Author: jackiehouse

Liberty County
Prekindergarten
Handbook for Parents
2022-2023
Welcome to
Preschool

Welcome
Liberty County provides an innovative and educational pre-kindergarten program for eligible students at WR Tolar School and Hosford Elementary. The two types of PreK programs include our Exceptional Student Education PreK Program and our Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Program. Both programs provide opportunities for students to gain readiness skills in order to build a strong foundation for their future educational success.
Exceptional Student Education Program
The ESE Program provides services for prekindergarten children with disabilities ages 3 through 5. The children served in the PreK Handicapped Program have been evaluated and determined eligible for an ESE program. Due to the unique needs of our young children, services may vary. Some students may be served in a full day program, while others may attend school for therapy only. Certified teachers and therapists work with prekindergarten children who have been identified for one or more of the programs listed below.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Developmentally Delayed
Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities
Intellectual Disabilities
Orthopedically Impaired
Other Health Impaired
Speech/Impaired
Language Impaired
Traumatic Brain Injured
Visually Impaired
Hospital / Homebound
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Voluntary Prekindergarten Program
The Liberty County School District will be offering Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) services at WR Tolar School and Hosford School. The morning VPK services are provided at no cost to parents/guardians. The extended day VPK services are available for a fee of $50.00 per week. Transportation will also be provided, as space is available, on the buses used in our regular bus fleet and routes.

The VPK Program is an optional service offered by the Liberty County School District as a resource to help children gain critical readiness skills in a structured PreK classroom environment. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to: (1) ensure their child has no more than two absences per month, (2) provide the school current emergency contact phone numbers, (3) sign monthly attendance sheets.
Morning VPK Services Include (FREE):
Transportation to school, as space is available, if the student resides at a location already on the regular bus route.
Breakfast is provided at no cost. Lunch provided if it is within VPK hours.
FREE Morning VPK Instruction from 8:00-11:00 a.m. (Bristol) 8:15am-11:15 a.m. (Hosford)
Parent must pick up their child no later than 15 minutes after conclusion of VPK each day if the child does not stay for the extended day.
After 5 instances of parent not picking the child up, VPK services will be terminated.
Extended Day VPK Services Include (Cost is $50.00 per week):
Extended day begins after morning VPK is concluded
Transportation from school, as space is available, if the student resides at a location already on the regular bus route.
If student does not ride a bus, parent must pick up when school adjourns
After two weeks of nonpayment, extended day VPK services will be terminated and the student must be picked up from school by VPK cut-off time each day.
The VPK slots are available on a first come, first service basis at school sites. There is a VPK enrollment cap at each school which varies from year to year. Most of our PreK classes in Liberty County are blended classroom settings. This means services are provided to students with and without disabilities in the same classroom.
Registration and Staffing
Before a student can be enrolled in prekindergarten, parents must bring the following documentation: (1) birth certificate, (2) immunization record, (3) school physical record, (4) social security card, and (5) VPK certificate of eligibility (4 yr old students only).
Students served in the PreK Handicapped program must be staffed into an ESE program based on evaluation results and have an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) developed and in place. The IEP outlines how services will be provided to eligible students.

Dress Code
Students should wear comfortable clothing and shoes that are appropriate for play. Please choose clothing for your child which is easy for him/her to manage independently. An extra set of clothing is encouraged in case of unexpected accidents.
Arrivals/Departures
The school day begins at approximately 8:00 a.m. (Bristol) 8:15a.m. (Hosford). The school day ends at 2:50 p.m. (Bristol) 3:05 (Hosford) for PreK students enrolled in the extended day VPK program or the PreK ESE Program. The school day ends 3 hours past starting time of VPK for only a half day. If a parent brings a child to school late, the parent walks child to front office. Parents are not allowed to drop a PreK student before getting clearance from the office. Please respect this rule as we work to ensure the health & safety of all students at school sites. All students must be signed in & cleared when arriving late and sign out when leaving school early through the front office at school sites.
Transportation Guidelines
Parents must call the school and send a written note if their child’s transportation method changes from the normal routine. Please contact the front office BEFORE 2:00pm to ensure changes can be made.
Transportation Guidelines
Transportation will be provided, as a space is available, on the buses used in our regular bus fleet and routes for students. Only those VPK students who attend the extended day VPK program are eligible for bus transportation in the afternoon. The following guidelines will be enforced to ensure safety for all students on the bus:
Students who reside at a location on the regular route will be picked up as scheduled. If a child does not live within one of the regular bus routes, a parent/guardian or responsible adult must meet the bus at the bus stop closest to the child’s home.
A parent/guardian or responsible adult must be available each time the child rides the bus either to or from school. The parent or responsible adult must help the child get on and off the bus.
Parent/guardian will be REQUIRED to pick them up from the designated school if parent is not present to get child off bus.
If a child causes an unsafe traveling environment for other students
by chronically misbehaving, crying, screaming, etc. a bus discipline
referral will be written and the child’s bus transportation rights may be
terminated.

Attendance and Timeliness
Parents are encouraged to send their children to school regularly and to be on time. Bringing children to school late causes class disruptions and takes away from important instructional time. A child is allowed to school no later than 30 minutes after VPK hours begins each day. A child will NOT be admitted to school after then unless there is a doctor note to accompany the child.
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) students can be removed from the program if they have more than 2 unexcused absences per month. Parents are required to send notes or doctors excuses each time their child is absent. Parents must sign the monthly parent verification of attendance at the end of each month. In the event parents do not comply with this requirement, the student may not be allowed to return to school until the attendance report has been signed by the parent.
Breakfast and Lunch
Meals are typically served in the cafeteria except in special situations such as students’ needs, trips, fun day etc. All PreK students are eligible to receive FREE breakfast and lunch, if lunch falls within VPK hours.
Curriculum and Standards
Prekindergarten children are active learners. They will be exposed to state approved, developmentally appropriate curriculum and materials with a focus on early literacy skills. The curriculum is based on state performance standards. Liberty County takes pride in helping to prepare our prekindergarten students for a successful experience in kindergarten.
Progress Reports
Students will receive progress reports a minimum of three times per year. Students will also be assessed up to three times per year using developmentally appropriate evaluations to monitor each child’s strengths and weaknesses during the school year. Parents of students served in the Pre-K Handicapped Program will also receive annual goal progress reports each grading period which provides information on their child’s progress toward meeting Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals/objectives.

Supplies
All school supplies needed will be provided by the school. Please send the following:
Clean change of clothes, to include underwear and socks
Diapers/pull-ups, if needed
Kinder mats & blanket for naps
wipes
Backpack
Parent Conferences
Teachers welcome parent involvement. You are a very important part of your child’s education. Please contact your child’s teacher to schedule an appointment to ensure unscheduled visits do not interrupt valuable classroom instructional time.
Emergencies
Please make sure the school has an emergency card with your current contact information. It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the school if addresses, phone numbers or guardianship changes.
Health
Please notify the school if your child has health problems, needs special medical treatments, or will need to take prescribed medications during the school day. All medication must be in the original container with a current label. Parents will also need to complete a medication form in the school office. If your child is showing any symptoms of sickness, please keep at home to avoid any spread of an infectious disease.
WR Tolar School PanCare Nurse, Brittany Flowers (850) 643-2426 x31135; School Nurse x31111
Hosford School Nurse, Karla Summers (850) 379-8480 x41409, PanCare Nurse Niki Bradley (850) 379-8480 x41305
Headlice
Teachers and or health professionals will periodically check students for headlice. Should they be detected, parents will be contacted to pick their child up. Children will not be allowed to return to school until they are nit free.

Transition to Kindergarten
Prekindergarten children who will be five years old on or before September 1st of the next school year will be eligible for kindergarten. Schools will assist children and their families with this important transition process to kindergarten.
Students served in the PreK ESE program will most likely transition to a regular kindergarten class unless the Individual Education Plan (IEP) team determines the placement inappropriate for the student. As part of the transition process, the IEP teams will meet to make appropriate decisions for students as needed. Students with disabilities will have an IEP meeting at least one time per year. Parents will always be notified and encouraged to attend their child’s IEP meeting.

Local Assistance for Parents:
W.R. Tolar School - 643-2426
Principal: Rob Wheetley
Assistant Principal: Jessie Bennett
PreK Teachers/Staff: Amanda Shiver
Teresa Love
Jamie Davis
Kelley Ford
Alma Rodriquez
Angelica Holley
Hosford School - 379-8480
Principal: Stephanie Davis
Assistant Principal: Jason White
PreK Teachers/Staff: Whitney Holcomb
Jennifer Joiner
Mamie Beach
DISTRICT STAFF— (850) 643-2275
Superintendent: Kyle Peddie x.11231
Asst. Superintendent: Jeff Sewell x. 11236
ESE Director: Lara Deason x. 11245
Supervisor Early Childhood: Chesnee Layne x. 11250
Early Childhood Secretary: Tanice Odom x. 11251

I __________________ have read and understand all contents of the Liberty County Pre-K Handbook for parents 2022-2023 school year.
Sign:________________________
Date:_______________________