First Circle has open enrollment year-round. Interested families receive information by phone or email. We collect basic information and schedule a tour of the program with the director. Tours include:
The director will let you know to expect a tour and bring the family and child into the classroom and introduce them to the classroom teachers. The director may also introduce other classroom staff and encourage you to interact, based on the needs and interest of the family.
When possible, we schedule tours in the morning, and at times least disruptive to the classroom and children’s daily schedule. She’ll use her judgment whether and when to introduce classroom staff. You may or may not be introduced or have an opportunity to interact.
We don’t expect that teachers will stop in the middle of an activity or interaction with classroom children, but want you to smile, introduce yourself, and say hello! Please remember that you have someone visiting who is making their decision about our program based on what they see and hear. We ask you to be aware of your audience and represent our program well.
If a family is interested in our program, we provide them with an enrollment packet and a copy of the Parent Handbook. Sometimes families schedule a follow-up visit if there is another family member who wants to visit the program, or if the parent wants to spend more time in the classroom observing.
Enrollment visits entail the parent and child visiting the classroom together and last an hour at most. You will be advised of the visit in advance, and if time permits, the visit will be noted on the schedule.
Families who wish to enroll must submit the enrollment forms, pay the appropriate fees, and commit to a start date. We ask families to complete the child’s file at least a week prior to the first day to give classroom staff time to become familiar with the child’s history.
First Circle has a waitlist for families whose enrollment cannot be accommodated. When space becomes available in a classroom, we turn to the waitlist to fill it.
When infants and toddlers enroll at First Circle, we place them in a classroom based on their age and developmental readiness. We discuss the child’s emotional, cognitive, and physical development with the family, consider family preferences, and observe the child when they visit the first time. We gather as much information as possible to determine any additional needs or concerns that would influence classroom placement. Preschool children are enrolled in a classroom usually according to their date of birth.
By EEC regulations, children may be assigned outside their age group with a review of the child’s most recent progress report or a narrative from the child’s parent addressing their abilities in mobility, fine and gross motor control, communication, social interactions, and cognition. Such decisions consider the needs of the child and the needs of the classroom on a case-by-case basis.