Gingerbread House Preschool Handbook

Welcome

The staff of Gingerbread House Preschool warmly welcomes you and your family. When your child enters our Early Childhood Program, we share with you the important responsibility of supporting your child’s social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development.

We want your child’s first school experience to be positive, rewarding, and enjoyable. Through active, hands-on learning and interaction with teachers and peers, we encourage each child to develop confidence, independence, curiosity, and a positive sense of self. We recognize that every child is unique, and we strive to provide an environment in which each child feels safe, valued, and encouraged to learn and grow.

We are delighted that you have chosen Gingerbread House Preschool and look forward to the partnership we will share with you during your child’s time with us.

Gingerbread House is a private, non-faith-based preschool that leases classroom space from Zionsville Christian Church. The preschool is independently operated and is not affiliated with the church’s religious programs. We welcome children and families of all backgrounds.

Communication with Families

Open communication between families and teachers is an important part of our program. At the beginning of each month, families receive a calendar highlighting classroom activities and special events for the upcoming month. Calendars are also available on our website.

Teachers also communicate with families through weekly class emails. Parents and guardians are provided with their teachers’ email addresses and cell phone numbers to encourage open and direct communication throughout the school year.

Our Professional Educators

Gingerbread House Preschool is proud of its warm, caring, experienced, and professional educators. Our teachers are selected for their patience, sensitivity, enthusiasm, and understanding of how young children learn and develop.

Each classroom has two lead teachers who work together using a team-teaching approach. Teachers at each age level meet regularly to plan the curriculum, classroom activities, and special events for the upcoming month.

Our educators are committed to continued professional growth and seek opportunities to expand their knowledge of early childhood education through professional development, conferences, workshops, and other educational resources.

We look forward to getting to know your child and your family.

Our Teaching Philosophy

Our program is designed to be flexible and responsive to the individual needs and developmental level of each child. Children develop at different rates, and we encourage each child to learn and grow at an appropriate pace socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

Our goal is to educate and nurture the whole child. We believe young children learn best through active exploration, play, discovery, conversation, and interaction with other children and caring adults. Rather than simply giving children information, our teachers provide experiences that encourage curiosity, problem-solving, creativity, independence, and a lifelong interest in learning.

Our educational approach is consistent with the principles of developmentally appropriate practice promoted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Our Approach to Guidance and Discipline

One of the goals of Gingerbread House Preschool is to help children develop confidence, self-control, independence, positive relationships, and respect for others.

Young children are still learning how to manage emotions, communicate their needs, solve problems, and interact appropriately with others. Our teachers view discipline as an opportunity to teach these important skills.

Teachers establish clear, consistent, and age-appropriate expectations for behavior. They guide children with firmness, patience, kindness, and respect while recognizing each child’s developmental level and individual needs. Positive behavior is encouraged and reinforced.

Our guidance strategies include:

1. Redirecting children toward appropriate activities and behaviors.

2. Adjusting the classroom environment when it contributes to behavioral difficulties.

3. Establishing clear, consistent, and reasonable limits and following through consistently.

4. Stating expectations in positive, age-appropriate language whenever possible.

5. Helping children learn to identify and express their feelings appropriately.

6. Helping children develop age-appropriate problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.

7. Communicating with parents or guardians when behavioral concerns arise so that families and teachers can work together to support the child.

Bullying, intimidation, and intentionally hurtful behavior are not tolerated. Because preschool children are still developing social and emotional skills, teachers carefully observe concerning behavior, intervene promptly, and help children learn appropriate ways to interact with others. Parents or guardians who are concerned that their child is being repeatedly hurt, excluded, intimidated, or treated unkindly should speak with a teacher or the director.

Parent-teacher conferences are held twice during each school year. Parents are also encouraged to contact their child’s teachers whenever questions or concerns arise.

Health Guidelines

The health and well-being of our children, families, and staff are important to us. Children who are ill should remain at home until they are well enough to participate comfortably in normal preschool activities and are unlikely to spread illness to others.

Children should remain home if they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or other symptoms of a potentially contagious illness. A child may return to school after being free of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing or symptom-suppressing medication.

If your child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness, including strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), or another communicable disease, please notify the preschool. Return to school should be based on the child’s symptoms, the nature of the illness, appropriate treatment when required, and the recommendations of the child’s healthcare professional.

Please notify the school when your child will be absent because of illness, particularly if your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease.

Medications

Gingerbread House Preschool does not routinely administer prescription or over-the-counter medications. Parents should discuss any medically necessary medication or emergency medication with the Director before the child attends school.

Potty Training

Children enrolled in the 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old classes are expected to be toilet trained and able to use the toilet with age-appropriate independence. Children enrolled in the 2-year-old class are not required to be toilet trained.

We understand that occasional accidents can occur, even after a child has been successfully toilet trained. Parents or guardians will be contacted if an accident requires assistance beyond what the preschool staff can appropriately provide.

Additional information about toilet training and our expectations is available by clicking this link. 

Dress

Children should wear comfortable play clothes to school. Although we take reasonable precautions, preschool activities can be messy, and paint, glue, play dough, and other materials may get on clothing. Please choose clothing that is washable and appropriate for active play.

Please do not send your child to school wearing a costume unless costumes are specifically requested for a classroom activity or special event.

Whenever possible, choose clothing that your child can fasten and unfasten independently. Easy-to-manage clothing helps children develop independence, particularly when using the restroom.

Shoes

Children should wear secure, closed-toe shoes with rubber or other nonslip soles that are appropriate for running, climbing, and active indoor and outdoor play.

Please do not send your child to school wearing Crocs, flip-flops, slides, or similar loose-fitting footwear. These shoes can come off during playground activities and during Music and Movement class and may create a tripping hazard.

If your child wears boots to school during the winter, please also send a pair of regular indoor shoes.

Dressing for the Weather

Outdoor play is an important part of our preschool day. Weather permitting, children should be prepared to spend time outside.

Please dress your child appropriately for the day's weather. During cold weather, children should have an appropriate winter coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and boots when needed. Please clearly label coats, hats, mittens, boots, and other belongings with your child's name.

We generally do not go outside when the temperature or wind chill is 15°F or below or when weather conditions make outdoor play unsafe or impractical.

Please do not send umbrellas to school.

Weather Delays and School Closings

Gingerbread House Preschool generally follows Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) when schools are closed because of severe weather or hazardous conditions. If ZCS closes because of weather, Gingerbread House Preschool will also be closed.

If ZCS operates on a delayed schedule, Gingerbread House Preschool will ordinarily open and hold classes at its regular time. Parents and guardians should use their own judgment regarding local road and weather conditions and decide whether it is safe to bring their child to school.

Gingerbread House Preschool reserves the right to close, delay opening, or dismiss early when conditions affecting our preschool make it necessary to do so.

Please notify the school at 317-733-1105 if your child will be absent.

Snacks and Celebrations

Snack time is a regular and enjoyable part of each school day and provides opportunities for children to practice independence, conversation, sharing, and good table manners.

Families provide classroom snacks on a rotating schedule. Before your child's scheduled turn, a snack bucket will be sent home. We ask families to provide simple, nutritious, age-appropriate snacks.

Water is provided for the children.

Food Allergies and Dietary Needs

Please inform your child's teachers and the Director of any food allergy, food intolerance, dietary restriction, or other special dietary need.

Families will be informed when classroom food restrictions need to be considered when providing snacks. Because allergies can be serious, please follow all classroom snack restrictions carefully.

Parents of children with food allergies or special dietary requirements may be asked to provide appropriate alternative snacks for their child.

Birthdays

We enjoy celebrating birthdays! If you would like your child to bring a special birthday snack, please make arrangements with the classroom teachers in advance so that food allergies and dietary restrictions can be considered.

Children with summer birthdays may celebrate their birthdays during the school year in consultation with their teachers.

If your child is having a private birthday party outside of school, please do not distribute invitations at school, including in the classroom or hallways before or after class.

Arrival and Dismissal

For the safety of our children and to make arrival and dismissal orderly, each classroom has a designated entrance and dismissal area:

• Yellow Room: Front glass doors on the south side of the building

• Blue Room: East-side door under the overhang

• Green Room: Back doors on the north side of the building

Children will ordinarily be dismissed from the same entrance used for arrival.

Parents and guardians should not enter the building during routine arrival unless directed to do so by a staff member.

Authorized Pick-Up

A child will be released only to a parent, guardian, or other person authorized by the child's parent or guardian.

If someone other than the child's usual parent or guardian will be picking up your child, please notify the teachers in advance by note, text message, or email and provide the person's name. Staff may request photo identification from anyone they do not recognize before releasing a child.

For your child's safety, please keep the preschool informed of any permanent changes to the people authorized to pick up your child.

Prompt Arrival and Pick-Up

Please make every effort to arrive and pick up your child on time. Consistent routines help young children feel secure and allow our teachers to maintain the classroom schedule.

If an unexpected circumstance will make you late for pick-up, please call 317-733-1105 as soon as possible so that we know you are on your way.

Late Pick-Up Fee

A five-minute grace period is provided following the scheduled end of your child's school day. After the grace period, a late fee of $1.00 per minute will be charged.

The teacher who remains with your child will document the pick-up time. The late fee should be paid directly to the teacher or teachers who remained with your child.

Repeated late pick-ups may result in a meeting with the Director to determine whether other arrangements are necessary.

Payment of Tuition and Fees

Enrollment at Gingerbread House Preschool represents a commitment for the entire school year. Annual tuition is divided into equal monthly payments for the convenience of families.

Monthly tuition is due during the first week of each month. A payment received after the first week of the month is considered late unless other arrangements have been made in advance with the Director.

A $25 late fee will be assessed for late tuition payments.

If it becomes necessary to withdraw your child from Gingerbread House Preschool, please provide the Director with at least one month's written notice. If the required written notice is not provided, the family will remain responsible for the following month's tuition.

Tuition is based on enrollment for the school year rather than the number of days a child attends. Therefore, tuition is not reduced or refunded for individual absences resulting from illness, family vacations, or other personal circumstances.

Tuition is also not ordinarily reduced or refunded for school closures resulting from inclement weather or other circumstances beyond the preschool's reasonable control. Weather-related closure days are not ordinarily made up at the end of the school year.

Questions or concerns regarding tuition or fees should be discussed directly with the Director.

Making Payments

Please make checks payable to:

Gingerbread House Preschool

Tuition payments may be given to your child's teachers or mailed to:

Gingerbread House Preschool
120 N. Ninth Street
Zionsville, IN 46077

A $35 fee will be charged for returned checks.

Tax Information

Federal Tax Identification Number: 35-1677232
Early Childhood Educators, Inc.

“When relocating to the area a few months into the school year we found Gingerbread House and I was amazed at how quickly and easily our daughter adjusted to the new class and teachers. The teachers did a wonderful job of providing a nurturing environment for the kids while ensuring they grew to be prepared for Kindergarten - and beyond! Our child loved the time she had and the friends she made. We are lucky to have found Gingerbread House and look forward to our younger daughter also attending in a couple of years!”

Excerpt from parent review on Google search