Paradigm Kids Montessori Preschool

An Introduction to Paradigm Kids Montessori:

Paradigm Kids Montessori is a high quality, dual-medium, Christian environment that provides specific day-care and learning facilities and services for children aged 2 months to 5 years. At Paradigm Kids we provide an environment that is stimulating, exciting and one which encourages individual learning through the Montessori educational approach. Within this environment, our aim is for children to be happy, healthy and well-balanced.
Our curriculum includes:

• Gross Motor Development

• Fine Motor Development

• Bible Lessons and Praise and Worship

• Art and Crafts

• Gardening and Nature

• Language and Mathematics

• Music

Our extra-murals include:

• Playball

• Audiblox

• Mini-music

• Ballet

• Froggie Swiming

• Karate

• In-house Therapists such as speech, play and physio.

Montessori is an enlightened method of observing and supporting the natural progression of a child through their life stages. Therefore, in the prepared Montessori environment, each child develops at his or her own pace. While we have a curriculum to follow, this is by no means inflexible. If your child shows an interest in a specific area, he or she will be shown activities that further stimulate this area of thinking within them as we follow the child.

1. Entry Terms
We accept children from 2 months up to the age of 4 into the school, our course accommodates up to the age of 6 years, although we do not take children in when already in the year of turning 5.
We are a dual-medium preschool and teach in both English and Afrikaans. We are also a Christian environment.

2. School Fees 2016*

• PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL FOR AVALIBLE PACKAGES

• School fees include outings, visitors, food, equipment and stationery fees. The pre-school might on occasion have fund-raisers.

• School fees (which are calculated annually by the school) are paid monthly in advance for 12 months. December’s fees cover a full calendar month.

• Please send a proof of payment to the school when a payment has been made also keep the originals available.

• We offer a discount to siblings in a family. The 2nd and 3rd children will receive a 5% discount each on their monthly school fee.

• School Fees are payable electronically before the 1st of each month. A penalty fee of 10% will be charged if the payment does not reflect in our account by the 3rd.

• A Penalty fee of R20 per 5 minutes will be charged for late collection of your child if aftercare has not been booked. Penalty fees are only calculated for 20 minutes.

• Should you be later than 20 minutes to collect your child without arrangement by 17h00, a penalty fee of R300 will be charged to your account.

• Debit orders will be collected on the 1st day of each new month, or on the first working day thereafter.

• A deposit equal to one month's school fees is payable with registration. This deposit will be used to cover the school fees for your child’s notice month and is not refundable.

• A registration fee of R300 per family is payable every year. This fee is used for admin purposes and will not be refunded.

• School fees will increase annually, in January regardless of when you enrol your child.

• Deposits are non-refundable if a booked place in the school is cancelled after registration.

• The deposit can be paid off over 3 months if arrangements are made with the school.

• School fees are payable in full and are not refundable, even if the child does not attend school for whatever reason.

• Admission to the school may be denied if school fees are not paid in full

• Access tags must be bought at school @ R100 per tag. If for any reason you are unable to access the school premises and need us to open for you, a penalty of R60 will be charged.

• Full day children* – a once off full day sleep package must be bought with enrolment @ R250 which includes 1 mattress cover and a blanket.

 

Banking Details:

Bank: Standard Bank

Account Number: 420825924
Branch Name: Menlyn
Branch Code: 012345
Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ
Please always use your child’s name and surname as reference

3. Preschool Hours
Mondays to Fridays

• Half-Day: 06:15 – 12h30

• Full-Day: 06:15 – 17:30

• There is also now a 15h00 option.

• Please note that we only open 06:30 during government school holidays and close at 17h00, but we are open for most holidays.

• The preschool is closed on weekends and public holidays and occasionally on school holidays falling in-between a public holiday.

 

• The preschool is closed for the Christmas Holidays for approximately 4 weeks. The specific dates will be published annually on the school’s Year Planner and one week during winter holidays in July.

• The preschool is open for all other school holidays, all meals included.

• No children will be received before 6:15 in the mornings.

• All children must be left with a member of staff on arrival please and always tell a staff member when collecting your child.

• All children must be signed out with the relevant teacher before they are taken home in the afternoon.

• Children may only be collected by a responsible adult, as arranged with the preschool before collection. Should a 3rd-party need to collect the child at any time, please ask the preschool for a 3rd-party collection consent form in advance of that time. Your child will not be allowed to leave the school with a 3rd-party if this form or any other form of written consent has not been submitted to the preschool before collection.

• Please try and send your child to school every day as they will benefit greatly from the stimulating programme we offer.

 

4. What children must bring to school (ALL ITEMS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED!)
Parents will be asked to provide the following once a term, at the beginning of each term: 1 x box of tissues, 2 x toilet rolls and 2x packet of wet-wipes. (Baby Centre children will supply 2 paper towels instead of the toilet rolls please*
Babies – see additional form / 18 months – 3 Years:

• Enough bottles, milk, juice, water, bibs, food, feeding bowl and spoon, nappies (6) and extra clothes – Babies under 18 months.

For your child’s personal nappy changing basket: (These items will not be sent home at the end of the day)

• 5 disposable nappies each day.

• Wet-wipes.

• Nappy bags.

• Baby bum cream.

• Above 18 months: 2 mattress covers – standard size & marked (for sale at school)

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Applicable to all ages:

• 3 sets of clean clothes.

• A big enough bag.

• A jersey and other warm clothing for in case the weather turns cold. (your child must please have short sleeves under all their warm clothes during Spring and Autumn)

• Plastic bags.

• Hair brush and hair elastics.

• A sun hat.

• A blanket for colder days (an example will be in the foyer, also for sale at school) – Please wash your child’s blanket over the weekend when sent home.

• 2 mattress covers – standard size & marked (for sale at school)

•  

5. Meals
The following meals and snacks are offered:

• Breakfast: 07:00 – 08:00 (Mielie-meal or oats)

• Snacks: 10:00/10:30 (Rooibos tea or juice, fruit and sandwiches)

• Lunch: 12:45 (As per menu on the notice board – menu may change without prior notice)

• Snacks: 16:00 (Rooibos tea or juice, fruit and sandwiches)

• The menu is available online as well as on the notice board.

6. General Information

• Reports will go out twice a year, in the 2nd as well as the 4th term.

• Our therapist in the school does a general assessment once a year on all ages, not compulsory.

• Moreletapark Clinic also visits twice a year to administer flu vaccinations (before winter) as well as de-worm children, not compulsory.

• Please treat your Child’s hair with lice preventative spray regularly.

• Please inform the school if your child will not attend.

• No snacks/toys from home are allowed at school, please.

• Birthdays: Please take note that we will ask your child to buy a present for another birthday child, costing between R80 and R100, once a year. Your child will also receive a present from a friend on his or her birthday from a friend. A birthday circle will be held, normally on Fridays. Please feel free to send a timeline of your child and a treat to school.

• The preschool’s day-programme starts at 08:15.

• If you would like to collect your child early, please make arrangements with the preschool.

• During school holidays there will be an informal programme.

• No toys/money are allowed to be brought to school, except when the teacher has asked for something to be brought or when the object has a direct relation to the theme being presented at that time.

• If you discover any of the preschool’s property at home, please return these items.

• Children are under constant supervision and we cultivate good manners and kindness to others as a priority.

• PLEASE MARK ALL YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL ITEMS CLEARLY.

• All items that get lost at school will be kept until they are identified and claimed.

• On Fridays, we have a Bible Lesson in the morning. The rest of the day is informal.

• Information letters will go out to parents monthly with the invoices and is also available on the website.

• Please keep your pick-up and drop-off brief, as some children tend to get emotional and parking is limited.

• ease feel free to make an appointment to discuss your child as your child is very important to us.

• Please dress your child in shoes without laces. Also dress them in comfortable, old clothes as they get dirty quickly and jewellery is not allowed unless arranged.

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Potty Training:

We start potty-training children between 2 years and 2 years 2 months only. Parent co-operation is of utmost importance at this time; please take your child to the bathroom every 30-45 min. A Document on pointers will be given as soon as potty-training starts*

• We recommend that your baby moves away from bottles and dummies as soon as possible as this has implications regarding their speech and language development. Dummies and bottles are unfortunately not allowed at school above 18 months.

 

7. Security

• Gates operate with access control, please only enter and exit one vehicle at a time as the gate closes after 10 seconds. Use of the parking area is at own risk.

• Please always close the gate behind you and make sure that the gate is magnetically locked and secure. Do not allow anyone into the school, please.

• Kindly drive slowly when entering and exiting the parking area on our premises.

• Please hold your child’s hand when walking to and from the pre-school. No children unattended in the parking area, please.

8. Medical Information
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY MEDICINE BE LEFT IN A CHILD’S BAG PLEASE!

• Staff members will not be held liable for the administering of medicine unless it is marked clearly and written into the medicine file.

• Staff will only administer medication prescribed by a Doctor (thus no vitamins etc.)

• It is the parent’s responsibility to ask for the medicine before taking your child home.

• Information to be noted clearly in the medicine file includes: date, description of meds, time of administration, dose and signature.

• We do have a minor incident file at school and all known bumps and scrapes will be written in this book which must please be signed on the date of the incident. Please bear in mind that they are children and can get injuries at school however we do take every precaution for them not to get bumps and bruises.

• It is also very important to inform us as well as record any incidents from home in this book in the mornings.

• Should your child go for his/her immunisations we do recommend that you observe your child for at least 12 hours afterwards – if not possible and you would like to return your child to school afterwards, the school may contact you to collect your child if anything arises after the immunisation.

• By signing the registration form, parents give permission for Paradigm Kids Montessori Preschool or one of the staff members to decide on medical treatment, should one or both parents be unreachable. Even if it has financial implications to the parents. The following instances apply:

  • Obtaining medical assistance or services.

  • Transporting your child to a place where medical assistance and/or services are available as well as during outings.

  • Permission to give any medicine as prescribed by a medical doctor.

  • Giving permission for anaesthetics.

 

 

• We request that no child be sent to the school that has any contagious disease, this includes yellow thick mucus.

• No child will be admitted back to school without a doctor’s letter, stating that the illness is no longer contagious and that no other child will be affected negatively by the illness.

• In the event of a head injury, bee sting or fever of 38 degrees and above parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child from school.

• In the event of a fever at home, please keep your child at home. Your child needs to have had his fever broken for 24 hours before returning to school, this is without medication suppressing the fever.

• Please do not send your child to school if he or she has Conjunctivitis with a puny discharge or “pink eyes”. Your child may return to school up to 24 hours after treatment has started and no discharge is present. In the event of a puny discharge being noticed at school, parents will be contacted and asked to collect the child.

• If your child vomits for any reason they should be kept home for a period of 24 hours for observation.

• No child with head lice or nits will be allowed to attend school, as it may contaminate other children. A child will be sent home from school should head lice or nits be found on them.

• If your child is sent to school with stitches or a major wound, Paradigm Kids cannot take responsibility for the wound should it open up or get worse.

9. Notifications

• A notice period of one calendar month must be given should your child leave the school.

• You will be liable to pay a full month’s school fees if you do not give a calendar months’ notice before your child leaves the school.

• Notice also needs to be given should your child be moving from the full-day to the half-day school option.

• NOVEMBER will not be seen as a notice month. Therefore October or December can be seen as your notice month.

• Please notify the school if there is any change in the child’s circumstances.

• Should your child visit any therapist, please make sure that a copy of the report is available to the school.

• Please notify the school should any personal details change, such as contact details, address details or medical details.

 

10. Liability
All precautionary measures are taken to ensure the safety of your child.
The school and all its staff members do not take any responsibility for:

• Any damage due to bodily injury or death of your child.

• Any loss or damage to any personal property of you or your child's.

• An employee, acting on behalf of the school, in the event of an accident, will not be held responsible personally nor for any costs, should any 3rd party claim arise.

• The parking and drive through areas are used at your own risk. The school and staff members do not take any responsibility for incidents or any damage.