within the previous 24 hours
• Headache
• Earache (disrupts equilibrium and balance)
• Rash
• Discharge from the eyes/pink eye
• Plantar warts or other foot ailments must be treated and
  covered completely during treatment.

If your child will be absent, please inform the Preschool of the dates and reasons for the absence.

Returning to Class
If your child has been prescribed antibiotics, they may return to class 24 hours after the first dosage.

Illness While At Class
If a child becomes ill while at class, the parents will be contacted and asked to come take the child home. When the Preschool is unable to contact the parents, we will call the emergency contact as listed on your child’s registration contact sheet.

Emergencies
In the case of an emergency, the Preschool will take such measures as deemed necessary. Parents and/or emergency contact will be called immediately. If EMS is necessary, 911 will be called first, the parent/emergency contact second.

The Preschool staff hold current CPR and take First Aid certification.

Calling The Gym

You may call the Salto Office at 780-449-1518 during office hours (9:00-4:30 Mon - Fri, 8:30-2:30 Sat) or e-mail us at preschool@saltogymnastics.com. You may also leave a message on the voice mail. We will return your call as soon as possible.

Salto Gymnastics Club believes that the individual needs of the child are of utmost importance when planning and structuring the learning environment for the children. Therefore, Salto reserves the right to maintain the quality and care of all individuals under our supervision.

Early Childhood Development Program
(aka “Stay at home parent’s subsidy).

• You and your spouse/partner are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada and live in Alberta.
• You and your spouse/partner are currently working, attending school, looking for work or have special needs.
• Your children are aged (0-7) and are not yet attending Grade 1.
• You or your spouse/partner stay at home and have your child(ren) attend a Licensed Nursery School or other Early Childhood Development Program.