Family Handbook

We are privileged to have your child enrolled in our program! Head Start, the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI), Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), and Early Head Start are preschool readiness programs that use comprehensive curricula to support development in social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies skills.

Our Head Start (HS) program is funded to serve 251 children, so some applicants may be placed on a waiting list. HS serves 68 three-year-olds and 183 four-year-olds. Through additional funding from the Virginia Preschool Initiative, we have expanded services to include 83 full-day slots for four-year-old students.

The Early Head Start (EHS) program is funded to serve 28 pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. While Head Start students attend the full 180-day school year, Early Head Start operates year-round with full-year, center-based classes. In addition, 12 EHS families receive home-based services throughout the year.

Eligibility for HS, EHS, and VPI is determined by income and a priority selection process based on family need. All programs provide breakfast, lunch, and a snack. Bus transportation is available for all programs except Early Head Start.

Our ECSE classrooms are language-rich environments designed to help children develop the skills needed for school success. ECSE serves children aged 2 to 5 who have been identified as having a disability. Services and supports are tailored to each child's individual needs as determined by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. The ECSE program offers a continuum of services, and several classrooms include peer models who support inclusive learning.

Stafford Early Childhood programs engage the whole family and the broader community. We offer comprehensive services that include education, health, nutrition, disability services, parent involvement, social services, family literacy, and mental health support.

(540) 658- 4090

Principal: Amanda Dorazio

Assistant Principal: Amanda Black

Education Coordinator: Courtney Harris

Special Education Department Chair: Marion Flick

Nurse: Wendy Cline

Office Manager: Cynthia Wood

Mental Health Coordinator: Anastasia Tryfiates

Family and Community Partnerships Coordinator: Katie Dyson Bernstein

Parent Involvement Specialist: To Be Announced

Please notify the office if you prefer to communicate in a language other than English. Interpreters are available upon request for parent-teacher conferences, home visits, and any scheduled parent meetings or trainings.

Written permission from a parent or guardian is required for any change in a child’s pick-up or transportation routine, including bus transportation. Please follow up with a phone call to confirm that the written permission has been received.

All visitors must present a physical photo ID, report to the front desk, and sign in. Pictures of IDs will not be accepted. You must sign your child in at the front desk each day.

Parents or guardians must provide a list of emergency/authorized persons allowed to pick up your child. No one else will be permitted to take your child from school or the bus unless you call the office and add their name to the authorized list.

• Be at the bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time.
  
  

• An adult must remain with the child at the stop until the child has safely boarded the bus.
  
  

• Children may not cross the street alone.
  
  

• Be at the designated stop; the bus driver cannot wait due to schedule and traffic constraints.
  
  

• Children must willingly walk from the adult to the bus and transfer to the bus monitor.
  
  

• Parents are not permitted to board the bus or carry their child onto the bus.
  
  

• An authorized adult must be at the designated bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled drop-off time.
  
  

• Come directly to the bus door and clearly state your name and the name of the child you are picking up.
  
  

• Have your photo ID ready every day. Children will not be released without proper ID.
  
  

• Ensure that anyone on your approved pick-up list also brings their photo ID to the bus stop.
  
  

• If no authorized adult is present with ID, the child will be returned to the school for pick-up.

Car rider procedures vary by location. Rising Star and North Star families will receive site specific information when car rider tags are issued.

Tags are issued by our Transportation Coordinators and are specific to your student. Each family is issued a tag with a number and an A, B, or C. These tags will be specifically linked to the child and adult approved to pick up. Our staff will check in each vehicle by number and verifying the ID matches the approved pick up person. This system allows us to ensure safety and that each student is properly released. Again, ID is required to pick up your child- everyday, every time. Pictures of IDs are not accepted.

All car rider tags should be returned to school upon the completion of the school year.

Children should wear comfortable, washable clothing to school. At this age, art activities are frequent and often messy, and students engage in lots of active play—running, jumping, and climbing—so comfort and ease of movement are important. Tennis shoes are strongly recommended. Please do not send your child in sandals, clogs, flip-flops, or similar footwear, as these can be unsafe during physical activities.

Clear backpacks are provided for safety reasons and to support open communication. These backpacks make it easy to see notes going back and forth between school and home. Please check your child’s backpack daily. Remove and read all notes and review any work your child has brought home. Return all forms promptly, ensuring they are completed and signed. Keep informational papers at home and mark any important dates on your calendar.

Your child will also bring home a book bag once a week as part of our program’s “homework.” Please read the book with your child, help them draw a picture, and write down what your child wants to say about the story in the notebook provided.

Instead of off-site field trips, our students enjoy regular in-school field trip experiences, which include special programs and activities brought directly into the school.

Supporting Positive Behavior and Social-Emotional Development

All students are learning how to navigate the school environment. Our program staff are committed to building strong, positive relationships with each child and their family members. Classroom teams use specific strategies to promote connection between students and staff, encourage peer relationships, foster a sense of school family, and help children feel safe, secure, and understood.

Conscious Discipline strategies are used to teach children how to express their needs using assertive language, make positive choices, understand natural consequences, and demonstrate empathy toward others.

Our program uses five social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculums to support children as they develop the ability to manage their emotions and behaviors. These include:

• Conscious Discipline

• Al’s Pals

• Second Step

• Zones of Regulation

• Focus Five

Children are given opportunities to practice these skills through guided instruction and positive reinforcement. They are taught calming techniques such as deep breathing, counting, and using sensory tools.

Addressing Significant Behavior Concerns

If a child exhibits significant aggressive behaviors (e.g., kicking, hitting, biting, spitting, or other unsafe actions), they will be temporarily removed from the classroom for the safety of all students and staff. In such cases, the parent or guardian will be asked to come to the school for a meeting with the Mental Health Coordinator, classroom Teacher, and Principal and/or Assistant Principal. During this meeting, a behavior support plan will be developed with strategies to be implemented both at school and at home.

Parents will be asked to take an active role in carrying out strategies to support their child’s progress. If aggressive or inappropriate behaviors persist, it is critical that families and school staff continue to work in close partnership—holding follow-up meetings and adjusting the support plan as needed to address the child’s needs.

While Stafford Schools Early Childhood Programs do not suspend students unless there is a violation of the Stafford Schools Code of Conduct, the reduction-of-day policy is in place to support children who are struggling to maintain safety in the classroom.

Under Virginia law, school staff are required to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Services. Teachers must be alert to signs of abuse and report any suspicions to the assistant principal or principal.

According to Virginia law, an abused or neglected child is any child under 18 years of age whose parents or caregiver:

• causes or threatens to cause a non-accidental physical or mental injury;

• neglects or refuses to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, emotional nurturing or health care;

• abandons the child;

• neglects or refuses to provide adequate supervision in relation to a child’s age and level of development; or

• commits, or allows to be committed, any illegal sexual act upon a child, including incest, rape, indecent exposure, prostitution, or allows a child to be used in any sexually explicit visual material.

RESOURCES

We are here to support you with any parenting challenges you may face. If you are experiencing difficulties with your child’s behavior, please contact the Mental Health Coordinator. If you need assistance with providing adequate care or supervision for your child, reach out to your Family Service Worker. For help understanding your child’s disability or for information about support groups, please visit the Parent Teacher Resource Center. We want to help you every step of the way.

The school nurse also serves as the Health Manager, maintaining health records for all students, assisting parents in meeting Head Start requirements for physical and dental evaluations, and helping families obtain appropriate follow-up care. The Health Manager oversees all health, dental, nutrition, and safety aspects of all programs (ECSE, Head Start, and VPI).

We serve nutritionally balanced meals to our children because we believe in the importance of physical well-being. VPI and ECSE students may bring their own lunches and snacks; however, families are encouraged to use the school cafeteria and to apply for free and reduced-price meals. All of our students receive free meals and snacks in accordance with federal requirements.

Our cafeteria manager and school nutritionist plan well-balanced meals and strive to introduce a variety of foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients. Children are encouraged, but never forced, to eat their meals. Please inform your child’s teacher and the school nurse if your child has food allergies or dietary restrictions for religious reasons.

There are specific nutrition guidelines required by the Head Start program that apply to its students. All food served to Head Start and Early Head Start students must follow an approved menu. Head Start children receive free breakfast and lunch served family-style, as well as a snack. Both Head Start and Early Head Start participate in the USDA meals program. A registered dietitian assists with menu planning and addresses the children’s nutritional needs.

Your child will be weighed in the fall and spring. If any growth concerns arise, the Health Manager or registered dietitian will contact you.

Program-wide Policy:
Due to food allergies, no food may be sent in for birthdays or class parties. Parents are encouraged to celebrate birthdays by arranging a special visit to the classroom, reading a book to the class, or other activities coordinated in advance with the child’s teacher.

All Early Childhood teachers work collaboratively to plan engaging learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for their students.

The curriculum is based on the Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum and addresses all areas of cognitive and developmental growth, including language and literacy, math readiness, science, health and nutrition, social skills, self-help skills, fine and gross motor skills. The children will receive instruction through individual assistance, large group and small group activities. Art, music and outdoor play activities are planned daily. Many opportunities for student choice are presented throughout the day. Young children learn by actively exploring and interacting with their environment. A well-organized classroom, rich in learning materials, supports learning and growth. The space is organized into different centers for learning.

Parents are encouraged to read to their child and are given ideas for fun learning activities at home. If you have input for curriculum ideas or have observations of your child’s progress, please contact our teaching staff. For all early childhood students, the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) Assessment is completed in November, February, and May and shared with parents. In addition, ECSE teachers also provide progress reports on IEP goals. As a full year program, Early Head Start assessments also are completed and shared at the end of July. Individual objectives for each child are developed with parents and revised in January/February.

Home visiting is an important part of our Early Childhood program. Head Start, EHS and VPI parents are expected to meet at least four times a year with their child’s teacher. Two of those conferences should be in the child’s home, so that the child and the teacher can meet in the most comfortable environment for the child. ECSE teachers will schedule parent contacts/visits according to the IEP for each student. Our Early Childhood calendar sets aside specific days for home visits.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) serves children who are found eligible for special education services and meet the requirements outlined in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Staff screen each child in areas such as self-help, social, motor, language, speech, and cognitive development. Any concerns or referrals are shared with parents.

The school’s Student Education Committee reviews referrals from any source to determine whether further evaluation is needed to assess eligibility for special education services. If you have concerns about your child’s learning or development, please contact your child’s teacher, the Principal, Assistant Principal, or an ECSE Department Chair.

The Stafford County Public Schools Parent Teacher Resource Center offers support, training, and resources to parents and teachers of children with special needs. It also provides materials on parenting for all parents, including those whose children do not receive special education services.

A Mental Health Coordinator, also referred to as a school social worker, is available on-site to screen your child’s emotional and behavioral health, offer parenting support and advice, and provide referrals for services that may benefit your child or family.

All children receive social-emotional instruction in the classroom to help them develop important skills such as self-regulation, problem-solving, initiative, and healthy social interactions.

We welcome parent volunteers as well as volunteers from the community. Our volunteers include students from local middle and high schools, college students, senior citizens, local business owners, members of public service organizations, Marines, and friends of Head Start. Our staff actively seek to engage community resources to support the goals and objectives of our program.

We also encourage parents to take on leadership roles in our program. One important way to get involved is by serving on our Policy Council, the program’s decision-making body.

All parents are automatically members of the school’s Parent Committee, which meets monthly to plan events and activities for families and the school community. Parents of children in Head Start, VPI, and ECSE are also members of the Parent Center Committee, which also meets monthly.

Parents are invited and encouraged to attend Policy Council and School Board meetings, as well as participate in events such as parenting classes, Family Literacy Nights (held on Mondays), the Thanksgiving Family Dinner, the Volunteer Celebration, and other free workshops and seminars designed to support and empower families. Many of these opportunities are made possible through our valued community partners.

These events are great opportunities to strengthen parenting skills, connect with other families, and expand your experiences.

Our Family Services staff serves as a vital link between families and community resources. Each Head Start, VPI, and Early Head Start (EHS) family is assigned a Family Service Worker. Their primary role is to support families as they work toward strengthening their household and improving their daily lives.

Every family completes a Family Partnership Agreement, which outlines personal and family goals for the year. Family Service Workers help you take steps to achieve these goals and offer support along the way.

If you need referrals or information about a specific community agency, our staff is here to assist you. Each family will also receive a Community Resource Guide to help you become more familiar with available services in the area.

Our program welcomes feedback as part of our commitment to a culture of continuous improvement. We believe that open communication and a cooperative attitude can help resolve most concerns. However, some issues related to policy, procedure, or law may not be easily resolved. If a concern involves compliance with applicable policies, procedures, or laws, written feedback may be submitted using this form.

If a family or community member has a concern, the Principal will meet with the individual within ten (10) working days of receiving the concern. The individual may bring a representative, if desired, and will have the opportunity to present evidence. A written decision addressing the concern will be provided within ten (10) working days following the meeting.

If the individual is not satisfied with the decision, they may request a review by the Policy Council Grievance Committee by submitting a written appeal within ten (10) working days of receiving the original decision. The individual will be informed of any proposed solutions. If the solution is not accepted, a final appeal may be made to the Policy Council at least ten (10) working days before its next regularly scheduled meeting.