FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ Are you currently enrolling?
Yes, we are currently enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year and for summer 2024.
+ How do I start the admissions process?
All new families are required to take a tour of our school before enrolling
+ Can my child start mid-year?
Our school year starts each year in late August following a traditional calendar Students are able to start at any time during the school year, provided their is space available.
+ How old do you have to be to attend Discovery?
All children must be at least 2 by August 31st of the current school to enroll.
+ What if I have to withdraw my child during the school year?
All families must sign an annual contract. Families may withdraw with 30 days notice up until March 15th of that school year. After March 15th , families must still cover the remaining tuition payments.
+ Do children change classrooms after their birthday?
We keep children with the same peer group and teachers for the entire school year.
+ What happens if my child is waitlisted?
When we receive an opening, we contact the first person on the waitlist and continue to fill vacancies from the waitlist throughout the school year. Students stay on the waitlist for the year until they are offered a seat. Waitlist times vary depending on the year and class.
+ Do I need to pack a snack or lunch for my child?
All food at Discovery does come from home and we ask half day class families to pack a healthy and nut free morning snack for their child. Full day families should pack a morning snack and a lunch for their child. We also recommend that all children come with a spill proof water bottle.
+ How are allergies handled at Discovery?
Discovery does not allow nuts in classrooms, and we take other allergies just as seriously. Teachers meet with parents to learn the extent of allergies, the steps to be put in place to ensure a safe setting, and understand the medical plan, if any, prescribed by the pediatrician or allergist. This information is posted along with the student's photo in the classroom notice board so that substitute teachers are made aware of this if the teachers are on leave.
We make accommodations to make sure the activities we plan are inclusive. For example, we use gluten free play dough in the class if a child is allergic to wheat and provide healthy snacks that are safe for all children during special events and celebrations.
All of our staff members are trained to use EpiPen and Auvi-Q if the need arises and will follow the plan to seek further help as required.
Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. Our goal is to provide an environment that takes the stress out of navigating allergies for the families.
+ How is discipline handled in the classroom
+ As with all other aspects, we handle discipline gently with empathy and patience.Teachers take measures to be proactive in reducing the need for discipline as much as possible and to teach the expected behavior. We establish a small set of basic safety and social rules we require children to follow. We take the time at the beginning of the school year to explain the need to follow these rules and use modeling and role play to reinforce the importance of making good and safe choices in the classroom. We allow plenty of settling in time and make sure the class understands our expectations before enforcing them.
Teachers always look to the reasons for a child’s behavior and find solutions to address them. We acknowledge student’s feelings, let them know we understand their perspective, and offer alternative ways of dealing with the situation. Sometimes, we even ask classmates for ideas, and this teaches them to help each other. We communicate effectively with parents and work closely with them to guide children to self regulate and self discipline both at school and home.
+ Does my child need to be potty trained?
Children do not need to be potty trained to participate in the young preschool program. Children need to be fully potty trained for the preschool classes and up.
+ What does it mean to be fully potty trained?
Children need to be fully potty trained to start school in our Preschool and PreK classes. Being fully potty trained does not mean that a child will not have an accident from time to time. Being fully potty trained means that a child is wearing underwear and not a pull-up to school. Being fully potty trained means that a child is able to communicate the need to use the bathroom and can go to the bathroom unassisted. This means that in the bathroom, a child is able to pull down or remove clothing, use the potty, wipe, and then pull up clothing without assistance. In the Preschool classes, it is especially important to dress children in clothing that they can manage on their own. Belts and pants with button closures tend to me most difficult and are to be avoided when able.
+ Do you help potty train children in the young preschool?
In our Young Preschool classroom, we will support your child wherever they are in the potty training process. In this classroom, some children are still in diapers, some are in the middle of potty training, and some are fully potty trained. Our bathroom is equipped with child sized regular toilets and a portable training potty as some children are afraid of the regular toilets. When you tell us that your child is potty training, our advice is to send them to school in underwear and a few sets of extra clothes, including socks and shoes. There will be accidents and that is okay. We will remind potty training children to use the potty more frequently and will assist them as needed. We recommend toilet training during a longer break from school such as a long weekend, winter break, or spring break.
+ What does Spanish instruction look like at Discovery ?
The Spanish class at Discovery is an additional learning opportunity for the kids. They have daily Spanish instruction and are exposed to the language every day. During Spanish instruction we introduce vocabulary such as common phrases, short poems, body parts, and shapes. Knowing that children at this age learn best through repetition and connecting to previous knowledge and experiences, we use different methods of teaching including songs, games, books, and puppet shows. The goal is for the kids to learn the basic concepts of the language like recognizing colors, do some counting, introduce themselves, and know their age in Spanish. They are also immersed in vocabulary related to the unit they are working on in the curriculum. There are so many benefits to children from learning an additional language. It has been shown to benefit their overall cognitive abilities and offers new challenges to students. It also helps them learn to appreciate other cultures and develop empathy towards other people. Not all preschools offer the amount of second language experience that is available to our students, meaning that your children will have an advantage in their next grade level. At this age, their brains are developing in a way that allows them to pick up new languages very quickly so there is no better time for them to learn Spanish.
+ Are parents able to volunteer in classrooms?
Absolutely! We love having parents participate in our classrooms. There are various opportunities during the year to volunteer to help with activities such as field trip chaperones, mystery reader, arts and craft, gardening, and the project work.
