The first day of school is only a couple short weeks away, and Kids Village is buzzing with activity getting ready for the 2020-21 school year! Our teachers are diligently refreshing their teacher training, polishing their curriculum plans, and putting the final touches on exciting hands-on activities to help your child learn. To help you prepare for the first day, we’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions (and answers) to make your child’s first day of school at Kids Village as smooth as possible!
When is the first day of school at Kids Village?
Our first day of school at Kids Village is Monday, August 17 (or Tuesday August 18 if your child is in a two-day program). We are having a Meet the Teacher open house event at our school August 11-13.
What time does school start?
Morning classes are 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon classes are 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
When do I hear which teacher my child has?
We will let you know which teacher your child has at our Meet the Teacher Event open house. If you aren’t able to attend the open house, you may call Kids Village the week of the event to get information about your child’s teacher.
How does the valet service work?
Our valet services adds important safety to Kids Village and also provides parents convenience by having a Kids Village staff member escort your child to and from their classroom. The valet service tends to be busiest during the final few minutes of the pick up time, so please keep in mind that showing up at the beginning of pick up will be a little quicker than waiting until the last possible minute.
Drop off
Morning Drop Off 8:45 – 9:00 a.m. | Afternoon Drop Off 12:30 – 12:45 p.m.
Please have your child unbuckled and ready to go before pulling into the valet line, and ask your child to stay with you in the vehicle until a staff member opens their door and walks them to the school entrance.
Pick up
Morning 11:30 – 11:45 a.m. | Afternoon 3:00 – 3:15 p.m.
During pick up times, please remain inside your vehicle so your child isn’t tempted to run to you through the line of cars. Our staff member will walk your child to your car, open the car door, and help your child inside. Please immediately pull forward to our designated safety “Buckle Zone” to buckle your child safely.
During the Meet the Teacher Open House, you will be given a car tag with your child’s name on it. Have your car tag hanging on your rearview mirror where Kids Village staff members can easily see it. Although we become well acquainted with you during the school year, your child’s safety is our top priority, therefore those who do not have a car tag will be asked to come inside where we can check identification and authorization.
You should refer to your Valet Service Flyer for additional information.
What if my child has separation anxiety?
In our years of experience, we have seen firsthand the practices that work in this situation and which do not. We have found that students who are dropped off through the Valet Service have an easier time adjusting to the classroom setting than those students whose parents bring them into school themselves every day. We encourage our families to utilize the Valet System whenever possible. Children quickly learn the process, and though they may be nervous at first, they quickly become familiar with the friendly faces of our staff member. If you are ever concerned that your child is not adjusting well or feel they are unusually upset, please communicate with us and we will do everything we can to help.
What school supplies do we need to bring?
None at all! Your registration fee covers any and all school supplies for your student while attending Kids Village.
Should my child bring a backpack?
No, your child should not bring their own backpack to Kids Village. As a welcome gift on or before the first day of school at Kids Village, we give each child their very own personalized book bag and ask them to bring this bag to school every day instead of backpacks. There’s no need for big and bulky backpacks at Kids Village as we minimize the amount of books and paperwork our children need to tote between classes or home from school. We do this because we believe these bags give our students a feeling of belonging in the village. These book bags also have the child’s name on them as well as their class information and allergy information so every staff member at Kids Village will be able to see at a glance which class your student belongs in and any special considerations that need to be taken.
Does my child need to be potty trained?
Kids Village does not require your child to be potty trained. We simply ask you to leave us with a cell number where you can be reached if your child needs to be changed. Unfortunately, because we are not a daycare facility we cannot perform any diaper changing services. Keep us updated on the progress you are making with potty training as we are happy to help encourage your child during the process and will help remind them to use the restroom throughout the day.
What is the Kids Village dress code?
Besides asking that each child wear their red aprons during their classes, there is no dress code at Kids Village. Hats are allowed at Kids Village as long as they do not provide a distraction to your child or other students.
Does Kids Village follow the local school district schedule for holidays?
We do not strictly follow the school district calendar, however there are some similarities. Our school year generally starts within a week or so of the local school district. We observe state and federal holidays, but we also have a few school event days throughout the year during which we will not hold typical classes (such as our Humanitarian Haunt, Christmas in the Village, and Parent Teacher Conferences). You will receive a schedule of these holidays and events at the beginning of the school, we will put reminders in each monthly newsletter, a calendar will be available on our website, and we will also post reminders on social media.
What should I do if my child has allergies or special circumstances?
Let us know your child’s specific needs so we may coordinate arrangements with our Education Director. If your child has a food allergy, we will place a ribbon on your child’s apron that will notify teachers of this allergy. We will also notify those teachers who will be using food ingredients during their lessons or presenting snacks.
Children with severe allergies are still allowed to participate in our cooking and nutrition class as long as you are comfortable allowing them to do so. Our cooking and nutrition teacher will notify you of each week’s recipes and possible contact with allergies.
We do ask that parents of children with allergies bring a box of allergy-approved snacks for their child to eat during times when snacks or treats may be provided.
May I send a treat with my child on their birthday?
Birthdays are exciting and we love taking the opportunity to make your child feel special, unique, and important. The birthday child is crowned for the day and will receive a gift from Kids Village. You are welcome to bring a treat to share with your child’s classmates. At this time, due to concerns with COVID-19, we ask that treats be store-bought. It may require some though and creativity, but we would appreciate it if you try to keep your birthday treats as healthy as possible. Many of our students are allergic to Red Dye #40, so please avoid bringing treats with purple or red artificial coloring if possible.
How can I contact my child’s teacher?
We encourage you to contact your child’s teacher or the Education Director at any time during the school year. Please feel free to call 801-235-9999 to speak over the phone or to schedule an in-person meeting or email us at [email protected].
What changes are being made this year because of COVID-19?
There are additional parent policies in place so we may do our best to prevent exposure of our students, staff, and their households. These policies include avoiding coming to Kids Village for 14 days if any member of your household has a confirmed or suspected exposure to COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms. It also includes daily health screening, supports smaller group sizes, increases sanitization practices, and asks parents to exclusively use the Valet Service for pickup and drop-off to avoid additional traffic inside the school. Full details of these policies will be provided at the Meet the Teacher Open House.