Little Village Parent Handbook

Download the Little Village Parent Handbook

Dear the Little Village Families, 

Welcome! 

Thank you for allowing us to work with your children. We do so with love, care and a strong commitment to protecting and preserving childhood. Our preschool is a home away from home that provides children with simplicity and beauty and educators who slow down and give their genuine presence. Children play and work to care for their surroundings, others and themselves. We hope to create meaningful memories that nurture and fulfill your child. 

Thank you for attending the New Village School’s upper grades’ Morning Circle, Open House and family conversation with our teachers. We take time to get to know you and your family and we are delighted that you are joining the first preschool class of the New Village School - the Little Village. 

The Little Village is the preschool at the New Village School. 

What is the “New Village”? 

The ''New Village'' refers to the community of adults and children who have come together in order to create a place in which everyone feels accepted, acknowledged, seen, respected and supported. It is a place where adults create an atmosphere in which children can thrive physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. In this "village" all the children know each other well and learn to learn from each other, to look up to each other, and to support each other. 

There are a few rules for the children. The two most important rules are:

• You do not have to like everyone, but you do have to love them.
• If you do something that you know to be wrong, take responsibility and you can be sure that you will not be punished but that rather, you will be helped and supported in your attempts to apologize or "make things right'' - honesty builds trust 

As an adult in this New Village, you are invited from the outset to participate to the degree that is healthy and meaningful for you - you do not need to wait until you feel invited - you are invited from the outset! It is a place where each individual adult is responsible for finding ways to get to know others. In other words, the expectation is that you will take the initiative and get to know people! 

Parents are invited to volunteer and participate in ways that are meaningful for them and that allow them to feel happy and in no way overburdened. There is never a need to carry a load that’s too heavy. If you are overwhelmed, put down the work and offer the opportunity for someone else to take it over. If others don’t step up, then we as a community need to examine whether that event or activity is actually still relevant. 

Humor is written in large letters over the village! A sense of lightness and gratitude at the opportunity to be engaged with children and other adults in this way is what gives the school energy. Each one of us has the duty to be as positive and open as possible in order to contribute to the healthy atmosphere of the school. That benefits the children! 

All children and adults should be able to find their reflection in the stories, music and celebrations that are part of the village. In this village no specific religion, culture, background, socio-economic or otherwise plays the dominant role - the world lives in this village. In this village, the children learn that people sing, speak, dance and even see and explain the world differently, depending on where they come from and, at the same time, that we are guided by the same values and the question - How do I live a meaningful, fulfilling, connected life that brings me and those around me happiness and joy? 

New Village is a place where children learn to think critically, to feel wholeheartedly and to sense the interconnectedness of everything, to develop a strong and sturdy sense of Self, to relate to others in a healthy and open manner and to become ready to approach new life phases after leaving this village. 

The early foundation of the New Village School - the Little Village - Our philosophy

Through conscious intent, the experience at the Little Village is one where living simply allows for children to learn to care for their surroundings, for one another and for themselves. Within this core tenant, childhood is preserved through slowing down and allowing children to be children.

At the Little Village, children play, grow food, prepare their meals, make the table beautiful, share a meal, tend to a garden, tend to their home away from home, sing, move, paint, draw, play, rest, and play some more!  

The Little Village School creates daily and weekly form that allows for calm and ease. Within this form there is room for flexibility, spontaneity and creativity. When there is a natural rhythm to the day, children feel more at ease, which in turn creates smoother transitions and overall less of a need for loving discipline. 

Children enrolled in the Little Village are taught to see goodness in the world, in themselves and in others. The children are met with respect, kindness and warmth. They are seen and given genuine presence. Each day, life is celebrated in simple and joyful ways. 

The Little Village School protects, respects, and values childhood. We honor slowing down, allowing children to play, teaching children to be mindful of caring for their space, teaching children to be respectful of all humans, creatures and Earth. We strongly encourage screen-free childhood. We strive for as close to zero-waste living as possible.

We care deeply for our parents/guardians and support them as they set boundaries, slow down, tell stories and create more joy.  

The Little Village thanks you for allowing us to be a part of your child’s precious early years.

Ages of Children

Children may enter the program at the age of 2.9 years old - 4.9 years old. We have one lead teacher and one to two teaching assistants. The class is not to exceed 24 children. 

Inclusion of All Children

The Little Village values diversity and welcomes all children without regard to race, color, national origin, creed, religion, gender, disability or handicap. Children are accepted into the Little Village as long as we are able to provide a program and atmosphere that meet the needs of the child and the other children enrolled; the child must not be a danger to themself or other children or adults. Each child admitted must be determined to be ready for the preschool group experience and able to benefit from the program offered. The Little Village will make reasonable accommodations for children with disabilities and special needs as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Refrain from Religious Instruction

The Little Village refrains from religious instruction or worship. 

Holidays & Scheduled Breaks

The Little Village observes and is closed on the following holidays and breaks: 

• Labor Day 
• Veteran’s Day 
• Fall Break 
• Thanksgiving Week Break 
• Winter Break 
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day 
• Presidents’ Day 
• February Break 
• Spring Break 
• Memorial Day 
• If a holiday occurs during the weekend, it will be recognized either the Friday before or the Monday after the holiday.
• Please refer to the New Village School calendar for important dates and school breaks. The Little Village families are welcome to attend the New Village School events, such as Winter Faire

Parking

You may park in the NVS lot or behind the New Village School adjacent to the Little Village. Please do not park in the designated Dog Park spots.

First Day/Weeks of School Preparation

 As we begin our partnership, we would like to express what an honor it is to care for your child/children and we feel immense gratitude that you have chosen our program for your child. To prepare your child for a smooth transition into our program, we recommend that home-life and school-life support one another. Creating Rhythm of the Day/Week allows a child to feel secure. No screen time, healthy boundaries and adults that engage in behavior worthy of modeling, is what we can partner in both school and home life. 

Positively speaking about school and sharing stories with your child will help ease your child’s transition into school. We understand that the first few days can be a significant change for children (and parents!) We will support children entering the space in a warm and calm state of being. We recommend parents/caregivers say their goodbyes near the car and give a quick kiss/hug once inside the courtyard.

Calm, relaxed, confident energy from parents supports children in their separation. If a child is having particularly difficult time separating, we will notify you. Otherwise, we appreciate your trust and confidence that our team will support your child during this time. 

Daily 

Please bring the following each day:

• reusable water bottle with a handle - children need to walk holding a partner’s hand in one hand and their water bottle in the other hand. 
• lunch without any packaging - NO plastic wrappers, plastic bags, food pouches. Please bring all food in reusable containers. The Little Village aims to be as close to zero-waste as possible. 
• reusable utensils when needed 
• sunhat 
• if your child wears sunscreen, please put it on in the morning and if there is a specific brand that you would prefer your child to use, please send it to school with your child’s name on it.
• warm layers, no media images of any kind, no logos on clothing, no costumes, no jewelry, no nail polish please.  
• sturdy shoes for play, no sandals, no flashing light shoes, “crocs”, shoes with heels, no flip-flops. Shoes that are sturdy and support the ankles are essential. 
• Children do not need backpacks. They may bring their water bottle and cloth lunch bag provided by the Little Village.

*Children will keep two cloth napkins at school (one for a placemat and the other to use). These napkins will be washed by the children at school. LV provides the napkins. 

Items To Keep at Home

“If you want to see what children can do, stop giving them things.” – Norman Douglas  

In order to encourage as much freedom of play as possible, we ask that parents make sure that all toys and personal items are left at home: 

This includes:

• toys and stuffed animals 
• jewelry and watches 
• candy and gum 
• money 
• umbrellas 
• sunglasses

Arrival/Pick-Up

Please arrive during the drop-off window of 8:30am-8:45am. Please try your best to be in class by 8:45am so that we may begin our morning circle. NVS students begin Morning Circle at 8:30am outside the KG gates, so please be mindful as you drive by to do so slowly and with caution. 

Please walk your child (“use your walking feet”) to the entry gate and enter. You may use any of our three gates to access the preschool ;however, please make sure they are locked coming in and out. This is extremely important to the safely of our children. 

Please sign your child in and out each day. 

We ask that your child carry their own lunch bag, water bottle and jacket each day to and from the parking area. Children at the Little Village began their day with an opportunity to feel they are capable - and they are! Please say goodbye to your child in the outdoor area. Children will be greeted at the door and enter into the room.

Pick-up time is at 3pm. Please do your best to pick up by 3pm but know that we will wait with your child if you are running late. The Little Village does not provide aftercare. Please call the office phone line to notify teachers of a delay longer than 15 minutes. 

Families may wait to pick-up in the Little Village courtyard. Children will sing the goodbye song prior to leaving with parents/guardians. Please do not enter the play area after school. Thank you.  

The Little Village Tea Garden Table

Parents/Guardians are welcome to stay in the outside area and share a cup of tea together at the tea garden table. Please leave your used tea cups in the basket. Please leave the tea garden promptly by 9am as children will come outdoors and we do not wish for them to have to say goodbye a second time.

Authorized Persons to Pick-Up 

The Little Village maintains an Emergency Contact/Parental Consent form for every enrolled child. Persons (in addition to the parents) you authorize to pick up your child must be listed on this form. At the end of the day, a child will not be permitted to leave the Little Village with anyone who has not been previously given authorization by the parent. 

If it becomes necessary for someone else to pick up your child and they are not on the Emergency Contact/Parental Consent form, then written advance authorization must be provided by the parent. In the event you are unable to provide written notification, the parent must call the Little Village and speak directly with the child's teacher to advise us of your authorized pick-up plans. We reserve the right to request a photo ID of anyone that is not recognized or known by staff.  

Cell phone Use

There is no cell-phone use on the Little Village campus - both inside and outside. Please do not carry a cell-phone into the courtyard or use at the tea garden table. Thank you for respecting this policy. “Your presence is your present.”

Absences 

If your child is going to be absent, please call, email or text the Lead Teacher to let them know.

Clothing

Clothing must be comfortable for play and movement. Children need to be free to play. Tight or skinny jeans/pants restrict a young child’s movement. Please allow children to wear clothing that allows them to move freely and can play outdoors and get dirty at times. The Little Village provides aprons and gardening gloves.

Please have children wear layers - shirt, sweater or hoodie and jacket and sun hats and warm hats. We ask that all clothing be free of media images and logos (including sports teams). Please label your child’s clothing (at least outerwear). 

Indoor Shoes

When inside, children will remove their shoes and put on their indoor shoes/slippers. No t.v. images, lights or train face slippers, please. 

No jewelry or nail polish please. Sturdy shoes are recommended. No sandals, “crocs”, shoes with heels, no flashing lights no flip-flops. 

Rain Gear

Please ensure your child has rain gear before the rainy season begins - jacket, pants and boots. Rain Gear may be left at school.

The New Village School community loves to pass down hand-me downs. If you have shoes or jackets in quality condition that may fit another classmate, please feel free to let community members know. No characters or logos please.  

Lost and Found

Lost and found items can be located in a basket in the courtyard. Items that are not retrieved will be donated on the last day of school before any long breaks (Fall Break, Winter Break, February Break and Spring Break).

Extra-Clothes Bag

Your child will keep their extra clothes bag at school and bring home periodically during breaks to refresh sizes and seasonal clothing. Please ensure there are two changes of clothing, extra underwear and socks, and a bag for soiled clothing. If a child needs to change their clothes at school, then the soiled clothing will be placed in a sealed bag inside the extra-clothes bag, which will then be sent home for you to replenish and return the next day.

Food

The Little Village provides home cooked snacks each day cooked in the Little Village kitchen. Each morning children are provided with a gluten-free, vegetarian, organic homemade snack, water and mild herbal teas. Please see our weekly menu posted on the parent bulletin board.

Children are asked to bring their own lunch in the lunch bag provided by the Little Village. We ask that lunches be free of any plastic packaging. 

No boxed or bagged drinks/foods, no sugar. No peanuts please. Please do not send string cheese or goldfish crackers.  

Children need well-balanced, hearty lunches to sustain them throughout the day. We recommend stainless steel reusable food containers that your child can open themselves. We encourage leftovers and on colder days, hearty warm soups. We also recommend water bottles that have a loop on the lid or a way the child can carry it themselves so that they may walk holding a partner’s hand in one hand and their water bottle in the other hand. 

Nap/Quiet Rest Time

The Little Village provides each child with a mat, sleeping blanket & pillow. Children may bring one, small “lovie” (stuffed animal) from home. Please do not bring characters from movies/t.v. This “lovie’ will remain at school for rest time. The Little Village will clean and wash bedding regularly using non-fragrance, eco detergent. The Little Village allows for one hour of nap/quiet rest each day. Nap/Quiet rest time is regularly scheduled between 1pm-2pm.

At resting time, soft harp music is played, backs are rubbed, lights dimmed and everything possible is done to make this a relaxed and comfortable time for the children. 

For children who do not sleep they will relax on a rest mat for a short time and then may engage in quiet activities. 

Weekly/Yearly

Once a week, children are asked to bring one vegetable to prepare soup for lunch. Children delight in this responsibility and contributing to create a meal together. Please encourage your child to choose the vegetable for soup day when shopping together at the grocery store or farmer’s market.

Flowers

We would like to ask that parents sign-up to take turns bringing a fresh, seasonal flowers on Mondays (On Tuesday if there is a Monday holiday). Children love bringing flowers to add beauty to the table. Please let your child carry the flowers. We will have a sign-up sheet for families to sign-up in the courtyard. If possible, please no plastic wrap or flower preservative. Thank you!

Birthdays 

The Little Village celebrates birthdays by inviting parents to come to an afternoon birthday celebration. Parents are asked to bring a photo of the child from each year of their life and to share a special memory of the child. We would like to keep this time authentic and ask that there be no video or cell-phone or cameras present. Please bring a fresh fruit snack to share with children in the class.

Screen Time

“Children should be allowed to picture in their own mind, before images are created for them. The impact of images created by filmmakers, T.V. show makers, and especially cartoon makers is immense and clutters the growing minds of children and adults. In a close knit community such as ours, anyone who consciously chooses to overlook these requests, is causing children of parents who choose not to do so, to be affected.” - Meinir Davies, Founder of the New Village School.

The gift of not giving your young child screen time, is a gift that many parents do not give today. The benefits truly outweigh anything that young children watch today. It is truly a gift to your children. It is not taking something away, it is giving a child an opportunity to grow into creative, imaginative human beings that think and feel for themselves. 

If one child has seen a movie, then all the children in the group have seen it. For it comes out in their play. 

If your child has exposure to screen time: videos, movies, etc. we ask that you begin to eliminate this from your child’s life. Spending time in nature, telling stories, creating a clutter-free, safe play space for children at home supports screen-free living. Our program supports families in navigating this in a non-judgemental, openhearted way.

Health and Safety Safety Plan

Emergency Preparedness

We practice both fire and earthquake drills on a regular schedule so children become accustomed to the sound of the alarm and the procedures for exiting the classroom to a safe location. The alarm is not inside our room. The Little Village stores emergency food and water to last 72 hours for all children and staff. First Aid kits are located in the classroom and outdoor play area. All staff members are CPR and First Aid certified every 2 years to remain current on all lifesaving procedures.

Current and Updated Emergency Contact Information 

It is essential that each child’s Emergency Contact/Parental Consent be kept up to date, including phone numbers, addresses, and a list of authorized adults who may be contacted in case of an emergency. If there is a change in your contact information, please notify the Little Village staff promptly.  

Medication

The Little Village provides incidental medical services which includes administering prescription medications, inhaled medications and Epi-pens. Should your child need medication administered at school, the Little Village needs written authorization from you and the doctor on the required forms, which are available from the Little Village. If you have not completed the required and necessary forms, the staff will not be able to administer the medication. Medication must be brought in the original container. The doctor’s and parent’s authorization must be on the forms supplied by the Little Village.

Immunization Records 

For each child enrolled, we are required by the State of California to maintain accurate, up to date, immunization records. Immunization records are required prior to your child’s first day of attendance and need to be updated whenever your child receives a new immunization. Children who require updated immunizations after initial enrollment will be denied admittance to the Little Village if proof of the updates are not submitted by the required due dates. If your child has not been immunized due to health reasons and an outbreak occurs at the school you will be notified and you may be asked to keep your child home until the outbreak is over.

Immunizations and Physical Examinations

At the time of enrollment, all children are required to have up-to-date immunizations (SB277) that include:

• 4 DTP 
• 1 MMR 
• 3 Hepatitis B 
• 3 Polio 
• 1 HIB (on or after child’s first birthday) 
• 1 Varicella 

OR Temporary or permanent medical exemption by a qualified M.D. 

A written medical assessment must be completed by a licensed physician prior to or within 30 calendar days of enrollment in the preschool program. This assessment must include a tuberculosis risk assessment or if the physician deems necessary a result of a test for tuberculosis. This is required by the State Department of Education. 

Physician’s Report

Community Care Licensing requires all children have a Physician’s Report, completed by a physician, on file within 30 days of enrollment. Children who do not have a completed Physician’s Report on file after the first 30 days of enrollment will be denied admittance to the preschool until a completed Physician’s Report is received. 

Teacher Qualifications

All teachers hold appropriate permits, required by the state of California. All preschool staff, have been fingerprinted, have had a comprehensive background check conducted by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and The Child Abuse Central Index (CACI), a Tuberculosis (TB) clearance and have all required immunizations. All staff is CPR and First Aid certified every two years to remain current on all lifesaving procedures.

Safety and Security 

Your child’s safety is a top priority at the Little Village. Children must be signed in and out upon arrival and departure, with the exact time and a full signature as required by Community Care Licensing and the California Department of Education. The teachers conduct a head count every 30 minutes and before and after each transition within the classroom and the transitions from outside to inside. Visual observation of all children is maintained at all times by the Little Village staff members. At no time is a child ever left alone.

Illness Policy

Each day, upon arrival, teachers will complete a health check of each child and your child will be asked to wash their hands before joining the classroom activities. It is very important to us that each child be healthy and happy at school. We cannot admit or retain in care, any child whom: A. Is diagnosed as having a contagious disease only upon written instructions of a licensed physician or certified health care provider and/or the health department. B. Has one of the following symptoms, or combination of symptoms of illness within the past 24 hours:

• Fever over 100.4 Fahrenheit 
• Diarrhea (more than one abnormally loose stool per day) 
• Vomiting in the past 24 hours 
• Nausea or severe stomach cramps 
• Severe cough 
• Unusual yellow color to skin or eyes 
• Draining eye (pinkeye or sinus infection) 
• Skin or eye lesions or rashes that are severe, weeping or puss filed 
• Difficulty breathing or wheezing 
• Complaints of severe pain 
• If a child is notably tired and / or irritable and needing one on one care

If your child has exhibited any of the symptoms above you must keep your child at home for a minimum of 24 hours. A child may return if no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. If your child exhibits these symptoms at the preschool we will contact you immediately. 

If a child develops a communicable disease, please notify the school at once. We will then send out an alert to the other families in the class, while keeping the child’s name confidential.

We will contact the parent if, in our opinion, a child is unable to participate fully in a normal day, whether due to illness, fatigue, or unusual distress. Young children can be especially overwhelmed by school activity if they are tired or not feeling well. 

We regret any inconvenience these policies may cause but it helps us keep all of the children and staff healthy. 

Medications

Staff members may not administer medication to any child unless a parent has completed a Medication Authorization Form. Parents must indicate a start date and end date, a reason for the medication, and the dosage or medication cannot be administered. If a child becomes ill while at the Little Village and a parent requests that medication be given, verbal authorization can only be given to the Director and/ or Assistant Director. A Medication Authorization Form will be completed by the Director and/or Assistant Director and must be signed by a parent upon pick-up. Medications must be stored in a locked box (refrigerated medications) or in a high cabinet (non-refrigerated medications) while in use at the Little Village. The Medication Authorization Form must remain with the medication at all times. Unused medications must be immediately returned to the family and will not be stored at the preschool.

 Medications may be administered only by Lead Teachers, the Director, or Assistant Director. When a medication is given, the teacher will document the type of medication administered, the dosage, and the time it was given as well as any unusual reactions or circumstances. Expired Medication Authorization Forms must be turned in to the Director to be filed in the child’s permanent enrollment file.

Head Lice

The Little Village follows recommendations from The American Academy of Pediatrics and The Center for Disease Control regarding head lice. We have a no-live lice policy. The essential components of a no-live lice policy are the following:

• Early detection of head lice infestations through routine screening by parents and/ or caregivers 
• Treatment of children found to have live lice 
• Distribution of educational materials to center staff and parents on head lice, nit combing and treatment. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Healthinfo/discond/Documents/headlice2008E ng.pdf

If lice are found on a child at the preschool, the child’s parent will be called and asked to pick their child up. This policy allows the parent to treat overnight. The day following treatment, the child will be re-examined and admitted if no-live lice are present. 

Injuries

Even though every effort is made to avoid injuries, sometimes they still happen. In case of an injury, your child will be given immediate attention by one of their teachers including first aid if necessary. If an injury is significant, an accident report will be made and placed on the child’s daily attendance sheet. In certain situations the Little Village staff may contact parents and if necessary emergency medical personnel. If an injury is life threatening or emergency medical personnel deem it necessary to transport the child, staff will accompany the child to the nearest hospital where emergency treatment is administered, if necessary. The staff will remain with the child until the parent arrives. In the event neither parent can be reached, the child's physician will be contacted.

Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting

All Little Village preschool program staff are mandatory child abuse reporters. This means if we have reason to suspect abuse or mistreatment or are told by a child they have been abused in any way, we are required by law to call and report this to Child Protective Services (CPS). We, as a staff, have training in what steps/measures should be taken in such a situation. Parents should understand that filing a report is considered a request for an assessment of the concern. A report does not established fact, but rather is the beginning of a helping process for children and families. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the Lead Teacher.

Toilet Training

Children attending the preschool should be toilet trained or actively in the process of being trained. Please do not send your child in diapers or pull-ups. Children will be helped to change into clean clothes.

Behavior Management and Discipline 

All teachers at the Little Village manage behavior in the preschool in a non-punitive, age-appropriate manner. All staff receive ongoing training in the areas of discipline and behavior management. They are trained in the Teaching Pyramid process of positive discipline, which instructs children as to what they should do rather than telling them what not to do. For example "We walk inside the building" rather than "No running”.

Staff uses positive reinforcement while supervising children, encouraging them to cooperate and continue using appropriate behaviors. Children are redirected to an alternate activity if their behavior is inappropriate. An example is when a child is doing something that could hurt others, themselves, or destroying property and choosing not to use problem-solving techniques. Teachers will continue to be an active listener and support the child with conflict resolution. Parents will be notified of the behavior management strategies used. It is important that the messages the child is receiving at home and school are consistent. We are in partnership.

Parent, Provider and Visitor Conduct Policy

The Little Village is committed to creating an environment where employees, volunteers, parents, children, providers or any other person who comes to the Little Village preschool and/or events or who has contact with the Little Village staff through any other means, is treated with respect and professionalism at all times.

Grievance Policy

It is the intent of the Little Village to resolve all grievances at the lowest possible level. If a parent is having a grievance in regard to the Little Village operations, the parent should first speak with the staff person to whom the grievance relates to in an attempt to resolve the issue. If the problem is not resolved at this level: Grievances regarding the Little Village Preschool staff or operations should be addressed first to the Preschool Director, Robin Barneby, and then to the Management Team Board representatives, Cristina Cabrera and Yana Medbray.

Dis-enrollment Policy 

The Little Village reserves the right to dis-enroll any child, at any time, when we believe dis-enrollment is in the best interest of the child and/or the program. Our first priority is to provide quality care and early education for all children enrolled in our program but on rare occasions there may be a need to dis-enroll a child. Some of the reasons for involuntary dismissal might include:

• Failure to Adapt - Most children adapt to a new program within a reasonable time frame. If a child fails to adapt to our program, even though an effort has been made by parents and the staff to integrate him/her into the program, the child may be disenrolled so his or her parents can find alternate care for their child. 
• Aggressive/disruptive behavior - If a child is aggressive or hurtful to others or if a child’s behavior is disruptive to the classroom, the Little Village will make every attempt to guide the child in respecting others and to behave in a socially acceptable way. If these behaviors continue the child may be dis-enrolled in the best interest of the other children enrolled. 
• Failure of the parent or guardian to cooperate with an individual behavior management plan and/or failure to obtain necessary services through referrals made to outside agencies that are in the best interest of the child. 
• Failure to pay tuition or Family Fees– the Little Village reserves the right to immediately dis-enroll any child whose tuition or family fee is not paid per the Little Village’s policies. 
• Abusive/disruptive behavior by parents - the Little Village reserves the right to disenroll any child whose parent behaves in a manner that is destructive, disruptive, abusive, or malicious through their statements or actions toward the staff, their own child or other parents/children in the preschool as outlined in the Little Village’s Conduct Policy. 
• Irreconcilable differences – Every parent has expectations regarding the care and education of their child. If it occurs that the Little Village is unable to meet a parent’s expectations, the Little Village reserves the right to dis-enroll the child in order to allow the parents to find an environment that better meets their needs and expectations.

State Licensing

The Little Village is licensed by the State of California and will comply with the regulations of the Community Care Licensing Division. The Community Care Licensing Division, California Department of Education Early Learning and Care Division and the State Fire Marshal will conduct periodic inspections to ensure the program meets or exceeds the standards.

 If you wish to inquire into our license: 

Community Care Licensing Division 

851 Traeger Avenue Suite 360 

San Bruno, Ca 94066 

(650) 266-8800

Communication 

The Little Village teachers are more than happy to communicate in-person, via phone and/or by email. Please know that teachers do not regularly check emails throughout the day. Please call the office phone to relay a message to the Little Village teachers.

“It is better to come to us with a question, than to wonder about a question. It is better to talk to us too much, than too little. Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt first, before we presume that a child, a parent, or a teacher has done something “bad”. Let’s always use awareness, consciousness, generosity and creativity when dealing with one another so that no one ends of feeling misery, especially the children. Gossip and unresolved issues are poison.” - Meinir Davis, Founder of the New Village School 

Parent Bulletin Board

A parent bulletin board is used for group messages, special parent communication, resources and upcoming events or information. Daily lesson plans and our nutritional menus are also displayed on the bulletin board.

Newsletter

An electronic weekly newsletter will be sent out to parents/guardians. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Twice a year parent-teacher conferences are scheduled - please see The New Village School online calendar for dates.

Please be mindful that drop-off and pick-up are not times teachers can devote to a meeting. Teachers must be present for the children. If you have something to share that requires more time, please let us know and we will respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for being a part of our village ~ we look forward to our journey together!

With appreciation,

the Little Village Preschool at the New Village School

The Little Village Daily Schedule

A sample schedule is included below. This schedule is flexible and subject to change based on the needs and ages of the children enrolled.

 This agreement may be modified by the Little Village Preschool Director and any changes will be communicated to families two weeks in advance.