Metroplex Preschool Programs

All programs offered operate from 9:15am to 2:00pm

Mother’s Day Out
Mothers’ Day Out is a program designed for 2-year-olds. We encourage students to make new friends while participating in a fun, educational experience. This program is offered:
1 day – M-F
2 days – M/W or Tu/Th
3 days – M/W/F or Tu/Th/F
Preschool
The preschool program offers 3-year-olds the perfect balance between learning and playing in a safe, nurturing environment. This program is offered:
2 days – Tu/Th
3 days – M/W/F
5 days – M-F
Pre-K
The Pre-K program offers 4-year-olds an engaging, hands-on curriculum to prepare your child for Kindergarten. This program is offered:
2 days – Tu/Th
3 days – M/W/F
5 days – M-F

Mother’s Day Out

Our curriculum is fun, engaging and developmentally appropriate. It is organized around themes, while utilizing art, books, music and hands-on activities to teach concepts. Through play and teacher guidance children will experience physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth. The academic concepts covered include colors, shapes, rhyme, opposites and counting. They will gain skills in listening, conflict resolution, fine motor control, self discipline and following directions. A focus on language development is a major component of the program. The children learn to express themselves, communicate their needs to teachers and peers and expand their vocabulary through engaging activities. Children enjoy the chance to sing songs, learn nursery rhymes, explore and play with others at Metroplex’s Mothers’ Day Out.

Preschool

Our curriculum offers engaging, hands-on experiences to help build the foundation needed to develop confident, self disciplined, independent thinkers who love to learn. The schedule is designed to alternate between student choice exploration/play and teacher lead activities that require more focus and attention. Numerous opportunities are provided, in both large and small group settings, to strengthen social skills such as cooperative play, sharing, listening and problem solving. The preschool class focuses on a theme and letter each week utilizing the Alphatales curriculum and whole language approach to incorporate books, art, math, songs, lessons, and center activities together with each letter and theme. The preschool class provides various activities to strengthen hand muscles needed to be successful while learning fine motor skills such as writing, drawing and cutting.

Pre-K

Our curriculum is developmentally appropriate, challenging, and provides opportunities for success for each child. The class is organized around themes that integrate learning in several subject areas. It is rich in literature and phonics activities to establish a strong foundation in reading. The phonics program includes letter identification, letter sounds, beginning reading and writing. We utilize the basics of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. Learning centers allow the children to extend their learning while using their imagination and creativity and interact with other children to build social skills. The math curriculum includes counting, numbers, and sorting, patterns, matching, comparing and number concepts.

: listening to stories, participating in shared book experiences, developing key word vocabularies, analyzing phonetic sounds and structures, reading classroom labels, and using print in the various learning centers. Our emergent literacy approach emphasizes function, meaning and an integration of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You children will also learn through self-selected activities while participating in a variety of centers which are interesting and meaningful to them including sociodramatic, block, science, math, manipulatives, listening, reading, writing and construction.

*Gymnastics instruction is included each day in all programs, including open gym and outside play time.
*Science instruction is offered twice per month in all classes with the exception of Enrichment Day. Our Science teacher visits each classroom to provide early exposure to science concepts and methods, utilizing age appropriate experiments and activities.

Opening Activities

A variety of activities are provided that rotate on a weekly basis. Children may choose activities in the following areas:
 fine motor activities such as, beading, lacing and building
 cognitive activities such as puzzles, books and games
 creative play opportunities such as puppets, props to match themes, play doh and musical instruments.

Circle Time

A combination of quiet listening and active participation during a variety of learning activities that provides opportunities for language development and thinking skills. This time includes calendar activities, story books, finger plays and songs that incorporate the letter and/or theme of the week.

Gymnastics / Physical Education

This is a structured gymnastics/physical education time. The children start with a warm up time that includes movement and stretching exercises. This time often includes activities that involve manipulating objects such as bean bags, balls, soft frisbees, scarves, parachute, etc. Children are then involved in various gross motor activities while completing a gymnastics circuit or other physical exercises. Activities will vary from day to day and are specially designed to develop balance, coordination, strength and agility and improve gross motor skills.

Centers

This free choice time gives the children the opportunity for both quiet individual activities as well as social interaction. The center choices include; dramatic play center, building center, reading and writing center and the puzzles and manipulatives center.

Lesson & Project Time

This is the time to introduce new concepts and expand the children’s learning. The lesson teaches about the theme and/or letter of the week. These concepts are extended through hands on activities such as art projects, experiments, songs and games.

Open Gym

This is a free choice time in a large open gym space, similar to recess. This is an opportunity for physical exercise, gross motor development, and social interaction. Children have the chance to run, jump, climb, and play on various shapes and sizes of foam mats.

Teachers

Our teachers include degreed and Texas certified teachers with numerous years experience educating young children. Metroplex teachers are passionate about children and providing a loving educational environment. It is our teachers’ goal and commitment to stress the positives, see each child as an individual, establish a set of basic life values, be a positive role model and prepare them for success in school. All of our teachers receive 24 hours of training annually and are CPR/First Aid certified.

Progress Reports & Conferences

Students receive progress reports twice during the school year – in the fall and in the spring. The purpose of these reports is to keep you informed of your child’s progress in school.
Parents, teachers, or the director may request a conference during the school year as needed. Open communication is encouraged and is essential to a successful partnership between home and school.

If a conference is needed, it is best to make an appointment. Our teachers have responsibilities prior to the beginning of school each day and at dismissal time, so please schedule conferences in advance.

Enrollment

Students are enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis. Metroplex admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

Our Mother’s Day Out program is geared towards children who are 2 years old by September 1st.

Our preschool class is geared towards children who are 3 years old by September 1st. Children enrolled in the preschool program must be fully potty trained and be able to take care of bathroom needs unassisted.

Our pre-k class is geared towards children who are 4 years old by September 1st. Exceptions are made on a case by case basis.

Prior to a student being admitted into class, Metroplex must have the following items on file in the office:
1. Completed enrollment form.
2. Current immunization records from the child’s doctor.
3. Hearing and vision screening for all 4 year olds.
4. Paid registration and tuition.
5. Signed Health Statement for returning students

Registration/Supply Fee

There is yearly non-refundable registration/supply fee to reserve a place for each child. Registration fees are:
1 day – $210
2 days – $235
3 days – $260
4 to 5 days – $310

Monthly Tuition

Mother’s Day Out (2 years old by September 1st)
1 day – $155 (Any day)
2 days – $260 (M/W or Tu/Th)
3 days – $315 (M/W/F or Tu/Th/F)

Preschool (3 years old by September 1st & potty trained)
2 days – $245 (Tu/Th)
3 days – $295 (M/W/F)
5 days – $425 (M-F)

Pre-K (4 years old by September 1st)
2 days – $245 (Tu/Th)
3 days – $295 (M/W/F)
5 days – $425 (M-F)

*2nd child – 10% discount per month

For tuition policies and payment information see the Payment Information section below.

Hours of Operation

Metroplex Academic Preschool cares for children during the hours of 9:15 am and 2:00 pm Monday – Friday. Morning drop- off and carpool are from 9:00 – 9:15.

School Calendar

With the exception of our start and end date, we follow the calendar of Allen Independent School District. This Calendar can be found in your child’s folder at Meet the Teacher or online. On AISD half days Metroplex Preschool will be closed that day.

Drop Off 

We ask that children not be dropped off before 9:00 and no later than 9:15. We ask that you drop your child off on time so that your child gains the most from our program and doesn’t disrupt the class that is already in progress. You may drop your child off in the drop off lane on the side of the building directly outside the preschool wing. Please enter the drop off lane from the back of the building pulling forward towards the front of the building. A teacher will help get your child out of the car and walk your child to class. Please have your child seated on the right side of the car so that he can get out of the car and go directly to the door without crossing over. You may also park and walk your child into class and sign him/her in.

Pick Up

When picking up, please walk into the school to your classroom. If someone other than the parent is picking up the child after school please provide the persons full name, relationship and drivers license number in writing to the office. We will ask to see the driver’s license of the person before releasing the child. It is important for you to pick up your child promptly at 2:00 so they feel safe and secure and the teachers can get to their other obligations including picking up their own children from school.

Late Pick Up Charge

There will be a 5 minute grace period for picking up your child late without being charged a late fee. After the grace period, you will be charged $5.00 for each 5 minutes you are late, which will be due at the time you pick-up your child.

Inclement Weather School Closings

Metroplex’s school programs will follow the Allen ISD for school closings due to inclement weather. Listen to the local radio or television news or go to www.allenisd.org for information about AISD closings. If Allen schools are closed for the day, our preschool programs will be closed also. If AISD delays the start of school, we will start school at 11:00am.

If Metroplex Preschool is closed due to inclement weather we do not make up the bad weather day.

Water Activities

Periodically we will have a water table set up in the classroom. We use the water tables for science experiments and free exploration. Metroplex follows hand washing and sanitizing procedures set by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The enrollment form provides a space for you to give or deny consent for your child to participate in water table play.

Wellness

A child will not be accepted at Metroplex when any of the following exist:
 the illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in school activities, including gymnastics class
 the child has an oral temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater within the last 24 hours
 symptoms and signs of possible illness such as lethargy, abnormal breathing, uncontrolled diarrhea, two or more vomiting episodes in 24 hours, rash with fever, mouth sores with drooling, behavior changes
 a health-care professional has diagnosed the child with a communicable disease

After an illness, children must be free of symptoms for 24 hours or have been on medication for 24 hours before returning to school. Metroplex may request a doctor’s note stating that the child is cleared to return to school.

Lice Policy

Upon the detection of lice on a student, Metroplex Preschool staff will contact the student’s parent or guardian to pick up the child. The student may return to school after treatment with an over the counter or prescription treatment product.

Allergies

If you child has been diagnosed with a known food allergy, the child’s health care professional must provide a food allergy emergency plan.

Medications

If it is necessary for us to give the child medication while he/she is at school, the medication must be in the original bottle and labeled with the child’s name. A form giving us permission to administer the medicine must be completed. Medicine administered by the staff will be recorded in the preschool binder. If your child requires an EpiPen, please have a prescription from your doctor to go with the EpiPen which will be kept at school.

Vaccinations

Every child enrolled in our program must provide current immunization records or a notarized affidavit of exemptions. According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, our teachers are not required to receive vaccinations for employment in the center.

Discipline Policy

Metroplex strives to avoid behavior problems by having well-managed classrooms and engaging activities for the children to participate in. Our goal is for the child to learn appropriate behavior, how to communicate and express themselves constructively and begin to understand that there are consequences related to the choices they make.

Discipline will be individualized and consistent, appropriate to the child’s level of understanding with the main goal being to teach the child.

Only positive methods of discipline and guidance will be used including:
1) Praise and encourage good behavior, “catch them being good”
2) Remind child of behavior expectations
3) Redirecting unacceptable behavior

Staff members will not use physical punishment or negative discipline methods that hurt, frighten or humiliate children.
In the rare instance where it has been found that a child is uncontrollable and after all attempts to rectify the situation have been exhausted, it may be necessary to dismiss a child from our school. Our priority is to each and every child in the classroom and consistent disruption by one child will not be tolerated.

What To Bring

Mother’s Day Out children need to bring:
– A full change of clothes in a ziplock bag labeled with their name.
– Children who are not potty trained need to bring a stock of diapers and wipes to keep at school. Your child’s teacher will let you know when they are running low.
– Lunch
– Filled water bottle with pop up straw or spout everyday
– Daily Folder (The teacher will send this home on the first day of school.)
*Please label everything with your child’s name.*

Preschool, Pre-K and Transitional Kindergarten children need to be bring:
– A full change of clothes in a ziplock bag labeled with their name to stay at school. (This is required for everyone. Even if your child no longer has bathroom accidents, spills and other messes still occur.)
– Lunch
– Filled water bottle with pop up straw or spout everyday
– Daily Folder (The teacher will send this home on the first day of school.)
*Please label everything with your child’s name.*

Please do not allow your child to bring toys or special items from home unless it is something requested by the teacher for Show & Tell or an activity.

Snack & Lunch

Metroplex provides a snack each morning. Parents must communicate allergies to teachers on the registration form and provide their own snack if necessary.
Children should bring their own sack lunch each day. Lunches will not be refrigerated and will be served at room temperature (we will not heat foods). Lunches should include eating utensils and a drink, juice, milk or water preferably. We request that you avoid sending jello and pizza lunchables whenever possible as these are often difficult for the children to manage and can be quite messy.

Dress

Dress your child in comfortable clothes and keep in mind that he/she will be participating in art activities and gymnastics. Girls are encouraged to wear shorts under skirts and dresses for gymnastics class.

We do wear art smocks while painting and use washable paint but this does not prevent all stains. Elastic waistbands are best for bathroom time and gymnastics. Please keep in mind that even when the weather outside is getting cooler your child still gets pretty warm when playing in the gym, on these days layering is best.

Birthdays

Birthdays are very special to the children and we want to help your child celebrate! You may bring a special snack to share with the class. We ask that you do not bring cupcakes, if possible, because they can be hard for the young children to manage. Other suggestions include brownies, cookies, rice krispy treats, etc.

Parent Participation

Parents are always welcome to come to the school and help in the classroom, help with parties and special events. If you are interested in helping please contact your child’s teacher. We have an open door policy to parents during our school hours. You may come to visit without an appointment. We ask that you stop by the office when arriving.

Parent Notifications

Important information is posted on the bulletin board outside the director’s office at the end of our school hallway. Each child has a daily take home folder that is used to send the child’s work, notes and newsletters home. Please check this folder daily and feel free to use it to send notes to the teacher as well. Parents may review the school’s policies and procedures at any time with the director by emailing at:

preschool@metroplexgym.net

to set up a time that is most convenient for the parent.

Licensing

Metroplex Preschool is a licensed child care center with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. If you would like to review a copy of the minimum standards and the most recent licensing inspection report please ask in the office or visit the TDFPS website at www.txchildcaresearch.org. You may contact the local TDFPS office by calling 1-800-582-6036. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services child abuse hotline may be reached by calling 1-800-252-5400. Our current licensing report is always displayed on our bulletin board at the end of our preschool hallway just outside the director’s office.

Monthly Auto-Pay Program – For your convenience we will charge tuition to your Visa/MasterCard, Debit Card or bank account monthly thereby ensuring your child’s class status until you fill out a drop form with the front office. Just think, no more figuring out WHEN tuition is due! For your protection, your credit card number once entered is not visible to anyone.

Paying Tuition – A credit or debit card on file is required to register for classes. All tuition is DUE BEFORE THE 25th of each month (for the next month) and can be paid by cash, check, debit, or credit card. If tuition is not paid before the 25th and a drop form has not been turned in to the front office all unpaid balances will be charged to your card on file. Metroplex will NOT send a tuition due reminder.

In order to drop and not be charged for the following month’s tuition, you must fill out and sign a drop form in person at the front office.

Once Tuition is charged on the 25th there are NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS and you are enrolled for that class for the next month. If your payment doesn’t go through for any reason you will be charged a $15.00 fee. If delinquent tuition is not paid before the first of the month, your child will be tagged inactive by the computer, will be un-enrolled, and children on the waiting list will be called. All returned checks will carry a fee of $35.00. Once we have taken a bad check, all tuition must be paid from then on by cash or debit/credit card.

METROPLEX WILL NOT SEND A TUITION DUE REMINDER