INFANT DAILY LOG It is extremely important for our program to keep the communicating doors open between parents, home and school. We can better serve your child and you if we are informed of any medication that your child is on or has been given, or if your child did not sleep well, or if she woke up earlier than usual, etc. Then too, we need to be informed of any changes in your baby's schedule such as switching from formula to whole milk or from the bottle to a cup. For this reason, we have the daily log which is located on the shelf directly to the left of the changing table. When you drop off your infant, please take a moment to write us any information that will pertain to your baby's day. By the same token, we will write down when and how much formula, water, milk or juice that your baby has received throughout the day. We will also relate how long they have slept each day and how much and what kinds of food they have had and at what times. We will inform you of their diaper changes and any abnormalities that may have occurred. We will relate any concerns that we have. So it is important to check the log when you retrieve your baby at day's end. Also, please remember to sign-in and sign-out your infant each day in the notebook provided on the table in front of our classroom. A first initial and last name and the time is what we will need. This book may also contain school newsletters and information or forms that you need to have. PARENT VOLUNTEERS As you may know, Villa requires that parents donate at least ten hours of their time to the school. This could be volunteering for different fund raisers such as the school wide Halloween party or helping with our garden etc. Please contact Sue Watson or talk to Christy about any time or talents that you would like to donate to the school. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the toddler room for parent volunteers at this year’s Halloween party. THE "PHASING IN" PROCESS The Montessori infant program requires all new parents to set aside time for their baby to be gradually introduced to her new school environment and her new caregivers. This will insure that your baby will feel comfortable and relaxed and happy and that the transition will be a smooth one for all. Please plan to set aside at least one week or more depending on your child's temperament. Our program asks that you stay with your baby on the first day with us and that you and your infant only be with us for about 45 minutes. This will give us time to get acquainted and learn about your baby and give your baby time to absorb her new environment. On the second day, our teachers will interact with your infant more directly. You and your baby will again stay with us for a little longer (maybe l hour or more). On the third day we will ask that you move to another part of the classroom, out of sight of your baby. The teachers will interact more with her and your stay will be longer, perhaps 2 hours or more. On the fourth day we will ask you to leave the classroom for awhile, perhaps for half of the day, remaining close by with your cell phone in case we need you. If all goes well, we may feel that your baby is ready to try a full day with us without you by the fifth day. However, each baby is different. Some infants will only take 2 to 3 days to phase in and others may take a full 10 days. We realize that it is difficult to set aside this amount of your time but it is extremely important to the success of our program and to the comfort and trust we need to establish with your infant. If the parents are not available for this time, a grandparent or other close family member may be substituted. Thank you for your cooperation in this process.