Preschool Family Information

Preschool provides a foundation for school success. Our program offers a high quality educational experience. Therefore, preschool learning targets will be designed that include literacy, math, language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Students learn through evidence based play opportunities. Our program will provide learning experiences through awareness, exploration, and inquiry.

Students learn and thrive in a safe, nurturing environment. Our program provides a safe physical environment through structured routines supervised by qualified, caring staff.

All children deserve an opportunity to learn. Our preschool will embrace, value and respect diversity among all students and their families. Students of all abilities will be provided with the support, services, and instruction needed to participate successfully in our program.

Families, as their child’s first and most important teacher, are partners in the education of their children. Therefore, it is essential to nurture and encourage family engagement through parent meetings, conferences, home visits, and other opportunities that promote positive home-school relationships.

Collaboration with community agencies and organizations enhances the quality of appropriate services available to students and their families. Our program can help families connect with appropriate services and resources that are individually based.

• Bring your child to preschool and pick up your child from preschool on time each day.
• Participate in your child’s education through talking with your child’s teacher on a regular basis, parent meetings, conferences, volunteering, family nights and other school activities.
• Participate in the two required home visits each year Provide copies of your child’s immunization records, medical examination and birth certificate in a timely manner.
• Review the Grand Island Public School Preschool Parent Handbook.

Grand Island Public School Preschool Staff Responsibilities:

• To welcome you and your child into the Grand Island Public School Preschool program.
• Share information with parents/guardians, answer questions, and listen and respond to parent concerns/comments.
• Understand and follow policies/procedures that address non-attendance.
• Follow policies/procedures when a child is not picked up from preschool in a timely manner.
• Plan developmentally appropriate activities that will interest and challenge your child.
• Provide parents with information regarding your child’s development throughout the preschool year.
• Encourage parent/guardian involvement in the preschool.

All children who live within the GIPS district and will be 4 years-old on or before July 31 or will be 3 years old on or before July 31st that are on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) are welcome to apply.  All applications will be reviewed and students will be enrolled based upon needs and availability.  There is no fee to attend GIPS Preschool.  Parents will be asked to complete an emergency contact/release form during registration.  It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the school to update any contact information.

Visit the Registration page for more details

Medical Examination and Health Screenings
A physical examination/well-child check is required no more than six months prior to the entrance of the child into the GIPS Preschool program. If evidence of a current physical examination is not provided, the child will not be permitted to attend the Grand Island Public School Preschool.

Children in GIPS Preschool are screened for vision, hearing, height and weight.  If a child does not pass their health screenings, guardians will be notified and encouraged to follow-up with a qualified practitioner.

Immunizations
All students must show up to date vaccines upon enrollment in the GIPS Preschool program. Any student who does not comply with the immunization requirement will not be permitted to continue in preschool. Students with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, which do not allow immunizations, may complete a waiver statement which is available from the school nurse. In the event of a disease outbreak, students with a signed waiver statement in place of current immunizations may be excluded from school.

Birth Certificates
State law requires that a certified copy of a child’s birth certificate be used when enrolling a new student in school. If your child is registering with Grand Island Public Schools for the first time, you may obtain this document from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state in which your child was born. Assistance in obtaining birth certificates may be obtained from Health Records Management, P.O. Box 95065, Lincoln, NE 68509-5065. There is a fee per certificate. If you need assistance obtaining your birth certificate, please contact the school office.

Please note: The document parents receive from the hospital looks like a birth certificate, but it is not a certified copy. A certified copy has the raised seal of the state of Nebraska on it and is signed by the director of vital statistics.

If a birth certificate is unavailable, other reliable proof of a student’s identity may be used. These documents could include naturalization or immigration documents showing date of birth or official hospital birth records, a passport or a translation of a birth certificate from another country. The documents must be accompanied by an affidavit explaining the inability to produce a copy of the birth certificate.

**Your child’s birth certificate must be received within 30 days of the start of preschool.  If it is not received, your child may not be able to attend preschool.**

Home Visits
GIPS Preschool understands and values that parents are the first and primary teacher of their child.  We support partnerships between families and schools.  We utilize the two required home visits each year to provide child development, positive guidance techniques, health, and community information.  These visits will be set up during a convenient time such as before school starts, during parent teacher conferences or at another agreed upon time.

Classroom Visits
All visitors to the school must report to the office upon entering the building.

1. Verbal or written communication by school officials with the person or persons who have legal or actual charge or control of any child; and/or
2. A meeting or meetings between the building administrator or school social worker, the student's parent/guardian and the student (if necessary) to develop a plan to solve the excessive absenteeism problem.

If a child has 10 consecutive absences, the child will be unenrolled from the program unless approved medical verification is received.

If a child has 10 absences (non-consecutive), the building administrator or social worker will set up a meeting to develop an attendance contract to solve the excessive absenteeism problem. The meeting will include the following attendees:

• building administrator
• school social worker
• student’s parent/ guardian
• student (if necessary)

The plan shall consider but not be limited to:

1. Determining if illness is related to physical or behavioral health of the child (verified by appropriate documentation); or
2. Evaluation to assist in determining the specific condition(s) contributing to the excessive absenteeism problem, supplemented by specific efforts by the school to help remedy any condition diagnosed; or
3. Investigation of the problem by a school social worker (or principal or administrative staff member) to identify conditions contributing to the excessive absenteeism problem. If services for the student and student’s family are determined to be needed, the investigator shall meet with the parent/guardian and child to discuss any referral to appropriate agencies to remedy the conditions; or
4. Educational counseling to explore curriculum changes such as alternative educational programs (private preschool 1-2 days/week, full day programs, home based services).

If the parent/guardian refuses to participate in such meeting, the refusal will be documented in the child’s attendance records.

If a student has 20 absences, the student will be unenrolled from the program unless proper medical verification is provided for the absences. Any absence that is medically verified will not be counted toward the 20 absence limit for unenrollment. All other absences will be counted toward this limit.

Procedure for Early Pick-Up
Regular and punctual student attendance is required for participation in the GIPS Preschool program. An adult is required to come into the office and sign the student out for an early pick up.

Procedure for Late Pick-Up (See also Abandoned Child Policy)
Legal guardians are responsible for ensuring that their child is picked up at the end of the school day. Students who are not picked up at the end of dismissal time will be brought to the office and their legal guardian(s) will be contacted. An adult is required to come into the office and sign the student out for a late pick up. If late pick ups are consistent the school Social Worker may contact the student’s legal guardian(s) to develop a plan.

Abandoned Child Policy
Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child is picked up at the end of the school day. If your child is not picked up after school, staff will follow the steps of the Abandoned Child Policy. Students not picked up at the end of dismissal or from a bus site drop off will remain in the care of Grand Island Public Schools for one hour. During this time staff will attempt to contact the legal guardian(s) and emergency contacts. At the end of the hour the child will be considered as abandoned and local law enforcement will be contacted to pick up the child.

Child Illness
GIPS staff will notify guardians when a student needs to be sent home from school due to illness. Conditions requiring a student be sent home include: temperature greater than 100° F, vomiting, excessive diarrhea, or unexplained rashes. Lice will be handled per the Grand Island Public Schools district policy. If the school nurse determines a child’s condition prevents meaningful participation in the educational program, presents a health risk to the child or others or that medical consultation is warranted the child may be sent home. For all other illness/medical policies, see the Grand Island Public Schools Handbook.

Administering Medication
Whenever possible, your child should be provided medications by you outside of school hours. In the event it is necessary that the child take or have medication available at school, the parents/guardians must provide a signed written consent for the child to be given medication at school. A consent form is available at the school health office. Medications must be provided to the school by the parent/guardian in the pharmacy-labeled or manufacturer-labeled bottle. If your child has a medical condition (examples may include an Epipen for allergies, seizure condition, breathing treatments, etc.) please inform the school nurse. An individual health plan will be created for your child.

Meals
The morning class will receive breakfast and the afternoon class will receive lunch. Students attending full-day preschool will receive both breakfast and lunch. Breakfast and lunch are provided at no cost to each child therefore it is not an option for children to bring their meal from home. Allergies that cause a modification to a child’s diet will require a medical form from the child’s physician.

Appropriate Dress
Students are expected to attend school daily in comfortable, washable clothes and shoes that are appropriate for the changing weather. For the health and safety of all students, please send your child to school with warm clothes such as coats, hats and gloves for outdoor activities. Each student should have at school an extra set of clothing (pants, shirts, socks, and underwear). If the child needs to borrow clothes from the school it is expected that they are washed and returned promptly. Families must provide additional items as needed for their child. This may include diapers, pull ups, and wipes.

Personal Possessions
Students are not allowed to bring personal possessions such as toys, stuffed animals, blankets, tablets, etc to school. If a special activity is occurring in the classroom, families will be notified of the needed item(s). No outside food or drinks will be permitted in the building.

Elements of the Daily Routine
Classrooms follow a predictable sequence of events known as the daily routine. This provides a structure where children can make choices and follow their interests, as well as be introduced to both academic and social skills through direct instruction. While each classroom decides on the routine that works best for its setting, schedule, and population, the following segments are always included during the program day:

• Large group time: Large group time builds a sense of community. The children and adults come together for movement and music activities, storytelling, and other shared experiences. Children may have opportunities to make choices and play the role of leader or be engaged with direct instruction that is aligned with preschool targets.
• Small group time: Small group time allows each teacher to meet with a small group of students working on a planned lesson. The teacher introduces the experience to extend learning, build on previously shared skills, solve problems and/or assess individual students.
• Transition time: Transition time is the predictable movement from one activity to another throughout the course of the school day. This routine may provide an opportunity for each child to develop self- regulation, social skills and/or academic skills.
• Work/Center time: Work time allows children to interact with materials in a variety of interest areas. Children implement their initial plans and it is common for young children to engage in many different activities over the course of one work time. Work time is the longest single time segment in the daily routine. Adults observe and interact with students during this time.
• Clean-up Time: During clean up time, the children learn responsibility by returning materials and equipment to their storage spaces and, when appropriate, to put away or find display space for their personal creations. The process of cleaning up restores order to the classroom and is also a learning experience for children.
• Meal Time: Meals allow children the opportunity to try a variety of foods in a supportive social setting. Meal times also offer the opportunity to work on a variety of developmental skills such as taking turns, maintaining a conversation and interacting with others appropriately.
• Gross Motor Time: Children develop coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and strength through daily gross motor activities. Students will participate in outdoor gross motor activities when the official “feels like” temperature is at or above 20 degrees. If the “feels like” temperature is below 20 degrees alternative gross motor activities will be provided indoors.

Child Assessment
The GIPS Preschool staff assesses each student’s development using the GOLD assessment three times a year.  Observing a broad range of skills over several weeks or months gives us a more accurate picture of students’ true capabilities.  Students’ GOLD scores help teachers design learning opportunities tailored to their level of development. The GOLD assessment is also used to explain student progress to parents during conferences.  Additional assessments may be available depending on the needs of individual students.