BACKGROUND: ( go back to the top )

Daytime Playtime Schooltime is a place where children have fun with others, develop a joy for learning and learn that school is a good place to be that can be trusted.

Children of this age are all at various stages, depending on their birth date, experiences they have had and their position in the family. No two are alike and any comparison of children is not appropriate teaching. They are all learning….in different ways and at different rates.

The most important aspect of their development at this period in their young lives is social development. It is so vital to later years and also for good mental health. It is important they have positive experiences within a group, learn how to belong and feel a part of the group, while learning empathy and caring for each other. There is no child alive, who does not want or need friends.

Our preschool program emphasizes all the different stages of a preschooler's development. There is a mixture of both self-directed and teacher directed activities, with a curriculum that follows each child's age and level of progress. We offer a flexible daily schedule that incorporates independent learning, structured small & large group activities as well as circle time.

Our curriculum is designed to grow along with your child, teaching essential skills in a logical, natural sequence that encourages children to learn, step by step in a nurturing family-like atmosphere. Our small class sizes and low student to teacher ratios give students the individualized attention that they deserve. Children receive individual assessments and detailed written progress reports twice a year to monitor and track individual progress.

Our strong, literacy-based approach teaches writing and reading readiness, as well as daily activities in math, science, and art. The curriculum is designed around a monthly theme that ties all the disciplines together with a common thread. Children also have computer time and are introduced to foreign language.

Our daily schedule includes time for independent free play, giving each child time to develop on his/her own, discovering his/her interests, skills, and strengths. As well as small and large group activities, in which the children participate in stories, songs, and other activities fostering listening skills, creativity and social development. Our school is equipped with a math & science room, a reading & writing room, a state-of-the-art computer lab, an art room, and an interactive music and movement area. Each day, the students rotate their time in each of the various learning labs.

We also offer an extracurricular program called Lunch & Learn available after regular class time for additional fun and enrichment.

Every activity is geared to help your child learn important academic skills, learn to relate and work with others, as well as develop patience and self-control. At Daytime Playtime, we strive to help each child gain independence and confidence, as we prepare your child for Kindergarten.

OUR TEACHERS: ( go back to the top )

Annabelle Serrano
Annabelle Serrano is a Virginia native and grew up in Falls Church. She moved to Gainesville ten years ago and she now resides with her husband, Juan and her two children Hanna and Jackson. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, going shopping, eating ice cream and cheering on the New York Yankees.

Annabelle graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond with a degree in Child Care Management. For more than 10 years she worked for the Fairfax County Office for Children. Her experience includes teaching at the Fairfax County Employees’ Child Care Center and as an Eligibility Specialist and Human Service Worker for Child Care Assistance and Referral.

Annabelle has enjoyed working at Daytime Playtime for the past 2 years as Director and is looking forward to getting to know all of our new families during the upcoming school year.

Adriana Carvajal
Ms. Adriana was born in Costa Rica where she grew up around her big loving family who still lives there and she misses terribly! During high school, Adriana worked in an orphanage in Santana where her love for children first began. While working there, she realized she wanted to make a career of working with children and started her education at the University of Costa Rica. In 2000 her father was transferred to the US and Adriana got started right away teaching Spanish to home school families.

Adriana resides in Gainesville with her husband Mark, her daughter and son and chinchilla Princess. She loves playing with her kids, reading, taking nature walks, and going to the beach. She also enjoys visiting Costa Rica and her family when ever she can.

Ms. Adriana started with Daytime Playtime in January 2007 and has brought a wonderful energy to our program. She incorporates the Spanish language in exciting ways into her classes as well as focuses on learning through hands on activities and allowing children to use their imagination. Adriana teaches our Learning Ladybugs on M/W as well as our four year old Spanish Immersion four-year olds.

Belinda Hess
Was born in San Antonio Texas. Raised in a military family she traveled extensively around the United States and went to Germany several times. Belinda graduated high school in Killeen Texas and began college at Central Texas College. Her course of studies was Psychology and Early Childhood Development. Life took her in a different direction when she met her husband and moved to Virginia in 1988.

She worked for United Airlines for 11 years before starting a family. Belinda’s children are Jacob 10 years old, Daniel 8 years old and Mandy 5years old. She was a stay at home mom for several years and jumped back into the work force after becoming divorced.

She started working as the Child Care Director for Washington Health Club in 2006. After it went out of business she joined the Daytime Playtime family! She is an asset to Daytime Playtime due to her love for the children and the desire to enrich their lives with positive reinforcement and encouragement. To teach them to learn through play is an important aspect that Belinda feels can help them love to learn throughout their school years.

Children are a gift to us all and it gives Belinda great pleasure to work in an environment where she can express creativity and show her enthusiasm in all she does as these beautiful children grow before our very eyes!

Blanca Rangel
Was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Manassas, Virginia. She has three older sisters and one older brother. Her three older sister have already started families and her older brother is also beginning college. She is 18 years old and just graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School. She just began to take some classes at Northern Virginia Community College for Teacher Education. At Stonewall, she was involved with Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers which was a group that helps students realize their goals to becoming a teacher. At Stonewall, she also worked with Pre-K at Ellis Elementary School. She used to work at Loch Lomond for third grade summer school.

She hopes to become an elementary school teacher and also become a social worker. She likes to hang out with her family and friends and also likes dancing, reading and listening to music. She enjoys helping children in any way that she can and hopes to make an impact in her student's lives. She is very excited to be started a new school year with Daytime Playtime and looks forward to seeing more new students.

Catherine De La Fe
Native to the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia area. She attended Herndon High School in Herndon, VA and then traveled across the country to Spokane, Washington to attend Gonzaga University where she received a bachelors degree in Political Science and then went on to receive her elementary teaching certification.

She lived in the Seattle area for a few years then went on to join the Peace Corps. She was sent to Costa Rica to work in Early Childhood Development and Education. It was there that she met her husband and had their oldest child, Megan. The family moved back to the United States in 1996 when she began to work in preschool education and then had two more children, Caitlin and Juan. After staying at home with Juan for three years, she found a position at Daytime Playtime and is starting her fifth year here.

Ms. Catherine lives in Haymarket and her children attend the local schools. Megan is a freshman at Battlefield, Caitlin is a 6th grader at Bull Run and Juan is in 2nd grade at Gravely Elementary. Her spare time is spent watching her children in their various sports and activities, boating on the Occoquan River (in the summer) and spending time with family and friends.

Catherine Peck
Was born in Boise, Idaho. Her dad was in the Air Force so the family moved most of her younger years. In 1995 her family including her dad, mom and younger brother settled in Woodbridge, Virginia, where they still live now. She graduated from Gar-Field High School in 2004 then went on to NOVA community college. From there she entered into George Mason graduating in 2009 with a degree in Experiential Learning in Education. She will enter her Master’s program within the next year.

Catherine has always worked with children teaching Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, various camps and dance since Middle school. She taught dance for 9 years and has certifications from the Dance Educators of America. Her experience with teaching dance has not only made her love of teaching evolve, but knows that with patience learning can be an amazing adventure. While in High School, Catherine met her fiancé, Jerrel and on October 31st they will get married. This will be a new chapter in her life. With the support of her fiancé and family Catherine has made education the most valued part of her life. With this she knows that every child can learn and wants each of them to strive to do their best. Being the newest teacher to Playtime Daytime she is ready to give the school and her students her all and is excited to have a new work family.

Leslie Abell
She has been working in the early childhood education field for over 20 years, nine of which were as a preschool teacher and eleven years as a center director for a national chain of child care centers. She earned her Child Development Associate Credential in 1997. She is working toward her Early Childhood Certificate and plans to continue her education to earn an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education.

She is a mother of three girls, ages 23, 19 and 8. Her husband, Steve, works for Exxon and his job brought them to Virginia a couple of years ago. It is said that you should do what you love. Working with preschool age children is Leslie’s life’s work. It’s her calling. She loves creating an environment where children learn about themselves and their peers and feel safe to learn about the world around them. Her goal is to instill an enthusiasm for learning to help your children to become life long learners.

Her classroom will be an environment that encourages literacy, inquisitiveness, individuality, respect for self and others. You are seen as your child’s first teacher and as an invaluable resource to Leslie. You will be encouraged to play an active role in your child’s learning, by helping your child find items at home that support our weekly theme and by participating in special classroom events. Leslie is always available to discuss your child’s development.

Luz D. Abreu-Gomez
Was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She received her Associates Degree from Bronx Community College in New York City and completed a Zero to Three training, High/Scope educational approach training, and CDA Certificate. In 2000, Luz moved to Virginia and worked as a preschool assistant teacher at the Child and Family Network Luz started with Daytime Playtime two years ago.

She is currently planning on pursuing a Bachelor’s degree. She also planned and taught our 2009 Summer Preschool Camp Program with her daughter Elsie. She is bilingual and will be integrating Spanish in her classrooms. She currently resides in Gainesville with her husband Henoe and her children Elsie 16, and Matthew 8. Her eldest daughter Yaniris is going on to her junior year at Columbia University in New York.

When not at school, Luz enjoys being at home with her family and watching a good movie. Her favorite part of working with children is watching them learn and discover new things. Ms. Luz teaches our Itsy Bitsy Inchworms on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning as well as some of our Busy Bees.

Michele Capossela
Was born and raised in the DC Metropolitan area. She worked ten years for EDS and then quit work to be a stay-at-home mom. She has two sons-Joey, 7 and Jack, 4. A graduate of George Mason University with a B.A. in English Literature, Michele decided when re-entering the workforce not to go back to work for a large corporation but to switch gears and become a preschool teacher.

Working with children is her passion and it allows more flexibility to be home with her growing children. Michele currently works as an assistant teacher at Daytime Playtime Enrichment Center. This is her second year with us!

2009 – 2010 Daytime Playtime Policies & Procedures

Enrollment
1. Yearly tuition for each program is collected in 10 equal payments. Payments are not prorated for length of month or number of classes held within a month. Once enrollment is confirmed, the first tuition payment is collected as a non-refundable tuition deposit and will be applied as your June 1, 2010 payment. The remaining 9 payments are due on the 25th or before the 1st of each month September 1 – May 1, 2010. In the event that the 1st falls on a holiday, school closing or weekend, the tuition payment is due on the last school day prior to that holiday. A late fee of $35 will be assessed and added to tuition payments received after the 1st of the month. If payment is not received by the 7th of the month the child will be considered withdrawn from the program and may not attend classes until payment (along with the assessed late fee and a re-registration fee of $75) is paid in full. If there is a wait list for the class, your child may lose their spot in the program. Contact a director immediately if your account is delinquent to avoid losing placement.

2. A complete registration packet, including a current copy of your child’s vaccination record must be on file, and all required fees must be paid before your child can attend classes. All fees collected (including tuition payments) are non-refundable.

3. Orientation is held 8/24 – 8/28. The orientation schedule is located on the first page of this packet and posted online. Classes begin on September 14, 2009 and end June 11, 2010. Daytime Playtime follows the Prince William County Public Schools’ calendar for school holidays / teacher workdays/ vacations and inclement weather closures. In the event that PWC schools have a delayed opening or an early dismissal, Daytime Playtime classes are canceled for the day.

4. Daytime Playtime reserves the right to close the school in the unlikely event that circumstances arise that is out of our control (i.e. Power outage, severe weather, multiple teacher illness, etc.). Refunds are not issued for school closings.

5. Daytime Playtime admits any qualified student and does not discriminate regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national and / or ethnic origin.

Medical
6. Keeping everyone healthy is one of our major goals at Daytime Playtime. The school is cleaned thoroughly every day. If your child is showing signs of illness or you know they were recently exposed to a highly contagious disease, please do not bring your child to class and let us know immediately so that we may inform other parents if necessary. Please be aware that if your child is showing signs of illness we reserve the right to contact you for pick up.

7. Some of the illnesses may include but are not limited to the following (reported from the Committee on Infectious Diseases):

• Any illness that results in greater care than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children.
• The child has any of the following: fever (within the last 48 hours), lethargy, irritability, persistent crying, difficulty breathing, lesions, persistent cough, abundant green mucus, or other signs of severe illness
• Any illness that prevents the child from participating in class activities
• Diarrhea – must be free of diarrhea for at least 48 hours
• Vomiting two or more times in the previous 48 hours
• Mouth sores unless that cause is determined by a physician to be non-infectious
• Rash with fever or behavior change
• Pink Eye – has a yellow or green discharge
• Impetigo – until 48 hours after treatment has been started
• Strep Throat – until treatment has been started for at least 48 hours
• Head lice - until two days after treatment has begun
• Chicken pox – until the after the sixth day after the onset of the rash has crusted and dried
• Scabies – until treatment has been completed
• Hepatitis A Virus - until one week after the onset of the illness and jaundice has disappeared
• Tuberculosis, whooping cough, mumps, measles – until the physician determines the child can return

8. If your child contracts a contagious disease please notify a director immediately.

9. No medications will be given to a student without detailed written permission from a parent. Medicine must be given to the director so that it may be stored in the office. Please do not put any medication in your child’s backpack.

10. Staff will not be applying diaper cream or sun screen/lotion to the children while in care. Please apply at home before your child comes to school.

11. Teachers are able to administer an Epi pen if prescribed by your child's doctor. It must be provided by the parent and will be kept in the office labeled with the child's name.

12. Minor accidents will be treated at the school with standard first aid procedures. All of our staff members are CPR and First Aid certified. In the case of an accident requiring medical attention, the parent will be called immediately. In the event emergency services are required, the parent will be contacted after the ambulance personnel have been contacted.

13. Children enrolled at DTPT are covered by Group Accident Insurance during the hours that they are in attendance.

Dropping off / Picking up
14. Children must be dropped off at the appropriate drop off time (9:00am / 12:30pm). Teacher's will unlock the door and allow parents to enter the classroom 5 minutes prior to class time. The classroom doors are closed 10 minutes after the start of class. If arriving late we encourage you to wait until the next classroom change to drop your child off or you must wait for a director to bring your child into the classroom. Please note that late arrivals and early pick-ups are very disruptive to the other children and daily lesson plan and should be avoided if at all possible. If you plan to pick up early or drop off late, it is best to notify a director before hand.

15. Children must be picked up at their pick up time (12:00pm / 3:30pm). It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that their watch has the same time as Daytime Playtime. You will be assessed a late pick-up charge of $5 per every five minutes over the pick up time (there is a five minute grace period).

16. The child’s parent(s) or legal guardian must pick up and drop off their child unless other arrangements have been confirmed with Daytime Playtime staff. All custodial parents may visit their children at DTPT. In the event that you are having someone other than you pick up your child, you must notify the teacher and director if the individual is not listed on your Emergency Medical Information & Authorization Form as an approved person to pick up your child. When someone other than a parent picks up your child, please note they will be asked by the teacher to show a picture ID before the child will be released to them.

17. It is a top priority to ensure the safety of every child attending Daytime Playtime, there fore parents will need to check their child in and out each day they attend class. If someone other than a parent will be picking up or dropping off, please be sure that they understand check-in and check-out procedure.

18. When dropping off and picking up, please respect that other classes may be going on at that time and do not let children yell or run in the hallways. Please also be aware that children may see or hear parents in the hallway after drop-off / before pick-up and we encourage you to take your conversations with other parents outside to avoid disrupting class.

19. Each child must bring a backpack or bag clearly labeled with their first and last name and contain the following items: at least one complete change of clothing (please make sure they are season appropriate), an extra pair of underwear / 2-3 pull-ups/diapers (if applicable), a light sweater or jacket, and art smock if you choose to bring one (we do have art t-shirts at the school for any child to use). Please label extra clothing with your child’s full name. Daytime Playtime is not responsible for any lost items.

20. Each class will have a set of hooks identified with the class name (Inchworms, Bees & Ladybugs) located outside the classroom. Please be sure to place your child’s bag on a hook (any hook in that area) as well as remember to bring it home with you as you leave.

21. Children have a hanging folder labeled with their name located outside the classroom. Please check and empty your child’s folder each day. Folders contain your child's school-work as well as important info from the school.

22. Your child must be taken to use the bathroom and / or have a new diaper/pull-up before you drop your child off at the school.

23. You must provide a phone number where you can be reached in case of an emergency. After three attempts, your emergency contact person (provided by you) will be contacted. If any of your contact information changes please notify the director immediately.

24. Children will be actively playing on the floor and with equipment, and should be dressed appropriately in comfortable playwear. Please ensure your child is not wearing any easily removable jewelry or hair accessories to avoid a potential hazard.

25. In the event of inclement weather, Daytime Playtime will be closed when Prince William County Schools are closed. All classes WILL also be canceled if the PWC school system has a delayed opening and PM preschool MAY be canceled if there is an early closing, please call to check. In the event that class has to be canceled for any reason, a message will be left on the Daytime Playtime answering machine.

Snack / Potty Training
26. Please ensure that your child has been fed prior to coming to Daytime Playtime, a snack will be provided during class, but not a full meal.

27. If you are enrolled in Lunch and Learn you must pack and bring in your child's lunch (nut free). There is a lunch drop off box outside the director's office. All lunches will be put into the refrigerator located in the office by a director after the start of class.

28. Healthy snacks are provided each week by a different parent as outlined on the snack co-op calendar. Please refer to the Snack Co-Op Guidelines included in this packet for specific details. Please keep a bottle of water in your child back pack at all times if bottle of water is not provide we will provide a DTPT logo bottle, the cost will be charged to your account.

29. Please leave your snack (when it is your turn) with you child's teacher when you drop off. If you forget you can either go to Bloom and pick-up a snack or bring in a non-perishable snack the next time you come to school. If dropping off snack after class begins or a “make-up” snack, please leave the snack with the director.

30. Parents may bring in a special snack (cupcakes, cookies, etc.) for their child’s birthday or other special occasions. Please coordinate with your child’s teacher so she may prepare accordingly and advise you of any food allergies.

31. We are a nut free facility and all snacks, lunches and treats brought in must not contain any peanut or other nut products.

32. If your child has a known allergy or develops a new allergy, please notify the school and the teacher immediately.

33. Children do not have to be fully potty trained to enroll in our program. The teachers will escort the children to the bathroom at various intervals during class. Please bring at least one clean, complete set (pull ups included if still wearing) of clothing with your child to school everyday in their backpack.

Communication
34. DTPT uses e-mail to relay school information (i.e. newsletters, field trips, school events, questions, etc.). It is important that we have a current e-mail address (that you check regularly) in order to get this information to you. There is also a bulletin board for each class located in the main hallway of the school. Here you will find information on your child’s class / teachers / field trips / etc. If you prefer not to receive e-mail, please notify us in writing and we will make copies of any information and put it in your child’s folder.

35. Director hours are listed on our website and on the door to the office. If you would like to come in before your child’s scheduled pick-up time to speak to a director, an appointment is not necessary. Please remember that during pick-up and drop-off teachers / assistants / directors are busy ensuring safe handling of the children and it may not be the best time to have a meeting about your child. You may also contact your teacher / director via e-mail.

36. If you would like to schedule a meeting with a teacher or director to discuss any concerns, questions, or other needs, please contact a director and we will be happy arrange a meeting with the necessary staff at a time that is convenient for you.

37. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Adriana Carvajal or Mark Betigheimer (Owners) or Annabelle Serrano (Director) during the business hours of 9-3:30 or you can e-mail us at info@daytimeplaytime.com

Discipline / Behavior
38. Safety is our main concern, and if a child is misbehaving and/or disrupting class, Daytime Playtime teachers will explain what appropriate behavior is and redirect the child's attention. The teacher does reserve the right to separate any child that is persistently misbehaving, intentionally hurting or hitting other children, or is not listening from the other children. Please discuss proper school time behavior and conduct with your child if possible. Please also share any information with your child’s teacher that you feel may be helpful in dealing with your child if they have a tendency to be disruptive or act out. If a child is deliberately harming him or herself or other children and will not stop, you will be called and asked to pick up your child.

39. We realize some children may have a difficult time being apart from their caregiver/parent. Every attempt will be made to engage your child upon arrival and to ease any separation anxiety including calming and comforting a crying child, however in the event that your child is uncontrollably upset for over 30 minutes, and is unable to be consoled, you will be contacted for pick-up. You may request that you be contacted sooner than 30 minutes if you desire.

40. All cases of suspected child abuse and neglect must be reported to Child Protective Services. The Director will be notified of all situations warranting concern. By Virginia State Law, any legitimate suspicion must be reported.

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Daytime Playtime Enrichment Center 2010

15026 Washington Street | Haymarket, VA 20169 | Phone: 703-754-8463 | Email: info@daytimeplaytime.com