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Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 |
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District Home Page > Preschool Home Page > Handbook |
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Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 |
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District Home Page > Preschool Home Page > Handbook |
Click here for a printer friendly Preschool Handbook.
Lake Havasu Unified School District’s
Developmental Preschool
| The Developmental
Preschool community of staff, students, and families
work as a team.
We share the responsibility of modeling and teaching the essential academic and life skills necessary to encourage our students to become responsible, contributing members of society. We strive to cultivate each student's strengths and to encourage his or her own positive character traits. Our staff believes that children are unique individuals and by building upon each child's strengths and abilities, all children can be successful learners. We believe that children learn in an engaging, safe, and consistent environment supported by a trained, caring, and responsive staff. Children need a variety of experiences that include daily opportunities to participate in small and large group activities which encourage math, language, thinking skills, social, and muscle development. We believe that children learn best when they have opportunities to explore their world with adults encouraging and guiding growth and development. Our goal is to create a home/school partnership where parents and teachers work together to support children's learning. |
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| Early Childhood Special Education is a
state-mandated preschool program for three- and four-year old children
with special needs. The Lake Havasu Unified School District provides
screening and/or identification of three- and four- and non-kindergarten
eligible five-year old handicapped children with suspected disabilities.
The Developmental Preschool is designed to address the educational needs
of developmentally delayed preschool children. Child Find Screening for
possible learning disabilities is available to all children residing
within District boundaries. Screening is also offered to infants (0-3
years) through the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP). Child
Find Screenings are free to parents and children. The Lake Havasu Developmental Preschool is a reverse mainstream program where children with differing abilities and disabilities play and learn together in the same classroom. The program is designed to serve both special needs and typically developing preschoolers who are three to five years old (not eligible age for kindergarten). Special needs children may be challenged in one or more ways by impairment of speech/language, hearing, or vision impairment or by developmental delay. Developmental delay may affect cognitive, motor, and/or sensory abilities; psychomotor and/or language skills; and/or adaptive behavior. Services are free to qualifying children. Typically developing children pay tuition to attend the program and come from the school community. A waiting list for typically developing preschoolers will be established if the number applying exceeds the number of spaces available. |
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| School
districts are mandated to locate, identify and evaluate children with
disabilities within their attendance area. Referrals for the program
may come from various sources, but the most common is the child's parents.
Initial preschool referrals are handled and recorded through the Lake
Havasu School District office. After referral, a developmental screening
determines if a child has a potential disability that requires further
evaluation. Evaluations may include speech, fine motor, gross motor,
and/or school psychological evaluations. All evaluations are free to
qualifying children. After a full evaluation determines whether a child
is eligible for placement in the center-based preschool, an Individual
Education Program (IEP) is developed to meet the child's needs. All
evaluators, teachers, and parents are involved in this process.
Child Find Screenings for Children Birth through age 5 (not Kindergarten eligible) will be held throughout the school year. Call the District Office to schedule an appointment at 855-1160. |
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Transition from AzEIP (Arizona Early Intervention Program) to Preschool
| The Arizona Early Intervention System
(known as AzEIP) and the Local Education Agency System have an agreement
that establishes procedures for the transition of children with
disabilities who are reaching their third birthday from the AzEIP
program to the Developmental Preschool. The purpose of this agreement is
(1) to minimize the number of transitions
and disruptions to children and families eligible for services, (2) encourage cooperation and communication between agencies and families to assure the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education from a child’s third birthday, (3) to insure cooperation between agencies in order to reduce the stress on children and families inherent in the transition process, and (4) to identify the responsibilities of each agency during the transition process to all involved parties. |
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| The AzEIP service coordinator contacts the Developmental Preschool staff to schedule a transition meeting. A meeting will occur between the time the child is two years six months and two years nine months. The purpose of the transition conference is to, a) identify existing assessment components, b) plan for the completion of the necessary additional assessment components by the appropriate agency, c) establish a plan for parental visitation to the Preschool site, d) establish tentative timelines and activities for the child’s transition into the Preschool program, e) review the program options from the child’s third birthday to the end of the school year. The team members for this conference consist, at the minimum, of the child’s parent(s) service coordinator, representative of the current program provider, and local education agency representative. |
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| A meeting is to occur no later than the month prior to the child’s third birthday to determine appropriate programming to take place by the child's third birthdate. Required participants are the child’s parent(s), the service coordinator, a representative of the child’s current program provider, and a special educator. This meeting is for reviewing assessments, determining eligibility for services, and writing the IEP/IFSP. The conference is called and IEP/IFSP Conference because the results could be the development of either an IEP (Individual Education Plan) or an IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan). |
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Logical School Transition Periods
More Information on Transition The University of Illinois at Urbana -Champagne has a |
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| Evaluations may be recommended following Child Find Screening or Transition Conference. These evaluations may include speech/language evaluation, fine motor evaluation, gross motor evaluation, and/or school psychological evaluation. Prior to evaluations the therapists and/or psychologist will need a copy of the child’s current hearing and vision screening, a developmental history, and parent consent for evaluations. Evaluations are free to children referred for evaluations following Child Find or Transition Meetings. |
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Individual Educational Program (IEP)
| The Preschool staff will arrange and
facilitate the IEP Conference to determine appropriate programming for
the child. The conference participants include parents, special
education teacher, local education agency representative, and a member
of the Evaluation Team. The IEP Conference will consist of a review of
evaluations, determination of eligibility for services, and the writing
of the Individual Educational Plan. The IEP components consist of a
written description of the child’s present level of educational
performance, goals and objectives, service plan, statement of placement
in the least restrictive environment, and consent of parents. Services
available include speech/language therapy, Occupational Therapy,
Physical Therapy, transportation, and services through the Arizona
School for the Deaf and Blind Cooperative Program. Services are based on
the needs of the child and determined by the IEP team members.
To learn more about the Individual Educational Program visit www.parentsoup.com/edcentral |
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Preschool Disability Eligibility
| The IEP conference team will complete the Preschool Disability Eligibility form following evaluations. There are five areas of eligibility for children from ages 3 to 5 (not eligible for kindergarten). Children whose only eligibility area is for articulation and/or phonological disorders will receive speech therapy on an outpatient basis. Preschool services for children qualifying under Preschool Speech/Language, Preschool Moderately Delayed, Preschool Severely Delayed, Visually Impaired, and/or Hearing Impaired are determined through the IEP process. |
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| The Lake Havasu Developmental Preschool meets four days a week (Monday through Thursday) and follows the modified school calendar schedule. Each session lasts for two hours and thirty minutes. During the preschool day, children participate in a rich variety of activities during which they experience many opportunities for learning. Each day children participate in circle time, small group activities, independent work time, snack, and movement activities. The three year old morning session’s hours are 8:00AM to 10:30AM and the four year old afternoon session’s hours are 11:50AM to 2:20PM. |
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Lake Havasu Unified School District has
Early Release Days about twice a month. The Early Release Days are used
for Teacher Training and Parent Conferences. The morning class meets
from 8:00 - 10:00 AM and the afternoon class meets from 10:00 - 12:00.
Transportation services are provided for children receiving regular bus
transportation. Please refer to the School Calendar for the Early
Release Day Schedule.
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of page - The Lake Havasu Developmental Preschool is a reverse
mainstream program where children with differing abilities and disabilities
play and learn together in the same classroom. The program is designed
to serve both special needs and typically developing preschoolers
who are three to five years old (not eligible age for kindergarten). Tuition waiting list forms are available through the
Preschool Office. Openings are filled on first come, first serve basis.
The school will need a copy of the child’s birth certificate and current
immunization record. Once accepted into the Preschool Program enrollment
forms must be completed prior to starting school. Immunizations must
be up-to-date. Tuition is $7.50 for each day preschool is in session.
Tuition must be paid by the first of each month. Tuition payment is
required for every day your child is enrolled in the program. This
includes absences due to sickness, vacations, and bereavement. The
only exception to this policy is when your child is out for more than
a week for illness and you have notified the Preschool Staff within
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Lake Havasu Unified School District
has Early Release Days about twice a month. The Early Release Days are
used for Teacher Training and Parent Conferences. The morning class
meets from 8:00 - 10:00 AM and the afternoon class meets from 10:00
- 12:00. Transportation services are provided for children receiving
regular bus transportation. Please refer to the School Calendar for
the Early Release Day Schedule.
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Permission slips must be completed for
students to attend field trips. Through their newsletters, the Preschool
Staff will provide information concerning field trips.
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Park in the parking lot off Smoketree
Avenue. Please escort your child to class. Parents must sign their child
in and out of class on the roster just inside the classroom door. We
must have written authorization to release your child to friends or
relatives. The blue information card must be completely filled out and
returned to the Preschool staff. On the back of this card, the names
and signatures of persons authorized to pick up your child must be completed.
The Preschool staff will not release a child to anyone other than the
custodial parent, guardian or a person designated by written authorization
from the custodial parent or guardian. The only exception is in the
case of an emergency when phone authorization by that parent or guardian
is provided. A password must be listed on the blue card to use as verification
of the phone authorization initiated by custodial parent or guardian.
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an IEP has an annual meeting to update goals/objectives, progress,
and services. All students receive progress reports on a quarterly
basis. Parent conferences are available at the end of the first quarter,
January, and end of the school year. Parents or teachers may request
a conference at any time. Parent workshops
are offered periodically with the year. They are scheduled on a parent/community
interest basis. Parents are encouraged
to joinSmoketree's Parent, Teacher, Student Organization (PTSO) which
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All visitors must enter through the
main office of Smoketree Elementary entrance and sign in at the front
office. A badge will be issued and must be worn at all times. Volunteers
are always welcome and appreciated.
Each child
in the program is issued a folder that is used to send notes, art projects,
newsletters, and homework to parents. This folder needs to be returned
each day of school. The weekly parent newsletter will communicate the
curriculum theme, projects, special events, and important notices concerning
the Preschool Program. The folders need to be checked by parents each
night. Parents may use the folders to send messages to the Preschool
staff.
| The Developmental
Preschool and Smoketree Elementary have reputations for maintaining
a safe and orderly environment conducive to learning. In addition to
our classroom rules, we have school-wide rules to ensure that all children
and staff members, as well as their property, will be safe. These rules
cover vandalism and fighting as well as honesty, respect, courtesy,
and proper language. Parents are expected to teach these rules at home
within the first week of school. The teachers inform students of these
rules especially during the first week of school, with periodic reminders
during the school year.
The preschool rules and discipline policy are very basic yet extremely important to ensure safe, fun, and effective learning for everyone. The rules are posted in the classroom and reviewed often with the children. A copy of the classroom rules are also sent home in the child's folder. The children are expected to follow the discipline guidelines outlined in the Smoketree handbook. In the classroom, a pocket chart holds a card for each child with a green, yellow, and red circle on it. Each child begins the day with a green light. A verbal warning will be given if an inappropriate behavior is demonstrated. The child will turn his/her light to yellow. If the inappropriate behavior continues, the child’s light is turned to red and he/she will spend three minutes in the thinking chair, carry through on the natural consequence of the behavior (such as cleaning up), or engage in a repetitive activity (such as stringing beads) that will help them regain self-control. Any behavior of physically hurting or endangering another child or adult will result in an automatic red light. The child will receive a sticker on their calendar if they have good behavior for the day or they will have a note from the teacher stating the behavior difficulties. The note from the teacher needs to be signed by the parent and returned the next day to school. Parental support and follow-through are imperative to any successful discipline program. Parents are urged to develop a plan at home to encourage appropriate behavior at school and to help extinguish inappropriate behavior. You are encouraged to think of ways that your child can be appreciated for following the classroom rules. A suggested plan is to have a special family event (game night, picnic, ice cream, etc) when your child achieves a specified number of stickers on their calendar. Consequences for inappropriate behavior may consist of loss of TV watching time, time out in their room, or losing privileges. Before inappropriate behavior starts, please discuss this plan with your child. |
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The goal of transportation is to provide safe, consistent transportation for our special needs students to and from school. Bus transportation is a special service that may be included on a child’s IEP. This service can be added to your child’s service page of his/her IEP. You will need to complete a transportation information sheet at the IEP meeting. Please review the following procedures for transportation services. Tuition-paying students are not eligible for bus transportation at this time. If transportation was added to the service page of the IEP or if changes occur with transportation services, the Preschool Staff will notify the transportation office. From the date of notification, it takes three days for transportation to start or make a change. This allows transportation office time to re-route their schedules to accommodate your need. You will receive information directly from the transportation office concerning pick-up and drop-off times.
If you know your child is not going to school, you must notify the transportation office as early as possible, at 855-8279. This phone is answered in person from 6:00AM until 4:00PM, Monday through Friday, also the phone is on an answering machine between 4:00PM and 6:00AM. It is also important for you to call the Preschool and report the absence to them. The phone number is 855-8005. You can also leave a message on the answering machine.
Your child should be at home and ready for pick-up 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. When the bus arrives at your home, the driver will blow the horn once. If your child does not come out, the driver will blow the horn a second time. If your child does not appear after this, the driver will leave and you will be responsible for transporting your child both to and from school that day. The driver will not come and knock on the door. After three consecutive attempts to pick up your child, transportation services will be terminated until parent(s) contact the transportation office. After contacting the transportation office, transportation will resume in three days.
You should be at home 10 minutes prior to the scheduled drop-off time for your child. The bus will not, under any circumstances, deliver the child to an unfamiliar person. If no parent or guardian is waiting when the bus arrives to drop off the child, the driver is instructed to bring the child back to the District Office at the end of their bus route. You will then be responsible for picking up your child at the District Office, 2200 Havasupai Blvd. You will need to call the District Office at 855-8279 to find out what time the bus is expected back so you can retrieve your child.
When a change in pick-up or drop-off point is required, you must notify the Transportation Office and complete a new transportation form. It takes three days from notification for the change to go in effect. You will be contacted by phone or notified by the driver when the change will become effective.
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Our curriculum is theme based with an emphasis on multi-sensory teaching methods and language rich activities. The use of themes provides the children with practice and application for the skills in meaningful contexts. Themes relate directly to children’s real-life experiences and should build on what they know. The same content should be offered more than once and incorporated into different kinds of activities. Several subject areas can be integrated in the program. The multi-sensory approach provides activities for all learning styles. Young children feel secure with routines and schedules. The routines and schedules help them learn sequencing and time related activities. This schedule will vary due to hot weather, school assemblies, and special events.
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- Entrance routine:Put away backpack, folder, and jacket.
- Puzzle and Book Activity Time
- Circle Time: Attendance, Pledge, Songs, Introduction of the day’s lessons, calendar, etc.
- Restroom Break and Self-Help Skills
- Storytime
- Project Time: Small group activities focusing on specific learning objectives
- Learning Center Time
- Outdoor Time
- Snack
- Closing Meeting: Songs, review of the day’s events
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- Backpack—large enough to hold a folder
- Change of clothes—please include underpants and socks, these will be kept at school
Please mark your child’s name on all personal items.
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Your child does not need to be potty trained prior to attending the Preschool Program. We work on all areas of development including self-help skills. If your child is not potty trained, you need to provide diapers and wipes. Please mark the packages with your child’s name. When diaper changing, universal precautions are followed. Disposable gloves are required when changing diapers, in any accidents resulting in blood, or in any instance when bodily fluids could be transmitted. After each use, all surfaces of the changing table and potty seats are disinfected. If your child is allergic to latex gloves, please notify the Preschool staff and indicate this on your child’s blue information card.
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Each day the children have a snack time. Parents supply the snacks and paper goods. Unless children have allergies or eating difficulties, all the children eat the same snack. Parents will receive snack request notices in their child’s folder. Please supply the item(s) by the date indicated on the request form. Please make a note of any allergies or eating difficulties your child may have on the blue information card. - top of page -
We ask students to be thoughtful of others both inside and outside the school buildings. Items that might disrupt class or cause injuries should be left at home. These include but are not limited to such things as laser pointers, toys, games, tape recorders, radios, cameras, pogs, yo-yos, etc. They cause unnecessary problems. Nuisance items, which create disruptions or get in the way of learning, may be confiscated. The principal will only return confiscated items to a parent or guardian. Schools are not responsible for loss or damage to any items. - top of page -
Each week your child will have the opportunity to bring an item for Show and Tell. You will receive notification as to the day your child may bring an item. Please make sure the item is marked with your child’s name. - top of page -
We suggest that student dress is acceptable as long as it is not a health or safety hazard or disruptive to others. A student’s attire should be clean, neat and appropriate for school. Students need to be active at recess; therefore, they must dress accordingly. For safety reasons, closed shoes such as walking/running shoes are strongly recommended. If sandals are worn, they must have a back strap. No high heels are permitted.
We do not permit shirts or clothing with suggestive words or phrases, pictures and advertisement of cigarettes, narcotics, alcoholic beverages, or any type of emblems, pictures or writing not appropriate for school.
This includes any reference to or identification with gangs. We do not permit shirts or blouses that expose the midriff, or excessively baggy or oversized clothes. Pants that are considered sagging or baggy will not be allowed. Under no circumstances will underwear be allowed to show over the pants.
Girls playing on the bars must wear shorts underneath their dress or skirts. Undershirts are not appropriate except under a shirt. Belts, if worn, must be buckled around the waist and through belt loops. Students may not wear dangling earrings. Make up of any kind is not appropriate for elementary children. No hats are permitted to be worn in the building. Wallet chains or chains of any kind are not to be worn at school.
In the event that a child is dressed inappropriately for school, parents will be called to bring appropriate clothing.
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Since Preschool has frequent breaks with our year-round schedule, please plan your vacations accordingly. (Please refer to enclosed calendar) The law requires your children to be at school unless they are ill or there is an emergency in the family.
If your child will be absent, please call the school before 8:00 a.m. the day of the absence, otherwise an unexcused absence will be recorded. You may call at any time prior to 8:00 a.m. and leave a message on the school’s voice mail at 855-8005.
The procedure for reporting your child’s absence is:
- State your child’s first and last name clearly
- Give the reason for the absence
- State the date the absence will occur
When your child returns to school, he/she must bring a written note explaining the absence if the school was not previously notified.
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The school encourages accident insurance. We make an insurance policy available to all pupils in our district. You may select 24 hour 12 month coverage or just a school-time policy. Brochures may be obtained in the school office. - top of page -
Health services are for promoting and maintaining the health, safety, and protection of all students. All injuries shall be reported to the playground supervisor, homeroom teacher or the nurse. In case of serious injury, parents will be notified. The nurse is not allowed to diagnose or treat illnesses. So, please don't send a sick child to school. We think good attendance is vital, but not when it may jeopardize the health of the child or others. If your child becomes ill or gets hurt at school, we'll notify you as soon as possible. The best place for a sick child is at home. (Be sure the office has current phone numbers where you may be reached during school hours.)
Teachers are not allowed to dispense medication (including aspirin) and children should not bring any type of medication to school. If it is necessary for your child to take medication during school hours, the following requirements must be followed:
For Prescription Medications:
- A parent must secure the appropriate medication form from the nurse.
- The medication form must be completed and signed by a parent.
- The attending physician's signature is also required.
- The medication must come to the nurse in the prescription container and be stored in the nurse's office.
For Over the Counter Medications:
- A parent must secure the appropriate medication form from the nurse.
- The medication form must be completed and signed by a parent.
- The medication must come to the nurse in the original, properly labeled container.
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In most cases, when parents are divorced, both Mom and Dad continue to have equal rights where their children are concerned. If you have a court order that limits the rights of one parent in matters such as custody or visitation, please bring a copy to the office. Unless your court order is on file with us, we must provide equal rights to both parents. - top of page - -
Lake Havasu City's schools belong to you and your neighbors, the people who support and pay for them. Unfortunately, occasional vandalism at our school has become a fact of life. Please report any acts to the Lake Havasu Police Department. People who damage school property may be held liable for those damages, according to state law. In the case of minor children, their parents are liable. As a taxpayer, you've already done your part to financially support the public schools. We don't want you to have to "contribute" again because of your child's misbehavior, so please help us by teaching your child respect for public property. - top of page -
We have established a shared decision making school council consisting of parents, teachers, noncertified employees, and community members. This council acts in an advisory capacity to the principal. - top of page -
Parent Associations are an important aspect of the school setting. These organizations provide many extras for the students, some that would otherwise be unavailable. These include the assemblies, playground equipment, carnivals, book fairs, recess equipment, refreshments for various activities, costumes, etc. They also help provide a link between home and school. Teachers learn more about the students from another side, which helps them teach more effectively. The parents learn more about the workings of the school, which helps them deal more effectively with their children. As a team, we can develop a more positive environment for our child/children to learn.
TO MAKE YOUR SCHOOL EFFECTIVE, YOU ARE NEEDED. PLEASE, BE INVOLVED!
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Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the Preschool Program. This can be on a weekly basis, monthly, or anytime you are available. We can also use volunteers to help create classroom materials at home. If you are available to volunteer please let the Preschool Staff know.
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Emergency procedures for Smoketree Elementary and the Preschool Program are available upon request. The blue information cards provide the Preschool Staff with pertinent information on each child. These cards are taken with us on fire drills or other emergency events.
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