Registration Packet

SO you got the parents on board. They've come to your home to see the center, read over your policies and decided that your the perfect place for their little one to go for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. AWESOME! Then comes the fun stuff. Paperwork. Before the parents leave, hand them a packet (like the one below) with all the necessary forms and information. Make sure you schedule a time to sit down with the parents to fill out a contract and clarify any questions they might have.

Contents of folder:

The Labels for the packet. You can print these onto Avery 8126 Shipping Labels and then just smack onto the cover of a folder.

Daycare Policy Handbook (2 copies- one to keep, one to initial and return): 

I probably won't make this document into a PDF, simply because it's personalized for my daycare. I DID get a lot of my ideas and format from this wonderful website called www.simplydaycare.com and I really think you should click here and check them out. 

Daily Schedule:

Menu:

Pricing Sheet

About Your Child:

 

DCFS Immunization Form:

Locate on your states DCFS page

Emergency Information Sheet:

Authorized Pick Up and Drop Off Form:

Non-Prescription Authorization Form:

Another gem found on the Simply Daycare website. Click Here and check them out. 

Hope this was helpful!

Daycare Menu

 THIS took the longest out of everything I've done so far. I really wanted a Daycare Menu that was better than what you typically see at a daycare. It always drove me nuts how daycares seem to make the healthy, unhealthy. For example, peaches. Do you know how many centers I've worked at that serve peaches in syrup?! WHYYY?! Or applesauce that has added sugar or corn syrup? Unnecessary people! Also, why can't you just pick the peanut butter that you have to stir instead of the sugar one? You already have a knife out anyway!   My goal with this menu was to have whole fruit/vegetable centered-snacks and health-conscience meals. Is it perfect? Heck no. But it's better than what they typically would get. Let me know how you modify this in the comments below!

Hope this is helpful,

Preschool & Kindergarten Bi-Weekly Report

Hello! Happy Wednesday! I've created a Bi-Weekly Report for all of you who are working to increase parent communication. I print these back-to-back and send home every two weeks attached to all the take home sheets and projects completed over the past two weeks. Parents are required to initial this sheet and return tests, as well as, anything that has a highlighter mark on it. This sheet works best with the Reading A-Z high-frequency word books. I write new words in the magnifying glass and the title of the book on the book image, along with the set letter and book number. If your students are reading leveled books I include that information under comprehension.

Front:

Back:

Hope this is helpful, 

Daycare Sign In Sign Out Binder

Done! I put together my sign in/out binders for the in-home daycare, and while I'm sure there is future editing to be had, I have another item checked off on my check list!   A product of my obsession with ETSY clip art and need to organize anything and everything.

  

The daily sheets are on the front cover. Every day, I will fill them out for parents to see and once signed, I will erase them. Doing it this way, I can give my printer a break and parents won't have their cars and kitchen counter-tops littered with papers. I will use a wet-erase marker to record the information (You could try a dry-erase marker, but I have a feeling you'll regret it the minute the ink starts smudging). I created three versions of the daily sheet: the Infant Daily Sheet (as seen below-...well, kinda. The link is a more recently updated version), a Toddler Daily Sheet, and a Preschool Daily Sheet.

 Since I want the front cover to remain private, It's displayed standing up (sideways) with the back showing. 

 Here's a look at what's on the inside:

Sign In Sign Out Sheet:

Authorized Pickup and Drop Off List: (Include in Registration Folder)

Emergency Information Sheet: (Include in Registration Folder)

 I'll update in September, when I start using them for the in-home daycare!

Third Grade Reading Reflections

Reading Response Journals are a great opportunity for students  to retell and make connections to a book. HOWEVER, what we expect and what we get are two very different things. What we expect is a thoughtful account of what a student read. What we end up getting is a jumbled mess of three to four sentences with zero direction. Usually, these sentences begin with "The setting is____" or "The characters are____". END

Frustrating to say the least.

After a few weeks, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I need to provide a little more structure. A way to organize the jumbled mess into something more clear and concise. So I did. I made a graphic organizer that we fill in once a week, or every five or so chapters. Once the graphic organizer is filled out we transfer it into the reading response notebook and voilà! A full page with information, thoughts, and opinions!

Remember the Gradual Release of Responsibility teaching model?

 I Do, We Do, You Do? 

Weeeeeeell, sometimes you need a lot of the first two, to get a good "You Do".  

Click on the link below for a free download of the organizer and please share how you modified it in the comments!

Reading Reflection Graphic Organizer

Before

After