Full Day Preschool & Outdoor Education
SCHEDULE & HOURS
Mountain View Preschool is a 3 day/week full-day program for students in their fourth year. We follow the same holiday schedule as the Surrey School district, observing all statutory holidays and a two-week holiday for Winter and Spring Breaks.
Program Hours
SEPTEMBER: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00-11:30
OCTOBER-JUNE: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00-3:00
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REGISTRATION POLICY
Age Requirement
Children must turn four on or before Dec 31 in the year they attend Mountain View Preschool.
How to Register
The first step to register for all Mountain View programs is to enter a PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION QUEUE. Registration queue links can be found on the Registration Page of our website at www.mountainviewpreschool.com.
When to Register
Families can enter the registration queue 10 months prior to their child’s four year old preschool year.
General Registration
A registration queue for new families will open on November 1st of each year
Alumni Registration
A registration queue for returning families will open on October 30th of each year.
School Visits
Preschool Visits are a mandatory step in our registration process. Before visiting the school, families must:
- Enter the appropriate registration queue and be notified (via email) that a space is available.
- Follow the steps provided in the email to secure their child’s space. These steps include submitting a registration form and a registration fee which is refundable for 30 days after payment.
Within 1 business day of submitting their registration form and fee, families will receive a list of dates within the 30 day refund period to visit the school and make sure it’s the right fit for their child.
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TUITION & FEES
Registration Fee
Fee Explanation
We have found that a higher registration fee helps to solidify spaces and minimize late withdrawals due to double booking. In order to counterbalance this higher registration fee, Mountain View has reduced monthly tuition such that the fee is absorbed over a full school year.
amount/Payment
Mountain View’s registration fee is $200. This fee is required to secure a child’s space, and is payable within 24hours of registration. Instructions about how to pay the registration fee will be provided by email at the time of registration.
Refund Period
The $200 registration fee is fully refundable for 30 days after payment, giving new families time to visit the school and make sure Mountain View is a good fit for their child.
Tuition
Yearly tuition: $3000
As of December 2022, tuition for the Mountain View 3 day/week preschool program is $4500/year with a reduction of $150/month from the *CCFRI program (see below). Note: Mountain View tuition is subject to yearly increases that may not be reflected here.
payment method
Mountain View tuition is payable by Preauthorized Debit. Payments are debited on the first of each month, September through June.
Returned Payments
Returned payments are subject to bank fees which will be added to tuition resubmissions. Mountain View reserves the right to cancel or suspend a child’s registration until outstanding tuitions and fees have been paid.
Tuition Cancellation
Missed Classes
Mountain View does not suspend or cancel tuition payments for school missed due to child illness, family vacations and travel, or school outbreak/pandemic related closures for months when tuition has already been debited (see Pandemic Policy for more information).
Withdrawal notice
A minimum of 30 days notice is required to cancel upcoming tuition payments. Notice of withdrawal must be communicated by email to deb@mountainviewpreschool.com Note: Notice of withdrawal communicated through conversation with teachers, teacher’s email, or school phone/voicemail will NOT be considered valid.
*Child Care Fee Reduction Inititiative (CCFRI)
Mountain View is opted into the Child Care Fee Reduction Inititiative which allows us to significantly reduce full time fees. We will notify families if there are any changes to the current fee reduction amount indicated in the tutition section above.
Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB)
ACCB is provided to qualifying families through the Ministry of Family & Child Development (MFCD). Mountain View will reduce monthly tuition by the amount of benefits received through ACCB. Families receiving ACCB are responsible to pay the difference between their benefit amount and monthly tuition. Full monthly tuition must be covered by families until their ACCB payments to Mountain View are established. Families are responsible for accessing and setting up new ACCB agreements, and can do so through the MFCD Website, or by calling the MFCD office at 1-888-338-6622.
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CHILD DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHIES
Social & Emotional Development: At Mountain View we provide a warm and loving environment where children receive individual attention for optimum growth in all areas. We also recognize that life-long feelings of group belonging are formed in the preschool years. It is our goal that each child discover a sense of their own importance and potential, and also recognize the importance and potential of everyone in the group.
Academic Development: Our goal is that every child graduates from Mountain View with a love and excitement for learning. Through years of experience we’ve developed high expectations of how much children can learn when they are interested and engaged with the people and world around them. Our teachers are skilled at pouring enthusiasm and fun into teaching while intentionally role modeling a wonder, excitement and a love for the learning process.
Spiritual Development: We seek to model and promote a love and wonder of Creation, a sense of thankfulness for what we have been given, and an attitude of care and stewardship for the natural world. We want each child to recognize their potential as agents of change, and to discover the joy that comes from reciprocal connections with the people and world around them.
While religion-specific instruction is not part of our regular curriculum, we do use language that is common to most faiths and belief systems (ie, we have a selection of Thank You Prayers that we sing before snack and lunch), and we share seasonal stories and traditions representative of the families in our care (ie, in December students learn the story of The First Christmas which they act out as a Christmas Play for their families).
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GUIDANCE & DICIPLINE POLICY
Guidance & Discipline at mountain view Does NOT Include:
- Any form of corporal punishment including spanking, shoving or shaking.
- Yelling or harsh, belittling verbal reprimands.
- Solitary confinement or time-outs without adult supervision.
- Deprivation of food or toilet.
Guidance Through Positive Reinforcement
At Mountain View, our goal is to help each child build self-control, respect for others and self-confidence. The primary way that we do this is through continually reinforcing and encouraging positive behaviors.
Correcting Negative Behaviors
Communication & Problem Solving
When a child is engaging in behaviors that negatively impact others or themselves, we will encourage them to use words to express and communicate what they want and feel, and to identify the reactions and feelings of others. When a child is unable to verbally express what they, or others, are feeling, we will facilitate dialogue to help them understand and name the emotions they are seeing and experiencing, and coach them to reconcile with their friends and move positively back into play.
Remove & Debrief
If a child has had repeated reminders about a negative behavior, or if their behavior is disruptive during a time where dialogue with them would interrupt a group activity, a teacher will remove the child to spot that is away from others but still within site of the second teacher. During a removal time, the teacher will stay with the child until they regain control, and then use the following questions to help the them identify and fix the negative behavior
- Why did you need to leave the group-time/play-area?
- How did your actions effect our friends/toys?
- What can you do to fix the problem?
Behavioral Care Plans
Physical Guidance Plan
It is normal for children to go through periods during the preschool year where they may require physical redirection or restraint; i.e., gentle physical guidance to bring a child back to group learning times, physical restraint of arms/legs if they are kicking or hitting other students or teachers.
When a child goes through a period where they require regular physical redirection and/or restraint, Mountain View staff will contact the child’s parent to review and approve a behavioral care plan. The plan will outline physical redirection or restraint techniques that may be used to help guide and support the child when needed.
Consistent Approach Plan
Behavioral changes occur more quickly and effectively when there is a consistent approach at school and home. If a child requires on-going behavioral guidance at school, teachers will organize a meeting with all of the child’s parents and caregivers to develop a consistent approach plan that will be used at home and school.
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HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES
Health Care Plans
When filling out their registration form, parents must list all issues and areas of concern in regard to of their child’s physical, cognitive and behavioral health.
If the indicated health issues or special needs will require staff to administer intervention and/or medication to a child, parents will be asked to provide a specialized care plan outlining symptom assessment and intervention steps.
Food Allergies
An up-to-date list of your child’s allergies and dietary restrictions must be provided on their registration form. Please notify your teachers at any point during the year if there are changes in this area.
If there are children in our school with life threatening food allergies, we will ask all families to refrain from sending products containing these foods to school.
Snacks and Lunches
Healthy snacks and lunches should be packed in 2 separate containers, each with it’s own water bottle. When students attend for the full day, their snack bag should contain 2 separate snacks, labelled AM and PM.
Water bottles should contain water only. To avoid spills and messes, milk or yogurt drinks should not be provided in snack or lunch bags.
To help reduce waste and mess, snacks such as yogurt and apple sauce should be sent in re-usable containers. Note: Wrappings and unfinished foods will be sent home in lunch and snack bags
Sick Child Protocol
While preschool years are great for helping your child build up immunity to all sorts of bugs, flus and colds, the down side is inevitable sick days.
You do not need to keep your child home with every sneeze or sniffle, but we do ask that you keep them home for the following symptoms and illnesses, and that you observe the recommended recovery times.
- Vomiting: Keep home for 24hrs following final vomit
- Diarrhea: Keep home for 24hrs following final bout
- Fever: Keep home for 24hrs after their fever subsides
- Green Mucus: Keep home for 24hrs after mucus clears
- Phlegm Producing Cough: Keep home for 24hrs after cough clears
- Communicable Illness (COVID 19, Chicken Pox, Mumps, Measles, etc): Follow return to school instructions provided by Health Authorities
- Skin/Eye Infections (Pink Eye, Scabies, etc): Keep home until prescribed medication have taken effect and symptoms have subsided
- Head Lice: Keep home until head has been treated and there are no more lice or eggs
- Pandemic/Outbreak Illnesses: (see Pandemic & Outbreak Policy)
Reporting A Child’s Absence
Parents should notify teachers on days when their child will be absent from school. Absences can be reported by email at mounainviewteachers@gmail.com, or by phone at 604-541-5411.
Reporting Outbreaks
Fraser Health Services requires that we report certain outbreaks such as COVID 19, chicken pox and head lice. For this reason, we ask that you provide information about your child’s symptoms or illness when reporting their absence. For your family’s protection, we will never share names or personal information with Fraser Health or other preschool families.
Arrival & Dismissal
While waiting for the door to open, children must stay in direct contact (holding hands) with their caregiver and should not run or play in the front yard, parking area and driveway. The preschool door will be open between 9:00AM and 9:10AM each day providing families a 10minute drop off window.
Late arrivals are disruptive to morning circle times as they pull focus and teachers from group activities and learning. If they become a Repetitive problem we will organize a late-drop-time (9:30), at which point a teacher will briefly leave the circle to let in waiting families. After she has let in families the teacher will need to return to the circle immediately. It will therefore be the responsibility of caregivers to quietly move their child through entrance protocols and settle them with the group.
If late pick-ups are reoccurring, families may be charged for additional child-care time. These charges will be communicated to families and added on to preauthorized tuition payments.
Safe Child Release
Parents will list the names of anyone authorized to pick up their child on their registration form. In the event that someone picks up who is not on the list, parents should provide in writing information about that person. This information should include the person’s name, phone number, relation to the child and physical description. The person picking up will be required to show ID.
If someone arrives to pick up a child who is not on the list, the teachers will not release the child. The teacher will explain the release policy to the person and call the parents/guardians for advice on how to proceed. If the unauthorized person becomes agitated or insistent on leaving with child, every effort to maintain that child’s safety and the safety of the other children will be made by Mountain View staff. If necessary the police will be called for assistance.
If the Mountain View teachers suspect that an authorized adult is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or in any other way unable to provide safe care, they will not release a child. The staff will offer to call a relative or friend to pick up the person and child, or offer to call a taxi to pick them up. If the adult insists on leaving with the child, the teachers will call police and advise them of the situation. Mountain View teachers have the right to call the Ministry for Children and Families if they feel a child’s safety is in jeopardy.
Any custody agreement information will be outlined in each child’s registration form, however without a custody or court order, Mountain View teachers cannot deny access to a parent. If a parent is not listed on the authorized pick up list, the staff will follow the unauthorized child release steps.
Reportable Incidents
Mountain View staff will keep a written record of the following:
- Minor accidents
- Major accidents
- Communicable illnesses and outbreaks
- Incidents and behaviors between children involving biting, hitting, and aggressive language, and any other events that could lead to emotional or physical ramifications for a child.
- Comments from, or conversations with, a child that raise concerns of neglect or abusive at home or school.
- Summary of conversations between staff and parents/guardians where a concern or issue has not been fully resolved.
- Summary of correspondences where staff have felt pushed, coerced or threatened by a colleague or parent/guardian.
All written reports of this nature will be immediately viewed by the acting Supervisor and/or Director who will follow Fraser Health licensing guidelines to decide on next steps.
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STAFF CARE & SUPERVISION POLICY
Accountability/Transparency
Mountain View has an open preschool plan which enables teachers to remain in visual contact of each other and the students at all times. If a staff member witnesses or suspects a colleague of any form of abuse or neglect, they are obligated to immediately follow protocol outlined in the school’s Child Abuse/Neglect Policy
Toileting
Students should be able to use the bathroom independently, however a teacher will be available to help with toileting issues if needed. Teachers will communicate to other staff when they are providing 1-1 assistance in the bathroom and will ensure that the bathroom door remain open at all times.
Drop Off/Pick Up
One teacher will remain at entrance door during drop off and pick-up times to ensure children move in and out of the school under supervision of an authorized care giver. The other teacher will remain with the group of children in the large room, welcoming and settling them when they arrive, and dismissing them individually when authorized care giver arrive at pick-up time.
Free Play
One teacher will remain in the large group play area at all times, facilitating play while scanning to maintain safety. This teacher will actively keep herself facing the group. If she is momentarily unable to watch the group, she will call in the other teacher to take over until she can resume full group coverage.
A second teacher will be responsible for circulating children through a small group learning or art activity. She will bring her small group back into the big group area if her partner needs help with coverage.
Snack & Lunch
All children will circulate through the bathroom where one teacher will ensure proper hand washing happens for every child. The second teacher will excuse children to the bathroom to wash hands and help seat them at the table when they are finished. Teachers will ensure that all food from home is within compliance of any severe allergy restrictions, and will facilitate a calm eating environment where children can quietly socialize while remaining seated.
Outdoor Supervision
Both teachers will remain on the periphery of playground scanning for safety. If one teacher becomes engaged in play or problem solving, she will notify the other teacher to scan on her behalf.
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PARENT CARE & SUPERVISION POLICY
Pick-Up/Drop Off
Parents and Authorized Caregivers will bring their child right into the preschool and establish eye contact with a teacher before leaving. They will also come right into the school at pick up time and follow instructions for safe transfer of care. Caregivers will not provide care/transport to other children unless they are indicated as an authorized pick-up person on that child’s registration form.
Registration Files
Care givers will ensure that all information on their child’s registration form remains up-to-date including; personal contact information, child health information, custody agreements and lists of adults authorized to pick-up their child from school.
Suspicion of Neglect/Abuse
The Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA) requires that anyone who has reason to believe that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected, and that the parent is unwilling or unable to protect the child, must report the suspected abuse or neglect to a child welfare worker. If Mountain View staff suspect any form of abuse or neglect to a child in their care, they will immediately call the Ministry of Child Health & Welfare at 1-800 663-9122 to make a report.
When making a report to a Child Welfare Worker, Mountain View staff will be required to provide their name, school phone number and relationship to the child, as well as any or all of the following information:
- The child’s name and location
- Whether there are any immediate concerns about the child’s safety
- Why they believe the child is at risk.
- Any statements or disclosures made by the child.
- The child’s age and vulnerability.
- Information about the family, parents and alleged offender.
- Information about siblings or other children or youth who may be at risk.
- Whether they know of any previous incidents involving, or concerns about the child.
- Information about other persons or agencies closely involved with the child and/or family.
- Information about other persons who may be witnesses or may have information about the child.
- Information about the nature of the child’s disabilities, his or her mode of communication, and the name of a key support person.
- Any other relevant information concerning the child and/or family, such as language or culture.
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EMERGENCY EVACUATION & FIRE DRILL POLICY
At the start of each school year, Mountain View staff will review the alternate location for children and teachers to use in the case of an emergency evacuation. This location will be communicated to parents and posted on the emergency evacuation routes sign in the cubby room.
Emergency Evacuation Plan
Familiarization of Plan
Prior to November each year, Mountain View staff will visit and familiarize themselves with the emergency secondary location. On this visit they will bring along the Emergency Kit, First Aid Kit and Registration Binder as they would in a real evacuation.
Partial Evacuation Drill
By the end of November of each year, Mountain View Staff will have completed a partial evacuation drill with all of their students. They will bring along the emergency supplies and evacuate to the driveway where they will point out and explain the secondary location to the students.
Full Evacuation Drill
In the Spring, Mountain View Teachers will organize a full evacuation drill where the students will be brought to the secondary location.
Record of evacuation Drills
Mountain View Staff will record the dates and notes from each drill on the Emergency Evacuation Drill sheet located in the staff room.
Fire/Earthquake Drills
Monthly Drills
Mountain View staff will guide students through monthly fire & earthquake drills, familiarizing them with points of exit and practicing safe exit protocols.
Record of Fire Drills
Mountain View Staff will record the dates and notes from monthly fire/earthquake drills on a sheet located in the staff room.
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PANDEMIC & OUTBREAK POLICY
Health & Safety Governance
Mountain View Child Education Center (MVCEC) is licensed and regulated through the BC Ministry of Health and Fraser Health Authority & Child Care Licensing. During a pandemic or other communicable disease outbreak, MVCEC will base the decision to shut down and/or adjust it’s services based on the recommendations/requirements regarding health & safety protocols provided by these governing bodies. The goal of this policy is to ensure that MVCEC families and staff understand and adhere to a broad range of Pandemic-related expectations laid out by the Ministry of Health, Fraser Health Authority and Child Care Licensing, which may influence how services are provided during the various stages of a pandemic or outbreak.
Safe Operation Protocols during Outbreak/Pandemic
Under Fraser Health Child Care Licensing, MVCEC has a 1-8 child-teacher ratio. This ratio will remain, regardless of a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak; however, unforeseen circumstances could have an impact on both the ratio and operating hours of MVCEC. In the event that a teacher is unable to come in to work due to pandemic illness or quarantine we will do our best to provide coverage; however, if coverage is not available, or if there are other pandemic related factors that effect child-teacher ratios, any or all of the following possibilities may occur:
- The center may be closed indefinitely. This decision would be made by MVCEC in conjunction with input from the governing health authorities.
- Child-teacher ratios may be lowered to meet expectations from the health authority, or because there is not enough staff available to maintain regular ratios.
- Hours and days of operations may be adjusted to ensure that MVCEC is able to maintain licensing expectations regarding ratios, while ensuring adherence to health and safety protocol expectations.
- If ratios are lowered, MVCEC will follow the guidelines set out by the Provincial Government or other governing bodies regarding priority placement of children in the available spaces.
- In the event of a communicable disease outbreak within the school or the community, any parent who does not work in a job deemed essential by governing bodies may be expected to keep their children at home.
Health and Safety Protocols During Outbreak/Pandemic
Mountain View’s regular Health and Safety Policy will continue to apply during a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak; however, additional restrictions may apply based on directives from the Provincial or Federal Government, Ministry of Health, or our local Licensing Officer. Additional restrictions may include, but not be limited to:
- The addition of pandemic or communicable disease symptoms (identified by the health authority) which would require a child or teacher to stay home. A list of these symptoms will be provided to families, posted at the school entrance, and referenced at pick-up and drop-off times.
- Implementation of symptom-free attendance which would prohibit center access to a child or teacher if they, or any member of their family, exhibit signs of illness.
- Children or teachers who have travelled (or are in physical contact with others who have traveled) outside of Canada will be asked to remain home for 2 weeks following travel. Note: during this time, regular tuition payments will be required to maintain a child’s space.
- Families will be required to inform Mountain View administration of past or upcoming international travel.
Drop off and Pick Up During Outbreak/Pandemic
Changes in drop off and pick up procedures will be made in accordance with health authority expectations, and will be communicated to families via email. A copy of the current procedure will be posted at the preschool entrance. All teachers, parents and caregivers entering the school are expected to know and abide by the posted protocols. Anyone who can not follow the posted protocol will not be allowed entrance.
Cleaning During Outbreak/Pandemic
Mountain View staff will continue to follow the cleaning and disinfecting expectations provided by Fraser Health Child Care Licensing, and will increase/adjust these protocols during a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak based on information provided by the Ministry of Health and/or Fraser Health Licensing.
Tuition Payment Protocols During Outbreak/Pandemic
In the event of a school closure due to a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak, monthly tuition already paid will not be reimbursed; however, tuition for upcoming months may be cancelled. ie: Mountain View cancelled classes in 2020 from March 15 – May 31 due to Covid 19. March 1 payments were not reimbursed, but no tuition was charged for the months of April and May while schools remained closed.
As each outbreak or pandemic is different, the length and circumstances of a closure will impact whether spaces can be held at no charge for families that are isolating, or whether a nominal fee will be implemented. Mountain View’s decisions on these matters will be guided by information provided by the health authorities and governing bodies.
Affordable Child Care Benefit Plan During Outbreak/Pandemic
Monthly payments provided to qualifying families through the Ministry of Family & Child Development may or may not be cancelled during a pandemic or communicable disease outbreak closure. Families receiving ACCB payments should directly contact the Ministry of Family & Child Development office at 1-888-338-6622 to get information about their specific coverage. If MCFD ceases to provide payments during school closure periods, parents will be responsible for the full monthly tuition fee payment (if tuition payments have not been cancelled). In the event that monthly tuition changes due to adjusted hours, parents will be responsible for accessing and setting up a new ACCB agreement.
CURRENT COVID 19 PROTOCOLS (September 2022)
- Parents/caregivers must assess their child daily for symptoms of COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory disease before leaving for school.
- Parents/caregivers should keep their child home home if they exhibit symptoms of respiratory illness or fever, and use the *COVID-19 Assessment Tool to determine whether their child needs to isolate, and when they can return to school.
- All parents, caregivers, children and teachers who have symptoms of COVID-19, have travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days or have been identified by Public Health as a close contact of a confirmed case may be asked to stay home and self-isolate.
- Anyone that resides with a child attending Mountain View should take all precautions possible to limit their exposure to COVID-19, and all family members who are eligible are encouraged to receive COVID 19 vaccinations and boosters.
- If a parent, caregiver or staff member is unsure whether they or their child should self isolate, they should use the *COVID-19 Assessment Tool and/or call 8-1-1, their local public health unit or family practitioner.