Parent Handbook

For your convenience, a copy of the Parent Handbook can be viewed/downloaded here. Important items to note are listed below.

Hours

Classes are held daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. An optional lunch program is offered for all students from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. daily. After lunch enrichment classes are held from 1:00 to 1:45. Children must be toilet trained and three years or older to participate.

Kashrut

This school and all of its related functions must observe Kashrut. If providing a snack for your child's class, whether for a special activity or birthday, that snack must be marked kosher in accordance with the rules of the school. The school maintains several Mashkiachs on staff to help parents understand the requirements. If a parent prefers to bring in a mix to prepare cupcakes with the child's class as part of a birthday celebration that mix must also be marked kosher and may only be prepared in the school's kitchen. A kosher mix, or any other snack, may not be prepared in your home and brought into the preschool. Any questions about this policy may be directed to the child's teacher or the Director.

In addition, when children stay for the optional lunch program, the lunch that is brought from home must be dairy or pareve.

Click here to view a chart of acceptable Kashrut symbols.

Dairy Lunchbox Ideas
Apples & Peanut Butter
Bagels, Hummus & Sprouts
Bagel, Lox & Cream Cheese
Banana Bread & Cream Cheese
Celery with Cream Cheese or Peanut Butter & Raisins
Cheese & Crackers
Cheese Ball ~ Crackers or Celery Cheese Sandwich
Chick Peas
Cottage Cheese & Fruit
Cream Cheese & Green Olive Sandwich
Cream Cheese & Jelly Sandwich
Deviled Eggs, Hard Boiled Eggs or Egg Salad
Fruit with flavored Cream Cheese
Graham Crackers & Peanut Butter
Granola & Fruit
Herring
Hummus & Veggies or Pita Bread
Macaroni & Cheese, Spaghetti or Soup in a thermos
Mini Bagels with Cream Cheese or Peanut Butter
Muffins Nuts or Soy Nuts
Pasta Salad
Peanut Butter & Banana, Fluff, Honey or Jelly Sandwich
Peanut Butter or Cheese filled Pretzel Nuggets
Raisin Bread with Cream Cheese or Peanut Butter
Salmon Salad, White Fish Salad or Tofu Salad
String Cheese
Tuna Salad & Crackers or Celery
Veggies & Dip
Yogurt or Yogurt Drinks

Clothing

All shoes, boots, coats, mittens, sweaters, hats, and tote bags should be clearly marked with your child's name. Loose and comfortable clothing is recommended for both participating parents and children. When you dress your child for school, keep the following things in mind:

The children will go outside most days unless the weather prohibits safe play. Therefore, be sure to dress your child warmly enough…clothing can always be removed.

Toilet trained children need to be able to manage taking clothing off, and with a minimum of help. For example, please do not dress your child in overalls if he/she is unable to take them off.

Clothing should be appropriate for the type of activities that go on at school. Long dresses and sandals are not safe on the playground and a child's best outfit is not appropriate for painting and gluing.

School Closings

School terms, emergency closings and vacations will approximately parallel those of Fairfax County School system, and will be in accordance with all Conservative observances of Jewish holidays.

If Fairfax County schools are closed, Olam Tikvah Preschool is closed.

If Fairfax County schools open ONE (1) HOUR LATE, Olam Tikvah Preschool's classes run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Lunch will remain until 1:00 p.m. and classes until 1:45 p.m.

If Fairfax County schools open TWO (2) HOURS LATE, Olam Tikvah Preschool's classes run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On those days, lunch pick up will be at 1:00 p.m. as usual, and optional classes will follow the regular schedule.

School closing due to weather-related conditions basically follow Fairfax County. Our policy is to assure the safety of our children. There will be times, however, when Fairfax County schools are open, but the roads to reach Olam Tikvah are unsafe. You will be notified by phone tree when the school closes due to such conditions.

Emergency Procedures

We are well aware of the current security situation our nation faces. Because our first priority is the safety and security of the children, we are anticipating our needs as much as possible and adopting appropriate measures in accordance with the National State of Alert. We have received no specific threat either in this area or directed against Jewish institutions.

Olam Tikvah Preschool has adopted the following policies in the event of an emergency:

1. Power Failure

a. In the event of a power failure either prior to or at the start of the school day, opening will be delayed by one hour. If the power is not restored after one hour, preschool will be cancelled for the day.

b. If there is a power failure during the school day, all staff members will remain with the children and escort them to a designated area. In the event that power is not restored, parents may be contacted to pick up their children early.

2. Fire

Monthly fire drills are held. A fire evacuation plan is posted in classrooms. In the event of fire, the building shall be immediately evacuated. All staff members are to remain with the children and see them safely to the designated area.

3. Emergency Evacuation

In the event of an emergency, all children shall be immediately evacuated from the building. All staff members will remain with the children and see them safely to the designated shelter, the fire station on Little River Turnpike next to NVJCC.

4. Lock Down-Safe Room for Children in a School Situation

Because the best place for children during a regional crisis may well be in school, parents are discouraged from going to school to pick up their children. If a parent does go to school, he or she should be prepared to present identification. Note that if a school is ordered to provide shelter in place--to protect the safety of the children æ no one will be allowed in or out of the school building until the danger is passed. In that event, parents, for their own safety, should also remain indoors. Parents should check the local media regularly for announcements about school decisions. Basic emergency items and food and water supplies have been stored in school.

We are coordinating our security measures with the synagogue. The safety and security committee is currently modifying and upgrading the security of the building. In the interim, the lobby doors are to remain locked during preschool hours. This means that all preschool students should enter the building through the front doors. At dismissal time parents are allowed to pick up children at the lobby entrance only if admitted by an OT Preschool parent or teacher. It is essential that the lobby doors are firmly closed behind you as you leave.

We greatly appreciate your cooperation as we move through these difficult times.