Parent Information

The Basics

 

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Hands On is recognized by the Oregon Environmental Council as an Eco-Healthy Child Care provider. The Eco-Healthy Child Care program ensures that child care settings are as environmentally healthy as possible.

Call or Text Us

If you need to get in touch with us please call or text 503-422-0153 to contact the school directly. Feel free to leave a message for us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Location

Hands On Art & Play Preschool is located at 2800 SE Harrison St. Portland, OR. 97214 in a big, bright daylight basement in the the St. David of Wales Church (we are not religiously affiliated). You can get to the school by going down the stairs on the outside of the building from to the parking lot.

Hours

Our regular school hours are 9 AM to 3:30 PM. We offer a morning preschool program and an afternoon preschool program.  Child may be enrolled in one, or the other, but do not attend all day.

Register Now

Here is our fillable registration form for preschool  and fillable registration form for summer camps. You can fill it out on your computer (or by hand) and either print it and bring it in or save it and email it back to us at contact@handsonartandplay.com.

Detailed Info

Classroom Basics

Some good everyday information to know

Food at School

Your child should pack a lunch each day. Hands On will provide a healthy snack for children. If your child has a food allergy please let us know and we will accommodate for snacks.

Volunteering

We have no required parent help hours. When we have parties or field trips, we will hang up a sign to ask for parent volunteers.

Field Trips

If we are planning a field trip, you will be notified ahead of time and are welcome to join us.

Extra Clothes

Please leave a labeled Ziploc bag of extra clothes at school for your child.

School Pictures

School pictures are taken of each child and class. You are not obligated to buy them.

Music Class

We will have a special guest to teach music classes during school on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If your child attends on these days you will be changed a once a year fee of $125.

Injury & Illness

Please keep sick children at home
Preschool children want to be at home when they are feeling bad.

When to Stay Home

If your child is coughing, feeling bad, has diarrhea, vomiting, fever, rash or green goop running from eyes or nose, do not bring them to school. We will send the child home.
       Preschool children want to be at home when they are feeling bad.  It is especially important this year with COVID that we all do         our part to keep our community healthy.
  •        If your child has a runny nose keep them out until they are symptom free for 24 hours.
  •        If your child has a cough, or fever, then they will be excluded from school for 10 days after onset of symptoms and 24 hours after both fever and cough resolve, without the use of a fever reducing medication.  They may return earlier if they have a negative covid test.
  • If child, or anyone in household, tests positive for covid, then the student needs to stay out of school for 2 weeks, and be 24 hours symptom free before retuning to school.
We will consult with our covid advisor for any possible cases, or exposures, and follow their guidelines on which steps to take to keep our community safe.  You will be notified if you have had any exposure, or if someone in your child’s cohort has covid.

Medicine

If your child requires medicine, the teachers will keep it in a safe place, please do not put it in your child’s backpack.

If Your Child Gets Sick at School

If a child becomes ill while at school, he/she will be separated from the other children and allowed to rest. The child’s parent(s) will be contacted and asked to pick up the child as soon as possible. If the parent is not available, the child’s emergency contact will be notified.

School Rules

We don’t have too many rules

Toys

Toys from home are welcome, as long as they are not toy weapons or very small. Children will have an opportunity to show them to friends but will then be asked to put them away or on a shelf. Remember, toys can easily be misplaced so don’t allow your child to bring anything too important.

Candy, Cough Drops, & Gum

Children are not allowed to bring cough drops, candy & gum to school.

Playground

You are more then welcome to use the playground with your child before and after school, but use basic playground rules when doing so. Please keep the gate closed, and be safe. Children are not allowed to climb the fence.

Celebrations

Birthdays, parties, carnivals, oh my!

Birthdays

Children love to celebrate their birthdays at school. We celebrate each child’s birthday on his or her birthday or a day close to it. We begin our celebration after lunch and parents are welcome to attend. Some children choose to bring party favors to share with the class. If you choose to bring in a treat, it needs to be a non-food item. Stickers, balloons, pencils & even a fancy bookmark are all fun for children. Just make sure to bring enough for everyone.

 Parties

All families are invited to our Halloween party and last day of school party. Children will also celebrate other occasions in their classroom throughout the school year.

Help Us With Parties

Parents will find sign up sheets near the drop-off area to sign up to help and bring things for parties.

Vacations & Missed Days

When your child can’t make it to school

 

Please contact us if your child will be missing school.

Drop-In Calendar

If you know you are going on vacation, you may add your child’s name to the drop-in calendar.  If someone takes your day, you will be given a $35 credit for that day.  If no one takes your day, you will be responsible for the payment. If you sign up to take a drop-in day you will be charged $40 per day.

Closures

If Portland Public Schools is closed or opening late due to bad weather, then Hands On is closed.   In the event that the school closes due to bad weather, you will be given an opportunity for make-up days.

Withdrawal

If you need to withdraw your child you must give a written two week notice.

Extreme Weather Closures

We follow PPS for inclement weather closures

Closures

If Portland Public Schools is closed, or opening late, due to extreme weather, then Hands On is closed.   In the event that the school closes due to bad weather, you will be given an opportunity for make-up days.

Make-Up Days

Make up days must be used during the current school year.   Make up days do not carry over to the next school year.

Emergency Plan

In case of an emergency we have a plan

Illness or Injury

Hands On will call 911 any time we suspect a child is in need of medical treatment. If the child requires transportation to a medical facility, an effort will be made to contact the parent before the child leaves Hands On. However, the health of the child is the primary concern. The child will be transferred to the nearest hospital.

Emergencies That Require Students to Leave the Building

Each child will be accounted for in the classrooms and then escorted outside of the building using the nearest exit. Outside teachers will gather children into a group on the sidewalk of SE Harrison. In the event that we are unable to re-enter the building, staff will call parents and wait with the children until each one is picked up by a designated caregiver.

Emergencies That Require Students to Remain inside the Building

All students will be accounted for and teachers will remain with children. Parents and caregivers will be notified if they are unable to enter the building at the regular time.

Fire Drills and First Aid

All Hands On teachers will be professionally trained in CPR and First Aid. All teachers will have completed a disaster prepardness class. Each room will contain emergency contact forms & numbers for each child, flashlights and first aid kits. Hands On will be equipped with smoke detectors, overhead sprinklers, exit signs and fire extinguishers. Teachers and students will practice an emergency evacuation plan. This will be designed to be fun for the children, to help prevent panic in the case of an actual emergency.

Billing

How, why and when to pay

Tuition

Our tuition is an annual fee made up of nine equal monthly payments. Holidays are already calculated into the tuition structure so you are not paying for days we do not have school. Tuition payments are due the 1st of each month and late on the 5th. If your child misses school you will still be responsible for payment of days your child can not attend.

Bill Delivery

Your bills will be emailed to you. Please make sure the school has your current email address. If you do not have email please let the school know.

Music Class Fee

All students attending Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be charged a one-time fee of $125 for music class.

Overdue Payments & Returned Checks

You will be charged a $25 late fee if you haven’t paid by the 5th. A $25 return check fee will be applied to all returned checks. Your child may lose their space in the class if your account becomes overdue.

Payments

Payments can be put in the tuition envelope in the school office or mailed to :

Hands On Art & Play Inc.
2800 SE Harrison St.
Portland, OR 97214