1. TCISD Calvin Vincent Pre-K/Head Start Program
An Orientation for Parents
August 20, 2015

2. Pre-K/Head Start Staff
Instructional Teams
Kristi Parr-Garms & Stacy Catching (Head Start 4 Year Olds)
Martha Jaramillo & Andrea Miranda (Head Start 4 Year Olds)
Debbi Schoppe & Linda Butler (Head Start 4 Year Olds)
Lesby Chenevert & Maria Gongora (Head Start Bilingual 4 Year Olds)
Aimee Ortamond & Cristina Tobias (Pre-K Bilingual 4 Year Olds)
Amy Robeson & Kara Wistinghausen (Head Start 4 Year Olds)
Lauren Stahl & LaToyoa Mahoney (Pre-K 4 Year Olds)
Charlene Cronk & Terri Whitten (Head Start 4 Year Olds)
Erin Arthur & Trennie Dillon (Head Start 3 Year Olds)
Amanda Dunkel & Kristi Alfaro (Pre-K 4 Year Olds)
Rebekah Troconis & Beatriz Kushner (Pre-K Bilingual 4 Year Olds)
Theresa Castro & Yvonne Gamble (Head Start 3 Year Olds)

3. Pre-K/Head Start Staff
Support Staff
Melissa Hernandez – Secretary
Sherri Barnard – Nurse and Health Coordinator
Tammy Hazzard – Curriculum & Instructional Specialist
Michelle Dillon – Lead Family Advocate
Sandra Aldridge – Family Advocate Assistant
Jeanie Brooks – Parent Involvement Coordinator
Kelsey McGuire – Speech & Language Pathologist
Dr. J. Jones – Mental Health Consultant

4. Our Goal Is…
TEAMWORK
For the child, parent, teachers and staff members to work together in a cooperative effort to enhance each child’s growth and development

5. Mission Statement
To increase school readiness, in a cooperative effort with home and community, through the provision of services designed to enhance the development of the whole child

6. Head Start Requirements
Head Start students must have a physical exam with lab work as well as a dental exam completed before the end of October and forms submitted to Nurse Sherri.
Head Start families will receive two home visits per year
Head Start parents are highly encouraged to volunteer their time in the program.
Head Start families will create a goal plan with the Family Advocacy team and will be contacted regarding progress toward meeting those goals.

7. Attendance Attendance Law (Texas Code, Section 51.03)
Please call the office if your child will be out ill to let Ms. Hernandez know, and send a note/excuse for every absence within 5 school days.
Warning letters will be sent out via A2A program for excessive excused and unexcused absences
Students must be in attendance a minimum of 90% of total days (Only 17 absences are permitted in one school year)
Excessive absences may result in withdrawal or truancy charges against parent/guardian
Students are expected to arrive before the 8:15 tardy bell each day. Classes begin at 8:15 and if your child is late, they will lose instructional time.

8. Birthday Treats
Please check with your child’s teacher if you would like to bring a special treat on your child’s birthday.
Treats must arrive before 1:00 to be served that day. If they arrive later, they will be served the following day.
Treats must be prepackaged and purchased from a commercial vendor. We are not allowed to serve homemade treats to students.
We cannot accommodate birthday parties at school, so please do not bring hats, blowers, balloons, or gifts to the school.

9. Bus Transportation
Bus transportation is a privilege, not a right. Please adhere to the following bus procedures.
Have your child wear their name tag showing name, address, and phone number for at least the first three weeks of school.
Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before scheduled time. On the first few days of school, start waiting at 7:00 until the route is established and you have a better sense of permanent time.
An adult must wait at the bus stop with the child every morning. It is important to keep your child near you while waiting for the bus. You must walk your child to the bus door, but are not allowed on the bus at any time.
There will not be time to take pictures of students with the bus and driver/monitor during active routes. This hold up the rest of the students and puts the route behind schedule. Drivers, monitors, and buses will be on hand in September during Open House for photo opportunities.

10. Bus Transportation
Parents or approved contacts should arrive at the bus stop at least ten minutes before expected drop off time. Only one adult should approach the bus for each student. All other family and friends should wait away from the bus.
Wait for the bus to come to a complete halt and watch for the driver to signal, if you have to cross the street, before approaching the doors. If the bus door is on the opposite side of the street, you will need to cross the street to meet your child at the bus door.
IDs will be checked and the contact verified to be approved before any student is released. Once the driver and monitor know you, they will not ask for your ID, but always take it with you. If there is a sub driver and monitor, they will need to see an ID before releasing your child. If you don’t have it with you, your child will be brought back to school.
Please do not hold up the bus with long conversations with the driver or monitor. We want to make sure students get to school and home at a reasonable time.

11. Bus Transportation
The bus driver cannot check to see if you are an approved contact during an active route. You will need to contact the school for that information.
Please be at the bus stop waiting for your child. The bus will wait one minute before pulling away from the stop, even if you are slowly making your way to the bus. This will help our buses stay on schedule and not cause students to arrive at home excessively late.
If no parent or approved contact is at the bus stop to meet the student at the bus door, the child will be brought back to the school. A child who is brought back three times will face a bus suspension. Students will not be released to someone who is not at the bus door.
During the first two weeks of school, the buses may run very late as drivers learn routes. Please be patient. We are unable to make calls to the buses to find out where every child is. If your child is not home by 3:30 on the first day, then please call the school so we can get in contact with the driver.
On special occasion days when there are numerous early dismissals, the buses will run early. Many students leave during the day when there are special activities and very few students will be on the bus. Begin waiting at 2:00 on these days.

12. Bus Transportation
Students must follow the bus rules per the bus contract, or a bus suspension may be assigned.
Students must keep backpacks closed while on the bus and cannot eat or drink while riding.
Temporary changes to transportation cannot be accommodated. If you need your child dropped off with someone else for a short period of time, we cannot change the drop-off location. Instead, have that person meet the bus at the regular stop with their ID.
Buses cannot drive into courts, cul-de-sacs, parking lots, or other no-outlet streets. Bus stops are designated with student safety in mind and cannot be changed to accommodate a student or parent.
Know your route number and the name of your driver.
All bus changes/questions should be directed to Nicole Johnson, Director of Transportation at

13. Conferences
Parent conferences will be scheduled by each individual teacher.
You are encouraged to visit the program and conference with your child’s teacher on a regular basis. However, parents are not allowed to stay in the classroom past the 8:15 tardy bell unless they are signed in as a volunteer.
Teachers’ official conference time is 2:30-3:30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Head Start parents will have two conferences in addition to the two home visits.
Pre-K parents will have two conferences.
Conferences can be requested by the classroom teacher, parent, or administrator.

14. CPS Reporting
Every staff member who suspects that a child’s physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person shall immediately make a report to CPS as required by law. Family Code (a)
Failure of staff to report any suspicion of neglect or abuse could result in the loss of their teaching certification and termination of employment.
Anyone can make a CPS report. Reports can be made by relatives, neighbors, or acquaintances as well as school staff.

15. Curriculum
We utilize the Frog Street curriculum which is research based and developmentally appropriate for our student.s
Academics are integrated with:
Gross motor development
Fine motor development
Receptive language
Expressive language
Perception
Self-help
Socialization
Self regulation
We focus on educating the whole child

16. Dismissal
Parents wishing to pick up their child before 2:15 must call the office and arrive before 2:00. We will not be able to release students between 2:00 and 2:15 due to the large number of students in the hallways moving to dismissal locations.
If you do not arrive before 2:00, you will need to wait until the 2:15 bell to pick up your child.
Please do not ever park in the Kohfeldt car pick up lane. If you do so, you will be stuck in the line until at least 3:15.
Parents must always use the designated Calvin Vincent parking lot
Always bring your ID with you when coming to campus. If there is a sub in the classroom or at the check-in window and they are not familiar with you, your child will not be released without proper identification

17. District Required Safety Drills
Fire Drill: Once every month
Duck & Cover: Once per semester
Shelter-in-Place: Once per semester
Lock-Down: Once per semester—District Sheriff Liaison is present during our Lock-Down drills

18. Dress Code
Please dress your child in comfortable clothing so that the torso (shoulders, back, and stomach) is covered. Please have girls wear shorts under dresses and skirts.
Please do not send students to school wearing spaghetti straps, muscle shirts, or tank tops. Shoulders must be covered.
Clothing must not portray profanity, reference to drugs or alcohol, or contain images that might frighten our students
Tennis shoes, closed toe, or sandals with a back strap must be worn. Flip-flops and cowboy boots are not allowed due to safety reasons. Students wearing flip-flops or cowboy boots will not be able to play on the playground and will participate in an alternate activity.
Please dress your child in clothing that they can remove without teacher assistance for toileting.
Send an extra set of clothing including underwear and socks

19. Drop-Off Procedures
If your child does not ride the bus to school, please park in the designated Calvin Vincent parking lot.
Enter and exit through the front doors only.
The bell will ring at 7:45 and doors will be unlocked for entry.
You must walk your child all the way to their classroom and make sure a teacher sees them arrive. Never send your child into the building alone.
School starts at 8:15. Please be prompt each day. If you arrive after the 8:15 bell you will need to obtain a tardy slip before taking your child to the classroom.

20. Emergency Information and Approved Contacts
Correct phone numbers are crucial if your child becomes ill or injured during the school day. Please keep us updated with working numbers.
Be sure that you have listed everyone you can think of who might possibly need to pick up your child, meet them at the bus stop, or want to visit for lunch as an approved contact. If they are not on the list, they will not have access to your child.
If an approved contact is not waiting for your child to be dropped off at the bus stop, the child will be brought back to school until someone can come pick them up. This will delay your child’s arrival at home and could result in school district liaison officers being contacted.

21.
Every staff member has an address and can receive from parents.
Teachers are not allowed to use during the instructional day, so replies will be sent after school.
If you are ing about having your child dismissed a different way, please call the front office instead so that the message can be relayed to the teacher in time.

22. Field Trips
Students will participate in a variety of field trips this year.
Each student will need to have a signed permission slip in order to attend. Please send forms back promptly.
All field trips are instructional in nature, so we are unable to hold students back because of behavior issues.
If your child has safety concerns regarding your child on field trips, you may be asked to accompany them.
Any parents or family members who volunteer as chaperones must have an approved background check on file. If there isn’t one on file, you will not be able to ride the bus or take a group of students alone, including your own child.

23. Illnesses
Your child must be kept at home, or will be sent home from school, if any of the following are present:
A fever over 100 (When your child has been fever free for 24 hours without medication, they may return to school)
Fresh colds, yellow or green nasal discharge, or a continuous cough
Unexplained rashes
Weeping sores
Head lice
Ringworms that are untreated and/or too large to cover
Earaches, draining ears
Red crusty eyelids and/or pink eye
Vomiting
Diarrhea
When extremely irritable or out of sorts

24. Immunizations
A child cannot start school unless they have all required immunizations! Be prepared! Check with Nurse Sherri if unsure.
Boosters and new immunizations that are required after school starts will have a deadline. Please adhere to this date to prevent your child from being excluded from school until vaccines are completed.

25. Meals All students will eat breakfast in the cafeteria as a class.
Please do not send breakfast food to school with your child to eat in the classroom if they are running late. We will still feed them.
All students will receive lunch in the cafeteria, unless they have brought one from home. Reduced and full price lunch students must have money in their accounts to pay for lunches
We welcome you to eat lunch with your child; however we do not allow fast food in the cafeteria. You may bring something healthy from home or eat what the cafeteria is serving.
Call Nutrition Services at with any questions.

26. Parent Committee
All parents are encouraged to attend monthly parent committee meetings.
Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30.
Program updates will be discussed.
You will be able to give input into planning activities.
Parent trainings on a variety of topics will take place during these meetings.

27. Parking
Please only use the driveway designated for Calvin Vincent Parking.
First two rows in the parking lot are for staff and parents.
Please do not block the fire lane at any time.
Observe marked crosswalks.
Handicap spaces are reserved for those with appropriate credentials.
Please do not at any time enter the drive labeled for Kohfeldt.

28. Party Policies
We are allowed to have two parties per year; Christmas and End of Year.
Parties will take place the last hour of instruction (12:45-1:45).
All classroom parties will take place on the same day.
All food brought in for parties must be commercially purchased and sealed. Homemade items are not allowed.
There will be two treat days this year; Halloween and Valentine’s Day. You may send a treat to school with your child on these days, but they will be sent home in each child’s backpack. Treats must be individually packaged and able to travel in a backpack.

29. Policy Council
Head Start parents will be invited to serve on the Policy Council.
The Policy Council is comprised of four current Head Start parents and three community representatives.
This is Head Start’s decision making committee.
The Policy Council meets on the first Thursday of each month and is responsible for approving all program goals, written plans, staffing, and budget.
All interested Head Start parents will be placed into a random drawing to fill the necessary spots. All others will be approved as alternates to fill in as needed.

30. Progress Reports
Progress reports (report cards) will be sent home three times this year.
Teachers will report on-going progress during home visits and parent conferences.
You are welcome to contact your child’s teacher at any time to discuss your child’s progress.

31. Schedule
Each classroom schedule will vary, but will include the following:
Meet and greet in the classroom
Breakfast in the cafeteria as a class family
Circle time/large group instruction
Small group instruction
Read alouds
Lunch in the cafeteria
Learning centers
Tooth brushing
Large motor activities at recess and in the gross motor room
Closing circle/ preparation for dismissal
All students in our 3 year old classrooms will take a one hour nap each day. Please send a travel sized pillow and small blanket to school with your child to kept until the end of September when our cot blankets arrive. A small stuffed animal may be brought from home, but must be left at school. We do not allow students to have pacifiers while at school.
A schedule will be hung outside each classroom after Labor Day.

32. School Phones
Each teacher has an individual phone number, but the phones do not ring during the instructional day.
If you call during the instructional day, you will receive the teacher’s voice mail box and may leave a message.
The messages will not be received by the teacher until after school hours.
Any important information should be directed to the front office and a message will be delivered to the teacher.

33. School Supplies School Supplies are optional.
The only mandatory supply is a backpack large enough to fit a standard sized folder.
Your child’s name should be written in black marker across the straps.
Please label all clothing and other personal items your child brings to school.
Backpacks will be sent home daily. Important notes and student work will be sent home throughout the week. Please remove these papers and send the backpack to school with your child each day.

34. Student Expectations
Students will be learning classroom expectations and procedures the first several weeks of school.
Numerous reminders and chances for practice will be given.
If students are continually disruptive and/or do not respond to learning opportunities, parents will be contacted.
Unacceptable behavior includes that which injures themselves and/or others around them, damages property, or causes a severe disruption in the learning environment. These students will be brought to the office and parents will be called.
Beginning the second six weeks, after our discipline workshop, behavior folders will be sent home daily.

35. Tobacco Usage The district has a tobacco free policy.
The use of all tobacco products including, but not limited to, snuff, dip, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, E-cigs, vaporizers, etc. shall be prohibited on all district property, including school parking lots.

36. Visitors
You must check in with a staff member anytime you visit the campus.
Please dress appropriately when entering our campus—no excessively low cut shirts or nude/scary tattoos showing.
A driver’s license or other government issued ID must be presented each time you visit. Plan on bringing it in with you every time you visit or come to pick up your child.
You may choose to eat breakfast or lunch with your child, but no outside fast food may be brought into the cafeteria. If fast food items are brought, they will need to remain in the classroom or front office until you are ready to leave the campus. You may bring a healthy lunch from home or eat the cafeteria lunch items.
Only approved contacts may visit students on campus.
If someone comes to visit your child in the classroom or for lunch and they are not an approved contact, access will be denied.

37. Volunteers
All volunteers must have an approved criminal history check on file before being able to assist on campus.
Volunteers are essential to our program and are utilized in a variety of ways.
Your time as a volunteer directly benefits your child.
Volunteers could be asked to:
Work in the classroom by reading stories, playing games, engaging in activities
Assisting with playground supervision
Helping monitor students in the cafeteria
Pre-cut materials for class projects, staple and collate papers, make copies, change bulletin boards
Help with special events and activities on campus
Volunteers will need to attend an orientation training before working on campus.

38. Buses will not run until Tuesday
First Day of School!
August 24, 2015
Doors will open at 7:45
Students are tardy after 8:15
Dismissal Starts at 2:15
All students must be dropped off and picked up at the classroom door by a parent or legal guardian with a government issued ID on the first day of school—
Buses will not run until Tuesday

39. Who is my Child’s Teacher?
Class Rosters are posted inside the main hallway at Calvin Vincent and outside classroom doors this evening and will be on our campus doors through the weekend.
You are welcome to briefly visit your child’s classroom and meet their teacher this evening. We will be concluding our classroom visits at 6:30.
Class changes are not currently possible. If you have a concern regarding your child’s placement, please put your concern in writing and leave it with Mrs. Wilson for review.
We will see you all back bright and early at Calvin Vincent Monday morning!