Our Little People Family
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Teacher Jenny - Head Teacher 3's/4's
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Teacher Laura - 3's/4's
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Teacher Saaya - 3's Class Junior Teacher
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Teacher Irene - 4's Support Teacher
Our Preschool
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Our Classroom
Our classroom is a very large, bright, and happy place, filled with fun and learning. Each day, different centres encourage exploration, socialization, fine motor skills, creativity, and friendship. During indoor play time, the children are free to move about the classroom as they wish and choose the activities that interest them. Centres continue to evolve to promote learning and to reflect children’s interests, but some favourites are constant, like a quiet reading corner and an art table with projects to stimulate the imagination.
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Our Playground
We enjoy the use of a fully fenced and secure, private playground directly attached to our building. Filled with the biggest sandbox you’ve ever seen, and plenty of opportunities for gross-motor development, our playground provides the ideal place for friendships to be formed and endless fun to be had. Outdoor play is fundamental to the health and well-being of children, and forms a large part of our curriculum.
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Our Parents
Parents are a big part of our community! While our classes operate under a traditional drop-off model, our door is always open to parents who want to become involved in their children’s schooling. Working together with the teachers, parents are invited to come into the classroom to play or share their passions with the children. We foster a strong community among our families through regular social events. We also offer, free of charge, regular Educational Evenings for parents, which involve presentations from a variety of professionals in the field of early childhood development.
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Our Community
We actively encourage a community-minded focus among our children through many links to our wider community. Field trips take us to local businesses and walks allow us to explore our neighbourhood. As well, we seek out opportunities to build relationships with our neighbours, the local church and seniors residence. Our children move on to a variety of neighbourhood schools, including Kerrisdale Elementary (Main and Annex), Maple Grove, Quilchena, and Kitchener, in addition to private schools in the area.
Do you provide all-day care for children?
No, we are a licensed preschool, we run two classes, one in the morning for the 3s from 9am-1130am and an afternoon class from 1230pm-330pm for the 4s class. Under our preschool license, it is not legal for us to keep a child with us all day. If you want all-day care, you need to look for a facility with a “daycare” license, not a preschool.
My child is 18 months old right now. Can I put them on a waitlist for when they turn three?
You can preregister your child on our waitlist and secure a spot by completing the preregistration process. We will notify you when it’s time to officially register or when there are school events that will help you get to know our community better. The waiting list operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to alumni families.
My child is not yet fully potty-trained. Can he still attend your preschool?
At Little People’s, we know that toilet training is a physical milestone that not all children reach at the same age. Just like walking and talking, toilet training cannot be forced before children are physically ready. We do not pressure children to be toilet-trained, and we allow children to attend class in diapers or pull-ups. The teachers will change them as needed.
My child does not speak English at home and has had little exposure to English. Will this be a problem at your preschool?
We have many students at our preschool who speak a variety of different languages at home. Our teachers have lots of experience working with english-language-learners, and rarely experience any problems. Small children pick up language very quickly, and playing with their teachers and peers at preschool is one of the best ways to help them gain confidence in using English.
We may need to move half-way through the school year. What is your withdrawal process?
We sincerely hope you will be able to stay with us for the entire school year. However, if you find you need to withdraw for whatever reason, we simply require 1-month’s notice or 1-month’s tuition payment in lieu of notice.
Do you provide care for infants and/or toddlers?
We only accept children in the calendar years they turn 3 or 4. If you are looking for care for a younger child, you need to look for a facility with an infant/toddler license.
Do you accept new students in January?
Our classes begin in September and we do not have a regular January intake of students. That being said, if there is still space in a class, we will accept new students up until mid-February each year.
My child is not used to leaving me and I am worried that she will have a hard time separating from me at preschool. How will you handle that?
The process of teaching a child to separate from his/her parents is called “gradual entry”. At Little People’s, we do not have a set gradual entry process, as the needs of each child and each family are different. If needed, parents are welcomed in the classroom during the gradual entry process, and the teachers will work with you to come up with an individual plan based on your own child to slowly transition you out of the preschool. We have lots of strategies and tips to help you and your child with gradual entry.
Are tuition subsidies available?
We will happily help you in applying for the Affordable Child Care Benefit, which can help to significantly reduce tuition costs for some families.