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| E-mail Melissa, the Owner & Director, by clicking on her image! |
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- Importance of Owner/Director on-site: At TCC, parents work directly with Melissa Lane with questions or issues that arise. Because Melissa is the sole proprietor, she is vitally interested in the well-being of each child, teacher, and parent. She is accessible by email, phone, or in-person nearly all of the time.
- May I visit my child during the day? Family members, including grandparents are warmly welcomed at any time. Many new moms come daily to nurse their babies. We do ask that you wake a sleeping child only if necessary.
- Part-day vs. Part-week enrollment: Here at TCC, children may attend for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days per week. There are reduced rates for 2 and 3 day options. We do not have part-day rates. The center is open from 7:00-6:00 and you are free to drop off or pick up your child any time within that period.
- 4-10's (staff): In order to provide the best, most consistent care and education for your child, our full-time staff work four days a week.This means that you will usually see the same teacher at the beginning and end of the day. To cover days off, we employ qualified "swing teachers" who work with a group of children two days each week on the co-teachers' days off.
- How do teachers prepare for the classroom? All of our teachers have college training in early education and most have degrees. They are knowledgeable about child development and the appropriate intellectual skills for each age. Teachers use knowledge and resources available, including "Creative Curriculum" to create daily lesson plans for the class. The plans are designed to engage and intrigue the children of that group. The same math concept, for example, might be taught using different techniques, depending on the childrens' interests. Paid time is given to teachers to write lesson plans and gather needed materials.
- How do we transition children to the next classroom? Children are moved from one age group to another by mutual agreement of teachers, parents, and administration. We plan the transitions carefully so that the process is responsive to the needs and reaction of the individual child. In general, children visit the new class for short to increased periods of time over a two week period. This allows parents and children time to become familiar with the new setting. Teachers communicate frequently to ensure the process is smooth.
- Discipline: Children who are busy and have positive learning opportunities find less reason to misbehave. The quality of the experiences at TCC means few problems. When a child does need to be disciplined, we first redirect them to a safer, more appropriate, activity. We also use natural consequences (ex. if you throw sand, you will leave the sandbox). Children are encouraged to use good manners, be kind to others, and treat all with respect.
- Illness: Children who are showing symptoms of illness including diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or eye infections will be excluded until they are symptom-free for 24 hours or have a doctor's permission to return. We make every effort to keep the center sanitary. The building is professionally cleaned daily, toys are sanitized in the dishwasher and surfaces are washed and disinfected frequently. It is, however, impossible to prevent all germs from spreading in group care.
- Daily sheets: In every class, Infants-Preschool, teachers complete an information sheet for each child daily. This form will give you data about your child's eating, sleeping, toileting, as well as some comments about his/her activities.
- Outdoor play: We believe strongly in the value of the outdoors with fresh air and nature. The children at TCC go outside as often as possible so we ask parents to provide clothing and outdoor wear appropriate to the season. In addition to our fenced playground, the classes take walks to the surrounding areas for picnics, to feed the ducks, or to collect leaves.
- Meals/Eating: The center doesn't have a food service kitchen, so families pack lunches and snacks. To facilitate this, every classroom has at least one refrigerator, a microwave, and snack bins for each child. Suggestions for lunches and snacks are offered to parents. Milk in half-gallons can be kept here. On Wednesday, the center gets pizza delivered from Bridge Street Pizza and we supplement with a fruit and a vegetable. Lunch time for toddlers and up is a whole class event with interesting conversation as part of the experiences. Snacks are self-regulated, so children eat when they are hungry in the morning and after nap. We encourage families to pack healthy foods--fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc., with minimum junk food. Then we work to make meals stress-free and enjoyable.
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