Flow of a Typical Day

While children at Happy Corner engage in lots of spontaneous, open-ended play; we have created a dependable daily routine to foster security and build independence. Times below are generic and should only be used to get a general sense of how a normal day will flow for your child at HCP.

9:15am: Arrive, children are greeted individually and hang coats, wash hands

9:20am: Circle time including special welcome songs, puzzles, stories, and discussion about the day to come.

9:40am: Daily special activities such as art, projects, science experiments, etc.

10:00am: Free play

10:45am: Snack time

11:10am: Second circle for songs, stories and games

11:30am: Children are invited to play outside in our private garden until they are picked up (weather depending)

Parent Involvement: What does it involve

What makes Happy Corner so special is the relationships that is built here between the children, the parents and the teachers. Being involved in a Parent Involvement Preschool (PIP) means that you not only have the opportunity to become part of a caring and intentional community of parents, but you also to have a direct impact on your children’s learning environment through your active involvement in the classroom, in fundraising and in the general running of the school. A requirement for parents of the PIP model is to attend regularly scheduled Parent Education Talks. These events are where we showcase Early Childhood Educators and/or leaders in child development, all of whom offer information and a different perspective to help nurture your own growth and development as a parent.

This is an overview of how you are required to help during the year:

PARENT HELPER DAYS
This is a chance to join your little one in their class. For the kids, being a duty day child is always a great joy as they have a special role. Duty parents help with setup and clean-up, assist with transitions, and supervise & support the children in their play and learning. These are typically scheduled every 4-6 weeks.  If your schedule prevents you, or another caregiver (grandparent, nanny) from being a parent helper, we have an option to opt-out.  Please send us an e-mail for the details.

GENERAL MEETINGS & PARENT EDUCATION
There are 4 general meetings & parent education talks per year, which at least one (1) family representative must attend. This is a great opportunity to listen to high caliber speakers who talk on a variety of parenting and child development topics. The general meetings follow these talks and cover general business of the school. These are held on the second Tuesday of the month and begin at 7PM.

FAMILY JOB
Each family will be assigned a job for the year to help with the running of the school. Some example of the available jobs are: Laundry, Duty day scheduler or Garden clean up. This could also mean taking a leadership role on the Executive committee. We do our best to match families up with jobs that are a good fit for each family.

FUNDRAISING
Participation is required in 2-3 fundraising events during the year. These are a great way to connect with the other families in the Happy Corner community and further support your child’s ongoing education.

ORIENTATION HOURS
This involves participation in an evening orientation session in September and full participation in the first two days of gradual entry to the preschool in September. Other ways to complete your hours are included in the parent orientation manual.

TOY WASHES & FURNITURE MOVES
Each family must help with one toy-wash and occasional furniture moves per year. These are typically scheduled on weekends in Sept, Jan and Apr.

Questions? See our FAQs or Contact Us