Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I send in birthday treats?
Yes! We love celebrating birthdays! You are welcome to bring in your child's favorite birthday treat to share with friends. However, per DVUSD's policy, all treats must be store bought and in the original packaging. Some examples include cupcakes, cookies, fruit snacks, oreos, doughnuts, candy, popsicles, ice cream cups etc. We will have juice or milk on hand to go with their special treat. However, you are welcome to send in your child's favorite drink, such as chocolate milk or juice boxes. Please let me know your plans before the big day so that we can plan for it. I will send you some pictures and a video of your child's birthday song.
Can parents volunteer during class parties?
In developmental preschool, our class includes children with a variety of developmental delays, individualized needs and accommodations necessary for learning and to feel comfortable in our classroom. Despite the fact that parties are supposed to be fun, they aren’t always fun for everyone. The change in routine, additional adults in the room, elevated noise level and excitement can be too much for some children. For these reasons, our class parties are decidedly simple in preschool. We will make sure the day is special for our kids while maintaining a calm and comfortable environment for all of our children.
Do we have Show 'N Tell in preschool?
Show 'N Tell is one day per week. The children will take turns bringing home our class Share Bag the night before. Show 'N Tell is a great way to encourage communication and increase vocabulary development. It gives children a chance to learn about each other and to find common interests with their friends. Show ‘N Tell begins during the month of September.
It is not recommended that children bring toys to school outside of their designated Show ‘N Tell day. Please encourage your child to wait for their Show 'N Tell’ day. At that time, it will be appropriate to bring something from home. All other toys that arrive unannounced will be set aside, and returned to your child at dismissal time. Please help your child by not allowing him/her to bring toys from home to the classroom.
Do we have snack time? If so, do I need to send in snacks for my child?
Yes, we have snack each day. There are so many great skills that can be learned during snack time! Our snacks are served "family style". Family style means students serve themselves using bowls, scoops and pitchers that are appropriately sized for little hands. Yes, they will spill and we are okay with that! In fact, we expect mistakes and spills to happen. If they spill, we encourage students to help us clean up their mess. Serving themselves helps to strengthen fine motor development, improve hand - eye coordination and increases their independence and confidence. The children enjoy sitting with their friends and engaging in reciprocal conversations. These conversations happen naturally, as they may at your own dinner table at home.
We understand that some children are selective eaters. We also understand that for many children, there are sensory issues that can interfere with eating certain foods. Some textures, smells, colors or sounds can limit some of the foods your child may choose to eat. Sometimes children will be more open to try new foods when they see their friends eating it. Other children will adamantly oppose trying new foods no matter what we do. Either way, we will encourage your child to try a new food. But, if they choose not to, that's okay. They are still benefiting from the learning, language and social experiences that naturally occur when children sit around a table together.
Please let me know if your child has any diet restrictions and/or allergies. I can either provide alternative snacks or you can send in a snack on days where we plan to have something your child can't have.
What if my child is not potty-trained?
No problem! We have a bathroom in our classroom with a diaper changing table in it. You can send in diapers/pull-ups daily or keep several in your child's backpack to be replenished as needed. You can also choose to send in a big package of diapers, and we will let you know when we are running low. However, children that are enrolled as typical peer models, must be potty-trained to attend.
Should you decide to work on potty training at home, we will follow your lead. Potty training is most successful when parents and teachers work together to maintain consistency. We have a small toilet that is the perfect size for small children. We can come up with a potty schedule or incentive chart to help curb accidents and encourage success! Some parents have sent in a potty seat that fits on top of our toilet seat. If that helps your child feel comfortable enough to use the potty at school, we'll do it!
How will I know what my child is doing at school?
Communication between home and school is so important! On the first of each month, you can expect to receive a monthly newsletter, Scholastic book order form and a snack calendar. Scholastic book orders are usually due the following week. I try to send the bulk of information home in the first week of the month. But, there are times when the school requires us to send home flyers or letters after the first. It is important that you check your child’s folder daily. Keep an eye out for any additional information to come home in your child's folder.
What are Scholastic book orders?
Scholastic book orders are sent home at the beginning of each month. You may remember them from your childhood? I remember carefully circling all the books I wanted my mom to order for me. I love reading and getting my hands on my new books was the best day ever! The best part is that when families order books from Scholastic, we earn points. I can use those points to buy more books for our class library. We have a class code that you will need to use if you are ordering online. The class code is WTNK9
How should I dress my child for preschool? Is there a dress code?
There is no specific uniform for preschool. However, preschool can be messy! Please send children to school in clothes that are comfortable and with an understanding that they may get messy at school. Please keep in mind that we play outside most days (weather permitting) and flip-flops aren't safe for the playground. Students are encouraged to wear tennis shoes to avoid their toes being stepped on or hurt.
Are you licensed by the state?
Yes, my classroom is licensed by the state of Arizona. All employees that enter our classroom have received an FBI background check and clearance card. We have also been CPR, First Aid and CPI certified. You will find our state board on display in our classroom just to the left of our hallway door. Our classroom is monitored annually and I am happy to report that we receive an A rating each year.
Is there a maximum number of students in the class? What is the ratio?
The maximum number of students is 15 with at least 1 certified special education teacher as well as 2 qualified paraprofessionals.
If you have more specific questions or concerns that you would like to discuss, we can always set up a time to meet or talk over the phone. If you need to reach me sooner rather than later, I recommend emailing me. I usually respond to email that same day unless the email is sent later in the evening.
My email is cori.yakesh@dvusd.org
My classroom phone number is 602 - 467 - 5541