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.

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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