Happy
Hearts Handbook
Admissions Policy
Time
Dropping
Off and Loading
Late Pickups
Tuition
Absences
Snacktime
Newsletters & Calendars
Birthdays
Music Assembly, Chapel & Music Instruction
Programs
Early Dismissals
Parties & Celebrations
Field Trips
Playground
No Verbal Messages
Parent & Grandparent Volunteers
Dress
Discipline
Fundraising
Healthy Bodies
Happy Hearts Library
Dance Class
Time
School hours are 8:30am to 12noon. Teachers may be in their
rooms before 8:30, but that is their planning time. The rooms
open for students at 8:30am. Dropping off in car line for K4 is
from 8:30 – 8:40am. Loading in the car line for K4 will begin
at 12noon. If you have an unavoidable delay, please call the
school. At 12:10 we return to the rooms and your child may be
picked up there.
Dropping
Off and Loading
To prevent accidents, we must enforce rules of safety. We ask you
to observe the following rules to ensure every child’s safety:
- Drive
north on Alvarez (west side of church) so that children may unload
on the curbside from car doors. In the mornings, please see that
your child is seen in by the staff on duty – if it is not
between 8:30-8:40, or if a staff person is not on duty, it is
your responsibility to see that your child gets to his/her classroom
door. Please remember that our teachers are preparing for class
prior to 8:30am, so no early birds please.
- PLEASE
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR WHILE IN THE LOADING ZONE! If you need to
leave your car, park in the lot.
-
Pull up as far as possible to load in single file.
-
Staff will help load children. Please do not get out of you car
while in the pick-up lane.
- K-3
STUDENTS NEED TO BE WALKED INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS EACH MORNING
AND PICKED UP IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AT THE END OF EACH DAY.
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Late Pickups
Occasionally, unavoidable delays arise. If this happens, please
call the school. However, on the third late pickup, and every
one thereafter, a $5 charge will be assessed for every 5 minutes
you are late.
Tuition
Tuition is based on a yearly rate. For ease of payment, it may
be divided into 10 installments as printed on the tuition
schedule. If you choose to pay monthly, these payments are
due on the 15th and late after the 20th of the month. If
payment is not made by the 20th, a $20 late fee will be added.
If a second consecutive payment is late, the child may be
dropped from enrollment. There is a $25 return check charge.
If special needs arise, please speak to the director. Payments
can be mailed to Happy Hearts or dropped off at the school.
Absences
We understand that absences are unavoidable due to illness
and possible vacations. We do ask that you attend as much as
possible. The children miss out on many fun activities when
they are out. However, if your child is sick with a fever,
congestion, cough and/or a “green”, yucky nose”, please keep
them home.
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Snacktime
Snack time is held each morning in class. Each teacher will let
your know her policy and give you some healthy suggestions. A
calendar will be given to you at the beginning of each month to
let you know which day(s) has been assigned to you. Your
child will be the host on the day his/her snacks are served. We
do have a refrigerator so you may send milk, yogurt, cheese or
other items that need cooling. Try to save the highly sugared
items for special occasions like birthdays and holidays – this
helps us stay healthy and make those events more special. Happy Hearts is a peanut-free school.
Newsletters
and Calendars
You will receive a school-wide newsletter once a month. Please
read this and you will find that you are up to date on what is
happening at Happy Hearts. If you have something that you
would like to put in the newsletter please see Kim.
You will also receive a class calendar from your child’s teacher
each month. Please keep this handy and visual so that you and
your child can participate in special activities and be prepared
for upcoming events and projects.
Birthdays
The children’s birthdays are celebrated on the closet feasible
day to their actual birthday. This is done in Music Assembly.
Parents and guests are encouraged to come and hear the
special music, take pictures and bring special snacks to class.
All children who have a birthday during the summer months
will celebrate their “half-birthday” during the school year.
These celebrations will be given the same attention as other
birthdays.
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Music
Assembly, Chapel & Music Instruction
Music Assembly is held Mondays and Fridays from 8:45 –
9:15am in the Fellowship Hall. Assembly for the
Tuesday/Thursday Earlybirds will be on Tuesdays at 8:45am
in the Fellowship Hall.
Chapel will be held every Wednesday in the sanctuary.
Parents are welcome to all assemblies and chapel.
Happy Hearts students will have Mrs. Jan Pressley for music
time during assembly Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Mrs. Pressley will also have music instruction with each class
once a week. During this time the children learn about
instruments and a wide range of musical styles.
Programs
The children of Happy Hearts present three music programs.
The Christmas Program spotlights K-4 students with a small
part by the Hummingbirds and Earlybirds. This night also
includes our Silent Auction for all parents and friends of
Happy Hearts. Our Spring Program is presented by K-3 and
K-4.
Early
Dismissal
In order to accommodate our parents and staff with children
in the Marion County School system, we will have early
dismissal in accordance with the public school calendar.
School will dismiss at 11:30 on these days.
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Parties
and Celebrations
Happy Hearts has six celebrations throughout the year. You
are asked to work on at least one party with another parent.
The party parents plan and orchestrate the entire party from
snacks to activities ~ it’s your turn to have fun with the
children. If you need ideas or have questions feel free to ask
the teacher or Kim. Below is a general outline:
- Fall Festival: Children may wear a non-violent/non-scary
costume to school for Assembly and a parade around campus –
parents are welcome! The party is held in the classrooms after
children change into regular clothes ~ games/activities, a craft,
stories/books, snack and favors are needed.
- Thanksgiving Feast: Children will be dressed as pilgrims,
Indians and turkeys (costumes made in class) for this event in
the courtyard. Party parents are in charge of the food, set-up,& decorations and will meet as a committee on the details of
the meal.
- Christmas: Party parents are in charge of games/activities, a
craft, snack and party favors. Jesus and
Santa are both welcome.
- Valentine’s: The Valentine’s party is held in the classrooms
and party parents are in charge of games/activities, a craft,
snack and favors.
- Easter: This party is generally held at someone’s home,
preferably not far from school. The students do not come to
school that day. They go directly to the party house for an egg
hunt, games/activities, a craft (optional), snack and favors.
- End-of-the Year: This may be held on campus or at a different
location approved by the teacher and director. Party parents
are in charge of the cost of the location (if any),
games/activities, craft (optional), snacks and favors. If you
have if at a home with a pool, you must have a baby gate.
Field Trips
When field trips are planned, we need your assistance in
driving and chaperoning children. All children are required
to be in seatbelts in the back seat and 3 year olds must be in a
car seat.
Playground
Happy Hearts and First Presbyterian Church share the Peggy
Wiechens Memorial Playground. If you would like to use the
playground for an after-school event, please clear this with the
church office: 629-7561. We love to see our families enjoy the
playground for picnics and playtimes! Periodically, we need to
have playground work days to improve and repair our facility.
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No
Verbal Messages
No verbal messages
will be accepted from your child. To safeguard your child, we ask
you to notify us, in writing when someone other than a parent or
regular carpool will be picking up your child.
Parent/Grandparent
Volunteers
We encourage parent involvement. It is important to Happy
Hearts and to your children to have helpful, supportive
parents. There are many things you can do as a volunteer,
including classroom help as well as helping from home. Please
complete the Volunteer questionnaire that is sent home.
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Dress
Children are encouraged to wear play clothes and tennis shoes – no backless shoes. Daily activities include active play and the
children need to feel comfortable about participating without
worrying about their clothing. Please label all jackets, caps
and other loose articles.
Discipline
Acceptable behavior is encouraged by giving positive verbal
rewards. This reinforces a child’s good feeling about his/her
behavior and serves as an example to the other children to act
in such a way as to receive this praise. Asking a child to stop
and think about their unpleasant behavior enables a child to
work at self control. If behavior problems persist after the
teacher has used different methods (praising acceptable
behavior, removal from the situation, one-on-one conservation
with the child, time out) to deal with them, then the parent will
be called. This will be followed by a conference with the
teacher, parents and director to determine further action.
Corporal punishment and humiliation are not accepted
methods of dealing with young children’s behavior at Happy
Hearts.
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Admissions Policy
Happy Hearts Kindergarten, Inc. admits students of any race,
color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges,
programs, and activities generally accorded or made available
to students at the school. Happy Hearts Kindergarten, Inc.
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and
ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies,
admissions policies, and other school administered programs.
Fundraising
We have narrowed our fundraising to one annual fun event that is easy to support and participate in. All fundraising
monies go into the classrooms and benefit our children
directly.
- Silent Auction : The Silent Auction is held as part of our
Christmas Program in early December. All Happy Hearts
families and friends of Happy Hearts are encouraged to come
and participate. If you or someone you know has something
that can be donated to the event please let the Auction
Chairpersons know.
Happy
Hearts Healthy Bodies
This is a program designed for children to enjoy the basics of
being physically fit. Students will participate in fun physical
activities which promotes a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Happy
Hearts Library
Happy Hearts is pleased to announce the formation of a
Student Library. All students will be allowed to visit the
library and check out books. Other library events will be
announced.
Dance
Class
A local dance instructor will hold dance classes once a week for
all interested children. Children will perform in a recital at the
end of the year to showcase their progress. Details regarding
the dance classes, including fees and times will be announced in
a future bulletin.
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