Hallah Delivery Service

For your convenience and to encourage you to celebrate Shabbat at home, there is a hallah delivery service at the Nursery every Friday.  Twice a year, you will receive a form in your mailbox on which you can order hallah for your personal use at home.  Hallah you order for home use will be placed on your child's coat hooks for pick up at dismissal, saving you a trip to the bakery.  The hallah delivery service is also a fundraiser for the Nursery School Program.  Hallah orders must be submitted by the date on the form. 

Hallot for the classroom Shabbat celebrations are ordered for each classroom.  The cost of this is reflected on each family's bill as a hallah charge.

Birthday Celebrations, Holidays And Special Occasions

Parents may provide special treats such as cupcakes, mini muffins or cookies for birthday celebrations.  Please arrange birthday treats with the teacher in advance of the day.

Invitations to a child's private birthday party, thank you notes and all personal mail may not be distributed in school mailbags unless the entire class is included and it is not held on Shabbat or a Jewish holiday.  In addition, any information about secular activities may not be put in mailbags or posted on our bulletin boards.  If a child misses a birthday party, please do not send him/her to school with a present for the birthday child.  It upsets the children who were not invited to the party and also puts the staff at risk in case the present is inadvertently misplaced or damaged.  For in-class birthday celebrations, rather than sending in party favors for each child, parents are encouraged to donate a favorite book or toy to their child's class.  Bookplates on which your child's name can be inscribed are available in the Nursery School office and in each classroom.

Birthday parties held on Shabbat or a Jewish holiday are discouraged.  Many families send their child to The Jewish Center Nursery School precisely because it is "Jewish," that is, Jewish life and particularly Shabbat are revered.  Birthday parties on the Sabbath conflict with the message they are given in school.

A heightened sensitivity to the Jewish traditions of our students should be your guideline when planning any celebration outside of school.  Creating an environment beyond the classroom that signals the inclusive community we seek to be will not isolate any Nursery families because of religious beliefs and practices.

Everyone can play a part in bringing the school community closer to that ideal.  As parents, you are active participants in creating the environment for The Jewish Center community that does not define itself exclusively within the hours of the school day and the boundaries of the school building.

You are also strongly encouraged to invite everyone in your child's class to out-of- school celebrations such as birthday parties.  Preschool children talk about their birthday parties and it is hurtful to those children who are excluded.  The holidays of Halloween and Valentine's Day are not observed at The Jewish Center.  Therefore, your cooperation is requested in not sending in cards or candy items on those days.

All Jewish holidays are celebrated.  Appropriate songs, games, stories, art projects and instruction in customs and special foods for the holiday will be integrated into the curriculum surrounding each observance.  Non-religious national holidays, such as Thanksgiving, are also observed.

If a special school event takes place on a day that your child does not usually attend school, you and your child may come to school for the duration of the event provided that he/she is accompanied by a parent or caregiver at all times.  Announcements of such school events will appear in the Director's weekly bulletin and additional notices to parents.

Discipline

Our goal is to encourage positive and cooperative behavior among the children.  Therefore, discipline is an important part of the learning experience at a childcare environment.  It helps children learn self-control and respect for others.  The atmosphere of respect is preserved between the adults and children and between the children themselves.  We try to assist each child in reaching his/her full potential by creating appropriate boundaries.  Children need limits for safety's sake and for a feeling of security.  They must also feel free to express frustration.

Teachers are expected to let students know what their expectations are for their behavior.  Whenever possible, they will try to explain the reasons for classroom rules and procedures.

If a child misbehaves, the teacher will try to change his/her behavior using various approved means.  The means may vary according to the situation and the child involved.  A child may need to be distracted, redirected or removed from a problem situation.

On occasion, a teacher may need to stay with a child to monitor his/her behavior.  Sometimes a child may require encouragement and/or reinforcement to change his/her behavior.  In still other instances, a child may need to be removed from the situation. No child will ever be unsupervised.  At no time will shaming or corporal punishment be used to change behavior.

A positive school experience is important for the students, parents and teachers.  Inappropriate activities which negatively affect the school and its enrollees will not be tolerated and may be grounds for discontinuing enrollment in the School.     

If there are persistent and/or serious behavior problems, parents will be asked to confer with the teacher(s) and/or the Nursery School Director and members of the School Committee.  The problem(s) will be discussed and a plan will be agreed upon to correct the problem(s).  Every effort will be made to help the child become a cooperative member of his/her class.  If the teachers and Nursery School Director feel that our School cannot meet the needs of the child for any reason, the School reserves the right to require that the child be removed from the School.

The Jewish Center may also discontinue your child’s enrollment at any time it determines that your child is not benefiting from the program or that a parent or a child’s behavior is detrimental to the well-being of the other students, parents or teachers.

We strive to teach our children to live in this world peacefully.  Because we feel so committed to this philosophy, play toys resembling weapons are not to be brought into School.  In fact, we discourage students from bringing in any toys from home, unless directed by the teachers for a specific lesson.  This reduces the risk of lost or broken toys.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Expulsion Policy

Unfortunately, sometimes there are reasons we have to expel a child from our program either on a short term or permanent basis.  We want you to know we will do everything possible to work with the family of the child(ren) in order to prevent this policy from being enforced.  The following are reasons we may have to expel or suspend a child from our Nursery School.

Immediate Causes for Expulsion

      The child is at risk of causing serious injury to other children or himself/herself.

Parental Actions for Child's Expulsion

      Failure to complete required forms including the child's immunization records.
      Parent exhibits verbal abuse to staff.
      Parent threatens physical or intimidating actions toward staff members.

Child's Actions for Expulsion

      Failure of child to adjust after a reasonable amount of time.
      Uncontrolled tantrums/angry outbursts.
      Ongoing physical or verbal abuse to staff or other children.
      Excessive biting.

Schedule of Expulsion

      If after the remedial actions below (see Proactive Actions That Can be Taken In order to Prevent Expulsion) have not worked, the child's parent/guardian will be advised verbally and in writing about the child's or parent's behavior warranting an expulsion.  An expulsion action is meant to be a period of time so that the parent/guardian may work on the child's behavior or to come to an agreement with the Nursery School.

      The parent/guardian will be informed regarding the length of the expulsion period.

      The parent/guardian will be informed about the expected behavioral changes required in order for the child or parent to return to the Nursery School.

      The parent/guardian will be given a specific expulsion date that allows the parent sufficient time to seek alternate child care (approximately one to two weeks notice depending on risk to their children's welfare or safety).  Failure of the child/parent to satisfy the terms of the plan may result in permanent expulsion from the Nursery School.

A CHILD WILL NOT BE EXPELLED

If a child's parent(s):

• Made a complaint to the Office of Licensing regarding the school's alleged violations of the licensing requirements.
• Reported abuse or neglect occurring at the Nursery School.
• Questioned the Nursery School regarding policies and procedures.
• Without giving the parent sufficient time to make other childcare arrangements.

Proactive Actions That Can Be Taken In Order to Prevent Expulsion

• Staff will try to redirect child from negative behavior
• Staff will reassess classroom environment, appropriate of activities, supervision.
• Staff will always use positive methods and language while disciplining children.
• Staff will praise appropriate behaviors.
• Child will be given verbal warnings.
• Child will be given time to regain control.
• Child's disruptive behavior will be documented and maintained in confidentiality.
• Parent/guardian will be notified verbally.
• Parent/guardian will be given written copies of the disruptive behaviors that might lead to expulsion.
• The director, classroom staff and parent/guardian will have a conference(s) to discuss how to promote positive behaviors.
• The parent will be given literature or other resources regarding methods of improving behavior.
• Recommendation of evaluation by professional consultation on premises.
• Recommendation of evaluation by local school district child study team, if applicable.

Communication

On a regular basis, the staff provides information on the children's activities as well as school announcements. 

Posted outside each classroom on a sheet of paper called "Look What's Happening," will be a daily listing of the story, art activity, and unit concepts.  This information can be used as a conversation starter with your preschooler.  It also serves as a way of letting parents know about the focus of the day's activities.  You will receive a monthly newsletter at the end of the month from your child's teachers which will highlight the activities of the class.

The Nursery School Director writes a newsletter to help parents keep track of all the important events, activities and news at the Nursery School.  It provides a brief summary of holidays, reminders, information about upcoming activities and reports on some of the many interesting things happening in the classrooms.  Parents are encouraged to give the Director any information for publication that they feel will be helpful for other parents to know.  This newsletter will be emailed to you every Friday during school or on the last day of each week if there is a shortened week.  PLEASE BE SURE TO READ IT and let us know if you are not receiving it.

In the event of a concern or problem, open communication with the classroom teacher is encouraged.  Please discuss the situation with the teacher first, and if this does not prove satisfactory, then see the Nursery School Director.

Conferences between the teacher and parents will be scheduled in the fall and in the spring as requested. Teachers are available for conferences by appointment whenever a parent or teacher feels the need.

Teachers find it important to be kept informed of any significant changes in a child's health status or the home environment situation as these things often affect a child's behavior.

Communication with Staff Members and Parents

As the parent of a preschooler, you might, from time to time, need to speak with your child's teacher about a special concern.  All of our teachers are most willing to confer with you.  The best procedure to follow is to give your child's teacher a note (when your child is dropped off in the morning) stating two or three days and times when it would be convenient for the teacher to phone you.  The teacher will get back to you at her earliest convenience.

Please do not engage the teacher in any lengthy conversations at the beginning or end of the day because she must be concentrating on the children as they enter and leave the classroom.  If your concern cannot wait and you feel it is urgent to speak with the staff member immediately, please come to the office to ask the Director if she could go to your child's class for a few minutes so that the teacher may step out of the room to confer with you.

On occasion, it becomes necessary to activate your class phone chain.  Under no circumstances should phone calls or other school business be conducted on the Sabbath or any Jewish holiday.  Phone calls after 9:30 p.m. are also discouraged.