Our policies
Communication
We use ClassDojo as our communication platform, primarily to share pictures and updates from the classrooms. You can use ClassDojo to communicate with us; however, if you wish to send a message through ClassDojo, please be aware that we are working with the kids and do not check the app regularly during the day, so please just send informative messages there. We will try to read them during the day but will most of the time not answer them. If you need a reply, please use email, and if it’s urgent, call the school’s phone.
Parent-Teacher Meetings
When a child has been at Stepping Stones for approximately 3 months, the teachers will offer a follow-up meeting to discuss the child’s adaptation to the classroom. Every year in early September, we host a parent-teacher meeting where all parents are invited. We also offer yearly conferences at the end of the school year to discuss your child’s development. Before leaving the preschool, you will receive your child’s assessment (printed and/or digital).
School and Parent Collaboration
School/parent cooperation thrives on mutual trust. Parental involvement recognizes the critical roles parents and teachers play in shaping children’s positive attitudes toward learning. It boosts their motivation, confidence, and enjoyment of learning. The school engages with parents on the premise that they are dedicated to their child’s development and school life. Parents should be well-informed about their child, class, and the school overall. It’s important to highlight the school’s achievements to build trust.
Roles are based on the idea that parents understand their child best, while the school knows daily life at Stepping Stones. Clear role distribution is essential for effective cooperation. Parents must feel confident entrusting their children to the school. Stepping Stones respects all parents equally and values individual treatment, promoting open dialogue. Parents are encouraged to be involved in school activities and events.
If communication issues arise, the director steps in to support both staff and parents, focusing on the student’s well-being. The school sets expectations for parents while remaining responsive to their needs.
Friendships
Stepping Stones Preschool provides a welcoming and safe environment. We value friendships as they support children’s social-emotional learning and growth. We encourage children to play with a variety of peers and foster inclusion. We do not tolerate children being left out, called names, or physically harmed (e.g., pushing, hitting, biting).
We recognize that some behaviors may occur during legitimate play, but if a child is repeatedly targeted, it becomes harmful. In rare cases where behavior is defined as bullying, we will respond thoroughly and sensitively, informing the parents of all children involved as soon as possible.
Parents committee
The parents’ committee brings suggestions to the school and helps organize events. They also host social gatherings outside of school and support communication between parents and the school. The committee and school meet about three times a year. Each new school year, parents can sign up, and if more than five are interested, there will be a vote.
Sickness Policy
If your child is unwell, please notify us via email or ClassDojo. With many children attending, it’s crucial for us to plan ahead and be informed of any absences. If your child has a contagious illness, let us know immediately so we can inform other parents. Some illnesses may pose risks to pregnant women in the first trimester.
If your child becomes ill during school, we will contact you for pickup. While we understand short-notice pickups are difficult, the well-being of all children and staff is our top priority.
A well child is defined as one who:
Does not need paracetamol
Can participate in all activities, including outdoor play
Has a normal appetite, is happy, sociable
Does not require extra attention
Has regular bowel movements
We follow sickness policies based on guidelines from the Danish Health Authority and our extensive experience as a trusted preschool
Keep your child at home if they have:
Fever (must be fever-free for 24 hours)
Diarrhea or vomiting (wait 48 hours after symptoms stop)
Sore throat, persistent cough, or runny nose with colored discharge
Crusty or red eyes (unless cleared by a doctor)
Unexplained rash (needs doctor clearance)
Contagious diseases such as chickenpox, roseola, conjunctivitis, mumps, streptococcus
Your cooperation helps us maintain a safe and healthy preschool environment for everyone.
Medication
If your child is on prescribed medication and it needs to be taken while he/she is at preschool, the medicine must be in the original container and labelled with the child’s name, doctor’s name, name of the medication, dosage, and when to be taken. If medication is to be taken only twice a day (morning & night), then it will need to be done at home. If your child refuses to take medication from their teacher, we will not force them to take it, but we will contact you to inform you of their refusal. We will not use eye drops.
If your child needs eye drops, you (parents) will do it before drop off and after pick up. If they need it in between, we will ask you to come and give the drops. Please make sure all medicine is handed to the teacher for safe storage.
Food
We wish to contribute to the children’s healthy eating habits. That is why we have a NO sugar policy. Through a healthy and balanced diet, they will grow into strong, healthy, and happy children who are eager to learn and play. To create a good learning environment and eating atmosphere during lunchtime, we will encourage children to try out new dishes and ingredients. Children are curious by nature and often get the urge to taste the food their friends are enjoying.
Morning fruit and afternoon snack
For the morning, please pack fruit/vegetables for your child. It can be a banana/apple/orange, some berries, or different vegetables. Please do not pack smoothies or juice, it’s not necessary to have that at school. We wish to only have fresh fruit or vegetables for the morning snack. For the afternoon you can pack a bigger snack such as a sandwich. There are many healthy snack options that you can pack for your child. Please talk to the teachers if you would like some suggestions.
Healthy nutrition leads to healthy learning!
Because of allergies, we have implemented a strict NO nut policy, which includes peanut butter. Additionally, for safety reasons related to choking hazards, we kindly request that grapes and cherry tomatoes be cut in half. The small size and shape of these fruits can easily obstruct children’s airways and may be challenging to dislodge using standard first aid techniques. Moreover, in the 1-3 age group, we refrain from serving raw carrots due to the risk of choking.
Please be aware that the school remains open in July, however, catering services are not provided. During July, please ensure to pack a cold lunch for your child daily, which they can enjoy directly from their lunch box.
Birthdays
We enjoy celebrating birthdays! Children can bring a healthy treat (sugar-free) to their party, with fruits being a popular choice. Each birthday is unique, and we make it special at school with lots of attention and singing for the birthday child ❤. Some families host private birthday parties, which are not school-organized. However, we recommend inviting all classmates to prevent anyone from feeling left out.
School Events
Throughout the year, we celebrate various occasions like Halloween, Christmas, and summer parties. During these events, families contribute to a buffet table, relaxing the no-sugar policy while still promoting fruit. We maintain a strict no-nut policy for the safety of all children.
Sun Policy
Our sun policy is effective from April to September. Kindly apply sunscreen to your child before they arrive at school, and we will reapply sunscreen after lunch. Make sure to provide your child with a sun hat and leave a sunscreen on their spot. Between midday and 2 pm, we will be indoors or in shaded areas. Water is readily available for the children throughout the day, and we encourage them to stay hydrated.
Drop off and pick up
Drop-off time latest 9.15. Your child benefits from having a free play before we start circle time at 9.30. Some children need some extra attention from the teacher(s), which is easier to give when they are dropped off before circle time starts. When we have circle time, we have to stop the activity to help the child adjust. It interrupts the other children, who might lose their concentration or they might get upset because they see another parent.
Furthermore, the child who is being dropped off late often has a hard time settling in that day as they arrive later than their peers and missed out on the first important part of the day. We also ask parents to make their stay at the school as short as possible. We are a school, with many children and dedicated teachers who are always there to help children settle in the morning. If you need to speak to a teacher, we advise that you give us a short message in the morning or send us a message via ClassDojo. If it’s required, we will set up a time for a proper meeting, where we can talk privately.
Pick up
You are welcome to pick up your child early. However, if you wish to pick up before 14.00, please talk to the teachers, so we can prepare your child, as we might be having an activity.
Pickup by an unknown person
Please make sure to sign the “Pick-up” form if your child is being picked up by an unknown person to the staff (You can get a form by asking your child´s teacher). If someone new is picking up your child, always tell the staff in advance. We need to meet the person together with you for the first time. If that is not possible, we will ask you to send us their ID.
Guidelines for the use of digital learning resources and telephones
We have a clear policy on what we offer the children in terms of technology and media. We want to support and help create a reasonable balance – both physically and mentally in our school program.
Specifically, this means that the children do not use different devices here at school. We have one tablet per classroom which is only used by the staff and primarily for uploading pictures to ClassDojo and playing music for playing, relaxing, tidying up, etc. Occasionally the tablets are used in an educational context, where it supports the given activity.
It can be a video or pictures that relate to the theme the children are working on. When used wisely, technology and media can support learning and relationships. Enjoyable and engaging shared experiences that optimize the potential for children’s learning and development can support children’s relationships both with adults and their peers. Special days: 1-2 times a year, preferably in December, and at the end of the school year, we have a pajama day only for the older children (3-6) where we watch a short film and enjoy some popcorn and juice.
We recognize that children are presented with an attractive world when they sit in front of a screen. However, with our program, which is packed with educational fun activities, we are not worried about the use of tablets in the school. The teachers have a telephone available so that it is possible to contact the teachers and for teachers to contact parents. Additionally, the teachers do not use their personal phones for private use.
We recommend that parents keep their phones in their bags/pockets when dropping off or picking up so that they use their resources and attention on their child and their most important meeting of the day.
Sleep/Naptime Policy
This policy is specific to children aged 1-3 years old. Children aged 3-5 do not nap at school. Children aged 1-3 generally nap from 11:30 to 14:00 at our school. Sleep is crucial for this age group and occurs naturally. Children nap at their own pace; some may nap earlier or later, for shorter or longer durations. We do not enforce naptime; children fall asleep on their own, and some may need a teacher’s presence to feel secure until they drift off. Children are not woken up prematurely from their naps; they wake up on their own.
Outdoors Activities
Our daily routine involves being outdoors regardless of the weather – from snow and rain to wind and sunshine, we embrace it all! Emphasizing the importance of free play, we encourage children to engage in independent play, which we believe has numerous benefits. In addition to free play, we organize structured activities that involve exploring the nature around us. Spending time outdoors enhances motor skills, muscle strength, overall health, and fosters peer-to-peer relationships.
Being outdoors instils a sense of environmental appreciation and nurtures creativity, imagination, and self-directed learning. Throughout the school year, children participate in field trips where they practice walking in a line, walking to the park, and other outdoor adventures. As they become adept at following instructions and walking in a group, they will have the opportunity to go on more extensive field trips.
Mud Play
Children find joy in mud! They are naturally attracted to mud puddles and dirt as part of their play. By mixing soil, water, and various natural materials like pebbles, leaves, or grass, children explore endless learning opportunities and fun. At our school, children engage in plenty of outdoor activities, especially enjoying mud play and creating imaginative mixtures. For children to fully engage in play, it’s crucial for them to be appropriately dressed to explore as much or as little as they desire. Always provide suitable outdoor attire based on the season and weather conditions. Avoid fancy clothes that can’t get dirty for outdoor play. Ensure there are spare clothes available for your child to change into if needed.
