Policies and Information
Contact Information
Little Folks School
3224 N St., NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-6571
Staff
Director: Gay Cioffi
Assistant Director: Helen Hagerty
Classroom Teachers: Julie Ackerman, Gay Cioffi, Kara Frankel, Marta Kassahun, Rebecca Lingebach, Diane McCarthy, Joan Rosenbaum, & Nory Rosero.
Eligibility
Students will be eligible for enrollment that are 2 1/2 to age 5 by September 1. Enrollment is open to all children without regard to race, creed, national origin or sex.
All children entering the school in September must be toilet trained. No pull-ups or diapers are permitted. Children not toilet trained by September will be able to begin school at a later date once they are toilet trained.
Tuition 2010 - 2011
Full-Day Tuition is $16,250 and Morning-Only Tuition is $13,400.
Withdrawal
Parents must provide written notification of child’s withdrawal. Notification provided to Little Folks prior to August 1, 2010 releases parents from their obligation of the remaining 40% of the tuition.
School Hours
School begins at 8:45. Children are not to be brought to school after 9:05 unless prior arrangement has been made with the Director. Departure time for the Morning Session is 11:45 and 2:45 for the Extended Day Program. These times must be adhered to as closely as possible. We realize that there will be occasional exceptions, but frequent tardiness with arrivals and departures create problems for students as well as staff and cannot be tolerated.
Whenever possible, please do not schedule mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-ups for your child. We do not have the personnel to accommodate individual schedules.
The School must have on file the name or names of persons who are authorized to pick up your child. No child will be permitted to leave the premises with any unauthorized person, including the parent or babysitter of another child. Please state in writing any change from the person(s) we have on file that your child is to go home with. This must be done for each instance that your child goes to play at another child's home. This policy is for the security and protection of your children.
Community Service
At Little Folks, the staff looks for every opportunity to develop socialization. One of the many ways that this area of development is approached is through altruistic projects that involve children, parents and staff.
Sandwich Patrol
As the number of homeless people has grown in Washington, DC, the appearance of panhandlers has become a more common occurrence. Whenever children encounter homeless people in the street, they have many questions about the people that they see. The school's response has been to introduce a monthly "sandwich patrol," to provide food for those people who do not have enough to eat. On the first Thursday of each month, parents volunteer to provide ingredients for sandwiches which the children help to prepare. These are delivered to the Georgetown Ministry which distributes them to the homeless. This activity has proved to be a valuable lesson in reaching out to the greater community in need, as well as a fun and worthwhile project for everyone involved.
Food Drive
We collect non-perishable food to contribute to an area food bank. This is an activity which children can participate in by actually choosing food, carrying it to school and placing it in a collection basket, along with the contribution of others. This very concrete experience, like the "sandwich patrol," brings the spirit of giving alive for young children.
A Giving Tree
Each December, families donate socks, mittens and hats to decorate the LFS Christmas tree. These "winter extras" are given to a local agency to distribute to needy families who might not be able to afford them. Children love the whimsy of this delightful project.
School Closings
Emergency closings due to weather will follow the action of the DC Public Schools. When school opening is delayed one hour or two hours, we will follow that action. Please listen to radio and television listings for school closings or delays.
Fieldtrip Dismissal
All children will be dismissed upon return to Little Folks after a fieldtrip.
No lunch bunch after a fieldtrip.
Special Needs Provision
The Little Folks School accepts children with Special Needs who can be mainstreamed into a nursery school environment that emphasizes appropriate practice as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Philosophy
At Little Folks School we prepare the environment for your child to learn through active exploration and interaction with teachers, other children, equipment and materials. We approach the whole child: developing the social, cognitive, the physical and the aesthetic.
Daily Schedule
Morning: Art project, small group time (classroom or playground), circle time, snack, small group time (classroom or playground), 11:45 morning children dismissal.
Afternoon: Outdoor time, lunch, rest, small group activity, outdoor time, snack, 2:45 dismissal.
Wednesdays: Science, music and gym.
Parent Participation & Access to LFS
Parents are encouraged to participate in monthly projects or as room parents. There are many opportunities to participate with snacks, door duty and monthly coffees. Parents are always welcome to visit.
Disclosure Of Information
LFS will not disclose any information regarding your child without an authorized signed consent form.
Transportation
Little Folks School will provide a bus for any field trip taken during the school year.
Enrollment Forms
The following forms must be completed and returned by August 29, 2010 in order to begin school: Health Certificate (Download), Oral Health Form (Download), Registration Record, Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment (Download), Background Information, Emergency Procedure Form, Limited Waiver of Liability, Acknowledgement of Policies Form.
Children Who Are Ill
Children with the following symptoms will not be permitted to attend school: diarrhea and vomiting, fever, body rash, sore throat with fever/swollen glands, eye drainage, pink eye, yellowish skin or eyes, continuous irritable crying, or any other symptoms indicating a reportable communicable disease.
Discipline
The Little Folks School implements a positive, proactive approach to discipline.
Emergency Contingency Plan
In the event of emergency closure, Little Folks will re-locate to Christ Church Georgetown located at 3116 O Street, NW 20007 (31st and O).
Medication Authorization
No medication will be administered without a signed Medical Authorization Form signed by a parent and Physician.
Fire Drills
Little Folks School practices evacuation drills two times a month. Children are escorted safely from the building and exit through the playground into the courtyard behind the school.
Pets/Animals
No animals are currently on the premise.
Reporting of Unusual Incidents
Parents will be notified immediately of a child’s injury or illness during the school day and if police, fire, ambulance or any other emergency service responds to an occurrence. The DC Government requires immediate mandatory reporting of known or reasonable cause to suspect an enrolled child is in immediate danger, abused or neglected.
Grievance Procedures
Parent-Teacher conferences are held twice a year. Parents may address issues or concerns regarding their child at conferences. Teachers are available throughout the year to discuss concerns.
Health, Safety and Insurance
The safety and health of your child will always have top priority. Cooperation of parents is needed in helping to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Parents should check carefully each morning before sending their child to school, to be sure that there are no symptoms of cold, sore throat, fever, or other communicable disease. If your child has a communicable illness, please notify the school. Liability and accident insurance is paid for by the school from tuition funds. This coverage includes fieldtrips. Copies of the policy are available upon request.
Clothing
Children should wear comfortable, "art proof" (this means children may spill paint, glue, etc. on them) clothing, which allows for complete freedom of movement. Also, whenever possible, they should dress in clothing that allows them to independently use the toilet, such as pants with elastic waists, as opposed to pants with zippers and belts. Sneakers are the suggested footwear. Cowboy boots, flip-flops, mules, and clogs are not recommended. All coats, hats, mittens, sweaters, etc., should be clearly marked with your child's name.
Please provide a complete change of clothing for your child. This includes underwear, socks, pants, etc. Make sure the clothing is marked with your child’s name. Plastic boxes are provided in each child’s cubbie for storage.
Toys
We feel that bringing toys from home after the first few days of school is not a good idea. It is difficult for a child to share a favorite toy, which creates unnecessary conflict. A child clinging to a toy from home will hesitate to pick up a crayon or block, or get involved with classmates. The children create many things during the day, which are passed out at dismissal time. Having to locate and return toys from home adds minutes to our dismissal procedure.
Snacks
Parents on a rotating basis will provide snack. Please keep your snack list handy for easy reference. We encourage you to bring healthy snacks during your snack week. We provide cups and napkins and ask that you bring enough to eat and drink for your child’s class for the entire week. Please don’t send juice boxes.
Some healthy snack ideas would include crackers, cheese, fruit, and vegetable sticks. Juices and snacks loaded with sugar are not recommended. Good nutrition is an area we continually stress. We feel the food we serve should reflect our commitment to good health. Cookies, muffins and other baked goods are fine occasionally, and you are welcome to celebrate your child’s birthday with cupcakes or a cake. Children in the Extended Day Program may only eat sweets after eating the rest of their lunch.
Birthdays
We are happy to celebrate your child’s birthday at school if you would like to provide a special snack. It may be for just your child’s class or all three classes, if you wish. Please inform your child’s teacher of your plans. If you are planning a celebration after school hours, please do not schedule parties that do not include all classmates during the week. We do not allow children to be picked up for parties from school when all children are not included, as this can be traumatic for children who are not invited.
Extended Day Program
Children in the Extended Day Program, known as "Lunch Bunch," are required to bring their lunch.
Friday Bags
At the end of each week we will be sending home notices, newsletters, reminders of upcoming events, and artwork in these bags. The bags are returned every Monday.
