Policy 500 – Early Childhood

Teachers (refer to Policy No. TP 210)

Assistant Teachers
An Early Childhood Assistant Teacher must meet the following qualifications:

Pupil-Teacher Ratio  |  Section:  EC-502 |  Policy 500:  Early Childhood  |  Rev:  01/2022

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Classes should not exceed these numbers and all should be in accordance with 40 square feet per child of classroom space.

Kindergarten should not exceed 30 students and should be in accordance with the 40 square feet of classroom space.

 

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• 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:

Assessment (also refer to Early Childhood Guidelines)

The purpose of assessing Early Childhood students is to discover what programs are suitable and to make instructional decisions to meet the needs of each student. Decisions that have a major impact on children should be based primarily on information obtained from observation by teachers and parents not on the basis of a single test score. The assessment of children’s progress and achievement is to be used to plan curriculum, identify strengths and weaknesses, communicate with parents and evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Data obtained from Terra Nova Standardized testing is used to determine program effectiveness and establish baseline scores for students.

It is the professional responsibility of administrators and teachers to critically evaluate, carefully select, and use assessments only for the

purposes for which they are intended and for which data exist demonstrating validity. Accurate interpretation of assessment results is

essential.

It is the obligation of teachers to become informed about measurement issues, to use results responsibly and to administer the instrument

within proper time limits. Teachers should interpret results without making undue claims about their meaning or implications. The testing of students and the interpretation of results must be conducted by individuals who are knowledgeable about and sensitive to the developmental needs of young students. The teachers should be qualified to administer the tests. The testing must recognize and be sensitive to the individual diversity of the students.

Instructional Materials

There shall be instructional materials and indoor/outdoor equipment compatible with the school’s philosophy, objectives and teaching methodology which will accommodate the number of children enrolled in the school.

 

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Children are expected to gain increasing control of their own behavior. Rules are to be realistic and designed to promote cooperation and respect. Educators are to accept that it is natural for young children to display an appropriate noise level, to move about a lot, to express their enthusiasm vigorously and to want to finish their projects before moving on to something else.

Movement, enthusiasm and completion of projects are all typical early childhood behaviors.  Teachers promote respect for each other and are sensitive to children’s desire to please adults. Teachers recognize that children take criticism very seriously and personally, so they
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.

Teachers recognize the learning value of recess, and time in the library, as well as other opportunities for children to get fresh air, and to learn from experiences outside the classroom. Children are never denied these activities as punishments.

 

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Handbook
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.

Parent Conferences
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
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
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.

Calendar
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
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 Report
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.

• 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.

( Refer to SP 315)

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.