PRESCHOOL SCHEDULE:

Children and parents are individually greeted each morning. When the child is ready to begin their day there is an activity that may range from a craft, game, puzzles that allows them to transition into the day.

When all children have arrived and are ready to begin we meet for a large group session, involving discussion of calendar themes, phonemic awareness and a story. Often there is music and movement involved as well.

Transitioning from large group to small group, approximately 15 minutes later, children choose an activity such as materials that allow creativity (play dough, finger paint, etc.), crafts, games, etc. After small group activity completion children plan where they would like to work. We use the word work for child's play, as they are working toward developing needed skills.

Their work time typically is one hour in length. At the completion of work time we work together to clean our room and prepare snack. We take a rest room break and wash our hands then enjoy snack family style, where children reinforce social skills.

After snack we transition into a story before we leave for large motor activities such as outdoor walks, structured games in the large gym or free choice in one of our two gymnasiums.

At the completion of our day we walk to our room and are greeted by our loved ones!

At the end of each week we enjoy a sharing session of show and tell, often highlighting the theme we've discussed throughout the week.

EWMA Preschool

Program

 We used to think people were born with a fixed amount of brainpower.  Now we know that the right kind of stimulation in the early years dramatically affects a child's intellectual capacity.

-Albert Shanker, Past President, American Federation of Teachers

Phone:

Main Office: (734) 677-0732
Fax:  (734) 677-0740

Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural Academy

5550 Platt Road

Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Director:  Peggy Yenor

Our Philosophy: 

Our goal is to help each child progress to increasing skill, mastery and independence in performing to provide challenging, but not frustrating, learning experiences in a loving, non-pressure environment.  We are sensitive to each child's developmental needs.  We understand that each child has a different capacity for learning.  We do not feel that pushing children is the way to learn.  We create an atmosphere that encourages self-confidence and a positive self-image.  Our teachers take an active role in guiding, instructing, and presenting new experiences.

PROGRAM GOALS:

The philosophy behind our curriculum is that young children learn best by doing. Learning isn't just repeating what someone else says; it requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in. In using real materials such as blocks and trying out their ideas, children learn about sizes, shapes, and colors and they notice relationships between things.

Play provides the foundation for academic or "school" learning. It is the preparation children need before they learn highly abstract symbols such as letters (which are symbols for sounds) and numbers (which are symbols for number concepts). Play enables us to achieve the key goals of our early childhood curriculum. Play is the work of young children.

CURRICULUM GOALS:

Our curriculum identifies goals in all areas of development,

• Social: To help children feel comfortable in school, trust their new environment, make friends, and feel they are a part of the group.
• Emotional: To help children experience pride and self- confidence, develop independence and self-control, and have a positive attitude toward life.
• Cognitive: To help children become confident learners by letting them try out their own ideas and experience success, and by helping them acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions, and use words to describe their ideas, observations, and feelings.
• Physical: To help children increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do.

ADMINISTRATION AND STAFFING:

EWMA Preschool is licensed by the State of Michigan.  Our staff consists of qualified director, administrator, teachers and assistants that are educated, caring people.

CLASSROOM SCHEDULE:

Children must reach the age of four before December 1st of the school year to be eligible for any of the preschool programs.

We offer 4 day program,

M,T,NW,TH                             

PARENT/TEACHER COMMUNICATIONS:

Each day your child will bring home a journal.  We will write what your child did that day and how their day went.  We ask you to respond back with any questions or comments you have.  The journal enables you to participate in your child's school day.  A monthly newsletter will be sent to all parents.  It will include information what is happening in the classroom and upcoming events.

A parent/teacher conference scheduled during the course of the school year.  We encourage you to keep open lines of communication with the teacher.  Should you have problem you wish to discuss with us, please schedule a time when your child is not present.  Teachers will also participate in (2) home visits and workshops for parents.

We will have an advisory committee.  Parents are asked to join and meet to discuss the program.  

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES:

One of the primary aims of preschool is to teach children to socialize in an acceptable manner.  At EWMA Preschool we expect our students to treat one another with kindness and respect.  Teachers model this behavior throughout the day. 

Children need help understanding their own emotions, and encouragement in channeling negative feelings into positive actions.  Children also need firm guidance from their teachers.  A positive happy learning environment results when children understand what is expected from them.

For these important reasons, EWMA Preschool practices the following:

Encourage the child to find a positive solution to the problem.  Teachers may assist in this process. Implements re-direction.  Re-direct the child to a quiet area if the child needs time to calm down and sort out emotions.  Discussion with parents the same day an incident takes place.  Work with the parents to encourage consistency between home and school.  Encourage parents to work with the teachers, and take any necessary steps to address any problems the child is experiencing.  At EWMA Preschool our first priority is our students.  We are concerned with the best interest of each child, and we reserve the right to disenroll any child whose behavior is such that it endangers their self or another, or is disruptive to the preschool.

Health Care Policy:

 The goal of the ASHI Blood borne pathogens/Infection control training program is to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries in the childcare settings and help childcare workers recognize the signs and symptoms of important childhood illnesses.  Upon completion of this two hour training participants should be able to conduct regular safety, checks, modify the childcare to reduce the risks of hazards, provide and understand effective methods of visual supervision of children effectively enforce rules for safe playing activities and adhere to a designated emergency action plan.

Hand washing procedures will be used in a consistent manor.  Children must wet their hands and wash them using soap and water. Sanitizers and wipes are not an approved substitute for hand washing.  Hands will be rubbed together for at least 10 seconds.  Hand washing will take place before snack, after coughing or sneezing, and after using the bathroom.  Children will dry their hands with a clean disposable or single use cloth.  Tap will be turned off with the same towel.

Cleaning and Sanitizing will be done on all toys, tables, and working areas.  The area will be washed with soap and water, rinsed with clean water, submerged or sprayed with bleach water, and will be left out to air dry.

Sanitation will be done with a mixture of bleach and water.  1 tablespoon of bleach will be used per gallon of water.

Controlling Infections is important to our school and will be done by the universal precautions mentioned above.  Toys that are put in the mouth will be cleaned in the steps mentioned above.  If children are sick or have any type of communicable disease they will be removed from the school and will not be allowed back without a doctor note.  Children who become ill will be removed from the children until they are picked up.

Resources:  www.macombcountymi.gov/publichealth

Pest Management Plan Annual notification will be sent home to our families to inform when our grounds will be fertilized or sprayed for pest control.  We will notify you via e-mail, telephone, letter, or it will be posted in the entrance.

^{Tuition Policies We have two programs:}

^{GSRP:  Our program is paid with GSRP Grant.  Students must meet 2 of the 25 criteria in order to receive the preschool grant.  Students must meet a income requirement also.  Paper work will be given to those who feel they would qualify.} 

<sup>To see the requirements for at risk and income requirements go to the Michigan web site: michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_6809_50451-193820--,00.html

Tuition Price:  We also have a paid preschool, tuition for 2 full days 8:45-3:15 is $150.00 and four full days is $300.00.  A Before and After School Program is also available for pay for those who need care 7:30-8:30 and 3:15-5:30.

Nurturing & Stimulating Environment!</sup>