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ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL:

• The entry door will open at 8:50 AM
• We require every child to be signed in and out each day by the adult bringing and picking up. Please use your legal signature. This is reassuring for the staff and lets us all know who picked up an individual child. The sign-in sheets are just inside the second door
• When bringing your child into the classroom or picking up your child, please respect their space and quiet. We strive to maintain a quiet, safe, and comfortable environment for all the children.
• After signing in your child, please help them get ready to start their day. They may need encouragement to hang their coat and put on their slippers.
• Upon returning for your child, while you sign them out, one of the teachers will bring your child to you. Please remain outside the door–the remainder of the children will continue their work.
• Each child must be connected to an adult before they will be allowed to leave.
• Morning class ends promptly at 12:00. Afternoon class ends at 3:30. If you are detained and cannot meet your child’s schedule, please call the office at 206-842-8770. A simple phone call can allay may fears.
• If your child is still in the classroom 10 minutes after class ends and we have not heard from you, we will attempt to contact you. If we are unsuccessful in reaching you we will attempt to contact the names listed for emergency purposes. Otherwise, as a last resort we are required to contact CPS after a 30 minute delay without reaching someone.

CLOTHING:

• Children wear shoes or boots to school and slippers in the classroom.
• We work towards reinforcing every child’s need for independence. Boots and slippers allow the child to “to do for him or herself” . Children do best wearing slip-on or Velcro shoes. PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL IN LACE OR BUCKLE SHOES/BOOTS. This hampers the child’s independence.
• Please put your child’s name on coats, boots, shoes, hats and slippers.
• On rainy days, please send your child wearing good outdoor clothing sohe/she can stay dry and warm.
• All children need an extra complete set of clothing left at the schoolto be used and replaced as needed.

INCLEMENT WEATHER:

• Please listen to your radio paying special attention to Bainbridge Public Schools
• BISD closed, we are closed.
• BISD running one hour late – we are running one hour late.
• BISD two hours late and/or nor morning kindergarten – we are closed for entire day – no am or pm classes. We do make up missed days due to an unscheduled closure of BISD – the missed days will be rescheduled.

HEALTH:
Parents know the normal appearance of their child and should be the first to detect signs of illness. Please watch your child for any unusual behavior or symptoms. These are usually the first signs your child is getting sick. Please protect your child and his/her school friends by keeping him/her home 24 hour after any of the following circumstances have stopped.

1. A fever of over 100 degrees on the ear thermometer, under the arm, oral or rectal.
2. Any type of rash or questionable bumps and/or red spots.
3. Green/yellow/brown mucous coming out of the nose, mouth, eyes or ears…
4. Uncontrollable coughing with or without congestion.
5. Loose stools or diarrhea more than once in a day.
6. Vomiting or stomach flu of any kind.

Please do not bring your child to school if they exhibit any of these symptoms. If you bring your child with these symptoms, they will be turned away at the front door, and you will be asked to keep your child home until the symptoms are no longer present.

• If your child is sick, and you plan to stay home, please remember to call by 8:00a.m.
• Contact the school if your child has a contagious disease or illness so we can alert the rest of the parents.
• If your child becomes ill or we have concerns about his/her well-being, we will contact you to come and pick up your child.
• Please inform us, in writing, of any food allergies so we may help your child avoid those particular foods.
• Beginning of each year, we require a completed immunization form, showing the dates of all immunizations for all children. This form must be returned to the school within the first two weeks.

SNACKS:
The staff of ICMS will plan, purchase and prepare the snacks for the children. Again, if there are any food allergies, the staff needs to know so we provide safe snacks or an alternative for that child/children. ICMS will provide nutritional snacks within the guidelines of state and county regulations.

DISCIPLINE POLICY:
In an environment where children care about one another and are encouraged to talk and work together, discipline is generally not a problem. The children are eager to praise, to applaud, and to smile with their friends.

At ICMS, we limit certain behavioral pattern such as:

• Hitting, Biting, Kicking, Violent Behavior
• Being Rude, Bullying
• Disrupting a class
• Throwing items

We limit these behavioral patterns by removing the child from the situation, by redirecting his/her actions, coforting the child and helping him/her to identify and resolve the problem.

At ICMS, we make every effort to understand and work with the many different personalities and attitudes that individual children possess. On very rare occasions, behavioral issues may arise that are more serious or long-term, and undermine the experience for the other students and/or staff at the school. Should this happen, we will make every effort to work with the children, their parents and/or caregivers to correct these behaviors and enable the child to continue their Montessori experience with us. However, if the behaviors are not correctable, and it is in the best interest of the other students, staff and/or ICMS, we reserve the right to request a child leave the school.

BIRTHDAYS:
Birthdays are a very special time at school. Please let us know several days ahead of the planned school birthday so we can make it a special day for your child and not overlap other birthdays or other planned programs.

• We honor the birthday child with a special personalized crown, singing and sharing a special birthday snack brought I in by the child.
• Parents are invited to share the birthday celebration by bringing photos of the child at different ages and special stories of the birthday child.
• Children are welcome to bring special toy, stuffed animal or blanket to share with their classmates.
• Please do not pass out birthday party invitations at school. The class directory provides the addresses of the students.

VISTORS:
Observers and visitors are always welcome at ICMS. If you wish to visit the classroom, please arrange a convenient time as adult space is limited. New children need time to establish the school as their special place. Please give your child time to adjust to friends and staff without you before arranging a visit.

PICK-UP:

• If your child has a play date or is going to be picked up by someone who does not normally pick up your child, we require a note from you giving
  us all the necessary information.
• The school will not honor a phone authorization to release a child without prior written permission from the custodial parent stating that such a phone authorization is permissible.
• The school will confirm all phone authorizations to release a child by calling back the custodial parent at a previously designated telephone number immediately upon receiving the telephone authorization.
• Please be sure your child is picked up on time as they become concerned when they are the only one still at school. If you have a cell phone, please leave that number with us as well.

CARPOOL PERMISSION:
If you will be participating in a car pool, please provide a carpool permission form. On this form, please list all children in the carpool and state that they have permission to ride with the different individual drivers on given days. If a change takes place, please provide a signed written form stating this information.

We may not release children unless we have this in writing. Please be sure that all drivers recognize and implement Washington State Child Seat Laws.

LUNCH:
ICMS provides a supervised lunch period for children.

• Parents pack their children’s lunches. Please provide a lunch that is nutritious and easy for the child to eat on their own.
• Please do not send peanut butter or nuts until we know what allergies other children may have that can create a danger to them.
• Children can enroll at the beginning of the year for a certain number of lunch periods per week, and like tuition, are charged a fixed rate for the year which is divided by 10 for the ease of monthly billing.
• Lunch is not part of the educational program.
• When weather permits, the children will play outside after eating.
• When weather is inclement, lunchtime activities may include story time, singing, videos, or general quiet time.

LATE PICK-UP:

• Morning class ends promptly at 12:00.
• Afternoon class ends promptly at 3:30

If you are detained, please call the school office to inform us of your delay
and approximate time you will arrive. Children become fearful when they
are the last child and there is no explanation.

LATE FEE POLICY:

• Grace period – 5 minutes
• $1.00 per minute after the above 5 minutes

In addition, it has been decided that if this occurs 3 times, a review will take place and a fine of $100.00 or forfeiting of your child’s spot may occur.

DSHS requires that a child is with us less than 4 hours. Tardiness may put a child over the time limit thus jeopardizing the school.