Preschool Meet ‘n Greet Before School Starts

Every year we hold a Preschool Meet ‘n Greet to give preschool students a pre-preschool day (so they’re not so nervous, know what to expect, and have less separation anxiety when the real preschool day comes) as well as review all of our policies with our preschool parents.

We can truly say that our preschool runs like a well-oiled machine because we have trained our preschool parents and teachers how our preschool is to run. It allows us to run 13 different classes in 2 different locations with over 150 students… all without a director being on site.

OVERVIEW OF A PRESCHOOL MEET ‘N GREET

• What: A 45-minute (per class) opportunity for:
  • Students to meet their teachers and learn how to separate from their parents
  • Parents to get to know each other, their teacher, and review the school’s policies and pickup/dropoff routine
  • Teachers to transition into their role as “main communicator” from that point on

• When:
  • Monday/Tuesday in August before Teacher Retreat
• Purpose:
  • Remind parents of our policies and procedures 
  • Build rapport with parents and staff 
  • Outline our “open communication” policy so parents knew how to get any problems or concerns addressed 
  • Build friendships between parents 
  • Build friendships between students 
  • Give our teachers and students a pre-preschool day to get ready for the real first day 
  • Train our preschool parents how our school ran, so within a month my preschool would run like a well-oiled machine. (This was crucial because we were not on site at our preschool during the school year except for the very first week.) 
  • Collect all our tuition fees for that month 
  • Hand out important papers like our handbook, calendar, communication, and parking information 
  • Increase the chances of success (no crying or separation anxiety) on the first day of preschool

• Where: 
  • We’ll gather in the preschool classroom, then separate with the Director taking the parents in the pre-k classroom and the children remaining in the preschool classroom with the teacher

OUTLINE OF EVENTS: PRESCHOOL MEET ‘N GREET

As the parents arrive, we set up a place where the children can play with toys (either in the preschool room or in a separate play area) while we talk to the parents. It’s usually handy to have an extra helper play with the kids while you talk to their parents. You’ll definitely want to cover these topics during your Meet ‘n Greet with your parents

• 5 minutes: Welcome
  • Promptly on the hour, both Director and teacher will greet families outside in the gated area and welcome them downstairs into the preschool classroom.  
  • Have them hold onto red envelopes if in hands
  • Director and teacher will go to circle rug, Director will call children to sit down at the rug so she can put name tags on
  • Director lets children know she’s going to take the parents upstairs to talk, and she’s going to let the children stay with the teacher and play
  • Parents walk upstairs to sit down in the pre-k classroom
  • Director helps to separate any last children, then quickly goes upstairs
• 30 minutes: Director talks with parents; teacher plays with kids
  • Topics the Director will cover:
    • Introductions
    • Pass out and discuss handbooks and handouts
      • How and where they should park 
      • How and when they should drop off and pick up 
      • How to help their child separate on the first day 
      • How and when they should pay tuition 
      • How they can earn money with your referral program 
      • Which days they should know about (review calendar again) When their child can return after being sick 
      • How and when you will communicate with them 
      • How and when they should communicate to you

• 5 minutes: Switch—Director will come down and switch with teacher; Teacher talks with parents while Director plays
  • Teachers feel free to discuss:
    • Yourself, your family and your teaching background
    • Our teaching philosophy: Hands on activities to build Social, Emotional, Cognitive, and Physical Skills
    • Open communication
    • Anything else you want them to know to have a good year 
  • While the Director is playing with the children, she will:
    • Take a picture of each student
    • Clean up the room
    • Line everyone up so they are ready to go by the :45
• 5 minutes: Goodbye
  • At the :45, Teacher will walk out all families onto the grass then come downstairs to the preschool classroom
  • Teacher and Director will walk everyone out to stand on the hearts
  • Teacher will say they had a great day and to carefully give their parents a big hug.

We hope this overview of our Preschool Meet ‘n Greet is helpful as you prepare for school to start.