Purple Moon Child Development and Child Care, Inc. strives to provide a safe and nurturing environment while offering a developmentally appropriate program designed to develop each child’s self-esteem, sense of competence, and positive feeling toward learning.

Each child will have an opportunity to foster healthy development through adult-child interactions and language. He/she will be motivated to explore, experiment, problem solve as he/she is engaged with a variety of materials and objects set out to stimulate your child's needs.

The major goals of the Preschool program are:

• To provide a safe nurturing environment for children.

• To provide interesting, creative and developmentally appropriate activities from which children can learn, develop a positive self-concept, and be successful at school using a broad cross-section of resources.

Special effort is made to provide an environment which provides for active learning, exploration, and opportunities for decision making.

We offer two small Preschool classes deliniated by age and development. Our student/teacher ratios are low to ensure an intimate, focused environment.

As described in the Program philosophy, Purple Moon relies heavily on active, child-initiated learning experiences. The Plan-Do-Review process of our High Scope program includes three elements:

• Children’s expression of intent—Planning Time
• Children’s independently generated experiences—Work Time
• Children’s reflections –Recall

These elements are incorporated into the classroom schedule as developmentally appropriate for children. Purple Moon strives to provide a comfortable, loving environment encouraging self-direction and decision making. Children make choices between and within centers which include art, manipulatives, large blocks, dramatic play, science, library, and music/movement.

The daily activity schedule is posted each day on the white board. The range of ages and developmental levels of children requires an extensive array of activities planned to meet the different needs and skill levels of our children.

In addition to the particular events posted on the schedule, a core group of "free choice" activities are available (building blocks, legos, self-service art area, puzzles, dress-up and dramatic play, board games, etc.) We believe children should be free to make their own choices about how they would like to spend their "free choice" time in the program. They are encouraged to develop their own games under supervision, and in particular, to create dramatic play activities in which they make sense of their world in their own unique way.

7:00-9:00 Arrival and Free Choice Playtime
9:00-9:20 Circle Time
9:20-9:50 Small Group Time
9:50-10:05 Snack Time
10:05-10:15 Planning Time
10:15-10:45 Work Time
10:45-10:50 Clean Up
10:50-11:10 Recall/Story
11:10-12:00 Outside Play
12:00-12:50 Lunch/Outside Play
12:50-1:00 Clean Up
1:00-3:00 Quiet Time and Stories
3:00-3:30 Activity Time
3:30-3:45 Snack
3:45-4:30 Projects
4:30-5:15 Outside time or Inside choice
5:15-5:30 Clean Up
5:30-6:00 Quiet indoor activities and stories/Closing

The focus in the younger toddler age group (2’s) is on language development, self-help skills (toilet training, dressing, etc.,) and social development. We encourage children to share, become aware of how their actions affect others and to develop confidence in their own ability to learn. Activities are provided to develop both fine motor skills (puzzles, art projects, etc.) and large motor skills (climbing, trike riding, group activities, etc.)

The children in the 3 year old Preschool class continue to refine their self-help skills, including eating, toileting, dressing, putting on shoes and caring for their own belongings. Their language skills are developing at a fast pace, so emphasis is placed on speech, sentence formation, memory skills and identification of colors, shapes, letters, numbers, animals and objects in their environment. As their social skills begin to emerge, children practice using their words, taking turns, sharing, playing together, working together, and empathy for others. Their physical skills are challenged through a variety of large motor activities including running, skipping, tumbling, bike riding, and outdoor games. Before graduating to the 4-5 year old Preschool class, all children will be potty trained, and be able to recognize (by sight) all letters of the alphabet.

The many child-oriented choices offered in the High Scope program encourage the emerging autonomy of 3, 4 and 5 year-old children. Language development is a major focus in the 4-5 year-old Preschool class. Children talk freely and extensively to adults and peers about what they are planning to do during Planning Time and explain (in great detail) how they spent their time during Recall Time.Throughout the day the staff concentrates on expanding the children’s language.

Purple Moon is organized into defined activity areas, designed for active exploration and play. Within this environment children are given the opportunity to learn by doing. They solve problems by using their words, having time to problem-solve and manipulate items around, and to initiate their own plans.

Our active-learning program allows the children to experience the hands on activities that provide the pre-reading and math skills, as well as the social skills necessary for Kindergarten. Activities are developmentally appropriate for each age group.

Purple Moon encourages parent involvement in many different ways. Each parent has something to offer and children are very happy to have their parents take part in activities.

Communication with parents is very important to us. We try to speak with you on a daily basis regarding your child and how his/her day went. We also have a white board locate in the main room detailing what we did that particular day. This can be a useful tool to help initiate conversations with your child about something that happened at Purple Moon that day.

Purple Moon publishes a monthly newsletter. Parents are always welcome and spur-of-the moment visits are great. Many parents like to visit on their child's birthday to take part in the celebration.

Communication from you is so valuable to us. Please inform the teacher if something out of the ordinary is happening at home such as moving, house guests, illness, death of a pet, etc., Changes of all kinds affect children, and our awareness of them can allow us to help the child talk about and deal with the situation.

Teachers and parents have a joint responsibility for the healthy growth and education of children. We acknowledge that joint responsibility and shares in your aspirations for your children. We strive to keep open communication between us so we can best serve you, your child, and your family.

All members of the Purple Moon staff are college-educated and professional people. We are experienced, creative and caring teachers who listen to parent goals for their children and are respectful of cultural and family differences.

Staff members have all undergone criminal background checks as required by law. All staff members are legally mandated child abuse reporters. If a staff member suspects that a child is the victim of abuse or neglect, he/she is required by law to report it.

All staff are CPR and First Aid certified. We all have Oregon Food Handlers cards. We have all taken and passed the mandatory Child Abuse Course which details the process for reporting suspected abuse.

All staff members participate annually in at least 15 clock hours of training or education related to child care, of which at least 6 clock hours shall be in child development or early childhood education.

We are dedicated to providing the highest possible level of care your child can receive. We look forward to learning and growing with you and your child. Purple Moon strives to be a home away from home; a place where your child will be safe, secure, and loved.

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