Classes & Fees

Highwood Playschool

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Classes & Fees

Fee Schedule for 2012 - 2013 School Year

Age	Days	Times **	Fees ***
3 years old *	Tuesday & Thursday	9:05 to 11:20 am	$120.00/month
4 years old by Feb. 28, 2012	Monday/Wednesday/Friday	9:05 to 11:35 am 12:45 to 3:15 pm	$160.00/month

* Classroom age requirements: Children must be 3 years old to attend our 3 year-old class. We will accept on-going registrations of new 3 year-olds, as space allows, until January 1^st, 2012. If a family would like to hold a spot for their child until he/she turns three and is independent in toileting, a holding fee (50% of the monthly tuition fee per month plus the first month’s tuition) will be charged to hold a spot Families can hold a spot for their child for up to two months. One month’s tuition fee will be charged if you decide not to enroll your child at the end of the holding period. Three spots per class will be made available for families who wish to hold a spot for their child.

Toileting Policy: All children attending preschool must be toilet trained. We understand that occasional accidents do happen, however, we are not equipped for diaper/pull-up changing or daily accidents. Parents need to agree to and sign our Toileting Policy upon enrollment.

** Afternoon classes: There is the possibility of offering an afternoon class, if there is sufficient interest and the class can be run on a cost-effective basis. Once the morning classes are full, a wait-list would be formed and we would only proceed on actual class commitments once enrollment thresholds have been reached and budgets, and other restrictive items, have been confirmed. The timeline for confirmation will be by June of the current school year, to prepare for September class starts.

Class Size and Ratio: We are committed to establishing a stimulating and supported environment where each can strive as a unique individual. We feel one way this can best be achieved with low enrollment of students and a low child to adult ratio. Thus our 4 year class is limited to 16 children and our 3 year old classes is limited to 14 or 16 children depending on the make-up and needs of the class. Both classes will always operate with a teacher and parent helper. A teaching assistant will be hired when the number of children in either class is 12 or more.

*** Program fees (We are approved to accept applications for the Stay At Home Subsidy Program for parents who need financial support to meet preschool fees. For details on the program, please visit the Alberta Government Child Care Subsidy website.)

1. Nonrefundable Registration Fee $50.00

Administration Fee: $35.00
Highwood Community Membership: $15.00. Residence in Highwood area is not required. A separate membership form will be filled out in person.
Registration fee is payable on the date that the registration forms are handed in to the Registrar.

2. Monthly Tuition Fees:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday (4 Year Olds): $160.00/month
Tuesday/Thursday (3 Year Olds): $120.00/month
Monthly Fees are required as a set of postdated checks at the time of registration. Please date the checks for the first of each month (September to June). Families may pay annual tuition fee dated September 1, 2012.
The total tuition for the year is divided into 10 equal monthly payments, regardless of total class-days in each month.

3. Work-Bee Deposit: $100.00

This is a deposit on your required cleaning commitment and this check will be returned to the parent when he/she has volunteered at one Work-Bee during the school year. It is important that you view the cleaning as mandatory; this fee serves only as a deterrent. Our program is a cooperative, and the cleaning is a duty of all parents.
Please postdate this check for January 1, 2011.

4. Fundraising Deposit: $100.00

This is a deposit on your participation in necessary fundraising events and this check will be returned to the parent when he/she has fulfilled the fundraising requirements during the school year. We are a not-for-profit society with no government funding. In order to keep fees low for our families, the estimated annual fundraising goal is approximately $100/family.
Please postdate this check for April 1, 2011.

Payment Details: Cheques are to be made payable to Highwood Playschool Association. There will be a $25.00 fine for any NSF cheques.

Withdrawal/ Cancellation Policy : Community Association fees and Registration fees are nonrefundable once the cheques have been cashed. During the year, one month's written withdrawal notice must be provided to the registrar to secure a refund for the remaining portion of the year. There can be no refund for tuition due to vacation, holidays or illnesses. If a family fails to fulfill their financial and/or parental obligations to the Playschool, they will receive a verbal or written warning. A family may be requested by the Executive, on written notice, to withdraw from participation in the program if the issue fails to be resolved. A child may also be withdrawn from the program is the Executive, in consultation with the teacher, is of the opinion that the program is not suitable for the child.

Parent Involvement

IN-CLASS PARENT HELPERS: Our playschool is wonderful because of families! It is a requirement that each family take their turn sending an adult helper (mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, etc.) to the class. When it's your turn to come, your child will be thrilled to share his/her playschool with you! The Parent Helper gets to assist the children and teacher with various activities, and observe their child's interaction with the playschool setting. It's a good opportunity to get to know your child's peers and teacher.

WORK BEE: A playschool Work-Bee happens several times during the year, and each family is asked to attend once. When you attend, you will receive two things: your 'Cleaning Bee Deposit' Check, and the satisfaction of having helped improve your child's classroom environment! (Treats will be served, too!)

OUT-OF-CLASS HELPERS: Our playschool is run by a committee of parents, who lend their creativity and skills to managing the program from the top. There are several different roles on this committee, each with differing time-requirements. As well, there are other important jobs needed to operate our program such as making playdough, mending and repairing, shopping, snow shoveling, etc. Let the registrar or teacher know which you'd be willing to contribute to your child's school and community!

FUNDRAISING: Our school runs on a very tight budget, and so to keep fees low we will have several fundraising efforts throughout the year. We believe that our teachers are one of the most valuable resources to our program, and therefore, although we are a non-profit organization, we offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain high quality staff. We value your ideas and depend on your participation and support.