|
Small Paws
Preschool & Daycare
Provider: Mindy Sagmoen
PO Box 56, Fairplay, CO 80440
Phone: 719-836-2802
License Number: 102984
Type of Center: Home Daycare
Age Groups: 2 years to 5 years
Hours Of Operation: 7:00am to 5:30pm
Email Address:
smallpaws@wildblue.net
Description:
The Small Paws Preschool and Daycare program is in my home so it has the feel of home, but I also offer centers, circle time, painting, play dough, Spanish, Sign Language and many other preschool quality activities. Small Paws Preschool and Daycare has a very large fenced yard with grass, trees, swings, slides, a sand box and more. We are also starting construction on a new house in the Spring of 2007 which will have 1000 square feet of daycare/preschool only space and will allow me to do many more things with my program. It is our hopes that we will be into this new setting by fall of 2007. Small Paws Preschool and Daycare is located in the Foxtail Pines Subdivision area. Once our new home is complete, our new location will be about a quarter of a mile from the current one.
The Small Paws Preschool and Daycare environment offers a Listening Center, Book/Reading Center, Science Center, Literacy Center, Math Center, Puzzles Center, Puppet Center, Dress-up, Blocks Center, Dramatic Play Center, Art Center, Writing Center, Games Center, Fine Motor Skills Center and many other activities including painting, play dough, doll house play, toy people, toy animals, music and movement and much, much more!
In this classroom we believe that learning is a lifelong adventure. We believe in facing each day with minds open to knowledge and hearts open to love. We believe in the freedom to wonder, to ask, to explore, to imagine, and to create. We believe that success means doing our best, being our best, and feeling proud of our efforts. We believe that every one of us has special talents, and that the talents of each of us help all of us. We believe in ourselves, in each other
and IN THIS CLASSROOM.
|
Qualifications:
CPR and First Aid Certified
Over 12 years Childcare Experience
Licensed Daycare Owner for over 7 years
Working towards my B.S. in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Child Psychology
I have run my licensed daycare in Fairplay, Colorado since 1999. Before that I worked
in a private preschool in Lakewood, Colorado for almost three years. In high school I
worked as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and spent my school breaks working as a live
in nanny for families in Denver and near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. After graduating
I worked as a live in nanny for almost three years and worked in the preschool rooms
at three local churches around the Glenwood Springs area every Sunday until I was 25
years old.
I go beyond the state requirements (12 clock hours) for continued education
and take between 70 and 120 hours a year. In addition I am in college and working
towards my B.S. in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Child Psychology and
I currently have a 4.0 GPA. I share this with you because I feel that there is a huge
difference between taking these classes and graduating in the top 10 percent of a class
and taking them and graduating i in the bottom 10 percent. I give this same level of
dedication to your children and my program. I am CPR and First Aid Certified. I also
take classes on disease control and blood borne pathogens and medication administration
every two years
(it is required every three years).
Kids are not just my job, they are
my passion!
|
Philosophy:
I believe that my job is more than just providing a safe place for your children to be and play while you cannot be with them. Besides meeting state regulations and Qualistar requirements, I also believe it is my responsibility to assist you as parents in meeting the physical, emotional and developmental needs of your children. I strive to prepare the children in my program for life, not just school. Small Paws Preschool and Daycare goes beyond basic early childhood teaching and also focuses on problem solving, decision making and self-help, while promoting interpersonal communications. These are key elements which contribute to the child’s development, self esteem and confidence.
Small Paws Preschool and Daycare works hard to stay posted on the most up-to-date teaching methods. We are constantly changing our curriculum but maintain basic Creative Curriculum methods that we believe nurture children’s learning. Our methods are exemplified in the activities we do with the kids.
|
Curriculum:
Small Paws Preschool and Daycare strives to offer an environment that
teaches children Spanish, sign language, lowercase and uppercase letters,
numbers and early math concepts such as one to one counting, sorting,
patterning and more, shapes, colors, calendars concepts, science
experiments, phonics, beginning and ending sounds, print and book
concepts, beginning writing, cognitive development, art, music, sensory,
gross and fine motor skills and more. It is the Small Paws belief that
children learn and retain more if they are having fun and we strive to
make learning fun and exciting.
Here at Small Paws Preschool and Daycare, we use the Creative Curriculum
system which helps children learn in ways that are more natural for them.
Through the Creative Curriculum website, parents who have children
attending Small Paws Preschool and Daycare are given access to their own
child's developmental progress as well as tools that offer parents guides
and activities to help their child develop to the next level in 50
developmental areas. Since Small Paws Preschool and Daycare is open year
round, parent/teacher conferences and child assessments take place four
times a year. |
Registration:
I require a signed contract, completed admissions forms, health and medication forms and a copy of your child's immunizations before they can attend my program. I only do back up care and drop in care for people who have already completed these.
Contracts, authorization forms and other forms must be renewed every year after January 1st. Health Status forms, medication forms and a new copy of your child’s immunization record must be submitted at each birthday (well child check-up).
Failure to provide current immunization records, renew contracts or other forms is viewed as grounds for termination of care.
|
Tuition:
There is a $35 registration fee due at enrollment and every September there after ($20 of this goes towards your child's account in the Creative Curriculum database so I can track their early development and allows you access to activities for your child’s developmental level).
Daily fees are $35 per day and include all the wonderful preschool activities that we do each day, breakfast, lunch and PM Snack (if you child is here). Pull-ups are provided for children who are potty training.
ALL payments are due in advance of care. NO EXCEPTIONS!
A two week deposit is required. Deposits are placed in a savings account and kept until you give two weeks notice. Your deposit is then applied to your account for the last two weeks of care.
Activity Fees of $20 per child are due at enrollment and every January 1st and July 1st. Activity fees are either applied towards things needed by Small Paws to meet higher Qualistar standards or put towards additional preschool activities. Parents are asked to participate in making decisions on what activity fees are applied towards.
Small Paws Preschool and Daycare accepts online payments.
There are cheaper options out there, but at Small Paws Preschool and Daycare you get what you pay for. Quality daycare within a learning environment is priceless!
|
Staffing:
I am currently the sole staff member in my program. I watch a maximum of six children. I believe in keeping numbers down and quality of care up.
I am 35 years old and have two wonderful children. I love my job and get a lot of satisfaction and pleasure from working with children.
To me, teaching is a commitment to install knowledge in the minds and hearts of all children in my program. It is so much more than a job. It requires a love of humanity, a belief in the human spirit, a dedication to excellence and a resolve to make a difference in the lives of others. It is the foundation upon which all forms of progress are based. Those who were destined to teach, spend their lifetimes investing in the dreams of the children in their lives-and in doing so, their own dreams come true. To lighten, to awaken, to inspire all of those, whose lives they touch, this is their dream. This is my dream!
When I am introduced as a "“teacher", I am usually asked what I teach. I reply, "I teach the little ones". Often the response is a flat "Oh". I can never tell whether it is an expression of sympathy or disinterest. I wish I had a chance to say something like this:
Where else would life look as bright to me as it does amid an energetic group to whom nothing
is impossible?
Where else can I be greeted by so many smiling faces, eager to see me?
Where else could I wear the same thing time after time and still be told that I look pretty?
Where else could I see everyday things through the eyes of a child
seeing and experiencing them for the first time?
Where else could I guide the first letter formations of a chubby little hand
and think that someday that same hand might write a book or an important document?
Where else could I so quickly forget my own aches because of skinned knees,
bumped heads and broken hearts that need my consolation?
Where else could I feel so rewarded when little children learn something new because of my help?
Yes, I am a daycare provider/preschool teacher and I LOVE it!!!
Please see Qualifications for more information about me.
|
Parent Information:
Parents are invited to attend monthly or bi-monthly parent nights, open houses, celebrations and more. I have an open door policy for the parents of children in my program, you are welcome to join us anytime to observe the program and see what your child is up to here.
Since Small Paws is open year round, development checkpoints and parent/teacher conferences take place four times a year.
Newsletters come home monthly to keep you posted on themes, events and activities, etc.
Daily Reports come home daily.
|
Accreditations:
Small Paws Preschool and Daycare has a Three Star Qualistar Rating (only missing the highest rating of four stars by two small points). Small Paws Preschool and Daycare receive a perfect score for it language development program and very high in many other areas. For more information on the Qualistar Rating System, visit www.qualistar.org Small Paws Preschool and Daycare will be seeking accreditation from the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) within one year.
|
Locations & Directions:
Foxtail Pines Fairplay Colorado. Directions withheld for
sercurity reasons, please call 719-836-2802 for directions |
Photos:
(click on each photo for a larger view)
|
Website Created By:
The Daycare Resource Connection
www.daycareresource.com
Graphics By:
Copyright © 2002-2007. All Rights Reserved.
VISTORS:230
|
|
