Parents
The Day School fosters a supportive community by providing quality childcare and educational programs that help parents understand child development. It also offers social opportunities for families to connect and collaborate with teachers in a fun environment.
Day-to-Day
Everything you need to know on a daily basis at Good Shepherd Day School.
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Classes meet from 8:30-11:30 two, three, four or five mornings a week. Teachers spend the first part of the day, from 8:00am, setting up for the day and getting ready to greet children at 8:25.
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Dawn Patrol meets every morning from 7:30-8:25am. This early morning Enrichment Care is designed for parents who need to report to work before our regular classes begin.
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Children may arrive at school any time between 7:30 and 8:45. If they arrive before 8:25 they will attend our Dawn Patrol. Classrooms open at 8:25. Carline runs from 8:25-8:45. Children who arrive after 8:45 are considered late. Being late impacts the rest of your child's day. If your child will be late, please call the office ASAP.
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The first dismissal is at 11:30am and includes carline. The second pickup is at 1:00pm and also includes carline. Kindergarten pickup is at 2:30pm. Any children being picked up after 2:30pm, please enter the school through the yellow door and then proceed to your child's nap room or playground. If you will be late picking up, please call the office ASAP.
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Children in the Kindergarten class meet in the building next door to the main building. We call this the Kinder Condo. This class meets Monday-Friday from 8:30-2:30.
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Enrichment Care Period begins immediately after the morning program ends for preschoolers at 11:30am, and at the end of the Kindergarten class at 2:30pm. Staff members stagger their lunches to be available to help children to get lunch started and to facilitate the lunch/bathroom/outside/rest time.
Staff members take turns being in charge of the 3:30pm-5:30pm Enrichment Care activity every day. This allows each staff member the opportunity to know each Day School child. It is a licensing requirement that children who spend 4 hours or more daily in a preschool facility take a rest period. Most children, especially 2, 3, and 4 year olds, are tired enough to nap during this rest time. Children who are "non- nappers" may look at a book or do other quiet activities after a short rest time.
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Hours for the Lunch Bunch are 11:30am-1:00pm every day or several times a week. Children who stay bring their own lunch and begin eating soon after morning classes are finished dismissing. After lunch they go outside, weather permitting. Children will stay with their own age group.
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Parents supply morning snacks for their own child(ren). The Day School supplies water for these snacks and milk or water for lunch. The school's rule of thumb to use when deciding if a snack is nutritious is to keep the per serving grams of fat to 5 grams or less, sugar to 7 grams or less, and sodium under 300 mg. If you bring something homemade, use our own judgment. Licensing requires that snack has be from at least two food groups. (For example: strawberries and animal crackers would be one days snack).
Here are some further ideas:
Fresh Fruits: apples, bananas, pears, plums, peaches, melon, kiwi etc. FreshVegetables: carrots, pepper strips, celery sticks, peas, broccoli etc. Dairy
Products: string cheese, yogurt, cheese squares
Grains: pretzels, saltine crackers, animal crackers, bagels, muffins, chex mix etc.
Proteins: hard boiled eggs, soybean butter etc.
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Hours for the Dream Team are 1:00pm-3:30pm every day or several times a week. Rest time begins at 12:30 pm for 2's and 1:00 pm for 3's and 1:30 for 4's. The child will receive a napping bag the first day of school. The school will also provide a resting mat. Children are asked to bring a crib sheet and blanket. They may also bring a pillow and/or a favorite "lovie". Please be sure all items fit in the resting bag provided. Teachers will return the bag on Thursday/Friday for all items to be laundered. Bag and items then need to be returned on Monday/Tuesday.
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Sunshine Kids runs from 3:30-4:30pm, and Discovery Crew from 4:30-5:30pm. They enjoy afternoon activities, walks, and playground time.
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Any parent arriving for their child after closing time in the afternoon will be charged a late fee. The fee is $10 for the first 5 minutes and $5 per extended minute. The late fee will be reflected in your next monthly statement. Children left beyond their scheduled time after morning or afternoon classes will be put into the Enrichment Care program and charged for the time.
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At the start of school, your child will receive a GSDS book bag (included in your application fee). This is how your child's work as well as information is sent home. Please be sure to have your child's bag at school every day.
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The schools active "hand's on: learning style" dictates that your child dress for fun and exploration. Children will get messy. Easy-to-use clothes that allow free movement are desirable. Flip-flops or crocs are not allowed.
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Please label your child's clothing, hats, boots, school bag and other belongings. A lost and found shelf is located in the front hallway.
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When arriving and departing the Day School, children need to be under the control of an adult. There are two ways of bringing your child to school at 8:25am. One is to participate in carline. The second is to walk your child in. To walk your child in, park on the street on Bell Court or Sayre Ave and bring your child through the front door of the school. Please be sure to not block any driveways, park going the wrong way, park in carline, on the grass, or on the circle at Bell Ct.
House.
To use car line, take Main St. to Forest Ave. Then turn right on to Sayre Ave and right into the school driveway (between the two buildings next to the school).
Circle behind the building (you will be going toward the playground) and begin to come out toward Sayre Ave. There is a small doorway with a copper overhang on the side of the school building. This is the designated drop off and pick up place for both the arrival and dismissal car line. Do not get out of your car. A staff person will unbuckle and buckle your child out of and into their car seat. The staff member will escort your child in the school. Once inside, teachers will take your child to their classroom. Each child will receive carline tags at the start of school. These need to be placed on your visor so visible when flipped down. It may also be placed on the passenger side of the front window of the car.
Safety
To view all of our safety policies, click the button below.
Included in our safety policies are: Child to Staff Ratio, Hiring, Licensing, Security, Fire, First Aid, Weather, Child Abuse and Neglect, Biting and Bathroom, Illness, Health Requirements, Medication, and Allergies.
Parent Involvement
Parent Staff Communication
Formal conferences are held twice a year, fall and spring.
Procare App for daily communication.
Teachers send out weekly newsletters concerning up-coming events and news of classroom happenings.
Stop by the school office.
School wide emails/Procare messages sent with upcoming events and dates.
Send and receive notes placed in your child's book bag.
Classroom Involvement
Classroom Representative: Parent serves as a liaison between the teacher and other parents. These parents assist in organizing and planning special events.
Holidays: Most teachers have sign-up sheets for holiday parties and other special events.
Readers: Each classroom invites parents and other family members to read a story to the class. Readers bring a story or two and share these with the classroom as a whole.
Other Information
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The parents of the birthday child are encouraged to participate during the day in the classroom. This might include providing a treat or reading to the class. Check with your child's teacher.
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Your child's teacher will let you know their policy on items from home. However, the Day School does not allow the sharing of guns or weapons, real or pretend.
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Licensing requirements have made it extremely difficult to take out of school excursions (field trips). Therefore, our classes do not take organized field trips. However, classes may meet for a "play date" at the desired location. You will be told the time to meet and will be responsible for your child throughout the entire event. If the parent is unable to attend, they will need to contact another family to transport and be responsible for their child. No childcare is provided at the school for children not attending. Other arrangements will need to be made by the parents. After care will be provided once the outing is over. Parents will need to transport their child back to school and sign them in. Pickup will be as normal.
School-Wide Yearly Events
Family Fun Festival
In the fall the school holds a festival of fun and food for the whole family. It requires a lot of people to work as well as to attend. If you are interested in volunteering please call the school office.
Scholastic Book Fair
Each year the Day School has a school wide book fair. Sometimes there are family events held along with this fair. Portions of the proceeds go into the general fund for extras needed throughout the year.
Spring Fling
Our Spring Fundraiser with music, food, Classroom Chair raffle, and Silent Auction.