A Message from the Owner:
Welcome to all Gateway families! We are celebrating another adventurous year at Gateway with fabulous families and staff! Take the time to get to know the teachers at Gateway. It will be a worthwhile experience for you and your child. We are confident that our year will be a learning opportunity for all of us.
If you are back for another year at Gateway, there are several changes. First of all, Mr. Dan is not at school during the school day. Mr. Dan the Music Man (and my husband) is student teaching at Saint Benedict this fall. He will be back at Gateway in January as a certified teacher! Music is still present this fall in the individual classrooms. And Mr. Dan is still at Gateway every afternoon to take care of financial matters.
Another change? The parking lot looks bare! During the summer, one of the storms took down two of the catalpa trees in the parking lot. After removing the trees, we found out that the other two still standing were hollow in the middle because of bug infestation. So now…they are all gone. Sad but safe!
And the inside of the building? It looks different! Although we loved the bright colors of Gateway in the past, there is a world of research about the human brain, learning, and colors. Cool, soft, muted colors help calm, relax, and nurture a child. We thought we would try it this year
If you ever need to contact me, feel free to leave a message for me at Gateway or use my cell 419-265-1602. Thanks for being a part of Gateway!
Heidi O’Connor, Gateway Owner
A Message from the Director:
We are off to a wonderful start! It has been great to see so many new faces, as well as returning ones. The first few weeks can be stressful for your child, especially if this is their first time coming to school. Rest assured they are in good hands as the teachers have worked very hard to get the school ready and are excited to share new, innovative ideas with the children.
Besides my regular director duties, I am also in charge of snack in the Purple Room and most of the pets. I may be demoted from the pet position as the gerbil escaped over the weekend. (I didn't latch a door on his cage, maybe two). As he roamed the school, he managed to scare the two birds who also broke free. He finally settled in amongst the cardboard blocks and was returned to his cage. Who knew caring for the pets could be so demanding! Feel free to contact me any time or leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible. I am here for your questions, concerns, or just sharing news about your child.
Linette Trauring, Gateway Director
Parents
Parents are the link between teacher and child. Let your child’s teacher know how your child’s life changes throughout the year so the teachers can best help your child. Please keep us informed of any news that may affect your child during the school year.
Parents are always welcome visitors and helpers at Gateway. If you have any announcements, feel free to give a copy to Linette for preview so it can be posted on our Parent Bulletin Board for you. Next week we will be sending home with your child an explanation about our Parent Groups. It is a good way to volunteer in a variety of ways. As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions, ideas, or comments. We are here to make this the best learning year for you and your child.
Outside Safety
Help us with safety by encouraging your child to wear safe shoes for the climbing equipment. If your child wants to wear sandals/Crocs to school, please send a pair of non-slip shoes in the tote bag so they can change before going outside to play. We have found many of the sandals/Crocs do not have closed heels and can get caught in the bars of the climbing equipment.
School Year Themes
At Gateway, we teach our children through themes. Please take some time to fill out the attached “Child’s Interests Questionnaire” with your child and return it to Gateway ASAP. We are planning our themes throughout the school based on children’s interests, starting the year with “Colors”.
Along with the Gateway Monthly Newsletter, parents will receive a Classroom Weekly Update that will include activities at each center in the school and the state standards (our curriculum objectives) met at those centers. In this Update, the teachers will also include information about small group activities for your child’s group in the coming week. Keep informed by taking the time to read the Newsletter and Updates and talking to your child about the activities at Gateway.
Library Check Out
We offer book check out to our children during the school year. They enjoy bringing books home to share with you and are encouraged to do so. They may do this as often as they like but please return the books in a timely manner.
Children’s Birthdays
Children have the opportunity to celebrate their birthday or other special days by bringing in a treat of their choice for the snack center. Parents will receive a note from the child’s teacher before the birthday to schedule the day. Birthdays are celebrated during our Group Time during the day: 9-9:30 A.M. and 1:30-2 P.M. Please send the snack in with your child at arrival so we can serve it at snack time.
Due to several children with peanut allergies, we request you do not send a snack with any type of nuts for AM or PM.
Note: If your child is having a birthday party at home, we ask that you do not send the invitations to school to be passed out. Please use the Gateway Directory (to be sent home this month) to mail them to each child so that no child feels excluded. Thanks!
Gateway Phone Lines
We have 2 phone lines at Gateway. One line is used for both the fax machine and as a rollover if line 1 is busy. If you get the fax machine when you call, please wait a couple of minutes and call back. It means both lines are busy!
Student Absences
In the event that your child is absent from school, please call the school to let us know so that we don’t worry about your child and send a note upon your child’s return to school.
Extra Clothes
Please be sure to include an extra set of your child’s clothes in their bag. Exploring school activities often lead to the need of dry or clean clothes. Also, if your child recently borrowed Gateway clothing, please return soon. Thanks.
School Directory
All parents will receive a directory listing names, addresses, and phone numbers of all children, parents, and teachers, unless families have requested to remain unpublished. Therefore, if you have any changes in your personal information, let us know as soon as possible in writing to keep our information accurate.
Needed Items
- Empty toilet/paper towel tubes for the art table and animals
- Sturdy child size picnic tables and child size folding card tables for outside
- Empty clear Soft Soap pump bottles for water play
Arrival and Dismissal
During arrival and dismissal times, please wait for the teacher at the gate to help you with your child. Morning children should arrive between 8:30-8:45 A.M. Our structured morning activities begin at 9:00 A.M. Morning children should be picked up for dismissal between 11:30-11:45 A.M. Teachers will stay at the gate for dismissal until 11:45 A.M. or when the last car in the line-up leaves, whichever comes last.
Afternoon children should arrive between 12:30-12:45 P.M. Our structured afternoon activities begin at 1:00 P.M. Afternoon children should be picked up between 3:30-3:45 P.M. for dismissal. Teachers will stay at the gate for dismissal until 3:45 P.M. or when the last car in the line-up leaves, whichever comes last.
If your child is dropped off or picked up at other times, you will be assessed the appropriate fee for early drop-off or late pick-up. Please walk into the school to pick up your child during other times! If you use our early drop-off, please use the door labeled School Entrance. Linda will be here to answer the door and greet your child. However, we ask that you use the office door during regular school hours because we do lock the doors to the school before and after arrival times for the safety of our children.
Help us maintain the safety of our children in our parking lot by following these procedures: Parents remain in the car at regular arrival and dismissal times until reaching the gate. Cars enter the east driveway in single file and wait to drop off or pick up children until the car is in front of the school gate. A teacher greets cars and assists children. During dismissal, please hold your car number out of your window as soon as you enter the parking lot and keep it outside until your child is brought to the car. Also, please assist the teacher at the gate by helping your child in or out of the car (especially with so many different car seats these days). Ultimately, it is your responsibility to be certain your child is properly secured in your car. These procedures aid in a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal. Thanks for your help!
Gateway Fees
If you are interested in Early Drop-off, Brown Bag Lunch, or Late Pick-up for your child, there is an additional fee for each option and you must sign up ahead of time to insure proper supervision.
- Early Drop-Off is from 7:30-8:30 A.M. If your child is dropped off before 8:30 a.m., you will be charged $2.25 per 15 minutes and asked to sign in when you walk your child into the school.
- Brown Bag Lunch is from 11:45-12:30 P.M. If your child is picked up after dismissal from the morning session or dropped off before 12:30 for the afternoon session, you will be charged $8.00 for Brown Bag Lunch. If your child comes for Brown Bag Lunch, he/she must bring a lunch.
- The State requires a balanced meal for lunch. Please include food from each food group, along with an ice pack.
- Late Pick-Up is from 3:45-4:30 P.M. If your child is picked up after our afternoon dismissal, you will be charged $2.25 per 15 minutes and asked to sign out when you walk out of the school with your child.
Lunch
Lunch at Gateway is fun for the children. It’s a great time for socialization and just spending time with friends. We still have space available if your child would like to join us. Please call ahead so that we can reserve a spot for your child. Due to allergies, do not send peanut butter or any peanut products in your child’s lunch. Also, when sending a lunch with your child, please remember to include a cold pack and any utensils they may need.
Tuition
In an effort to respond to the area’s current economic situation , Gateway School has not increased tuition since 2007.
Two months’ tuition is due by your child’s starting date of school. Otherwise, tuition is due on the first of each succeeding month, with the exception of May as it will already be paid. Late payments are subject to a finance charge. Returned check charges are $40.00. You will receive a billing statement the last full week of each month for tuition and any additional fees from the previous month. Please mail your check to the school or send cash or check in an envelope with your child's name pinned to the outside of your child's tote bag. In the memo portion of the check, please write the child's name for the tuition. Please do not give the tuition payment to the teacher at the gate or leave it inside the tote bag. It is too easy to misplace a tuition payment this way. If you have any questions about billing statements, please contact Dan, our Business Manager.
*** The big safety pin that you find attached to your child's tote bag is to send notes back and forth to school. Please keep this attached to your child's bag this year and attach notes to school on this pin. ***
You can reach us at:
Gateway School Office: 419-536-6503
Dan O’Connor : 419-345-7443
Heidi O’Connor: 419-265-1602