Policy 500 – Early Childhood
All questions regarding Policy 500 – Early Childhood can be referred to:
Sister Edward Quinn, Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, Congregation for Catholic Education, (1988) states:
“We need to think of Christian education as a movement or a growth process, directed toward an ideal goal which goes beyond the limitations of anything human. At the same time the process must be harmonious, so that Christian formation takes place within and in the course of human formation. The two are not separate and parallel paths; they are complementary forms of education which become one of the goals of the teacher and the willing reception of the students. The Gospel notes this harmonious growth in the child Jesus.”
Luke 2:40 says:
“The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”
Introduction | Section: EC-500 | Policy 500: Early Childhood | Rev: 01/2022
Early Childhood Education should be a journey, not a race. On this journey, children travel at a different pace according to their individual development, background of experience and needs. Early Childhood education assists in the development of the total person-spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually. Therefore, Early Childhood educational experiences should provide opportunity for unifying all aspects of children’s lives.
Personnel | Section: EC-501 | Policy 500: Early Childhood | Rev: 01/2022
Teachers (refer to Policy No. TP 210)
An Early Childhood Assistant Teacher must meet the following qualifications:
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- Possession of an Associate’s Degree from an accredited 2-year college
having specialization in Early Childhood, Elementary or Special Education. - Possession of all required clearances:
- Criminal History Record Information from Pennsylvania State Police (Sp-4-164)
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (Form CY 113)
- FBI Fingerprint Check – if a non-resident of PA or not living in PA for two consecutive years
- Examination by a physician to ensure that the person is free from communicable
disease. - Inclusion in in-service training.
- Possession of an Associate’s Degree from an accredited 2-year college
Aides (An Aide may be employed by a school to assist the teacher.)
An Aide must meet the following qualifications:
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- Be a high school graduate, 18 years or older, with good physical and mental
health, be of good character and possess personal qualifications for working with children. - Possession of all required clearances:
- Criminal History Record Information from Pennsylvania State Police (Sp-4-164)
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (Form CY 113)
- FBI Fingerprint Check – if a non-resident of PA or not living in PA for two consecutive years
- Examination by a physician to ensure that the person is free from communicable disease.
- Inclusion in in-service training.
- Be under direct supervision of a teacher at all times and not be permitted to assume independent responsibilities for a group of children.
- Be a high school graduate, 18 years or older, with good physical and mental
Teaching Responsibilities
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- Each class of children shall be instructed by a certified teacher.
- If an Early Childhood program is located in another facility other than the main school building or in an isolated part of the school building, there must be a minimum of two adults present and available at all times. Children may not be left unattended, indoors or outdoors, at any time.
- Extra duties (lunchroom, yard, buses) should be compatible with the responsibility of the teachers in the Early Childhood program.
Ages | Director / Teacher | Director / Teacher & 1 Aide | Director / Teacher, Asst. Teacher & 2 Aides |
3 Yrs. | 12 | 17 | 22 |
4 Yrs. | 17 | 21 | 25 |
5 Yrs. | 25 | 30 | 30 |
3 & 4 Yrs. | 15 | 19 | 23 |
4 & 5 Yrs. | 20 | 26 | 28 |
Catholic education.
- Activities are planned so the children participate to the fullest extent possible, most often individually or in small groups. The teacher is available to answer questions or stimulate children’s thinking as they work on their own.
- Teachers recognize and use the teachable moment to integrate children’s learning whenever possible (e.g., an unplanned event captures children’s interest, such as the arrival of a tree-trimming crew, so the children go outdoors to watch, talk about why trees are being
trimmed, try to figure what will happen to the wood chips, listen to the sounds of the equipment, smell the freshly cut wood and go back indoors to dictate or write about the experience). - Children and adults move about the classroom from learning center to learning center as they complete activities and talk with each other in informal but respectful ways. Children are motivated to learn because what they are doing is so interesting and builds upon their natural
curiosity. - All areas of learning are integrated in meaningful, natural ways so children can see the usefulness of their emerging skills(e.g., children make a shopping list for a cooking project, distribute cups to each child for snacks and care for plants or small animals, keeping charts and
records that use newly developing pre-math, pre-writing and pre-reading skills). - Children are given a number of educational options regarding activities, and their choices are respected within the limits of space.
Program of Instruction
Learning experiences, both informal and planned shall include:
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refrain from reprimanding in front of others and never use labels such as bad or naughty. Instead, teachers talk with individuals about what happened and try to help the child come up with better ways to handle the situation or similar events.
An Early Childhood handbook is developed at the local level and should be given out at registration explaining the philosophy, goals and policies of the program.
It is important to keep the lines of communications open and clear. At the time of registration, it is recommended that a meeting be held to greet parents/guardians and explain the developmentally appropriate philosophy, goals and policies. The student should be present at the
initial parent/guardian registration meeting. Individual parent/guardian conferences should be provided at least twice a year. Parent meetings provide an excellent opportunity for teachers to share information regarding the Early Childhood program. Meetings offer an opportunity for
teachers and parents to discuss how each child learns and to emphasize the importance of good home and school communication. An end of the year conference is an opportunity for the teacher to share with parents the growth of the child throughout the year.
Telephone calls can be an efficient and effective means of communicating with parents on a topic that needs immediate attention either for praising a student or sharing a concern about a student. It is suggested that phone calls be documented and dated.
E-mail should be used with discretion. The school administration should be copied on all e-mail communications with parents. Disciplinary matters and urgent concerns should not be addressed using e-mail.
The calendar may be used to keep parents informed of the early childhood curriculum, activities, field trips, etc., which correspond to it. The calendar also helps parents to establish home activities which are more closely connected with the learning activities presented in school.
Newsletters and websites share information about current and future events. They also provide information on child growth and development. Photographs of students should not be used in any publication without parent authorization.
Progress reports are used in conjunction with parent conferences to provide the teacher with an opportunity to explain the meaning of the child’s observable progress to the parent/guardian. The progress report should be used to reflect the child’s developmental progress.
Archdiocesan Progress Reports that are consistent with the Early Childhood guidelines are available and should be used at every level.
Rev: 01/2022
- Every trip should have an educational purpose. Young children learn through play and through the environment. It is important for them to receive exposure to the world outside the classroom, since this is part of their education. Field trips are a vital part of the child’s experience in Early Childhood. It is suggested that children become familiar with the local neighborhood before the teacher plans for longer trips. Field trip permission forms must be required for all trips.
- The basic principles involved in successful field trips are planning, choosing the kinds of trips, recruiting volunteers, implementing the plan and following through after the trip. Basic principles are the same whether trips are to be walking ones, or children are to be transported by
bus or car. - Before a field trip is planned, the teacher obtains permission of the principal. At this time the purpose, objectives, and goals are discussed. The teacher then sends home parental/guardian consent letters and asks for volunteer parent/guardian helpers. The teacher should be well informed about the trip, check safety hazards, toilet facilities, food, parking areas, and the time scheduling of the trip. It is
extremely important to plan a “dry run” of a trip and the person being visited to assure the appropriateness of what will be said, how it will be conveyed, and exactly what will be shown. - On the day of the trip, students should be divided into small groups with one adult accompanying each group. Every child must have a tag with the school’s name and phone number on it. The teacher who is responsible must carry emergency information for every student
and emergency contact numbers. - Each group should have different color name tags to match the adult in charge. The children will know which parent/guardian is in charge of their group by matching colors. Follow-up activities to enrich the experience are very important.
- All adults accompanying children on a field trip must have the necessary clearances
The handbook should explain how parents/guardians will be contacted in the event of an emergency, illness or other problem. Parents should be called at home and/or at work. If the parent cannot be reached, emergency contacts indicated by the parent on the emergency or registration form should be contacted. The absolute minimum of emergency contacts permitted should be three.
It is a good idea to include an emergency plan in the handbook. If the building housing the Early Childhood program should be evacuated or closed, the location that the children will be taken to must be identified and the procedures for parents to contact a school official must be
outlined.
Environmental Health and Safety
Provisions for the health, physical welfare and safety of pupils shall be those prescribed and required by the Department of Environment Resources or by the Department of Health of the local county.
Immunization (Refer to SP 305)
Medical Examinations
A complete medical examination, including appropriate visual and hearing evaluations, shall be made by a licensed physician at the expense of parents prior to the original entrance of the pupil into school. The school may provide the necessary forms. “Original entrance” means entrance into kindergarten if it is part of the school or first grade if the school does not have a kindergarten.
Health Records
Health records shall be kept in the school building where the students attend school. The original health records shall follow a student when transferring to another school.
School nursing services shall be provided for students in grades K through 12. The services may be provided through the public school system in which the private school is located or by a certified school nurse employed by the private school.
Nutrition
Handbooks should include some information concerning the importance of good nutrition. If parents are required to provide breakfast and/or lunch for a child, suggestions as to appropriate food choices should be made. If the Early Childhood program provides meals and/or snacks, the types of foods should be discussed. Menus should be posted in the classroom or otherwise made available to parents. (Refer to S 1016)
Facilities Approval
The buildings or schools shall conform to applicable fire and panic requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or its political subdivisions.
Fire Drills
Fire drills are mandatory and should be held once a month. All drills should be given with advance notice for Early Childhood students. Young students need a great deal of preparation to be able to handle the drill. Many children at this age cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality and should be reassured by the teacher.
Heating
Heating facilities shall be sufficient to provide for the maintenance of normal room temperature in all rooms occupied by students, exclusive of gymnasiums and rooms used for sleeping purposes, when the outside temperature is less than normal room temperature.
When mechanical ventilating facilities are not used, windows shall be used and equipped for ventilating purposes.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness and orderliness in the indoor and outdoor areas of schools shall be maintained at all times.
Floor Space
- Indoor
There shall be a minimum of 40 square feet of floor space per child in the indoor classrooms, exclusive of offices, sanitary facilities, storage spaces and other auxiliary rooms. Classrooms shall have a minimum height of 8-foot ceilings. - Outdoor
There shall be a minimum of 60 square feet of accessible space per child in theoutdoor activity area, which shall be free of hazards. Outdoor play areas which are adjacent to traffic, steep banks, water or other unsafe areas shall be fenced.
Restrooms
There shall be at least one flush toilet and one washbowl for every 15 children. If the toilet and washbowl facilities are not child size, platforms or steps of proper size shall be provided.
Heating
Radiators, fireplaces and heating and cooling devices within the indoor classrooms shall be equipped with shields or guards for providing protection against contact injuries. Kerosene, electric or other types of portable heaters may not be used as heating devices in the classroom.
Furnishings
Wall and floor coverings and furniture shall be of such type and quality as will assure safe and sanitary conditions. Only fire retardant materials may be used on classroom doors and windows.