Parent Involvement in Preschool
Preschool is such a special time in a young child’s life. There is so much happening in the span of child’s life from the period of 6 weeks of age to 6 years old. As a Program Director, I feel grateful for the opportunity and responsibility that the parent has entrusted our school to be a part of their child’s life and early childhood experience.
As a dedicated Program Director, I want to meet your needs when you enter our school. The relationship begins there. By asking parents questions about their child’s health, interests, experiences and preferences not only provides me with much-needed information, but it shows the parent that I value their input and respect their knowledge of their child as primary caregivers. Over time, the child will develop and changes will take place as he or she grows (such as favorite food, sleeping schedules, developmental milestones, etc.). Ongoing communication between parents and teachers will benefit the child as he or she develops during their early childhood years at LSP.
Being responsive and keeping our families informed is deep in the Corporate Culture of our company and has shaped much of the success the company has enjoyed. It begins with the Program Director and/or franchisee and follows through to our teachers. Daily conversations with parents, emails, LuvNotes™ communicating their child’s specific day, newsletters and also conferences are incorporated at all of our schools on a consistent basis. We want our parents to feel comfortable while they are away at work but also feel like they are a part of their child’s day through these forms of communication. The time we spend with their child is valuable and we do not take that for granted. We realize we are getting the best 8-10 hours of their child’s day when they are awake and eager to learn and play.
We also extend parent involvement into our preschools according to their preferences and strengths, where they are able to visit and lead activities such as: reading to their child’s class, bringing items in to teach about their culture, using special skills (art, gardening, etc.) storytelling and singing/playing instruments or bringing in recorded music to enhance the classroom. We host several special events at our preschools throughout the year and always welcome parents and family members to participate in such as birthday and special parties, child-centered showcases/Open Houses and parent appreciation days. We want our families who attend LSP to feel the sense of community we value at our preschools.
So what’s the next step if you would like to get more involved? Stop by and chat with your child’s Program Director, email or call. We would love for you to get involved in your child’s class and you can count on your child’s excitement to know you are helping them make the most of their experiences during this special time with us too!
Heather Wilson, Program Director