Mission
EDP supports the needs of families and their children by providing an environment that is warm and nurturing, and where children have fun, relax, learn, and spend time with friends. The program will be consistent with the Touchstone philosophy and meet nationally recognized standards for school-age childcare.
Calendar
Hours of operation
EDP is open from 7:45 to 8:15 a.m. and 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on all regular school days. In addition, EDP is open 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Curriculum days and Parent/Teacher Conference days, for which advance registration for either 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. is required. Early morning EDP (7:45 – 8:30 a.m.) is also an available option for curriculum days. It is a drop-in only option, requires no registration, and the cost is $5.00.
Closures
EDP is not offered before the week of the first day of classes. EDP is closed for some holidays and on all snow days; it is also closed when school is in session for a half day. EDP is not offered after the final day of classes.
Should we determine during the school day that EDP must be cancelled or must close before 6:00 p.m., we will contact a parent of each student as early as possible to notify you and assist in making plans for pick-up. These situations are rare, but usually involve dangerous weather and/or driving conditions. It’s a good idea to have back-up plans for picking up your children in such instances.
Program Overview
Philosophy and Guiding Principles
Touchstone’s mission statement, philosophy, and guiding principles are used to create the EDP culture, and these principles are practiced daily. The EDP program offers a supervised, semi-structured environment and a variety of activities. It has been likened to “the neighborhood†where Touchstone children come to play with friends of all ages. They explore their own interests by being given the freedom and responsibility to choose what to do every afternoon. Mutual respect between children and staff is expected and developed by building close, meaningful relationships throughout the year.
Special Events
Theme Days
Days such as “Beach Day†(in the middle of winter), Pirate Day, or a sleepover party, are scheduled during the year and all children registered for EDP that day are welcome to participate.
Halloween
This is one of the school’s biggest holidays and during EDP, we hold a costume party with special activities and snacks.
School Events
If your child attends EDP on a day when your family will arrive later for a school or class event, please make every effort to arrive before EDP closing time to sign your child out from EDP care.
Extra-curricular activities
The school invites outside vendors to use space in the school to run programs such as karate and music. If a child is registered for both an outside program and EDP, we will supervise his/her movements back and forth. If a child is not registered for EDP, it is the parent’s responsibility to supervise the child before and after participating in these programs.
Helpful Hints for Parents
Pack extra snack foods – Even though we provide plenty of foods, many children like to eat frequently, and enjoy going to their lunchboxes for small snacks throughout the afternoon. This is especially true for Curriculum and Conference days when you should send in enough food for lunch and a few snacks.
Assume your child will get messy – We love to play outside and dig in to messy projects. We suggest you leave an extra change of clothes in your child’s cubby (locker). Also, if you are leaving EDP to go directly to a place where your child needs to be clean, we encourage you to bring clothes for the occasion with you.
The pick-up plan – Make sure your child understands the pick-up plan, who is picking up and at what time. If you are not sure about the time, say so. If you will need a quick transition when you arrive, let your child know this too.
Call us if you are experiencing a delay that will make you late enough to cause your child to be concerned. Children take comfort in knowing you are safe.
Don’t be surprised if your child is upset that you are picking up “too earlyâ€. Children often enjoy EDP so much that they are upset about being asked to leave. We suggest you set up a routine that suits your needs. Some parents announce a “five minute warning†upon their arrival. Please remember that, as important as you are to your child, you are entering his or her world when you arrive, and some children need time for this important transition.
Joining in – If you have time, you are welcome to join in your child’s activity for a few minutes before packing up to go. Often children are excited to share what they have been doing, and this can create a natural “bridge†for your departure.
Use the EDP staff to help you with transitions – Call beforehand if you need your child ready for departure when you arrive. Often we can help you get the cooperation you need if your child is tired and therefore acting out by resisting you.
Keep us informed about what’s going on in your child’s life. For example, your child may be concerned about a parent’s upcoming business trip, or the health of a loved one or a pet. Sometimes this information helps us to understand the behaviors we are observing. We strive to maintain open communication with the parents and the child’s classroom teacher as well.
“I don’t want to go to EDP today!†– Many children will say this once in a while, but take comfort – we have lots of experience dealing with this. Ask your child the reason for this statement. You may find that your child has an unfounded concern (something that you can address). On the other hand, you may find that the reason cannot be explained so easily. Mention the statement to your child’s classroom teacher and/or leave a note for the EDP Director. Frequently the reasons for your child’s feelings will become apparent during the school day or EDP. We always provide special attention to children who are feeling anxious, and being forewarned helps us identify this sooner. (Many times we have seen the anxiety disappear during the school day, and parents arrive to find their child happily engaged!) If you keep hearing complaints from your child about going to EDP, talk with us to see if there’s an important issue to address.
Get the whole “storyâ€! – Children will often recount their afternoon adventures to you or express concerns over something that happened during EDP. If your child tells you something you find potentially upsetting, we ask that you listen to your child’s perspective, and then discuss the matter with us to see if more information is available. We often find that getting a more complete picture allows us (and you) to help the child learn from such experiences.
Sign-out! – We emphasize with the children the importance of knowing their whereabouts during the afternoon, that we have a relationship of trust and responsibility. Developing a regular routine of signing out at departure enforces this notion, and it’s important that we have your sign-out daily and in writing.