Policies & Procedures |

Check out our Preschool Parent Handbook where you will find all sorts of helpful information to make your child’s preschool experience wonderful.

PRESCHOOL POLICIES & PROCEDURES

ABSENCE

If your child will be away for any reason (illness, appointment, vacation etc) please notify us as soon as possible by email or in Lillio. Please note Extra Steps cannot hold the space for a child leaving during the school year on a vacation without the full monthly tuition paid. Additionally, there are no make-up days for children missing school due to vacation.

ACTIVE PLAY

Extra Steps recognizes the importance of physical activity for young children. Implementation of appropriate physical activity practices supports the health and development of children in our care, as well as assisting in establishing positive lifestyle habits for the future.

The purpose of having an Active Play policy is to ensure the children at Extra Steps preschool are encouraged to engage in active play, develop fundamental movement skills. The fundamental skills include:

INDOOR:

Balance skills: the children are encouraged to build balancing beams inside the classroom, we practice yoga and mindful activities during the week, many games and songs are used during circle time to practice this skill, for example ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’.
Coordination skills – yoga is a wonderful activity to support children’s coordination skills. We also set up obstacle courses in the classroom, we have bean bag games, fishing games, throwing games, bowling and much more.
Locomotor skills: throughout the year we take out our trampoline and teeter totter inside the classroom, the children use our cushions to jump and leap in the classroom. During circle time we play Simon Says, jumping, hopping and skipping games. We also use music instruments, shakers and scarfs to create movement games with the children. We have yoga stories which bring children on many physical adventures using stories to get the children active and stretching!
Physical Literacy: Most of our staff members are trained in Appetite to Play so we are very knowledgeable about the importance of physical literacy. We have an open snack table where we role model healthy eating and discuss the importance of healthy food the child eats. We have a multi-stream waste station by the snack table to encourage children to recycle and beware of how important it is for the environment. The children plant their own vegetables in the classroom and in our community garden which helps to encourage and develop healthy eating choices. The preschool provides many books on gardening, healthy foods and how to eat, cook, and stay active. We also invite our public nurse and nursing students to present a hand washing and germ program to our children. The teachers role-model and discuss different ways to stay healthy with the children. We have lots of books, songs and activities to support physical literacy.
Un-facilitated play (free play): this is child chosen and self-directed, self-led movement, activity or interaction which encourages children to use their imagination, discover their interests and tap into their creativity. At Extra Steps during free play, children build towers together, build forests, create obstacle courses, play throwing games, hide and seek, dance and more!

OUTDOOR:

The children go outside every day for 30 to 60 minutes each day. Please note when the weather gets warmer, the children may spend the entire time outside

*If you feel your child is too sick to go outside then he/she is too sick to be at preschool. We request that you keep him/her at home until they are well enough to go outside.*

Balance skills: At the park there are lots of curbs we use as balance beams.
Coordination skills – yoga is a wonderful activity to support children’s coordination skills. Planting is also a great way for children to develop their coordination skills, we plant in our local parks and in our community garden, and inside the classroom. We have skipping ropes, chalk drawing, painting, art work. Everything we do inside we can do outside!
Locomotor skills: Outside the children play tennis, hockey, jump off boulders, climb trees, play tag, ‘what time is it mister wolf’, football, soccer, chase the teacher, and much more. We are supporters of risky play and believe children need space to evaluate risks and problem solve without the help of a teacher. We actively supervise children but allow them to explore our local parks and create their own adventure games.
Physical Literacy: When we go outside we talk to the children about how important fresh air is to our health. We support and encourage the children to get dirty and messy, and explain to them that this helps to build their immune system. When the children are active we teach them this helps them sleep better, eat better and keeps their body and mind healthy. The children also take care of our community garden, planting and learning about growing food.
Un-facilitated play (free play): this is child chosen and self-directed, self-led movement, activity or interaction which encourages children to use their imagination, discover their interests and tap into their creativity. We use many different parks in the community and each park brings a new place to discover and when the children are given time to explore, they always find the most wonderful games to play.

Appropriate Dress for Physical Activity:

Extra Steps Preschool goes outside every day that it is safe to do so. We encourage and support messy play both inside and out. Please bring your child ready to play and have fun each day. Children will participate in both indoor and outdoor play so play clothes and shoes which can get dirty and allow for free and safe movement are best. We expect parents to provide children with appropriate clothing for safe and active outdoor play during the school year.

Fall/Winter Clothing: Rain gear – rain pants and a rain jacket, spare clothes, toques, waterproof mittens, scarfs, boots

Spring/Summer Clothing: Hats, sunscreen, closed toes shoes, sunglasses

Big Body Play – This takes place indoors and outdoors

Here at Extra Steps preschool, we believe in the value of exuberant, boisterous, rough and tumble play to a child’s overall development.

To support the use of big body play, we do the following:

Provide training to all staff on the importance of big body play and how to supervise it
Prepare both indoor and outdoor environments for this play style
Establish indoor and outdoor rules with the children to keep them safe
Encourage staff to play big body games with children
Supervise the play constantly, which means ensuring an adult it with and listening at all times
Model appropriate play, coach children as they play so that are able to interact comfortably with each other in this way

CHILD ABUSE

We are required by law to report any suspected or disclosed abuse of a child by anyone to the Ministry for Children and Family Development. In this situation, we are not allowed to notify the child’s parents unless we are instructed to do so by the Ministry.

CONFIDENTIALITY

We have a strict policy of confidentiality. Anything said between staff members, between staff and parents, or between staff and management is kept completely confidential.

Extra Steps Preschool will never give out a parent’s contact information without expressed permission.

In addition, we respect the children by not speaking to any other families about a child that is not their own. If two children are involved in an incident together, we will explain what happened to the parents without naming the other child.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

We are committed to providing a caring and supportive environment for our children and families. You are strongly encouraged to discuss any questions or concerns about your child’s program or our procedures with staff.

If a conflict arises, our goal is to resolve differences of opinion and find solutions that everyone can accept.

If a problem continues, we can arrange a meeting between families, staff and management to define the issues, state differing points of view, and identify possible solutions.

If you wish to appeal a decision, you can have a further meeting with the manager. The manager’s decision will be final.

If the issue has still not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may file a complaint with Community Care Facilities Licensing of Vancouver Coastal Health.

In the case of persistent conflicts, when all reasonable attempts to solve problems have failed, the family will be asked to make other preschool arrangements (see “Facility’s Request for Withdrawal”).

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS

All staff members, substitutes, practicum students, or volunteers that have any involvement with our program are first required to provide us with a Criminal Record Check as per our childcare license from Vancouver Coastal Health.

DROP OFFS AND PICK UPS

To ensure the safety of all our children, we have a strict policy for signing in and signing out when each child arrives and leaves the centre. Your child will only be released to you or people that we know (grandparents, nannies etc). If someone arrives to pick up your child that we do not know/recognize, they must be listed on your child’s registration form and must provide photo ID to staff unless you have informed us prior. In this situation, staff members would still exercise caution and contact you if they were concerned about the pick-up for any reason.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Fire drills are held once a month as required by fire authorities. A teacher sounds a bell and the staff follow the emergency evacuation procedure for the centre. Staff members have children line up quickly and quietly. They then take the backpack with emergency cards and the children to a designated location to conduct a head count and attendance.

One teacher gathers keys and the iPad; checks all rooms, washrooms and closets; and meets the group at the designated location.

Earthquake drills are held once a month. During the drill, children are taught to stay away from windows and to “duck, cover and hold” until shaking stops and a teacher says it’s all clear.

Staff members have children line up quickly and quietly if required to leave the building. They then take the backpack with emergency cards and the children to a designated location to conduct a head count and attendance.

One teacher gathers keys and the iPad; checks all rooms, washrooms and closets; and meets the group at the designated location.

Emergency drills are completed monthly. Staff record the date and time the drill was completed, along with the time it takes to complete the drill. This information is posted in the centre.

In the event of a real fire, earthquake or other emergency, parents (or others listed on their child’s registration form) will be contacted immediately.

Our emergency routes are posted in the centre. Our designated meeting place will be either Heather Park at 18th Ave. & Heather or Douglas Park Community Centre at 801 W 22nd Ave. Please make yourself familiar with this information, and be sure to keep your contact information up to date.

An emergency kit is located on the property with emergency supplies, food and water for the children and staff. Families are asked to send in a comfort letter and family photo to add to the emergency kit.

GUIDANCE

Our program is designed to maximize fun and learning and minimize any problems with children’s behaviour. We prevent problems by ensuring that our classroom environment is stimulating and rewarding and is set up to meet the children’s stages of development and individual needs. In addition, our staff have realistic expectations with clear limitations for the children, and use a gentle, positive approach at all times.

If your child needs guidance, staff will speak to them at their eye level, using positive words and tones, to help them understand. The focus will be on the behaviour and they will be redirected to a new activity if necessary.

We do not use a punitive “time-out” method of separating a child from everyone if their behaviour is disruptive. However, a “time-in” method is used by staff if a child needs time away from other children to settle down. In that case, a staff member will sit with your child (for no longer than one minute for each year of your child’s age) to help them to calm down and understand what has just happened.

If all our strategies are not effective, we will meet with you to decide on other appropriate actions.

Under no circumstances do we ever use corporal punishment of any kind.

If any child endangers the safety of others, we have to remove them immediately from the program.

We ask you to keep us informed of any changes, big or small, in your child’s life and/or routine, as this can cause behavioural changes in your child at preschool.

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

We honour and celebrate all of Canada’s major holidays and celebrations in our preschool. In addition, we will incorporate other cultural celebrations, as much as we are capable of, out of respect for the children in our program and the diversity of our community. If you would like us to celebrate something meaningful to your family, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request. We have had families come in and cook a traditional treat to share, some have led a special circle time or read a book to the children. We welcome all ideas and suggestions about your cultural celebrations.

If there are holidays or celebrations you prefer your child not be involved in, please discuss this with us prior to the date so we can accommodate your preference.

ILLNESS

If your child is ill, they will need your loving care and should not be at preschool the day their symptoms appear. They are permitted to return after being free of symptoms for a 24-hour period. For the sake of all the children and staff at the centre, we cannot make exceptions to this policy.

Runny noses are a common part of all children’s lives, however if the mucus is thick and coloured it is usually a sign of infection. These symptoms need to be looked after, as should diarrhea, vomiting, fever or any other signs that your child is not well. If the illness is more serious, such as open sores or contagious diseases such as chicken pox, measles, mumps, etc., then you may need to provide clearance from a doctor before your child can return. Please check with staff if you have any questions. Sneezes and Diseases is a great resource for most common childhood illnesses.

If your child becomes ill while at preschool, they will be cared for in a quiet area and you will be notified to come and pick them up.

In case of emergency, 911 will be called and your child will be taken to hospital, accompanied by a staff member who will bring the child’s emergency card and medical information. You will be notified immediately.

INCLUSION

We are committed to including, not excluding, children. If your child has special needs please let us know. We will not turn a child away if we can accommodate their special requirements, together with you and/or with community resources. Some resources available are:

Vancouver Supported Child Development: Support in class and at home for children with a variety of needs such as anxiety, development etc. A SCD consultant visits the centre each month to visit your child, observe, offer advice and other resources. We create a goal plan with the families and the consultants and review it If your child continues onto a licensed after school care program, SCD support can continue. SCD also offers a waitlist for funding if your child needs a support worker.
PACE Program Vancouver: Support in class and at home for children with emotional and/or behavioural challenges. The individual child support is a 6 week program with a weekly visit with a PACE consultant and meetings with the family and childcare staff.
VCH Speech and Language Pathology: SLP services are free of charge until children are age 5, so if you have any concerns about your child’s hearing or speech, check it out! Waitlists apply, so the earlier you refer, the better. There are also many private SLPs in Vancouver and we can recommend some that we have worked with.

INSPECTION VISITS

Extra Steps is a private facility licensed by Vancouver Coastal Health, who will make regular inspection visits to ensure we are following all required safety procedures. This includes checking all equipment and programs. All inspection reports will be posted and/or on file in our centre for viewing anytime.

LATENESS

All families are expected to follow our hours of operation. We cannot tolerate lateness as it is disruptive to our program and does not meet our childcare standards. If there is an emergency that forces you to be late for picking up your child, you must contact us immediately so we can agree on other arrangements.

MEDICATION

All medications must be stored by staff in an appropriate lock box or approved area. They must be in original prescription containers, labelled with your child’s information and dosage. If your child is being treated with over-the-counter medication, you must provide a doctor’s note with instructions and your child’s name. We also require you and a staff member to fill out a form when you arrive at the centre with your child.

MISSING CHILD PROCEDURES

Entrances to and from the preschool are always supervised by at least one member of staff at drop-off and pick-up times. We use child safety gates for additional security and can bolt doors once all children have been dropped off.

If a child goes missing from the centre, we follow this procedure:

The person in charge carries out a thorough search of the building and outdoor area.
Attendance is checked to make sure no other child has gone astray.
Doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security.
The person in charge talks to staff to establish what happened.
If the child is not found, the child’s parent is contacted and the police are called.
The person in charge contacts Vancouver Coastal Health as soon as possible.

On outings, children are counted and assigned to specific staff members. If a child goes missing from an outing where parents are not attending, we follow this procedure:

Staff on the outing ask children to stand with their designated person and carry out a headcount to ensure no other child has gone astray.
One staff member searches the immediate vicinity.
The person in charge is informed (if they are not on the outing), and they then make their way to the venue to aid the search, to be the point of contact for police, and to support staff.
Staff take the remaining children back to the centre.
The person in charge of the preschool contacts the child’s parent, who makes their way to the centre or outing (as decided by the person in charge).
Staff contact the police and report the child as missing.
In an indoor venue, staff contact the venue’s security who will handle the search and contact the police if the child is not found.
The person in charge contacts Vancouver Coastal Health as soon as possible.

NUTRITION & SNACKS

We believe in healthy food choices which promote positive growth and development in children. We are a nut friendly preschool, so any food is acceptable. We encourage children to not share snacks in case of any allergies. Please send in snack containers that your child can open and close independently. If you need to send anything needing refrigeration, please send an icepack in a lunch kit.

We have an open snack policy, so when children are hungry, they are welcome to find their snacks and eat during free play. There is always a last call for snacks, so every child will have the opportunity to eat. A teacher is always available to be at the snack table with children.

Children are asked to wash their hands before and after eating.

SAFETY ON OUTINGS AND FIELD TRIPS

At least two adults accompany the class walking to and from the park or going on other outings depending on staff/child ratios for that class. We always carry a first aid kit and emergency cards and teach the children about how to stay safe when outside and at parks. This includes but is not limited to dog safety, road safety, staying together, finding garbage outside etc.

On walks, children are required to walk in pairs, holding a rope and/or independent walking in the group and adults are positioned at the front, middle and end of the group of children. For bigger planned field trips, you will receive detailed information including things like transportation plans, ratio numbers, times and drop off/pick up info. You will receive an email in advance of the event.

SCREEN TIME

As a preschool we do not provide the children with any screen time. We have no computers, iPads or televisions on the preschool floor for children’s access.

SMOKING

No smoking is allowed by anyone in our building, on our site, or during any of our outings or field trips.

SUNSCREEN

On days where there is bright sun or sun with snow on the ground, we expect you to put sunscreen on your child before arriving to class. If an unexpected situation arises and your child needs sunscreen, we may apply our own, unless you have instructed us otherwise beforehand.