Is the playschool licensed?
Yes, we are licensed through the Alberta Government.
Who owns Spruce Grove Playschool?
Spruce Grove Playschool is a non-profit, parent run cooperative. Therefore, there is no owner. The school is run by an elected parent executive board that supports the policies and teachers as necessary.
Can i apply for government subsidy and attend sgps?
Yes! Spruce Grove Playschool has opted to participate in the Alberta government's grant and subsidy funding.
ALL families registered will automatically be enrolled into the grant funding and will receive a discount of $75 off monthly fees. Please see our fee page for detailed information.
In addition, families may apply for further subsidy funding dependent on income. All families are encouraged to apply!
https://www.alberta.ca/child-care-subsidy.aspx
what are my commitments to the school?
Families volunteer for the school in two ways. First, families will take turns volunteering in the classroom. This works out to a volunteer commitment of about once every second month (for classes marked FULL). Families will also choose a second volunteer position during registration. This includes items such as cleaning nights, laundry, cutting, toy cleaning, etc. As long as these two commitments are fulfilled, families will receive their volunteer deposit back.
What happens if I can’t come in to volunteer?
Our school depends on our volunteers to run. If you cannot fulfill your classroom time, you must find a replacement. Each class will have an emergency contact list for parents who can come in on short notice.
Please note that a class cannot run until we have all adults present. If issues arise, class may start late, or, if for some reason no other parent can fill in for you, class will have to be cancelled.
What kind of fundraising do I need to do?
Our school only has one mandatory fundraiser at the beginning of the year. Any other fundraising we do is optional.
What does a typical day look like?
On a typical day children will we greeted at the door, put their snacks away, and sign themselves in. They will go straight to centres that have been designed to help develop children in all five early learning domains: social, physical (small and large muscles), cognitive, creative and emotional. These centres change throughout the year based on children’s development.
Each student will get a chance to join in the special project centre.
The day ends with a snack and large group time that includes stories, songs, movement activities and general discussions. Weather permitting, we end the day outside.
*Please note the teachers change/add/remove activities based on the needs/abilities of the children.
My child struggles with independence. How will your program help them?
Our program is designed to be child-centered, not only for programming, but also for self-help skills. Children will be encouraged to wash their own hands, dress themselves for outside, be responsible for their own belongings and much more. We don’t do anything for a child that they can do themselves! This growth in independence will a giant asset once they move into kindergarten!
My child has separation anxiety. What can you do to help them?
Separation anxiety is very real and we deal with it on a child by child basis. Every child is different, and every child might need different strategies. We will work closely with your family to determine the best approach.
Can my child wear a pull-up just in case they has an accident?
Our school policy states that all children must be potty-trained. If you are worried that your child is not quite potty-trained prior to the start of school, please contact your teacher.
what are the policies regarding children with allergies?
To ensure the highest level of safety, our allergy lists get updated every year. That way, we cater to our current students and their specific allergies.
Signs are posted throughout the school letting families know which foods to not bring in, as well as posted in our newsletters.
All teachers have first aid certificates and are confident in administering emergency medication if needed.
Will there be field trips?
Yes! We try to do free field trips where there is no added cost to our families. Traditional field trips include the library and fire hall as well as in-school visits by firefighters and RCMP.
How often do you go outside?
Our natural park and proximity to the trail system allows for our students to spend lots of quality time outside. We have daily park trips (dependent on weather and classroom activities), nature walks and games outside.
Will my child be screened for delays while at the school?
Our teachers are qualified to do observations of all children at the start of the school year. Our school has a relationship with From Play to Words and if there are any concerns (speech, behavior or developmental) from the teachers, they will start the process of having a conversation with the parents and facilitating the screening with FPTW.
Do parents receive regular information about what activities/events are happening in the classroom?
Yes! Teachers send out a weekly update to keep families posted on classroom activities. We also have a Spruce Grove Playschool Facebook Page as well as a closed classroom Facebook group where we post more immediate updates and pictures.