Policies

(1) ILLNESS

(2) DISCIPLINE

(3) VOLUNTEER – $200 deposit required, if the agreed annual volunteer requirements are met the deposit is returned at school term end (June, annual)

(1) ILLNESS: The following applies to all staff, children and volunteers in the University Heights Nursery School Association preschool classroom:

Our illness policy draws on guidance published by the province regarding symptoms common to influenza, common respiratory illnesses and COVID-19. Please note that these are recommendations and not requirements.

It is recommended to monitor for symptoms and isolate (5 days at home + wear a mask for another 5 days while indoors near others) if you experience symptoms not related to a preexisting condition and/or if you test positive for COVID-19.

STAY HOME IF SICK

Symptoms to monitor for:

  • Fever or chills
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Nausea or diarrhea
  • Loss or altered sense of taste/smell

During COVID-19, in 2020: some symptoms, such as runny nose and sore throat – if experienced in isolation from other symptoms – were removed from the symptom checklist for Albertans under 18 years of age.

  • Headache and muscle or joint pain
  • If you have symptoms and test negative, it is recommended you:
    • Stay home and repeat the test after 24 hours
    • If both tests are negative, stay home until symptoms improve and free of fever (without use of medication) for 24 hours
  • If you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, monitor closely for symptoms for 7 days after last exposure to the contact. Where possible, avoid contact with vulnerable people (elderly or with significant immunocompromising conditions), and if you must have contact with vulnerable people, consider taking precautions like masking.

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE

  • Wash or sanitize your hands often
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes
  • Avoid touching your face

Alberta Health Services highlights other communicable conditions common in education/childcare settings. These conditions are listed below and students should not attend until free of symptoms. Teachers will monitor for students showing the following symptoms and contact parents and/or secondary/emergency contacts to arrange for immediate pick up if required.

  • Pink Eye (alberta.ca) – see the check your symptoms tool at this link.
  • Head Lice (alberta.ca) – Students should not attend until treated with anti-lice shampoo and nits have been removed.
  • Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (alberta.ca)
    • HFM symptoms include:
    • Tired, sore throat, and fever of ~38.3°C (101°F)-39.4°C (103°F)
    • On day two or later, a skin rash, sores or blisters may appear in or on the mouth and on the hands, feet (and sometimes buttocks).
  • Strep Throat (alberta.ca) – If prescribed antibiotics, do not attend until 24 hours after the first dose, or as advised by a doctor
    • Strep throat symptoms include:
    • Sudden, severe sore throat without coughing, sneezing, or other cold symptoms
    • Pain when you swallow, or trouble swallowing
    • Fever over 38.3°C (101°F) (Lower fevers may point to a viral infection and not strep.)
    • Swollen neck lymph nodes
    • White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils
    • Bright red throat or dark red spots on the roof of the mouth near back of the throat
    • Swollen tonsils (This symptom may also be caused by a viral infection)
    • Headache and belly pain
    • Less common symptoms include red skin rash, vomiting, lack of hunger, and body aches

If prescribed antibiotics for any reason, do not attend until 24 hours after first dose, or as advised by a doctor.

Additional resources:

(2) DISCIPLINE: Children benefit most in an environment where parents and teacher work together to:

  • Set positive role models for every child to follow and expecting every child to treat fellow classmates and adults with respect and politeness.
  • Set positive role models for every child to follow and expecting every child to treat fellow classmates and adults with respect and politeness.
  • Promote a positive self-concept in every child.
  • Encourage every child to feel responsible for the classroom (space, equipment and materials).
  • Encourage every child to feel responsible for their actions.
  • Help every child find acceptable ways to express feelings (ie; joy, anger and sadness).
  • Offer every child choices in a variety of situations.
  • Set reasonable limits and expectations that apply to every child.

Parents will be confidentially informed of persistent behavioural problems so the parent-teacher team can work together toward positive solutions. In the event that a successful resolution is not achieved in a time deemed reasonable by the parent volunteer board, the child may be asked to withdraw from programming as a last resort.

Methods of Discipline

Providing every child positive reinforcement for good behaviour rather than focusing on and drawing attention to inappropriate behaviours.

Allowing every child the opportunity to learn to handle a variety of difficult situations, especially difficult ones, independently but being prepared as the supervising teacher(s) to step in if any child has the potential to harm any other child or themselves.

Aiding every child in finding positive solutions to their problems, or redirecting them to different activities, whichever is appropriate for the given situation.

Healthy diversions are used by the program teachers as a form of redirection. For example, when a child encounters a difficult situation, requiring discipline, the child may be in that moment unable or unwilling to find positive solutions.  At the point that is determined, the child would be redirected to an alternative diversion free of some of the triggers that may be causing the situation (ie, calm book reading centre).  The problematic elements of the situation would be explained to the child, the child given and aided through the diversion (ie, a favourite book) and be given the roadmap to a positive exit strategy, such as that they may leave the centre selected for redirection centre/activity when they feel ready to discuss, cooperate, determine some solutions, whatever is an appropriate course of action for resolution of the situation.

Teachers and any in-class volunteers or participants (e.g. presenters) will not inflict or cause to be inflicted any form of physical punishment, verbal or physical degradation or emotional deprivation, deny or threaten to deny any basic necessity or use or permit the use of any form of physical restraint, confinement or isolation.  

Any child disciplinary action taken will be reasonable for the circumstances of the situation. 

Volunteer Policy

The Montgomery Community Preschool is a parent run cooperative. Volunteering is a mandatory part of registration.

This allows us to maintain our low tuition costs and run the program.

1. Every family must volunteer for at least 2 events* throughout the year (Sept – June). Examples of these are in class activities, out of class activities,

volunteer coordinator, and voting board members.

2. Families are required to pay a $200/family volunteer deposit at the start of the school year. If the volunteer requirements are met, the $200 deposit will be returned at the end of the school year (June). The only exception to this is if you volunteer for a voting board position or a coordinator position. Any voting board member or non voting coordinator does NOT need to put the $200 up front. If unable to fulfill your board or coordinator position payment of the fee will be required.

3. If families choose not to volunteer and do not complete their volunteering requirement the $200 deposit will be kept by the Montgomery Community Preschool.

4. Voting board members will also receive their $75 registration fee back in June if they have served on the board for the school year.

5. Refunds need to be approved by the board at the end of the school year. It is our Volunteer Coordinators job to keep track of the number of times people

have volunteered.

*Events – in class classroom prep/help with the kids, field trips, out of class play dough making or other help for the teachers, volunteer coordinator position