Summary
Acorn School and Child Care is licensed by the Child Care Division of the State of Vermont to care for 106 children. It is currently a three STAR provider and is in the process of applying for a fourth STAR which it expects to be awarded in April 2010. The School is comprised of 6 grades, 11 classrooms and 24 teachers.
Curriculum
Acorn's curriculum is based on a set of published Standards that specifies Developmental Objectives for each of 10 Domains for its three Upper Grades and its three Lower grades. Enrichment units such as Spanish and Sign Language augment the Standards and are taught both by staff and visiting teachers.
Head Teachers prepare a Curriculum Plan each week which lists all the Lessons that will be presented in class. Each Lesson is fully described in a Lesson Plan which lists the goal of the Lesson and the developmental objectives that will be impacted by the Lesson.
The Standards, the Weekly Curriculum Plan, and the Lesson Plans are posted in each classroom every Monday morning for review by parents. A description of the Classroom and the Professional Biography of each teacher is also posted on each classroom door.
The Program Director spends time in each classroom weekly helping each teacher implement the curriculum and adapt the curriculum to the unique needs of each group of children and their families.
The Standards and Curriculum are reviewed annually in a process that includes garnering input from both from teachers and parents. The input is then circulated to the staff for review. At an in-service meeting the suggested changes are discussed and then either rejected or ratified by the entire staff.
Staffing
In order to achieve its missions the School focuses on hiring the most qualified and experienced staff. Head Teachers are required to have a Bachelor of Science in either Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education. Assistant Teachers must have a Bachelors Degree, an Associates Degree or a CDA. This goal is supported by having a compensation and benefit package in the 90th percentile for preschools in Chittenden County.
Staffing ratios are above the Vermont licensing requirements. In addition to a full time Head Teacher and Assistant Teacher in each classroom, the School is staffed with two full time Floaters so that there is ample time for teachers to plan curriculum and meet with management and of course take a lunch break. This also provides the resource for some one on one counseling for academic or behavioral issues without requiring he classroom to have fewer than two full time engaged teachers at all times.
Grade Organization
The School is organized into three Upper Grades and three Lower Grades. The Lower Grades are eight month grades including Early Infants for children from 6 weeks to 7 months old, Mobile Infants for children 9 to15 months old and Early Toddlers for children 16 to 23 months old. The Upper Grades are one year grades including Toddlers for 2 year olds, Preschool for 3 year olds and Prekindergarten for four year olds.
The School “loops” children in the Lower Grades, which means it graduates children from one grade to the next in a group with their teachers.
Children in the Lower Grades are given report cards when they graduate and children in the Upper Grades are given a report both when they graduate and midterm. The report cards assess a child’s progress at achieving each of developmental objectives for their grade. A PowerPoint Portfolio accompanies each report card with photographs of children in class and photographic samples of their work. These are organized first by Domain and then by date.
Developmental problems, if any, are brought to parents’ attention immediately so outside expert assessments and additional resources can be arranged if necessary.
Location and Physical Structure
The School is located just off Shelburne Road on the South Burlington-Shelburne town line in Chittenden County, Vermont. Physically the facility is divided into 11 classrooms, an infant sleeping room, two gross motor rooms, two offices, a kitchen and bathrooms in addition to a teacher lunch room and a teacher curriculum room.
The facilities are newly renovated, well appointed and well equipped. The classrooms are kept impeccably clean at all times.
Operating Hours
Regular hours are 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM with both early drop off and late pick up available.
Plans are in the works to offer a second shift and an after school program for elementary school children.
