Getting Started at BECC: Quick Answers for Families
What are Cubby Visits?
In late August, the Supervising Teacher of your child’s class will call to arrange an appointment for a welcome visit to the Bennington Early Childhood Center. Selecting a cubby, exploring the space, and meeting with the teacher before school starts results in a more comfortable beginning for children. In order for the meeting to be pleasant and unhurried, the teachers schedule at least thirty minutes for a visit. It is best, if possible, for a child to come alone with his/her parent(s). Siblings will have other opportunities to visit later in the year.
What are Orientation days?
Your child will attend one of two orientation days to become familiar with the classroom and routine in a smaller group type setting so that s/he will be less overwhelmed on the first day (unless you have signed up for the wrap-around care option, in which case your child may attend both days). Orientation allows teachers to be more available to children on an individual basis and allows for a more successful beginning of the school year. Teachers will let you know at your cubby visit which day your child should attend.
What is Wrap-Around care?
Wrap-around care is an option for parents who need full-year coverage. Families who sign-up for wrap-around coverage at the beginning of the year will automatically be covered during school breaks and summer (except Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr Day, Memorial Day, professional development days, cleaning days, and the week of the 4th of July). Those signing up for wrap-around care will pay for 48 weeks of coverage, paid out in 12 equal installments starting on August 30th (for those children receiving pre-k funds from their town, the pre-k funds will be deducted in equal installments only from the ten school-year payments, August through May). Coverage during wrap-around care days will be provided in a camp-like, mixed-age group setting, staffed by a combination of our staff.
What are Parent Work Days?
These are days that parents help clean up the grounds at the BECC! Weeding, tree trimming, garden clean-up, mulching, raking, etc. Many hands make light work!
How do i get inside the building?
The building’s front door is always locked. Please ring the bell, knock, or call 802-447-1093 to be admitted into the building. A limited number of keycards are available for a $15 fee. Please see the Director for more information.
Communication through the brightwheel app
The BECC uses a platform called Brightwheel to better facilitate communication between parents and staff and to provide the ease of making tuition payments as an online transaction. Before school starts you will receive an email requesting you sign up for Brightwheel. Please accept this invitation! You will receive notifications about your child’s day, easily be able to converse with your child’s teacher, and easily make tuition payments with a credit card or bank transfer.
Whom Do I Call when My Child Will Be Absent?
When your child is going to be absent, please notify your child’s teacher through the Brightwheel app or call or email the school between 8:00-8:45 AM or. Our phone number is 802-447-1093 and our email address is benningtonecc@gmail.com. If your child is part of a pre-k partnership a doctor’s note is necessary for the absence to be considered “excused.”
How Will I Know if School is Delayed or Cancelled?
In the event of inclement weather (snow, ice, sleet, etc.), the Bennington Early Childhood Center will make a decision to close based on what is most sensible for the BECC. Many of our staff live quite a distance away and/or have children in the public school system, which will factor in our decision. If the SVSU is closed, the Early Childhood Center will most likely be closed. If there is a delay in school starting for the SVSU, the Bennington Early Childhood Center will most likely still open, but at 9:00 or 9:30 am.
The decision to close or delay will be made by 7:00 AM. At that time, you will receive a Brightwheel notification. Closing information will also be posted on the Bennington Early Childhood Center’s Facebook page. If you need to be notified by alternative means (such as phone, text, or email) please be in touch with your child’s classroom teacher to make such arrangements.
What is the Most Appropriate Time to communicate with Staff?
BECC teachers aim to be approachable and available for frequent parent communication. Individual teachers may have preferences about extended communication during arrivals and departures. Feel free to speak with your child’s teacher to identify such preferences. If you have any questions about your child or general school policy, please email or call the Director to make an appointment for a conference. If there is anything happening at home which might influence your child in school, we would appreciate the information so that we might more effectively work with your child. Apart from the two regularly scheduled parent/teacher conferences, we are available whenever a discussion is necessary. Transition times (going and coming from the Center) however, are generally not good times for prolonged discussions with teachers as the children usually need the teachers’ full attention at those times. We also implore you to respect the time of your child’s teachers outside of her/his workday. Although most teachers are happy to receive quick notes about events that may be affecting your child, they do not want to engage in lengthy conversations outside of work hours. It is always best to schedule a meeting if you want to discuss something in detail.
Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled twice per year. The Fall conference can be viewed as an opportunity to share thoughts about the child and hopes for that child during the school year. In the Spring, a second conference is held to discuss how the child is progressing in social, emotional, cognitive, and physical domains of development. Written reports follow the fall conference and the end of the school year.
It is critical to notify the Director of any changes in contact information or family situations. This includes any changes in home or work telephone numbers and addresses, emergency contact names and numbers, work schedules, designated pick-up people, medical information, etc. All changes are best relayed to the office in writing or via email or the Brightwheel app.
Can We Use the Playground Outside of School Hours?
We welcome families to make use of the playground at the end of their child’s school day. For the sake of safety and consistency we ask that all those enjoying our playground abide by the following rules:
Stay within the obvious playground area.
Please keep your child in your sight at all times. If your child would like to play in the woods or pavilion, an adult must accompany him/her.
Slides: It is permitted to go both up and down the open slides, but only in one direction at a time. Children are not permitted to go head-first down the slides.
Sand: Sand should stay in the sandbox. Children are not permitted to carry sand up the slides or on the climbing equipment, or anywhere above the heads of others.
Swings: Children are not permitted to stand on seats. They may sit or lie on their stomachs. They should wait for turns outside of the fall zone and should not circle posts while waiting. Have children walk around swings on grass to pass by swings. It is ok for children to jump off the swings. Swings should not be twisted.
Sticks: No swinging or running with them. No running with anything that could poke.
Toys: Please do not remove bikes or toys from the sheds.
Sledding: Inner tubes are not to be used on the hill, as they require more space than what we have. An adult is required to supervise sledding.
Toileting: Please do not allow your child to relieve him/herself on the playground. It makes for unsanitary conditions. Your child may use the bathroom facilities inside if accompanied by an adult. Please do not linger in the classrooms, as the rooms have been cleaned and set up for the following day or meetings are taking place. Please be quiet since nap time may be in session.
