Do you provide lunches/snacks?
Because of all the allergies out there, we ask families to provide the lunch. We are happy to heat things up in our microwave and we don't do any cooking. We provide snacks; usually Rice Chex and apples in the morning and Goldfish and oranges in the afternoon. There will be times that bananas, grapes, and watermelon will make it into the rotation.
Does my child need to be potty trained?
No they don't! All we ask is that they come to school with clean Pull-Ups/diapers and that you provide a new case of diapers/pull-ups and a pack of wipes on the first day, and supplementary as needed.
How does Little Lab approach discipline?
That's a great question! Have you ever heard of Jim Fay and Love and Logic? Jim taught me so much and I recommend the book Helicopters, Drill Sergeants, and Consultants. We choose to be consultants by giving children choices. We're really big on identifying the behavior followed by a choice. Usually the choice is change the behavior or go sit in the corner. Most children will choose to change their behavior. There are those that need to see what a time-out means and will choose the time-out. Time-outs are usually only a couple minutes followed by the teacher consulting with the child about what the behavior was and how dan they do things differently next time.
Hitting, kicking, biting and any other assaultive type of behavior will not be tolerated. The first instance results in an immediate time-out and parents are notified when they pick up their child. If the first incident draws blood or leaves serious bruises, the child will be immediately expelled for good. The second instance results in a time-out, child is not allowed to join the group, and they get a 3 day expulsion. The third incident results in parents getting called immediately and the child will not be allowed to return. Parents expect us to protect their children and that's what we will do.
Hitting, kicking, biting and any other assaultive type of behavior will not be tolerated. The first instance results in an immediate time-out and parents are notified when they pick up their child. If the first incident draws blood or leaves serious bruises, the child will be immediately expelled for good. The second instance results in a time-out, child is not allowed to join the group, and they get a 3 day expulsion. The third incident results in parents getting called immediately and the child will not be allowed to return. Parents expect us to protect their children and that's what we will do.
Do you take children with disabilities?
The short answer is yes! Ernie has his Masters' Degrees in Early Childhood and Special Education and his time in the school district included fully-inclusive classes. The only caveat is the severity of the disability. We want to give every child a chance to be successful and if a child's needs are greater than what we can support, then we would ask you to find a different setting that is capable of providing your child with everything they need to be successful.
Do the children nap during the day?
Yes they do. We provide the nap mats and parents provide a bedding sheet (a fitted twin bed sheet works well), pillow (if you want), a blanket, and a stuffie. Children who are still awake after 30 minutes, will be given something quiet to do while the rest of the group is sleeping.
What about birthdays?
Birthdays are very important and we like to celebrate those momentous occasions. If you want to bring a birthday treat, Oreos are the best non-allergenic treat and you are welcome to bring those. Please make sure the bag isn't opened. The Health Department requires store bought treats in its original unopened bag. The child gets a birthday crown to keep and we sing Happy Birthday to them.
What about vaccinations?
We do not require children to be vaccinated. However, the Health Department has some extra paperwork for those that choose not to be vaccinated. Here is the link for more information and requirements for parents
www.colorado.gov/vaccineexemption.
www.colorado.gov/vaccineexemption.
What does your daily schedule look like?
While we try to stick to the same schedule every day, we believe in the teachable moment. In general, we start the day with free play. After a bit, children will start the learning part of their day. We'll do calendar, wake up our brains, letter of the day, Science, and then Math. In between all this, children get a book read to them, snack, and some outside play. On Mondays, we do Show and Tell.
Questions? Head over to our contact page to get in touch today!
