Our preschool follows the Little Treasures curriculum produced by the MacMillan Publishing Group. It is a great program that incorporates all of the Massachusetts Early Childhood Frameworks in all content areas with its focus on early literacy.
Content areas of our preschool include but are not limited to:
- Fine Motor
- Gross Motor
- Language Arts
- Phonological Awareness
- Social Skills
- Social Studies
These areas will be incorporated into our daily routine.
We are also focused on a social skills curriculum. This curriculum teaches classroom rules, understanding and coping with feelings as well as problem-solving skills.
- Unit 1:Who We Are
- Unit 2: Making Friends
- Unit 3: Families
- Unit 4: Food
- Unit 5: Our Neighborhood
- Unit 6: Transportation
- Unit 7: Animals All Around Us
- Unit 8: Nature
- Unit 9: Animals in the Wild
- Unit 10: Health & Fitness
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial letter and sound in our names, syllables, rhyming
Letters: Introduce alphabet, sing songs, upper case versus lowercase
Math: Attributes, colors, math all around, size discrimination
Science: 5 senses, exploring pumpkins, discrimination
Social Studies: I live in America, Our Flag
Songs: Merry Wore her Red Dress, My Thumbs Are Starting to Wiggle, Listening Games
Stories: Hooray for Pre-K, Eyes, Nose, Fingers, and Toes, ABC, I Like ME
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial letter and sound in our names, syllables, rhyming
Letters: A (week 1), M (week 2), S (week 3)
Math: 2D & 3D shapes, textures
Science: Rocks, predicting, sorting and classifying
Social Studies: Friends Around the World, sharing, following rules
Songs: Looby Loo, Merrily We Roll Along, Gigue, (From Sonata for violin and continuo by Arcangelo Corelli)
Stories: Friends All Around, Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, ABC and You and Me
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial Sounds, syllables, rhyme
Letters: P (week 1) T (week 2), I (week 3)
Math: Alike/different, sort/classify
Science: Magnets, plants, day/night
Social Studies: My Home, Around the World, Thanksgiving
Songs: If You’re Happy and You Know It, Hush Little Baby
Stories: Flora’s Blanket, Bee-bim Bop, Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Syllables, initial sounds, alliteration
Letters: N (week 1) C (week 2), O (week 3)
Math: Position, ordinal numbers, directions
Science: From Seed to Sprout, Matter Changes, Plants We Eat
Social Studies: From Farm to Table, Food Jobs
Stories: Apples and Bananas, Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow, Festival Dance
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Blend syllables, segment words (syllables), rhymes
Letters: F (week 1), H (week 2), D (week 3)
Math: Five frame, count 1-5, make sets of five and zero
Science: Mini landforms, trees, and insects
Social Studies: Neighborhoods, buildings, and police station.
- Allemande Tripla
- Holiday Music
- Jingle Bells Around the World
- London Bridge
- The Mulberry Bush
Stories: Bear About Town, Kimberly Maddox and Cassie’s Word Quilt
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Segment words by onset and rime, alliteration
Letters: R (week 1), E (week 2), B (week 3)
Math: Patterns, create patterns, extend patterns, introduce ten frame
Science: Weather, calendar, Ground to Travel On, Ocean or Lake
Social Studies: Here to There, All Types of Vehicles, A Fire Station
Songs: The Wheels on the Bus, Engine, Engine, Number Nine
Stories: I Love Planes, Clickety Clack, Boats
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness:
- Blend words
- Distinguish letters from numbers
- Identify letters in print
- Initial sounds
- Match letters and sounds
- Size words
Letters: L (week 1), K (week 2), U (week 3)
Math: Numbers to 10
Science: How Do Animals Grow?
Social Studies: Taking Care of Animals
Songs: Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Bingo, Funeral March of a Marionette
Stories: Moo Moo, Brown Cow, Clifford the Small Red Puppy, Farms ABC
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial sounds, match letters and sounds
Letters: G (week 1), W (week 2), X (week 3)
Science: All parts of nature
Social Studies: Holidays in every Season
Songs: Rain, Rain, Go Away, Hop, Hop, Hop, Muss I Denn. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Stories: Spring is Here, Growing Like Me, What Makes the Seasons
Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial sounds
Letters: V (week 1), J (week 2), Q (week 3)
Math: Data and graphs
Science: Fly, Swim or Walk?
Social Studies: Where Do Animals Live?
Songs: Six Little Ducks, Sing A Song of Sixpence, Tortoises, 1,2,3,4,5, Caught a Fish Alive
Stories: Over in the Grasslands, Moving Day, Miss Spider’s ABC
- Alphabet Recognition/Phonological Awareness: Initial sounds
- Letters: Y (week 1) Z (week 2) review the alphabet
- Math: Arithmetic/numbers
- Science: Planting seeds and watching them grow.
- Social Studies: Where do ocean animals and insects live?
- Songs: Teddy Bear, Mi Cuerpo, Gogo, Minuet II
- Stories: From Head to Toe, Yao Ming, Dr. Seuss’s ABC
The mission of the Braintree Schools, in partnership with parents and the community, is to prepare all students to become responsible and contributing members of a diverse and global society. We motivate and enable each student to develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally through a rigorous and supportive educational program with an inclusive and safe environment that nurtures creative and critical thinking, the development of values, and the pursuit of lifelong learning.
The Braintree Integrated Preschool supports this mission by helping each and every child achieve to the best of their ability. This handbook provides an overview of our procedures and policies. It is important to review the handbook as the information will help you and your child access all that we have to offer. Please sign and return the sheet at the back of the handbook regarding permissions and receipt of the handbook. We suggest that you keep the handbook for useful reference. Our team is so pleased that you chose to share your child’s preschool experience with us!
Philosophy & Objectives
At the Braintree Integrated Preschool, we play with a purpose! We provide a comprehensive education using evidence-based methods. Our program is taught by certified special education teachers.
We are supported by:
- A Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- Licensed Speech and Language Pathologists
- Occupational Therapists and Assistants
- Physical Therapists and Assistants
- A Registered Nurse
Little Treasures Curriculum
We utilize the scientifically-validated preschool curriculum, “Little Treasures.” Our teachers follow the Massachusetts Curriculum frameworks to prepare our students for kindergarten learning.
- Academic Skills
- Adaptive Living Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
- Gross Motor Skills
- Language Skills
- Play Skills
- Social Skills
Children complete routine activities throughout their day (e.g. learning centers, art activities, games) that are play based. Each activity has been carefully selected for its relevance to the curriculum frameworks. This is how we play with a purpose!
We are an integrated program which means that we support children with special needs and their community peers (children who serve as role models) in a positive, collaborative, and inclusive setting. Our students with special needs benefit from their same-age peer models during play, conversation, and academic activities. Our community peers benefit not only from our professional staff and curriculum support but from an educational experience where diversity and difference are celebrated.
We begin accepting requests by phone on a first come first served basis for September enrollment on February 1st. Children must be turning 3 by September 1st of the year of enrollment. Parents may contact Linn Casey at 781-848-4000 x7611.
Screening sessions are held in April and May to assess the eligibility of community peers. During the screening, process children visit the preschool for approximately 45 minutes to play with a variety to therapists who will observe their language, academic readiness, social interactions, gross and fine motor skills.Classroom rosters will be completed in early June.
In early June students accepted as community peers will receive an admission letter. If you accept the placement, then a $50.00 non-refundable deposit is due by June 30th. The deposit will be applied to the tuition fee. Tuition for the school year $1600.00. Payments must be received on or before the due date for a child to attend.
|Deposit||June 30, 2019||$50|
|1st Payment||August 31, 2019||$350|
|2nd Payment||November 30, 2019||$400|
|3rd Payment||February 19, 2019||$400|
|4th Payment||April 30, 2019||$400|
Waiting List Policy
Our availability for community student placement changes from year to year based upon the ages of our special education students. Applications we receive after the allotted placements are filled can be placed on a waiting list. No deposit is required at this time.
If a placement becomes available, then we will schedule a screening session. We must receive confirmation within one week or the placement offering will be forfeited and we will offer the placement to the next student on the waiting list.
Our tuition and deposit are non-refundable. If a child should need to leave the program per a parent’s request, then the tuition will be forfeited. If payment is not received by the specified dates, then students are not permitted to attend the program until we receive tuition payment.
Students must remain Braintree residents for the duration of the school year to maintain their role as a community peer. If a student is found to reside in another town, then they can no longer attend.
Parents should notify our school nurse at 781-848-4000 x 2296 if their child will be late or absent. Please call before your session start time on or before the day of absence. Please notify transportation companies if necessary.
- Drop Off / Pick Up
- Cancellations & Dismissals
- Emergency & Safety Procedures
- Wellness Policy
- Classroom Essentials
- Parental Involvement
Parents are welcome to park in the lot accessible by Leroy Junior Way in the back of the high school. There are a number of parking spots labeled "Pick Up" and "Drop Off" that are reserved especially for you! Please avoid parking in the fire lanes or near the building as this is the route for busing. Students will be greeted and dismissed at the following locations:
- Door 17 on the hill
- Door 18 near the tennis courts
Please arrive at or before 8 or 11:30 a.m. depending on your session start. If a classroom has already entered the building you will need to go the front of the building accessible by Town Street and check in at the security booth. Our security procedures require late entry through the front to ensure the safety of all students.
Drop off procedures typically go smoothest if parents give short and affectionate goodbyes, and depart when the teacher accept the student into the waiting line. If your child has difficulty separating, then do not hesitate to call or request a phone call to ensure that your child has transitioned into the program and has settled.
Please arrive at or before 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. depending on your session end. If you need to pick up your child before a session ends, then please notify the preschool staff and enter through the front of the building accessible by Town Street. If you experience an emergency and are not able to arrive on time, then please notify us at the preschool as soon as possible. At the preschool level, students tend to become distressed if they are not picked up on time as all of their friends leave.
Our policy is to begin contacting persons listed on the emergency contact card if a child is not picked up within 10 minutes without notice from the parent. Please list any alternative caregivers on the emergency card. We cannot release your child to anyone without your explicit permission.
In a special circumstance, please contact the program, identify the caregiver, and ask the caregiver to bring identification. We can release students to siblings that are at least 18 years old and have parent permission.
The Braintree Integrated Preschool follows the same holiday and vacation schedule as the Braintree Public School system. Please utilize the website for the most current school year calendar as snow days impact our school year end date. The Braintree Integrated Preschool uses the Rave Alert system to share information with families in voice and email format. If school is canceled it will be posted on local television channels, local radio stations, and on the Braintree Schools website.
If school is dismissed early due to inclement weather or other emergencies, then parents will be notified using the Rave Alert system via telephone. Students will be dismissed early in a typical manner during weather-related emergencies. If students must be dismissed for a non-weather related emergency, then they will be dismissed from the tennis courts in the back of the school. It is important for emergency contact cards to be updated in the case that we need to reach you urgently.
In the unlikely event of an emergency, a qualified staff administers first aid care, calls the parent, and if necessary emergency medical personnel. Staff will accompany the child to the nearest hospital where emergency treatment is administered. The staff will remain with the child until the parent arrives. In the event neither parent can be reached, the child's physician will be contacted.
It is essential for parents to provide information on where they can be reached, physician name and phone number, signed emergency waivers, and updated emergency contacts and waivers. An accident report log is kept in the nurse's office with detailed information on any injury to a child. An incident report is kept in the log, in the child's file, and a copy given to the parent within 24 hours of an injury.
We practice fire drills, remain in the room, and lockdown ("dark and quiet") drills. The practice of these procedures is mandated by the state. We practice these activities without the intercom or alarms before the drill to ensure that students are comfortable with the procedure. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Children should not attend school if they are too sick to be comfortable at school or if they might spread a contagious illness to other children. Children should remain home for the following:
- Contagious illness such as chicken pox, strep throat or flu
- Frequent cough
- Head lice or nits (eggs)
- Pink, itchy, and/or drainage from the eyes
- Temperature above 100F
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Yellow-green, thick mucus from the nose
If children are dismissed from school for the above reasons, then they should remain out of school the following day. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to call the Preschool Nurse at 781-848-4000 x 2296.
Surgery or Medical Equipment
If your child undergoes a surgical procedure or requires adaptive medical equipment (e.g. cast, sling), then please notify the nurse. Recommendations and restrictions are required prior to your child returning to the program as we want to follow their doctor's orders and ensure we are doing the best that we can for their comfort and safety.
Please send your child with a change of clothing in the classroom to keep at school. We play and create actively in preschool and extra clothing for your child is very helpful. If your child is not yet toilet trained, then please send in diapers and wipes.
Students participate in motor groups during the day. Students do best in comfortable clothing and shoes that allow them to climb, jump, and run. Students should wear warm clothing in the fall and winter as we access outside activities when the weather permits.
Please do your best to label all clothing items as our students are still working on identifying their belongings and we want to get all of your child's clothing home to you!
Students should bring a backpack that will accommodate a regular side folder to pass communication back and forth between the family and teacher. Full-size backpacks are sometimes too large to manage for preschool-size students. Please avoid backpacks that can be dragged or have wheels. Backpacks with wheels can become an obstacle for students who are working on maintaining attention and navigating spaces.
Snack & Drink
Students should bring a snack and a drink each day. Snacks should not require cooking and be nut-free. Due to specific and unpredictable food allergies, students do not share food. Some children have life-threatening food allergies so it is important that we adhere to the food policy.
Please do not send food for holiday celebrations as we are very committed to keeping each and every child food-safe. If your family receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or may be income-eligible for free or reduced lunch, then please submit the Free and Reduced Lunch form and the Braintree Public Schools nutrition services will provide a healthy drink and snack.
We encourage parents to be active participants in their child's education. We hold open houses, back to school, and literacy nights for families. We have multiple opportunities to volunteer as a librarian or guest reader. During Read Across America we ask parents with community helper jobs to join us for a visit, career, and story sharing.
Classroom teachers send home newsletters with activities and the current themes that you can help your child with at home. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, then please contact us! We have an active parent-teacher-organization (PTO) that sponsors activities and supports the preschool in providing an enriching educational experience for all of our students. Please contact your child's teacher if you would like to participate in our PTO.