★ We are accepting student 3years old to 5years old ★

We do childcare in an international environment and use English for everyday conversation.
Children will acquire communication skills in English with teachers and friends.
There are foreign teachers and Japanese teachers so it is safe even if your parents can not speak English.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

Parents are expected to partner with Little Star Montessori School staff as we nurture their child’s growth. A personal interview with the Principal /Director is necessary to exchange information and plan for a successful adjustment to out-of-home-care and the child’s separation from the parent(s). Parents must complete the Application Package consists of the following required forms prior to admission:

• Application for Enrollment
• Physician’s Report
• Emergency / Identification Information
• Consent to Medical Treatment
• Photo release Agreement
• Signed copy of this contract

ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE

LATE FEES:

• Tuitions are due every 18th - 25th of the month.
• Tuition is always two (2) weeks in advance.
• ¥1,000 will be charged per week for tuition received after 25th.
• ¥500 is charged if your child is picked up late 30 minutes after the 3pm for the school hour program.
• ¥700 is charged if you pick up 30 minutes late after extended 6pm for extended care.
• ¥500 is charged per hour if extended care is needed.
• An additional supply fee is charged if there is supplemental material needed for the kids.

WITHDRAW AND VACATION POLICY

• One (1) month notice is required to inform the office if you would like to withdraw your child from school.
• If you withdraw your child less than a month, you will be charged ¥10,000.
• If you go for PCS or vacation for less than a month you have to pay full month of tuition.
• For a month vacation you will be charged half month tuition to keep the spot for your child.

HEALTH REQUIREMENT

Children will be accepted to LITTLE STAR MONTESSORI SCHOOL from 3 to 6 years of age Children must have all age-appropriate immunization against the following:

• DPT (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Whooping coughs)
• Polio
• German Measles
• Measles
• Hepatitis B
• TB(Tuberculosis)
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)

Each child must have a written medical clearance from their physician at the time of admission and be able to participate in a child care program. Parents must have a plan for providing care when the child is ill or has a contagious condition. Children who may NOT attend school until they are well. If a child becomes ill the child care center site, the parent(s) or guardian(s) will be called for immediate pick-up of the child. No medication will be administered without the written authorization from the parent(s) or guardian(s). We will NOT awaken a child from his/her nap to administer medication. All medicine must have the child’s name on the original container. Medication will NOT be given if the prescription(s) DOES NOT possess the child’s name on the original container. This is for your child’s protection.

Making a choice for a healthy diet and lifestyle starts when a child is young. LSMS models and promotes healthy eating habits. Please DO NOT send your child to school with gum, candy, chips, soda or unhealthy foods. What we eat really does affect the brain’s ability to absorb and retain information.

SENDING CHILDREN HOME

The following health conditions will be caused for sending your child home:

• Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more
• Vomiting
• Three or more incidents or diarrhea
• Pink eye
• Cold or flu
• Green or yellow mucus out of the nose
• Coughs (heavy or croup like)
• Open or oozing wounds
• Spots on skin
• Contagious diseases (chicken pox, measles, strep throat)
• Any medical condition that the staff deems appropriate

ATTENDANCE

If your child has been sick and absent one week (five school days) or longer, the parent must bring a doctor’s clearance advising that your child is able to return and participate in normal school activities.

Maximum pupils’ attendance at LSMS is determined by the Government of Japan Law. Due to this reason, parents or legal guardians must notify the LSMS Director one month in advance if they wish to withdraw their children from school. This will allow us to enroll additional student(s). Without the thirty (30) days advanced notice, tuition for - month will be charged.

The school is unable to provide make-up or substitute days when a child is absent due to holidays, vactions or illness. We abide by strict licensing standards when setting our teacherto-child ratios, and therefore cannot “swap” days throughout the week. We do appreciate your understanding.

ACCIDENT REPORTS POLICY

If a child has an accident at school, teacher or in charge staff will provide first aide and accident report. If possible call the parents to inform the situation.

Accident report paper must be received by the parents on pick up time. If the child needs to be transported to a hospital, parents must get a call before sending the child to the hospital.

POSITIVE APPROACHES TO DISCIPLINE

The Little Star Montessori School grounds its entire program on the significant relationship between adult and child. A positive, supportive and loving bond promotes the child's selfesteem and sense of security. The role model provided by the adult teaches children positive problem-solving techniques and courtesy. Children are continuously taught how to solve problems, deal with frustration, and express feelings in a manner that is growth-producing and positive. Students who are disruptive or hurtful to others may be requested to sit away from the group until they are ready to rejoin it. The students themselves may determine they are ready, or the teacher may invite them to rejoin the group. Parents of children with excessively disruptive or hurtful behavior will be asked to seek professional assistance. Parents may be required to remove their children from the class if his/her behavior significantly disrupts the harmony of the group.

PARENT OBSERVATION

All parents are welcome and encouraged to observe our classrooms. Seeing the children at work is to experience the Montessori philosophy in action. To make your observation more meaningful: take a look around the room and notice the amount and diversity of activity; the range of ages; the types of materials; the individual and group activity; and the interaction of the children. Focus your attention on the teacher and notice the composure, the teacher as an observer, and the respect the teacher shows each child. Focus your attention on your child and notice the succession of activities; the concentration on work; enthusiasm and self-satisfaction in each activity; and the child’s respect for other children, the materials, and the teachers.
If you would like to observe a class, we ask that you make arrangements with the classroom teacher or our Principal in advance to minimize disruption to the classroom and to make sure that the students will be in the room when you visit. When you arrive for your observation, please sign in at the office. During a formal in-class observation, we request that you adhere to the following guidelines: sit quietly in the observation chairs indicated; try not to make your presence felt; do not initiate conversation; and do not handle the materials. We recommend these guidelines to minimize interference in the children’s peaceful environment. Feel free to make notes of items you would like to discuss during your conference with the classroom teacher.

PARENT CONFERENCES

Parent - Teacher Conferences are scheduled twice a year, December and May.

Parents are given the opportunity to select a convenient time for the conference. Teachers are available for special conferences as necessary. Speak directly with your child’s teacher to make arrangements. We believe good communication between home and school is essential to the best learning environment for the child. Parents of children with special needs may request a written daily record which may include food intake, sleeping patterns, elimination patterns, developmental milestones and changes in the child’s usual behaviors.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT PROGRESS

The school maintains careful notes and documentation on each child in accordance with the traditional Montessori curriculum. Children are never compared to each other or “graded” in a traditional or arbitrary manner. Written narratives are kept for younger children and portfolio samples are kept for older children. Evaluation of progress is based on the individual growth of each child.

FUN DAYS

Children are welcome to bring their favorite toys each Friday, our designated “Fun Day.” We encourage educational books and toys only.

WHO CAN PICK UP MY CHILD-

Upon enrollment, you will be required to fill out a Release Form specifying whose adults is allowed to pick up your child. If we are not familiar with the adult picking up the child, we will make sure they are permitted by the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who enrolled the child in our school to take the child off out the school premises. We will require photo identification with a name that matches the parents’ authorization on the Release Form. WE might also call to double check if we are unsure, so please NOTIFY Little Star if you plan for someone to pick up your child. We will not release a child to anyone that is not on the Release Form or not proof of photo ID or to whom the staff does not feel sufficiently comfortable releasing the child.

DAILY SIGN - IN - AND SIGN - OUT

The person dropping off and picking up must sign the child IN & OUT EVERYDAY. The signature of such persons must be his/her full name. Failure to sign on the daily sheet will charge ¥100.

Children will not be allowed to leave the school with any person than the parents, legal guardians or persons authorized by the parents in the application form. The person picking up the children must also provide a current photo identification card.

For the safety of the children, no exceptions will be made.

CLOTHING

ALL children must arrive to school wearing prescribed school uniforms .On Fridays , wear any comfortable casual wear or athletic-style clothes. Dress should allow children freedom to engage in a wide range of activities. Please help your child select clothing and shoes that allow freedom of movement. Please label all your children’s belongings. The school is NOT responsible for lost items or labeling items. A supply of clothes for changes should be sent at the beginning of the year and checked regularly to insure an adequate supply. The children work with materials in the classroom that may result in their clothing becoming soiled or wet (water, paint, etc), sometimes more than once a day. They appreciate the option of changing into clean,dry clothes on their own. Since self-sufficiency is encouraged, parents are asked to consider the ease with which their child is able to dress him or herself. For example, overalls make look cute, but may be challenging for your child to unhook when they need to use the bathroom. Each child should keep a pair if indoor shoes or slippers to wear while at school. This helps keep our environment clean and healthy. Every child must wear some type of shoe at all times in case there is an emergency or fire drill and we must exit the classroom quickly.

NUTRITION / Lunches and Snacks

The school provides lunches and snacks. Nutritious lunches that include the important basic food groups. All snacks and meals are prepared fresh, on site The school can refrigerate and/or reheat lunches if required. At lunch the school also provides water or milk for each child.

Nutritious food is essential for young, growing bodies. We encourage parents to establish sound eating habits at an early age. Please do not send candy, pop or sugary foods. We have a strict no-chocolate policy. We discourage prepackaged foods (i.e.Lunchables, Hot Pockets, Chef Boyardee, etc.). We will send your child’s leftovers home so you can gauge what and how much your child is eating.

Please be sure that snack items are nutritional .Suggestions include items like fresh fruit, crackers and cheese, pretzels, muffins, yogurt, or vegetables and dip. Some classrooms, ask for supplies or ingredients that are used by the children in the classroom to prepare (e.g, bake or make) the snack. Your teacher will provide details at the information night meeting. Please ask your child’s teacher directly if you have any questions.

NAPS AND QUIET TIME

Preschool children benefit from scheduled periods of rest. This rest may take the form of actual napping or a quiet time for children staying all day. All children under four are required to take a nap. Children who do not fall asleep will have a quiet rest time that may involve but is not limited to looking at books, listening to tapes, or other such quiet activities. Children aged four and older who do not nap and attend full day are enrolled in the extended day program. It allows children to continue the exploration begun in the morning. The children work at their individual pace and progress toward more advanced materials.

Naps are available to all children as needed. Please send a small pillow, small blankets and change of clothing in a zip bag, along with any other “equipment” required to ensure your child's comfort while staying with us for the afternoon.

POTTY TRAINING

To attend the Montessori School, your child must be fully potty-trained. This means that your child consistently spends at least three days without an accident.

SAFETY

Parents or their authorized emergency contacts will be notified immediately of any accidents, injuries or illnesses. Behavioral incidents will be communicated on a case by case basis depending on the seriousness of the incident. The classroom teacher will determine this and will communicate with you ,either immediately by phone or at the end of the school day for less serious matters.

Fire Safety inspection is done on a yearly basis. The Little Star Montessori School conducts fire drills regularly throughout the year. We follow safety and emergency plans that are reviewed on an annual or as needed basis. During the day, all entrances to the building are locked (door can be opened from the inside). There are doorbells on the entrances, but during the school day everyone is asked to use the main/office door.

TYPHOON/ EARTHQUAKE AND FLOODING POLICY

If typhoon occurs, parents will be required to pick up their children within one (1) hour after TC - 1C is declared.

School management will give a call to parents one (1) hour after the condition is all clear.

In case of earthquake, all children will be sheltered outside the building.

Note: LSMS conducts emergency drill practices to children of 3 to 6 years old; and this will be done in their classes. Emergency drills are also headed by the local fire department during their field trips once a year. This drill should be continued by the school staff.

HOURS OF OPERATION

From 7:00 am to 6:00 pm , Monday to Friday ,Full Time / Part Time (MWF /TTHF)

From 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday to Friday ,Full Time / Part Time (MWF / TTHF)

HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

All mankind shares a common history, a common world of cultures, and struggles toward a common future. The child should be given a sense of our heritage, our culture, and our potential destiny from the earliest moments of sensitivity. The needs of mankind are universal. Our means of meeting them create the richness and diversity of the planet. The child should come to relish the texture of that diversity.” -Maria Montessori

Many of the holidays we celebrate may be religious in origin. We approach them instead from a cultural perspective, sharing food, music, dance and traditions related to the day. This helps us build a sense of community by celebrating our similarities as well as our differences. If we want to achieve peace, we must begin by teaching children how to accept each person for who they are.

LSMS observes All National holidays: Japanese and American Holidays. No school for American children on the following days : New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day ,Columbus Day ,Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Day, Christmas Day.

No school for Japanese children on the following days : New Year’s Day ,Coming of Age Day , National Foundation Day , Vernal Equinox Day , Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day , Greenery Day, Children’s Day, Mountain Day , Respect for the Aged Day, Autumnal Equinox Day ,Health and Sports Day , Culture Day , Labor Thanksgiving Day , The Emperor’s Birthday.

FIELD TRIPS AND OUTDOORS ACTIVITY

We try to give ample notice for field trips, along with a permission slip for each trip. Notification of a field trip is given to the parents at least one week prior to an off-campus event. The safety and protection of our students are a critical concern to The Little Star Montessori School. Off campus trips create potential hazards that require us to take special precautions. The School reserves the right to refuse to be responsible for children off campus when past behavior patterns indicate an inability to follow directions and basic rules. If we are concerned about the safety of a child based on observed behavior, development and/or maturity, we may require the parent of the child to take sole responsibility for their well-being during the trip. Teachers and supervisory staff can exclude a child from an outing if this parental supervision is not available.
Going Out Excursions offer enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom setting. Some field trips include all students; others include only one class or age group.

These Going Out trips allow children to see, hear, and experience what we cannot offer within the classroom walls. The trips usually relate to the topics being studied, but also may be scheduled to observe steps in a process or places and events that foster community awareness. We also attend musical events and visit museums of art in the area.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES POLICIES

Should you wish to celebrate your child’s birthday party at school, the following must be observed:

Little Star Montessori School pupils can celebrate their birthday party at the school, on during FUNDAY. (Fridays)

Birthdays are special days and we enjoy celebrating them at school. Please remind your child’s teacher a few days before the birthday, so the teacher is able to plan for the celebration. We practice the favorite Montessori tradition of creating a picture timeline of your child’s life. Please send in pictures of your child at birth, and each year thereafter, so the entire class can see how he or she has grown or changed. Every birthday child will be honored by participating in the birthday walk where the child (carrying a model of the earth) carries the earth around the sun (a candle in the center of our circle) for each year of his or her life. We follow up by singing Happy Birthday and the child can blow the candle out. If you and your child would like, you can bring a healthy birthday snack to share with the class. The celebration of your child’s birthday can also include donating a book to the classroom library in your child’s name.