Preschool Parent Guide

Valley Campus

425-885-9401
19315 NE 95th Street, Redmond
www.bearcreekpreschool.org
attendance@tbcs.org

Attendance

If a student is absent due to illness or another cause, the parent should call or email the office and his/her child’s teacher by 9:00 a.m. using the contact information above. Attendance records for all preschool students are tracked through the main office to ensure the safety of our children and for the health room to track illness. Read more about Attendance.

All classes meet from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Sample Class Schedule

8:45 a.m. Opening Activity/Free Exploration
9:00 a.m. Circle Time
9:15 a.m. Science/Social Studies/Art
9:30 a.m. Math Stations
10:15 a.m. Recess    
10:30 a.m. Snack and Bathroom
10:45 a.m. Reading Stations
11:30 a.m. Music/Bible
11:45 a.m. Dismissal

Cubs Club meets from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Parents should park and walk their children to the classroom, signing them in upon arrival. Classrooms will open at 8:35 a.m. each morning. At the end of the day, parents should park and meet their children at the main gate or outside their classrooms.

Campus Gates

The main gate is open 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., Monday – Friday mornings. If you arrive after the gate is closed, please check in through the Preschool office. If you need to leave campus once the main gate is closed, please use the exit adjacent to the playground. The parking lot gate by the library also closes at 9:00 a.m., so please park in the main lot if you plan to be on campus past that time. The main gate reopens at 11:30 a.m. for regular classroom pick-up and at 12:25 p.m. for Cubs Club pick-up.

Library

Parents may visit the Valley Campus Library with their children before and after school. The library is unlocked between 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.. Families may check out five books at a time and should bring their selections to the Preschool office to be checked out.

Cubs Club

Bear Creek Preschool students may enroll in Cubs Club which takes place from 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., lengthening the school day for these students. Classes vary by day, but offerings include Music and Movement, Dance Discovery, Sprout with Art, Soccer, Gymnastics, and Lunch Bunch. Class sizes are limited and space is offered in each session on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up online this summer.

Health

Complete the Back-to-School Registration forms this summer, especially your child’s Medical Profile, including school-provided medications release, and submit a medically-verified Certificate of Immunization Status and any required medication authorization forms. Read more about Bear Creek's Health Services.

Snacks

Bear Creek will provide daily snack for students in Preschool. The school does not use any nut products but if your child has special food allergies we suggest you speak directly to your child’s teacher.

Playground Safety

Students have a daily outdoor recess time, weather permitting. At least two staff members actively supervise the children to ensure that safety practices are followed at all times.

Illnesses

Please keep your child at home if he/she is sick. If he/she has a fever, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, he/she will be sent home from school. Students must remain home for a minimum of 24 hours after the symptoms have stopped, without aid of medication. We also encourage you to keep your child home from school if he/she is feeling unwell and is too sick or tired to participate in classroom activities. Please encourage your child to wash hands, eat healthy foods, and get plenty of rest. See Illness Policies.

Emergency Response Plan

In the event of a major disaster, students will remain at the school under the supervision of their teachers and available parent volunteers per the Bear Creek Emergency Response Plan. Emergency supplies and equipment are stored at all campuses. Your child will only be released to adults authorized as an Emergency Contact in your Household Profile or with the approval of a parent or legal guardian.

Weather-Related School Closures and Delays

When harsh weather conditions prevail, our first concern is the welfare and safety of the students. If parents feel conditions are too hazardous, students may be kept home. Weather-related school closures or delays will be announced on the radio, TV, and online. We will also email and text all parents with this information. Please make every effort to keep your Household Profile up-to-date on the Parent Portal so that email and text messages will be received. Read more about School Closure and Emergency Information.

Curriculum Night

Curriculum Night is held early in the school year. This is a time for parents to meet their child(ren)’s classroom teacher(s) and hear about the curriculum, programs, and events planned for the coming school year. Please check the school calendar for the date.

Report Cards

Report cards are given to parents at parent/teacher conferences which will be scheduled for the end of the first and second grading periods. Third grading period report cards are sent home in the mail at the end of the school year. All fees must be paid and library books returned before report cards will be released at the end of the school year.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

In order to enhance parent/teacher communication and mutual understanding of student progress, two conferences will be held during the school year. These conferences will be scheduled at the end of the first and second trimesters. Please check the school calendar for these dates.

Regular Communication

Parent newsletters are sent home regularly and provide important information about the week’s activities and upcoming events. The Bear Facts is a school-wide publication and is emailed to parents each Friday.

Individual student pictures are taken in the fall, and group photos by class are taken in the spring. While families are not required to purchase pictures, all students are photographed for inclusion in the annual memory book. Information on picture packages and prices will be sent home in advance. Payment for pictures is due on Picture Day and payable to the photographer.

Vidigami

In August, all parents will receive an account on Vidigami, our secure photo-sharing site. Access to Vidigami is by invitation only. Click the button on MyBC/Parents to log in and activate your account. After you have set up your account, you may access Vidigami directly from the MyBC/Parents page, and you can download the app to your iOS or Android device to make sharing and viewing photos even easier.

Teachers and staff will share photos on this site, and parents are encouraged to also share photos they take with their children’s classmates. Please tag your child in photos you and others post to maintain a photo record of your child’s school year. Download photos of your child to save personal copies.

Celebrating Birthdays

Parents may bring simple nut-free refreshments for the class on their child’s birthday by pre-arrangement with the teacher. Birthday snacks must be store-bought in the original packaging, not baked at home. Parents must supply any paper goods needed. No gifts should be exchanged. Private party invitations may be distributed at school if every student in the class is invited; otherwise, please mail or distribute invitations off-campus.

Discipline

Behaviors that contribute to a positive learning environment are encouraged as we nurture each student to grow into the individual God intends. Teachers use positive interactions to create a nurturing environment and create a classroom of mutual respect. When problems arise, logical consequences are given. If basic management techniques are not effective, the teacher will work with the parents and Division Head to create a plan.

Extra Clothes

Please send in a change of clothes in a labeled gallon-size Ziploc bag (shirt, pants, socks, and underwear). These will be kept at school and used in case of messes or accidents.

Toilet Training

Students should be able to independently manage their bathroom needs before entering Preschool. Parents are asked to take their child to the bathroom to use the toilet and wash hands prior to entering the classroom.

Parent involvement is encouraged as it is essential to a good education. Volunteering provides an opportunity for parents to become involved in their student’s educational experience.

Guidelines for Volunteers

We appreciate your volunteer time in the classroom. Volunteer sign-ups are available at Curriculum Night and opportunities include jobs such as math or reading station helper, art docent, party planner, and DIG (outdoor science) assistant. To make your time more effective, please observe the following guidelines:

If you are expected to volunteer, but cannot be present, please try to arrange a substitute. If you cannot find someone to fill your position, please notify your child’s teacher or the main office in advance.

Information or observations about individual students are to be kept confidential. If you feel there is a problem, please notify the teacher.

Volunteers working with students will be asked to complete a background check authorization, which is included in the annual Back-to-School Registration.

Parents may want to begin volunteering only after their child has transitioned into the new classroom environment.