Absences

The school should be informed of the reason for absenteeism.  Please let us know if your child is absent due to illness or a vacation. Sending an email is best.  We recommend that children who have had a fever remain at home until fever free for 24 hours.

Safety

When a child receives minor injuries at school, an incident report is filled out and a copy is given to the parent.

• If it is a head injury, the parent is always contacted, even if the injury is deemed a minor one.
• If the school feels the injury is serious enough to have the child seen by a doctor, the parent is notified immediately
• If the injury requires emergency treatment, 911 is called and the parent is notified immediately

It is important that you keep the school informed of any changes to your emergency and alternate contact information

Allergy Policy

Gatehouse Montessori School will provide a healthy learning environment for the students and staff by working with families and community health care professionals to ensure as safe an environment as possible to minimize the risk of an allergic reaction.  Parents must provide 2 up-to-date Epipins for their child if one is prescribed. We will also need the Medical Alert Planning Form filled out for each child who uses an Epipin.

Clothing

As the Montessori classroom stresses independence, it is important that all school clothing be easy for children to manage by themselves (undressing and dressing for trips to the bathroom). Children should have a pair of non-skid indoor shoes at school. Each child is also asked to bring a labeled change of clothing that includes a change of underwear, socks, pants and a top.  These items will be stored in individual boxes provided by the school.  Lost articles labelled with the child’s name will be returned.

Comfort Kit

Each child will need a comfort kit, which is kept in a box in the classroom. The kit should include:

• 3 nut-free granola bars
• A family photo
• A small toy or game
• A note of comfort from Mum and Dad
• One silver emergency blanket (available at the dollar store)

All items should be placed in a zip lock bag (medium size) that has your child’s name on the outside.

Toys

Toys should remain at home.  Please assure your child that his/her toys are for home use and that at school he/she has exciting activities and friends to work with.  Sharing a book or a natural educational object such as a shell with others in the class in encouraged.

Snacks

Gatehouse provides nutritious snacks for the children each day. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions your child may have.

Lunches

Children in the Extended-Day and Full-Day Kindergarten programs bring lunch from home and eat in their classroom while supervised by a teacher.  Parents are asked to provide nutritious lunches.

Parents are asked to keep the portions suitable for their child’s age level.  Fruits and vegetables should be cut into bite-sized pieces.  Foods such as chocolate bars, potato chips, and candies, which are high in sugar content/and or artificial additives, should not be included in their lunches. In order to contribute to a cleaner environment, we ask that parents pack their child’s food and drink in re-useable containers.

Recess

When the weather permits, the children will go outside in the morning for up to 30 minutes at the end of their day. Children in the Extended-Day and Full-Day Kindergarten programs have 30 minutes of supervised recess each day after lunch.  Parents are asked to be aware of the weather forecast and to send their children with clothing appropriate for the day.  If children are well enough to be at school, they should be well enough to go outside.

Birthdays

Birthdays and celebrations are a welcome event in the classroom.  In the Montessori environment, we celebrate a child’s birthday in a very special way.  During group time, close to the end of the morning or afternoon session, the birthday child carries the globe around a large symbol of the sun.  He/she walks around the sun one time for each year while the children sing a special song.  A nice addition to this celebration is to include a photographic “time line” of your child’s life, for example one or two photos for each year of your child’s life to share with his/her classmates and teachers.

Birthday Invitations

Children’s feelings are very easily hurt if they see a child being given an invitation and they do not receive one.  Please be very discrete if you are not inviting all the children in the class.  Invitations can be placed in individual cubby slots outside each classroom.  Please do not ask the teachers to distribute the invitations for you.

Cultural Celebrations

Children learn about a number of different cultural celebrations throughout the school year.  On occasion, parents are invited into the classroom to share the customs of the celebration with the children.