619 Preschool Parent Handbook

The goal of our program is to provide three-and four-year-olds with an opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, and academically.  Our program will also help establish good habits and routines that will be important for kindergarten and the rest of your child’s academic career.

Each child will be disciplined with love and respect.  Positive reinforcement will be used to modify inappropriate behavior.  We do not use corporal punishment in our program, and expulsion is a last resort.

Our program will provide hands-on activities through learning centers which include art, science, music, reading, math, dramatic play, and blocks.  Each classroom is led by a dual certified early-childhood teacher and two assistants. Support services are included based on the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Speech-language therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists work with our learners as needed.

We will go outside every day, weather permitting.  All outside clothing such as hats and coats should be marked with a permanent marker.  Please dress your child accordingly based on outside weather conditions. Send your child in comfortable clothing suitable for play.  Your child’s safety is our top priority in the classroom and on the playground. Please do not send your child in flip-flops, crocs, cowboy boots, or any backless shoes.  An extra change of clothing should be left at the school at all times.

Students must meet eligibility requirements.  Children who meet these criteria will need to provide the following:

• completed TCS registration form, 
• immunization record with physician’s signature (or an immunization exemption form), 
• social security card (or a state-approved alternative), 
• birth certificate (or a state-approved alternative), 
• and current (within the last two months) proof of residency within the school district (e.g., utility bill, lease with parent’s name on it, etc.).

For students attending the morning session:

Drop off begins at 7:45 a.m.  If you bring your child to school later than 7:55a.m., please report to the CSS Main Office to sign your child in for 619 preK.  

Pick up begins at 10:45 a.m.  If you arrive after 10:55a.m., please report to the CSS Main Office to sign your child out from 619 preK.

For students attending the afternoon session:

Drop off begins at 11:15 a.m.  If you bring your child to school later than 11:25a.m., please report to the CSS Main Office to sign your child in for 619 preK.

Pick up begins at 2:15 p.m.  If you arrive after 2:25p.m., please report to the CSS Main Office to sign your child out from 619 preK.

We encourage parents to be involved with our program.  Please feel free to call the school to set up an appointment to visit the classroom. There also will be parent meetings and special events throughout the year that we encourage all families to attend.

Tullahoma City Schools, as licensed by the Tennessee State Department, has a “no-nit” policy.  If your child is sent home with head lice, a parent or guardian must accompany them upon their return to school.  The student’s head will be checked. If no lice or nits are found, your child will be allowed to stay at school. If their head is not clear, they must go home for another treatment.

To ensure the well being of our children, each child must have a complete immunization record.  Children in the program may not attend school if they have had a fever, have been vomiting, or have had diarrhea within 24 hours.  The CSS Building is a smoke-free environment.

Depending upon the length of your child’s day, our program will provide breakfast and/or lunch, and one to two snacks.  A menu will be sent home monthly.

State Law requires medication to be in its original container with the child’s name and prescription on it.  All instructions should be included. A request for medication to be administered must be on file with a physician’s signature. All medication will be kept in a locked cabinet.  All doses will be kept on record.

We encourage visits and volunteering from parents and family.  Feel free to come in and eat lunch, read a book, or volunteer for special events by signing in at our Main Office.  We want to maintain open and positive communication between parents and teachers.

Basic Policies

• At 7:55 a.m., the doors leading to the pre-k hall will be locked. If you return to school during instructional time for any reason, please check-in at the main office. 
• Please refrain from bringing candy, toys, or gum to school.  
• Parents are welcome to volunteer in classrooms, but parents will be asked to allow staff to make a copy of their state-issued ID.  Parent volunteers will also be asked to complete a Parent Volunteer Form and a Confidentiality form.
• If our school is having an emergency/safety drill, parents will not be permitted to check their children out of school while such a drill is in progress.

Contact (Blue) Card

• Each parent will fill out a contact (blue) card.  All persons picking up your child must be listed on the contact card.  This card will provide the names and numbers of the persons allowed to pick up your child.  If someone arrives who is not on the card, they will not be allowed to pick up the child. Please be sure to include anyone you will send to pick up your child. It is the parents’ responsibility to add or remove a person’s name from the list. 
• In the event that an adult exhibiting behavior that may place the children at immediate risk arrives to pick up a child, CSS staff will attempt to call the child’s parent/caregiver.  In the event a parent/caregiver cannot immediately be reached, CSS will immediately call the City of Tullahoma Police Department. 
• Please inform us IMMEDIATELY if your address or phone number changes during the school year.  It is very important that we are able to reach you in case of an emergency. 
• The length of your child’s school day is based on your child’s individual needs.  An adult must walk each child to the classroom. An adult who is on the student’s contact (blue) card must also pick up each child in the classroom promptly at the specified time.  A state-issued ID may be required if staff are unfamiliar with this adult.
• For your child’s safety, please inform the school of any food allergies.

Our 619 preschool program does not have a late fee policy.

• 2 boxes of tissues
• 2 bottles of foaming hand soap
• 3 boxes of baby wipes
• 1 package of snacks
• 1 pack of washable markers
• 2 packs of cardstock
• 2 packs of Velcro
• 1 bottle of glue
• Complete change of clothing including socks and underwear (labeled in a gallon Ziploc bag)
• Diapers (if applicable)

Supplementary, age-appropriate video clips may be shown to support lessons.  Additionally, the following movies are rated G and may be shown for special events that are appropriate to lessons:

101 Dalmatians, A Bug’s Life, Aristocats, Babe, Bambi, Brother Bear, Cars, Charlotte’s Web, Chicken Run, Cinderella, Curious George, Dumbo, Finding Nemo, Homeward Bound, Horton Hears a Who!, Jack and the Beanstalk, Lady and the Tramp, Monsters Inc., Mulan, Muppets in Space, Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Pocahontas, Ratatouille, Rio, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Tangled, Tarzan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Toy Story.