Early Years Parent Booklet (KG Classes) - LWIS...

2018-2019

Early Years

Parent Booklet

(KG Classes)

2018-2019

Welcome LWIS-H Parents & Families Chapter 1- Our School Our Staff

Chapter 2- Communication

Agenda-Communication Booklet

SEESAW APP

E-mails Newsletter Parent-Teacher Meetings

Chapter 3- Daily Operations and Procedures

School Hours Arrival & Departure Late Arrivals/Early Pick-Ups After School Pickup Absence Bus Transportation Birthdays Uniform Snack Time Show & Tell Calendar

Chapter 4- Health & Welfare Medications

Accidents Important Information Adopted Healthy Precautions

Chapter 5- Promoting Positive Behavior in Early Years Chapter 6- How Can You Support Your Child At Home? Chapter 7- Tips For Parents Preparing Your Child for School

The Very First Day

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Welcome LWIS-H Families

Dear Parents and Families, Welcome to the Learner’s World International School (LWIS) Hazmieh. Our goal is to provide a welcoming, safe and developmentally appropriate environment for every child. We would like to express our appreciation to you for entrusting us with your child during this academic school year. From experience, we know it will be full of excitement and accomplishments. We are dedicated to the belief that all children are curious, active and competent learners. We understand that children learn at a different pace and have various individual needs. Our goal is to help all children become independent and life-long learners. As educators, we strive to stimulate the learner’s thinking abilities, through discovery and play. We believe that it is extremely important that they feel comfortable in their school environment to ensure the learning process. Communication on a daily basis & trust are vital elements in the building process of a parent-teacher partnership. We strive to work closely with you in a partnership that will facilitate the transition between home and school. Therefore, in this booklet, you will find the main policies and procedures that help us maintain a safe and happy learning environment. We have tried to anticipate the various questions one may ask regarding our program. We depend on you to carefully read the outlined policies and procedures. Finally, we understand that nothing is more important than your child’s early education experience; thus, we welcome your comments, questions, concerns and suggestions about your child’s experience and/or the program. Our goal is to provide the highest quality care and education for children and your feedback is always valued and respected.

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Kindly note that, as per the Ministry of Education requirements, the Early Years classes will be identified as following:

Prior to 2013-2014 As of September 2014

Nursery KGI ( االولى الروضة)

KGI KGII (الثانية الروضة)

KGII KGIII (ثالثةلا الروضة)

For further information, kindly contact us during school hours (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) via phone or e-mail: Telephone: 05 453281/241 Mobile: 71999745/8 Email: [email protected]

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Chapter 1- Our School

Learner’s World International School (LWIS) Hazmieh is a co-educational school that is learner-centered in the philosophy of education. It is an interactive educational community where learners and teachers from a broad range of cultural, ethnic, religious and academic backgrounds can grow and learn together, and fully realize their potential. Personal growth, independent learning, and information technology are the three areas of strengths within our school’s curriculum. It is our belief that children learn better through active involvement within their environment, and most of what our children learn is accomplished through guided play activities.

LWIS Hazmieh is a candidate school* for the PYP. It is pursuing authorization as an IB World School.

IB World Schools share a common philosophy- a commitment to high-quality, challenging, and

international education- that we believe is important for our learners.

3-5 year old children strive to make sense of the world by exploring the learning environment around them, communicating with their social surrounding, and expressing their thoughts, wonders, and ideas.

Through our school’s Early Years Program, learners will venture into a child-led education in the process of constructing meaning and building on existing knowledge.

Every child’s growth follows universal developmental milestones, but every child has his/her own particular pace of developing. We aim to foster a positive self-image in our learners by leading them through appropriate and challenging learning experiences which are geared specifically toward each learner’s success. *Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme, or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

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At LWIS Hazmieh, we believe that having ongoing access to technology will help learners develop greater independence, increase engagement, and develop skills required to thrive in the 21st Century. Information Technology is integrated in every subject area; teachers incorporate the use of computers into their daily plans. It is our belief that inclusion is an enriching experience for teachers, learners, and their families. LWIS Hazmieh caters to the intellectual, personal, and social development of each learner of diverse and unique background. Staff members are aware and trained to apply specific intervention plans, differentiated instruction, and accommodations are offered upon individual needs. LWIS Hazmieh provides a wide range of supplementary services to learners in general, and learners with special educational needs in particular, namely speech & language therapy, psychomotor therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling. You may be contacted if a referral is needed to any of these specialized services.

Our Staff

A teacher opens doors to new explorations, prepares learning invitations and facilitates learning

experiences. She listens, observes, and interacts with learners to help them construct meaning and

build their knowledge. She also allows for learning opportunities that meet the learners’ needs and

interests, and challenge their thinking and skills.

At LWIS Hazmieh everybody is important! It is crucial to recognize that it requires the collective effort of a trans-disciplinary team, whose members cooperate and collaborate together, in order for our school to operate smoothly. Head of Early Years: Mrs. Bassima Ziade El-Khoury PYP Coordinator: Mrs. Doha Kabalan Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Sophia Youssef Homeroom Teachers: KG I- Ms. Yasmine Rachid KG II - Mrs. Stephanie Challita KG III - Mrs. Ghina Onsi Arabic Teachers: KGI & KGII – Mrs. Dunia Mukaled KGIII - Mrs. Maha Al-Kaaki

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Additional Language Teacher- French: KGI to KGIII- Ms. Tania El-Kattar Specialty Teachers: Art- Mrs. Nadine Nawfal P.E. - Ms. Ghadir Sbaity Therapists: Speech and Language Therapist: Mrs. Bassima Ziade El-Khoury Psychomotor Therapist: Ms. Andrea Nakhle Occupational Therapist: Ms. Rouba Roumany Counselor: Ms. Sarah Sabah Inclusion and Support Services Coordinator: Mrs. Bassima Ziade El-Khoury Health Specialist: Mrs. Najwa Khoury

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Chapter 2- Communication

Open communication is vital to ensure your child’s successful experience. The following is a list of methods we will be using to foster dialogue: Agenda-Communication Booklet Many important messages, reminders, or forms that need to be completed and returned will be sent home during the school year. Kindly look for these each day and give them your prompt attention. You may use this booklet to communicate with your child’s teachers as well. SEESAW APP

LWIS Hazmieh will be using this APP this year to communicate with KG parents for different purposes. You will be given guidance on how to use this APP. E-mails E-mails are sent to parents informing them of events at LWIS Hazmieh; periodical notes from the Head of Early Years, PYP Coordinator or teachers are also sent to you via e-mail to inform you of any particular events or issues. Kindly check your e-mail on daily basis. Newsletter A newsletter will be published by the end of each unit of inquiry to update parents on the learning experiences throughout the unit. Parent-Teacher Meetings Regularly scheduled Parent-Teacher conferences make it possible for us to involve you directly in the monitoring process of your child’s progress. Kindly refer to the school calendar that was shared with you via e-mail in August 2018 for the dates and times of these important meetings. Moreover, in case you have any questions/issues you wish to discuss, kindly do not hesitate to call and schedule an appointment with the person in charge (Head of Early Years, PYP Coordinator or your child’s class teacher/ therapist).

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Chapter 3- Daily Operations and Procedures

School Hours Monday – Friday from 7:30 am to 2:15 pm Buses Depart at 2:20 pm

Arrival & Departure Children are expected to arrive by maximum 7:40 a.m. shortly before classes begin and are to be picked up at 2:15 p.m. and no later than 2:20 p.m. For safety purposes, we are unable to admit learners on school campus before 7:30 a.m.

Late Arrivals/Early Pick-Ups If your child arrives late to school, kindly proceed to the Administration Office; your child will be escorted to class by a school personnel.

Early pickups are requested by contacting Mrs. Sophia Youssef, the administrative assistant, early in the morning (before 10:00 AM). Learners leaving early will be picked up from the Administration Office and not from class. Recurrent late arrivals/early pick-ups will be addressed by the Head of Early Years. After School Pickup Children who do not use school buses for transportation are permitted to leave the school only with their parents unless otherwise stated in writing. Kindly make sure the administration is informed ahead of time. School personnel will request identification papers from the person picking up the child. Absence If your child is sick or unable to attend school, kindly notify the Health Specialist by maximum 8:00 a.m.

Bus Transportation Bus transportation to and from school is provided upon request. The buses follow specified fixed routes and schedules. A female supervisor travels on each bus and all buses are fitted with seat belts.

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The first day of school, parents will arrange transportation to school in the morning so as to guide the driver to the agreed-upon destination. Parents shall provide a full address to the school administration and are to submit a request form in the event of a change of that destination. The school reserves the right of approval or denial of this request. If you wish your child to change his/her daily bus route for any reason, (e.g., to ride a different bus due to change of drop off area for the day, to leave the bus to another stop), please notify Mrs. Sofia Youssef before 12:00 noon or send a written note with your child. You will be informed promptly as to whether this is possible or not. Kindly refer to Mrs. Samar Khoury for further information on the bus service. Birthdays Children like to share events with their friends, especially birthday celebrations. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, kindly inform Mrs. Sophia Youssef one week in advance so we can make all the necessary arrangements together. We celebrate a learner’s birthday during one of the 30-minute breaks. You may choose to bring a cake, finger food and juice. To ensure the daily smooth operation of classes and to minimize distractions, animation shows are not allowed. We apologize in advance from parents &/or family members, since we cannot invite them to attend the birthday celebrations. Uniform LWIS Hazmieh requires a uniform for regular school days. The uniform is supplied by the school and has the LWIS-H logo. Kindly provide at least one change of clothes, labelled with your child’s name, in case of accidents. Kindly note that the school is not responsible for misplaced or lost clothing items, although we will do our best to prevent their loss. Breakfast & Lunch Children are provided with a nutritious breakfast every day during the first break, which should be enough; however, if you wish to send extra or other finger food, you may. The breakfast menu is set for the year, and will be sent to you via e-mail before the first day of school. As for the second break, you can either send food (does not need to be heated) with your child OR you can choose a meal for your child from the school’s cafeteria menu. You will be sent the monthly cafeteria menu ahead of time, via e-mail. If you opt for your child to have lunch from the cafeteria, kindly send a note in your child’s communication booklet specifying your choice for the day. You are kindly requested to place the money in the transparent plastic sleeve found in your child’s communication booklet. His/her teacher will communicate your food order to the cafeteria staff.

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Kindly do not to send chocolate, chips, or assorted candies with your child. Learners are expected to bring along with them a lunch box and a water bottle; both items must be labeled.

Show & Tell To avoid loss or damage, kindly do not allow your child to bring any personal toys to school. There will be a designated Show and Tell Day for your child to bring a special item or toy to share with his/her friends if he/she wishes. Calendar The school calendar is issued to parents at the beginning of every year where important dates, operations, and holidays are specified. Kindly keep track of school events and holidays. Any changes to the calendar as well as reminders are sent via e-mail and/or SMS/note in the Agenda-Communication booklet/SEESAW APP. Kindly keep us updated in case of any changes to your contact information.

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Chapter 4 - Health & Welfare

Your child’s health and welfare are our priority. You will receive forms with your enrollment package, which you must return to the Administration Office to give us all pertinent medical and health information about your child. Kindly note that it is mandatory that your child rests at home if any of the following symptoms are present and until they recede: fever (low grade, high grade), runny nose (minor, severe), watery / red eyes, stomach ache/ stomach cramps, sore throat, headache, Cough, nausea (minor, severe), vomiting (even if one episode), diarrhea (minor, severe), & head lice. Teachers and other concerned staff will observe children upon arrival to school. If any of the mentioned above signs are present, the child will be sent home after contacting the parents. The same applies if a learner becomes ill at school.

Kindly provide the Health Specialist with a doctor’s report when your child is returning to school after an absence of more than three days, or after an absence caused by an infectious ailment. In order to keep our files up to date, kindly inform us of any change of address, new phone numbers, emergency contact numbers, or new health information. Medications Parents must notify the school/Health Specialist in writing if their child has to take any medication during school hours. A note with a physician’s prescription naming the medication and the dosage required should be handed to the Health Specialist who would be the only person administering the medication.

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If the medication is liquid, kindly place the bottle in a plastic bag with a measuring spoon and label the bag with your child’s name. Children may not bring any kind of medication to school with them. The Health Specialist is well-trained in basic health care and First Aid procedures. If your child needs medication for a potentially serious condition, such as allergies, asthma or diabetes, kindly notify the Health Specialist and discuss the matter with her. You will also receive a form to fill in for chronic medications. Accidents In the event of a minor accident at school, children are treated for cuts and scratches by the Health Specialist. A note will be sent home. If a more serious accident occurs, parents are notified immediately and emergency care is sought by the school at once. Accident reports are filed with the school’s insurance company, and records are kept at the school. Important Information Incubation and exclusion periods of the more common communicable diseases are as follows:

Diseases Normal Incubation Period (In Days)

Minimal Period of Exclusion

Chicken Pox 10 – 21 6 days from onset of rash- all scabs must be dry

German Measles

14 - 21 4 days from onset of rash

Measles 07 - 14 4 days from onset of rash

Mumps 15 - 24 until swelling has subsided

Whooping Cough 7 - 15 21 days from onset of paroxysmal cough

Eye Infections: Children suffering from red and/or sticky eyes should not be sent to school. It is suggested that a doctor sees your child. If an infection is diagnosed, then they may only return to school 48 hours after treatment has started. Adopted Healthy Precautions

Frequent hand washing. Frequent check-ups by the Health Specialist.

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Chapter 5 – Promoting Positive Behavior in Early Years

Understanding children’s needs in the early years underpins informed support for their wellbeing and development. At LWIS-H, we believe that to nurture children as life-long learners, we need to build their self-confidence, encourage them to explore the world around them, take responsibility for their own learning, teach them how to regulate their behavior and emotions, express themselves, and get along with others. Hence, coaching children in acting responsibly is an ongoing process from the minute they arrive to school until they leave. Our team aspires and will continuously seek to develop in every child the following “learning dispositions” or positive behaviors and attitudes:

Perseverance Children with perseverance keep working at a task to complete it. They do not give up even though they find it challenging.

Reflectiveness Children with the ability to reflect can think about what they have done, seen, heard or felt in their daily experiences. They generate alternative ideas and gain new knowledge.

Appreciation Children with a sense of appreciation recognize that everyone has different and unique qualities. They listen to the views of others and show respect for them.

Inventiveness Children who are inventive are flexible in their thinking and can do things in different ways. They explore various ideas and possibilities and generate different solutions to challenges.

Sense of Wonder and Curiosity Children with a sense of wonder and curiosity are interested in the world around them. They confidently ask questions on why things happen and how things work. They like to explore and discover new things.

Engagement Children who are engaged are immersed in learning and enjoy what they do. They proactively seek new opportunities for learning.

Social emotional development will happen every day! Defining boundaries teaches children vital cognitive skills about what behaviors are and aren’t acceptable. These are crucial skills for social integration, respect for rules, and for school and work. Through the use of structured group play that encourage positive and respectful relationships,

teachers will also coach children to handle conflict in a healthy way. Making the classroom’s

rules/expectations visible as well as recognizing & acknowledging expressions of children’s

emotions (rather than shh-ing or scolding) will help them develop their emotional intelligence and

promote positive behavior.

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Managing Challenging Behaviors

We understand that all behaviors, positive and negative, have a function. Learners exhibiting challenging behaviors are usually trying to escape something (i.e. an activity such as circle time) or to obtain something (i.e. a toy or attention from a classmate or teacher). It is important to our teaching staff that we determine the reason for a child’s behavior so that we can teach an appropriate replacement skill to help the child get his/her desired result.

Our teachers will take the time to speak with learners about their feelings that led to the inappropriate behavior. Learners will be encouraged to use their words to express their feelings and solve their problems. Staff will help learners verbalize their feelings and facilitate conflict resolution and problem-solving when necessary.

Teaching staff uses a variety of age-appropriate, research-based behavior intervention strategies including:

• Maintaining realistic expectations of children. • Providing clear and simple limits. • Preventive practices. • Modeling appropriate behaviors. • Positive redirection. • Teaching of replacement skills. • Conflict resolution /Problem-solving techniques. • Providing logical and natural consequences for children’s actions. • Removing children from the situation until individual counseling is possible.

Teaching staff strives to maintain consistent and open communication with families regarding the progress of their learners. You may be notified of minor behavioral incidents in the following ways: email, telephone, written communication or in person. In the case of more serious incidents, you may be asked to come in and discuss the incident with your child’s teacher, the Head of Early Years and the School Counselor. The connection between home and school is very important, and children must understand that we are all communicating and working together.

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Should a child’s behavior become a consistent problem, the parents/guardians will be contacted to schedule a conference. Referral to the School Intervention Team for further assistance and intervention strategies may be required. Extreme behavioral situations that continue, despite all efforts, will be referred to be handled on a case by case basis by the school’s Disciplinary Committee that is made up of the Head of Early Years, the School Counselor, and the Principal.

Chapter 6- How Can You Support Your Child?

The parent-teacher partnership is an on-going, collaborative effort to ensure that your child

receives a quality education in which his/her potential and talents are fully maximized. As parents, you understand your child best and are ideally placed to share valuable information about your child’s interests, needs, daily experiences and progress with his teachers. Thus, expect teachers to tap on you as an important source of information. Teachers will regularly share your child’s progress with you to help you understand your child’s strengths, weaknesses and how you can complement their learning and development at home. Children have young minds and they love learning new things every single day. Parents and families can help children make connections between what goes on at school and at home to enrich their learning experience beyond the classroom. It is also important to mention that English is not our mother tongue, and the spoken Arabic is different than the standard one we use when reading & writing. Hence, the repeated exposure is necessary and considered as a key-element to help our learners develop literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers will be using/suggesting different tools (written, digital, hands on, etc.) to guide you on how to support your child at home throughout the year. As a start, you can always do the following with your child:

Children are naturally curious, so encourage him/her to explore and take time to engage in your child’s play.

Listen to what your child has to say and respond to it; Show your child that you are listening by stopping what you are doing & making eye contact. The fact that an adult will listen to what a child has to say builds up his/her confidence and self-esteem.

Encourage your child to talk about his/her experiences, express his/her thoughts and feelings, ask questions and explain how he/she solves problems and overcomes challenges.

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Describe everyday objects and events as they occur. Talk about things as much as you can. Snuggle up together with a picture or storybook, look for letters that he/she knows, anticipate events, etc.

Give your child lots of chances to use scrap paper, crayons, pencils, play dough and paint. It may look like scribble to us, but it is essential for his/her writing development. Encourage him/her to hold his/her pencil correctly whether he/she is left handed or right handed.

Do as much counting as you can. There are masses of opportunity at home to help your child get used to numbers. Count the stairs going up and down; count out ingredients going into your cooking; count the flowers in a vase and count the cans on a shelf at the supermarket.

As your child gets older, and with his/her teachers’ guidance, you will have a fundamental role in

the promotion of his/her literacy and numeracy skills.

Chapter 7- Tips For Parents

Preparing Your Child for School Here are some things you can do to help before your child begins school:

Make sure that your child can dress himself/herself. Expect your child to do it regularly as early as age 3. Velcro fastening shoes, elasticized trousers and skirts make life much easier. Avoid fancy buckles, belts, laces, etc.

Make sure that everything is labeled clearly so that your child can recognize it. Name tapes are excellent.

Encourage your child to communicate his/her needs to go to the bathroom. Encourage your child to tidy up after himself/herself. Encourage and explain “sharing” and “taking turns.” Encourage your child to respect and care for his/her belongings as well as others’.

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The Very First Day

No matter how much help you have offered your child, he/she is likely to be very excited and

perhaps a little apprehensive on the first day of school, and you might feel the same. However, stay

calm and breathe deeply!

Get up early to ensure there is no rush and panic to get to school on time. Treat this day as

any other day.

Do not force your child to eat breakfast if he or she does not want to.

Talk about the day as positively as you can, and be sympathetic to the kinds of emotions

your child may be feeling.

Give your child a cheerful good-bye kiss, a smile, and a reassuring word that you will be

back. Our caring staff will take it from there. Go home and have a very pleasant day. Trust

that your child will be having a great time, they usually do!

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