Family Partnerships
We invite family members to choose their own level of involvement and welcome all opportunities to interact and to work with you.
Families are always welcome to observe in the observation booths, to spend time in the classroom and to contribute to their children’s experience at any time. In addition, family members may discuss their children’s experience with the mentor teachers, kindergarten teachers or program coordinators at any time.
We welcome you to become involved with the following experiences, as well as other ways that you would like to suggest.
Provide information about your child at arrival time:
Please tell us how your child's day is going so far. What kind of evening/night did s/he have? Has your child been eating? Is there anything new or different occurring in his/her life that we should know about? Or what kind of mood is s/he in today?
Observe your child:
Family members are encouraged to observe their child in the classroom as often as possible. We believe that our observation booths provide families with a unique opportunity to see their child interacting with others outside of the family. Please plan to observe at least once a semester. We do ask that all children who accompany you into the observation booths remain under your supervision at all times.
Visit your child's classroom:
We love to have family members visit our classrooms. Family members may help with classroom activities, such as face painting, sharing a talent or discussing a topic with the class of children. You are always welcome. If you have an idea of something you would like to share with your child’s class, please talk with your child’s mentor teacher.
Assist with Field Trips:
We plan frequent field trips. They include walking field trips where we need adults to help us by holding children's hands and walking with the children. On field trips that involve transportation, we often ask families to drop off and pick up their children at the field trip site. On riding field trips, we need parents to help us by staying with the class during the field trip. We also solicit family members' help in advance of the field trip.
Family Advisory Council:
The Family Advisory Council has at least one representative from each school class. The Family Advisory Councils' functions include collaborating with center staff on various projects, updates, social and fund-raising events. In addition, the council members will work to involve families in the program by planning center-wide and community activities.
Project Book Share:
Families have the opportunity to support classroom activities by providing books (public library books or own home books) to be used in the book corner throughout the year. When participating, the teachers will ask you and your child to select a few books your child enjoys and which may or may not go along with the curriculum topics being explored in the classroom.
Library Donations:
Because of heavy usage of children's books from our resource library, we are always in need of quality, gently used or new children's books to add to our collection. You may bring in book donations at any time. If you desire, you can make a note inside the front cover of donated books.
Family Recipes for Snacks:
We always welcome family recipes to help expand our snack menu. We have a goal to include recipes that are traditional family ones or cultural recipes. We are seeking recipes that are "moderate to easy" in complexity and that could be eaten in snack portions. If you have a recipe that you would like to share, please contact our kitchen assistant at 605-688-5698.
Beautiful Junque Suppliers:
From time to time teaching teams will be seeking recyclable items and found objects that can be used in classrooms activities or investigations. Think of us before tossing out: large Styrofoam packing forms, small paper rolls, cardboard boxes, plastic lids, wrapping paper, ribbon scrapes, wood scraps, egg cartons, coffee cans with plastic lids, berry baskets, unique containers, unique food containers, old necklaces, fabric, yarn lace, old keys and any other odd objects that children may find intriguing.