ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES
Early morning care starts at 7.00am and children may be handed to the person on duty or you can walk them to their classroom. Classes start at 8.00am, with the road gates closing at 8.30am. Please ensure that children are at school timeously as late arrival causes disruption to the teaching programme.
School closes at 11.45 for the Rainbow group and midday for the Red and Blue group. Aftercare starts from 12.15pm and is charged out accordingly. It is requested that parents be prompt in fetching their little ones.
COLLECTION OF CHILDREN
For security reasons it is essential that LFMP knows exactly who is fetching your child, so parents are requested to inform the secretary or write a note in their child’s notebook if there is any change to their daily arrangements.
ABSENTEES AND MEDICINES
The school should be notified by 9.00am if children are absent for any reason. This is particularly important in the case of infectious diseases.
Children on any form of medication during the course of the day SHOULD BE KEPT AT HOME. A clearance certificate must be produced when a child returns to school after having been absent with an infectious disease.
TOYS
Bringing toys to school cause many tears. Therefore, no toys are allowed at school. Only toys needed for “ Show and Tell or sounds” for that week will be allowed.
CLOTHES
Please ensure that all children have a spare set of clothing in his/her bag particularly underwear. It is suggested that a few spare sets be sent with the Rainbow and red groups. We encourage self-help clothing which fastens easily. The minimum amount of clothing is required in hot weather although it is a good idea to keep a jersey in their bags as the weather is sometimes unpredictable. Shoes are not necessary, but they must have shoes for any “Outings”.
BIRTHDAYS
The class teacher will do a special Birthday Ring for each child on or near his/her birthday, which the parents are allowed to attend. A prior arrangement with the teacher must be made in this regard. Please liaise with the teacher and send a cake on this day. Invitations for home parties can be distributed through the children’s books as long as the whole class has been invited.
NOTEBOOKS
The notebook system is an integral part of the parent-teacher liaison process. Parents are asked to check their children’s notebooks daily for notices from the school and to correspond in the notebooks with any relevant information.
PAYMENTS
School fees may be paid in cash or directly into the school’s bank account. If however monies do have to be sent to the school, these should be enclosed in a SEALED and MARKED envelope and place in the deposit box in the BLUE CLASSROOM.
Our school fees are paid over 11 months, and are payable in advance. (Jan-Nov.) The first payment is due on the first day of school. Aftercare is paid at the beginning of every month over 12 months.
SNACKS
Parents are urged to provide snacks that are healthy and easily handled by their children – please cut and peal fruit if necessary.
Remember that it is a snack not lunch. Foods that are not suitable for school include chips, biscuits, sweets for peanuts and nuts. We have a nut free zone as we have children with nut allergies.
Please ensure that snack boxes and juice bottles are easy to open and close, as the older children are expected to manage this activity on their own. The younger children will be assisted with feeding.
BAKER-BAKER
The Baker-Baker system enables each child in the class to have a turn to bring eats on a Friday for the whole class. The children are encouraged to bring R5 for the Baker-Baker, which is donated to charity.
Class baking supplied by the school takes place on Fridays.
LIBRARY
We offer a book lending library for the Red and Blue groups, and sometimes the Rainbow group. These are exchanged with the children on a weekly basis. Parents are urged to encourage their children to read their library books. Books should only be sent back to school on the nominated day. In class, the teachers discuss how the children should look after their library books.
The children will have an opportunity to tell the class about their book. Books for selection are discussed so that the children can make an informed choice as to why they want a certain book. If a book is lost or damaged, parents are requested to replace it with the same book if possible. If not a suitable replacement should be discussed with the teacher.
Parents are invited to donate a book to the library anytime throughout the year. It is greatly appreciated if a book can be donated to the school on their Birthday. A bookplate with the child’s name will be pasted in the front of the book. In this way the child will be able to use a book which he/she has personally donated to the school.
PARKING
Parents are asked to only park on the RIGHT HAND SIDE of the driveway and not in the turning circle at the bottom of the driveway. No cars may even stop for a brief moment in the turning circle.
ANTI-WASTE AND RECYCLING
Cardboard boxes, bottle tops, small lids, anything smallish and interesting are needed for ‘box constructions’ on a Monday.
Children are encouraged to recycle paper and plastic. Recycled paper is often used throughout the school.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
It is imperative that the school have UPDATED home and work telephone numbers or contact numbers for the use in emergencies. The school also needs parent’s email addresses. The school must also be notified of any change of address.
Should you not want your phone numbers and address handed out please inform the Principle. A class list will be given out to everyone in your class at the beginning of the year.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL
Due to the fact that LFMP is a relatively small school, parental involvement and support is vital to the smooth running of the school. The teachers meet regularly to discuss the maintenance and upkeep of the school, however parents are requested to make themselves available to serve or to help around the school.
Each year a Liaison mom is elected in each group to help with functions, fundraising and social events. Functions are organized not only to serve as a means of fundraising, but also as a social interaction between parents and teachers.
GENERAL
Our programme is run by loving, qualified and experienced staff that create an environment which enriches and develops the child as a whole person.
The staff at Little Footsteps Montessori Pre-school is dedicated to these bequests.
