Mountain View Preschool Policies and Procedures

STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

We believe that children naturally grow toward self-reliance and healthy independence as they develop positive feelings of self-worth and inner strength. At Mountain View, your child will learn to interact with other children in a constructive manner, respecting others’ rights and feelings while validating their own. We encourage problem-solving and resolving conflict by expressing feelings in appropriate ways. In this way your child will grow toward physical, emotional, social and intellectual maturity.

Mountain View Preschool, with a magnificent view of the Flatirons, fosters an atmosphere of free play, emphasizing freedom with responsibility. Under the guidance of engaged and caring adults, children learn to make decisions and accept consequences for their actions, while exploring and finding joy in learning about the world around them.

Our school is proud to encourage and teach children eco-friendly practices, such as how to ride public transportation, conservation and recycling. Children learn about plants inside the classroom and how they grow, planting flowers in garden boxes on the playground.

PRESCHOOL COMMITTEE
 Mountain View Preschool operates as a community outreach program of Mountain View United Methodist Church. A Preschool Committee, appointed yearly to maintain balanced representation, functions as the governing body of the school and is charged with the responsibility of determining policies, budget, staffing and enrollment. The Committee is composed entirely of parents and church members who volunteer their time. Each class is represented by at least one Committee member. Committee meetings are held monthly and are open to all parents and church members.

PRESCHOOL CAPACITY/CLASS SIZE
24 children per class with 2 teachers is the maximum we will allow. However, we attempt to limit class size and increase the child/teacher ratio.


The Committee has the option of increasing the class size upon the recommendation of the Director and staff.

 

PROGRAM/AGE REQUIREMENTS
 Mountain View Preschool’s programs are designed to meet the developmental needs of young children ages three through five years old. Classes are available in morning or afternoon sessions (2½ hours duration).

Morning classes run from 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Afternoon classes run from 1:00-3:30 p.m.


All children attending Mt. View Preschool must be in the process of being toilet trained.

 

A PLACE TO BE/ADDED HOURS PROGRAM
 This program is for enrolled students that need to increase the amount of time that their child is at Preschool each week. "A Place to Be", our new added hours program, is for children in afternoon classes who want to spend all day at Preschool, or for morning class students who want to attend more morning days each week.
MWF children could add Tuesdays or Thursdays (or both), and TTH children could add Mondays or Wednesdays (or both).

First preference for enrollment will be given to Pk/ENR and Multi-Age students.

"A Place to Be" Philosophy


The program is play-based, hands-on and child-centered. It includes stories, songs and free flow art with a focus on co-active learning. Outdoor play will also be offered.
You may choose to add 1 to 4 days per week - Mondays through Thursdays - in addition to your current Mountain View classroom experience.
Hours are 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. with a Lunch Bunch spot (as a separate charge) guaranteed for afternoon students (PreK/ENR and Multi-Age) on the mornings that they attend "A Place to Be".
Estimated costs per week are as follows:


Afternoon students will need to add $10.00 for each attended Lunch Bunch day. Lunch Bunch is not guaranteed for MWF or TTH students on the days they attend "A Place to Be".
If you have any questions, please contact Donna McNellis, Director, at (303) 494-3557 or (303) 530-0736.

 

LUNCH BUNCH
We offer an extended-day lunch hour (Lunch Bunch or LB) for children who attend Mountain View Preschool.


Estimated costs are as follows:
$10.00 per day. (Payment is due on a monthly basis.)

Enrollment occurs in April, and applications are included with Spring enrollment materials. If all available spaces are not filled at that time, there will be opportunities for attendance on a drop-in basis in the Fall.
Children can attend only on their regularly-scheduled attendance days. Parents must supply lunches and drinks for their child.

PRESCHOOL CALENDAR
 The Mountain View Preschool calendar is planned to coincide with the Boulder Valley Public Schools (BVPS) Calendar whenever possible. School opens, however, the week following the opening of BVPS and generally closes by Memorial Day. The TTH program is based on a minimum of 65 and a maximum of 69 days per year. The MWF program is based on a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 100 days. The PreK/ENR class is based on a minimum of 130 and a maximum of 135 days. The Multi-Age class is based on 65 to 100 days for 3 years old and 96 to 135 days for 4 year olds.

PLEASE NOTE: One release day for parent/teacher conferences and one release day for all-staff “In-Service” is included in the count of total days for each class.
The following holidays and vacations are observed: Thanksgiving week, Winter Break Vacation, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Weekend, Spring Vacation (coinciding the BVPS) and certain scheduled BVPS In-Service days and holidays.

CANCELLATION OF CLASSES
 Preschool classes may be canceled due to severe weather. Classes are automatically canceled whenever BVPS close. In addition, classes may be cancelled by the Preschool Chairperson and Director when severe weather makes carpooling dangerous. Parents will be notified by phone. Closure decisions are made by 7:30 a.m. Additional class days are added at the end of the year if the minimum number of guaranteed Preschool days is not met due to closures.

OPEN ADMISSIONS POLICY
Mountain View Preschool’s policy is to admit and to respectfully teach all children without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. The same requirements for admission are applied to all, and children are assigned within the center without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. There is no distinction in eligibility for, nor in the manner of providing for any child, the services provided by or through the auspices of this center other than that children of Church members are given first priority in this church-sponsored preschool. All persons and organizations having occasion either to refer children for admission or to recommend Mountain View Preschool are advised to do so without regard to the child’s race, color, religion or national origin.

For questions concerning compliance, please contact Donna McNellis, Director, at (303) 494-3557 or (303) 530-0736. If you have further concerns, please contact the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Social Services, 1575 Sherman St., Denver, Co. 80203 – or – the Regional Director of the Office Of Civil Rights, Department of HEW, 1961 Stout St., Federal Building, Room 9017, Denver, Co. 80203.

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE
 The Enrollment Secretary is responsible for Preschool enrollment and maintains a waiting list for each class. Returning children, children of Church members and qualified siblings are given enrollment priority in the classes for which they are age eligible.
Parents are encouraged to visit Mountain View Preschool at any time.  Parents will receive a copy of the Policy Statement, an Enrollment Application Form and a Tuition Payment Schedule Form A Spring pre-enrollment orientation meeting is held to familiarize parents with our philosophy and policies. At the meeting, parents receive the additional forms and information necessary to enroll their child in the program.
Parents are asked to read the program and policy information and return the Application Form and tuition deposit by a designated date. If the application and fees are not returned as of a specified date, the Enrollment Secretary will proceed to fill the position. The deposit is applied to the year’s total tuition cost. Tuition deposits are not guaranteed refundable at more than 50% after May 1st. No refunds will be made after August 1st.

An applicant may be denied admission to the program or removed from a class at the discretion of the Preschool Executive Committee if deemed necessary.

MEDICAL FORMS
 State regulations require that all children entering preschool must have a health examination by a physician prior to their enrollment. The preschool will need verification of the examination along with a Colorado State Certificate of Immunization. No child may be admitted without compliance with these requirements, unless religious or personal beliefs exemption forms are provided to the Preschool. Medical forms are provided by the Preschool, or a physician’s form is acceptable. These forms must be renewed yearly. Please have the exam done during the summer, if possible, so that it will be valid for the entire school year.

AUTHORIZATION/CONSENT FORM
 Parents must provide written authorization or verbal permission for their child to be picked up from Mountain View Preschool by anyone other than themselves. An Authorization/Consent Form will be provided to authorize carpool drivers, the “emergency person” and others who may pick up your child. In an unforeseen event a phone call to the Preschool office (303) 494-3557, to the Lead Teacher’s home, or in an emergency, to the Church office (303) 494-5025 is acceptable.

TRANSPORTATION
 The Preschool assumes no responsibility for the transportation of children to or from school.

TUITION PAYMENT POLICY
 Mountain View Preschool operates as a non-profit, church-related organization and is funded entirely through tuition. Rates are based on the estimated yearly operating costs of the preschool and are divided among the classes on a proportional basis.


By enrolling in Mountain View Preschool, parents assume responsibility for the full year’s tuition. If a child is withdrawn from the program, refunds for payment are made on a prorated basis if a new child is enrolled to fill the vacancy. If the position is not filled, parents are responsible for the balance of the tuition due.

 

TUITION ASSISTANCE FUND
 If special financial circumstances exist, Mountain View Preschool has available a limited amount of funds, separate from tuition, which may be used in cases of financial need.
The Committee may sponsor fundraising projects for the purpose of generating tuition-assistance monies. Parents, interested church members and friends of the Preschool participate on a volunteer basis.
Requests for financial assistance are reviewed by the Committee. All information is treated confidentially. For further information, please contact Donna McNellis (303) 494-3557.