Letter from Head of Early Childhood Julie Patel - The Miami Valley ...

Dear Parents,
July 1, 2013
We hope this letter finds you relaxed and enjoying your summer. Enclosed please find
information regarding policies and procedures for the Miami Valley School Early
Childhood Center. This year all the required forms and documents will be available online.
Please download, complete and return all forms. You can find the forms at
http://www.mvschool.com/ec-summer-mailings-2013/ Please note that a yearly health
physical is required for all children. We will have our annual Parent Information Meeting
(PIN) on Thursday, August 15th at the EC Center from 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Parents and
Guardians only, please.
Arrival and Departure
Students are expected to arrive at school between 8:00--8:10 am, so we may begin our day
promptly at 8:15am. If necessary, EC students may arrive at 7:30 am for early morning
drop off. Children arriving between 7:30-8:00 am, are to be walked into the school.
Children arriving between 8:00-8:10 am, will be greeted by a teacher in the carpool lane.
An EC teacher will help your child from your car and into the school. This allows for a
smooth transition for your child, and facilitates the flow of traffic. It is very important to
arrive on time, so your child can begin their day along with their friends and teachers.
If your child is staying for the morning half-day program, dismissal is at 11:30 am. Full day
children will be dismissed at 3:00 pm. During dismissal, an EC teacher will walk your child
out of school, and help place your child in his/her car seat. A car seat or booster is
required for every child. If your child requires additional assistance, please let our faculty
know.
Please remember to use your laminated name card when you, or someone else, is picking
up your child. If you need additional cards, please contact Amy Powell at the MVS Lower
School office at 434-4452. New families will be receiving their name cards during your
child’s first full week of school. These cards help ensure your child’s safety, while allowing
for an efficient dismissal.
Parking
Please do not park in the circle driveway. If you want to walk your child into school, please
park your car in the spaces provided off to the side of the driveway. This applies for both
drop-off and pick-up.
Absent and/or sick children
Please call the EC Center at 439-4602 regarding your child’s absence. You, also, may leave a
message at the MVS main office at 434-4444.

Field Trips
The children and faculty at the EC take field trips throughout the school year. We travel by
MVS school bus or parents are asked to drive. Attendance is taken before boarding the bus,
after exiting the bus, and periodically throughout the field trip. All emergency contact
information plus a first aid kit is carried on all field trips.
Sick Policy
*If your child has a fever, even a low grade fever, they must stay home for 24 hours after
the fever has broken.
*If your child has nasal discharge other than clear, please keep them home until all
symptoms disappear.
*If your child experiences an abrupt onset of chills, sore throat, cough, diarrhea, etc., please
keep your child home.
A note from a physician must accompany a child’s return to school following a contagious
illness such as pink eye, lice, rashes, chicken pox, etc.
Clothing
Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes that can get dirty. Throughout your
child’s day, he/she will be playing outside, creating art projects and playing with sand and
water. This is their time to explore, and getting messy is part of the fun. Please make sure
your child wears shoes that are appropriate for running and climbing. Sandals and crocs
are not encouraged. Make sure to send an extra set of clothes-underwear, socks, shirt and
pants/shorts. This will be stored in your child’s cubby. As the seasons change, we will ask
for snow gear, rain boots, etc., to be left at school, so the children can continue to enjoy the
outdoors. If it is above 20 degrees, we will be going outside to play, so hats, gloves and
scarves, are a must.
Snack and Lunch
Each child will need to bring a daily snack to school. We encourage a variety of fruits, and
vegetables. You, also, may find additional suggestions in the addendum to the MVS Parent
Handbook. The Ohio Dept of Ed. requires that we provide this information to all families.
The children staying for a full day should pack a healthy lunch including water, milk or
juice in a thermos. Snack and lunch are great opportunities for children to manage real life
tasks, learn about nutrition, and socialize with friends and teachers. Children are
responsible for opening their lunch boxes, using good manners, and cleaning up their lunch
items. Please purchase lunch boxes and food containers that allow your child to be
independent.
Rest Time and Big Kids’ Work/Junior Kindergarten
In accordance with the Ohio Dept. of Ed., all first year students (3 year olds) must be
provided a time to rest during their day. This time is from 1:00-2:00 pm every day. Our
second year students, will resting at the beginning of the school year, as they adjust back to

school. A rest mat must be purchased for every child attending our full day program. If
you have a mat from last year, or from an older sibling, you do not need to purchase a new
one, otherwise, families will be billed for their child’s rest mat.
Our second year students, or those going on to kindergarten the following year, will rest, as
mentioned above, in the beginning of the school year. Usually around Halloween, we will
begin our Big Kids’ Work/Junior Kindergarten with the second year children. This
program is designed to prepare our children for MVS kindergarten and beyond. We will be
doing Big Kids’ Work/Junior Kindergarten activities on Wednesday and Thursday in the
late fall. Friday will be added as an additional day, after the new year.
School Supplies
Please provide your child with the following items:
*Pencil box - sturdy one, no zipper pouches, please
*Baby wipes - one container
*Gallon size zip-lock bags - one container
*Crayola Washable Markers - one box
*Crayola crayons - one box
*Colored pencils - one box
*Glue sticks - one box
*Composition journal - one
*Backpack - no rolling backpacks please, they do not fit in the cubbies
(You may bring your child’s school supplies either to the parent meeting or on the first day
of school).
Home Visits
One of our lead teachers, Kathleen Bechert or Janelle Bailey, will be contacting all new
students near the end of July to arrange for a “home visit.” These visits typically take place
during the first two weeks of August, and provide an opportunity for incoming children to
become acquainted with their teacher in the comfort and security of their home.
Transition Days
We feel it is important for our youngest learners to have a gradual transition to school. The
EC Center will begin with several shortened days, then increase to our regular schedule.
Please see the schedule below for our first week of school.
Monday, August 19th - EC OPEN HOUSE (10:00 - 11:30 am)
New students should arrive at the EC at 10:00 am. Returning students should arrive at
10:30 am. Children will have the opportunity to decorate their cubby, put their supplies
away, meet old and new friends and see their teachers. This is a shortened day, so all
children will need to be picked up at 11:30 am. We do not offer extended day care on this
day.

Wednesday, August 21st - First Day of School (8:00 - 11:30 am)
All EC children will attend school for half a day, and will need to be picked up by 11:30 am.
Children should bring a snack on this day. We do not offer extended day care on this day.
Thursday, August 22nd - Regular Schedule
If your child stays for the morning program they will attend from 8:00 - 11:30 am. If your
child attends for our full day program, they will attend from 8:00 - 3:00 pm. Extended day
care is available on this day and runs until 6:00 pm.
The MVS Early Childhood Center has an “open door” policy for all parents/guardians.
You are always welcome to come and visit during our school day. We all anticipate a
successful and exciting school year. Should any questions arise, please do not hesitate to
call us at 439-4602.
Thank you
See you soon
Julie Patel, Director
Kathleen Bechert, Lead Teacher
Janelle Bailey, Lead Teacher
Alisa Workman, Teacher Assistant
Lauren McNeily, Teacher Assistant
P.S. Lauren gave birth to Everett and Lily on June 19th. The McNeily family is doing great!!