welcome to preschool!

On behalf of our staff and faculty, I want to welcome you to Leap’n Learners Preschool.  Thank you for bringing your child to us! For more than seventeen years our school has been a leader in dance and preschool education. This will be a fun-filled year for making new friends and learning lots of new things! We are so excited for the upcoming school year and to be able to get to know your preschooler. It will be a great year! 

-Ms. Amy Simkins, Founder/Director

REGISTRATION PACKET- SUBMIT TODAY

Form must be turned in by child’s first class. Packet includes:

Payment agreement & pay in full option

• Performance consent

• Pick-up authorization

• Parking lot procedures agreement

• Allergies and medical release

• Volunteer sign up- parties, crafts, assessments

• Lending Library (Friday students)

• Getting acquainted with your child

PAYMENT AGREEMENT

• Tuition

  • Full monthly tuition is due by the 1st of each month Sept-May.

  • Tuition rates are for the full season (September-May, including holidays), not by the number of classes in a month. Tuition fees are monthly or annually.

  • A $20 late fee will automatically be added to overdue accounts on the 2nd of each month.

  • There are no refunds. All tuition, fees, and performance payments are non-refundable.

• Monthly tuition does not include the annual registration fee, materials fee, field trip entrance fees, dancewear, shoes, costumes, recital tickets, performances, or other special events. 

• Withdraw Policy: To withdraw from classes, you must give 30 days written notice to discontinue classes and stop payment. To withdraw from class a parent must: 1) Email the studio, and 2) complete the official withdrawal form we email you. Automatic bank debiting or credit card charges will stop after the 30-day notice period. Tuition will not be refunded for classes dropped outside the 30-day window.

• Rollover Membership: Expressions Dance runs a continuous enrollment model where your child's registration automatically rolls over to their next year classes. For your convenience, and to reserve a space for the following season. 

  • PS Age: Students completing one more year of preschool (non-graduates): Annual membership fees will be automatically renewed and applied to your account unless a withdrawal form is completed between January 1-15. Membership for the following year will be processed on January 16.

  • PK Age: Graduating preschoolers will be rolled into kindergarten movement classes with their preschool friends. Annual membership fees will be automatically renewed and applied to your account unless a withdrawal form is completed between April 1-15. Membership for the following year will be processed on April 16.

Performance Class- Optional Add-On

• If your preschooler wants to perform more, they can join our a performance class!

  • Little Leapers is for students turning 5 this school year.

  • Dancing Dolls is for students turning 4 this school year.

• The group will purchase one costume for the entire year ($90 due Oct 1)

• The class is taken in addition to Academic Preschool movement classes.

• Class is once a week and only $30 per month.

• Performance classes will perform additional times during the season in the community.

For the Parents- we’re in this together

We believe that children’s success depends on the support of their parents or guardians. Because your commitment to the process makes an enormous difference, we encourage you to be a part of your child’s education.

Our program’s success relies on maintaining a positive atmosphere. Cooperation between all parents is expected. Showing respect—for other parents, the students, and the faculty—makes an important impression on the children. You are a role model for your child about how to interact with others.

Parents and teachers may look at a child’s learning from different perspectives. However, we believe they share a common goal: to ensure that every child receives the best possible training, both physically and mentally. Mutual respect among our faculty and our students’ parents provides the children with the ultimate care and education.

Dos and Don’ts

• Children develop at their own pace.

  • Don’t compare your child’s progress to anyone else’s.

  • Focus on their own accomplishments.

• Children learn by our example.

  • Children learn important lessons from their teachers and parents, acquiring behavior patterns through their example. Our school’s faculty takes that responsibility seriously.

• Practice at home!

  • We encourage children to practice at home but not be forced to do so.

  • Learning can be fun and incorporated into daily routines.

  • Repetition is key to success.

Separation From the Parent- Drop Off

• The first few weeks of classes serve as an introductory phase to help students become comfortable at preschool.

• The process of separating from the parent is an important accomplishment of preschool children.

• Children will explore the limits of attending class and say they don’t want to go. It isn’t uncommon for separation issues to happen anytime during the year, but it is usually short-lived.

• We expect separation to be a difficult adjustment for some. Don’t worry! We have seen it all!

  • Avoid prolonged good-byes. Teachers prefer the “peel and go” method.

  • Ask the teacher for help in separation. We expect the crying (and usually the tears are for the parent’s benefit). It’s always harder on the parents than it is the teachers. We will be fine!

  • Tell your preschooler that you will always be back to pick them up.

  • Emphasize what the child is doing at class rather than what you do while he/she is in class.

It May Not Be the Right Time

• If we have given our best effort and decide that a child really isn’t ready for preschool, we will discuss that with the parents. If your child cries or does not want to take class, don’t panic. If we push children and create more stress than they are already experiencing, they may come to perceive class as a bad experience. That kind of negativity could make them apprehensive about school or dance for a long time, which isn’t good for anyone involved.  We encourage you to have your child try again next year, or even after a few months. 

CLASS PLACEMENT

• If you have questions or concerns about your child’s education, you can email the school for teacher feedback or request to set up an appointment.

• If you do request a conference, please listen carefully to what your child’s teachers have to say. They spend a significant amount of time with your child and offer expertise in their field.

Weekly Updates Emails are sent every Friday. They are meant to help keep you informed of special activities for preschool, requests to bring specific items to class, spotlights reminders, due dates for book orders, etc. 

Text Remind Group: This is used for important reminders. Send this information to anyone who also needs to stay in the loop for your preschooler. Join the group by texting the code to 81010.

• Centerville M/W class code: @LLPcm24

• Centerville T/TH class code: @LLPct24

• Bountiful M/W class code: @LLPbm24

• Bountiful T/TH class code: @LLPbt24

Social: Join our private studio family Facebook group to be part of our studio community. Follow @expressionsdanceutah and @leapnlearnerspreschool on Instagram and Facebook for reminders and updates on school events. Do not post questions on the school’s Facebook page. Instead, please email them directly to preschool@goleapnlearn.com

Preschool Pictures: The LLP Families page is where teachers will be posting pictures periodically of fun things we are doing in class. Our teacher’s primary focus is to be actively engaged and present with their students. They will not interrupt play or learning to be get perfectly posed pictures to post of every student every week. The pictures you’ll see in in the Facebook page are not an indicator of how well your child is doing at preschool. Our hope is that our pictures will give you a small glimpse into our classrooms to allow for deeper conversations about the fun things they are doing at preschool!

Contacting Teachers: Communication with teachers is through the school email preschool@goleapnlearn.com.

Weather Cancellations: School closures due to severe weather conditions will be emailed and announced on social media by 8am for preschool classes. We may or may not follow public school closings or late start schedules because roads are often cleared by the time preschool classes begin. Parents may keep their student at home anytime they feel it is unsafe for their students to travel to school.

DROP OFF & Pick up PROCEDURES

Safety is our top priority! The school is home to children of all ages. Please enter and exit our parking lot with extreme caution. It is very important to not delay the flow of traffic in our pull through lines to prevent people from exiting the parking lot.

Drop off:

• Classes arrive ten minutes apart.

• Please do your best to be on time. If you arrive more than five minutes early, wait in a parking stall before getting in the drop off line.

• Drive through the pull-through line for drop-off and pick-up:

  • Bountiful: Drive around the building and stop on the north side.

  • Centerville: Drive around the east side of Dicks to the back of the building (north side).

  • Name cards must be visible on car visors.  

  • Teachers will unload from cars, students will gather outside the door, and the class will enter the building together. We’re trying to help with separation by limiting lingering and prolonged goodbyes.

Pick Up:

• Pick-up time is the last ten minutes of class.

• Students will be walked out to the pull through line for pick-up.

• Please be courteous of other cars that might be trying to exit the parking lot.  If you arrive before your pick-up time, please park in a stall until your time begins.

• Do not park in the side stalls at Bountiful while waiting for pick up.

• Name cards must be placed on the dash or the sun visor.  If you do not have your name card, we will need to see ID.

• Stay in the car will your preschooler is loaded by a teacher.

• Pull forward past the loading zone before getting out to help your child get buckled up.  

Please abide by our safety policy by remaining in your car in the loading zone while students are loaded/unloaded. Due to safety reasons, there can be no exceptions to the drop-off and pick-up procedure. If you need to talk to our teachers, an appointment is recommended.

CLASSROOM RULES

1. Keep your friends safe.

2. Keep yourself safe.

3. Keep your toys safe.

We are very well trained in age-appropriate expectations regarding behavior. Teachers will always communicate concerns to parents if a student is having a hard time in class. If needed, we will implement other methods to help encourage improvement such as behavior cards or a shortened school schedule. Due to our incredibly stimulating environment, children who struggle with sensory processing may have a challenging time succeeding in the classroom. In extreme situations, students who cannot participate in a classroom setting may be dismissed from the school. This is to ensure our classrooms are conducive to providing an atmosphere of learning for every student.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

• We encourage respect for other students, teachers, and studio property, and we foster the development of good habits and compliance with rules of conduct.

• We use redirection to teach appropriate behaviors.

• Teachers help each child express their feelings using words.

• Teachers are positive and caring at all times.

• Behavior concerns will be discussed with the parent so we can work together to resolve the issue. 

DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS

• Davis Early Intervention Program

  • We work closely with the Davis Early Childhood Education program to ensure our teachers are trained to watch for children that might benefit from being referred to early intervention services.

  • Services can include anything from speech and language, to vision and hearing, and behavior.

  • They have recommended students come to them for an assessment if parents or teachers have concerns about any area of development.

safety protocols

We have a hierarchy of best practices put into place to provide participants with a safer environment and to help keep us learning together!

Expressions Dance & Preschool requires all staff and students to stay home when they are ill. We focus on a hierarchy of measures beginning with keeping ill people home, followed by frequent hand cleaning and good hygiene practices, amplified cleaning, and curricular and facility adaptations to minimize contact and mingling where possible.

excusing absences

All students are expected to attend their regularly scheduled classes. We understand that children get sick, so you can let us know that they will be missing that day by filling out the absence form on the Parent Tools webpage. We are unable to accommodate make-up classes for preschool.

BATHROOM POLICIES

• We make every effort to help our students make it to the bathroom before accidents happen.

• Potty Pants: In the event that they have an accident at school, we will help them change into a set of “potty pants” and a shirt if needed.  We will send home the wet clothes in a plastic bag with a note attached. Wash and return our shirts and shorts. There will be a $5 “potty pants” charge placed on your account per clothing item we check out to you that will be removed upon return. We appreciate a quick return so we can have them on hand for the next accident.

• Teachers will call home in the event of a poop accident so you can come and change them.

• We encourage independence in the bathroom. We do not allow our teachers wipe bottoms. Instead, teachers are to encourage them to do the best they can. It is a skill that takes some practice, and isn't always done very well by preschoolers, so helping them practice at home is recommended.

• We remind students to wash their hands.

• We can assist them in getting their clothes back on if needed. Please practice at home, especially with leotards!

SNACKS, water bottles, & allergies

• We’re excited to simplify parent’s busy lives by not doing snack assignment days. The school will provide snack options for students to choose from: goldfish snack bags, applesauce pouches, or a Rice Krispy treat.

• Water bottles are NOT approved for preschool. They somehow always spill. We provide drinking fountains at both locations.

• We are a NUT FREE ZONE. If you bring in anything for a spotlight, birthday, or class party, make sure it does not contain nuts. Please let us know if your child has a dietary restriction or allergy on your registration packet.

SHOW & TELL

• Every Monday/Tuesday we have Show and Tell. We encourage you to help your child find something from home that starts with the letter of the week! This is another fun way to help with letter recognition that you can be involved with at home.  It is NOT mandatory that the student's S&T starts with the letter of the week.  If they have a favorite new toy they are dying to bring, that is fine too! Please make sure S&T items fit in their school bag.

• Leave it at Home: Do not allow S&T items to be brought to school except for Mon/Tues. Please leave toys and other items at home the rest of the week. Help your child know S&T needs to stay in their bag until it is time so it doesn’t become distracting to your child and the rest of the class. 

• Barely Threes classes do not participate in Show and Tell. They will have their turn next year when they in an insects class!

Spotlights

• Students will get to be the spotlight in their class near their birthday or half-birthday.

• A sample packet you can print out and use for a poster is on the Parent Tools page.

• Parents are encouraged to come the first five minutes of class to help their child during their spotlight.  They can bring in some of their favorite things: book, treats, pictures of special events, or whatever else you can think of to make their day special!

• Refer to the weekly email updates or class calendar online to see when your child’s spotlight will be.

BOOK ORDERS & LIBRARY

• Book Orders

  • We participate in Scholastic Books orders every other month starting in September.

  • You will submit your order online. 

• Lending Library – Friday Students

  • In October, our Friday students will start “Lending Library!” A new classroom book comes home every Friday when you bring your lending library bag! The purpose of lending library is to generate excitement about reading. Even if your child memorizes the book and can recite it to you, he/she is still gaining important skills! When reading with a beginning reader, it is appropriate to "track" by pointing with your finger (or help the student point) so they see what words are being read.

  • Submit the agreement form in the preschool packet to participate.

• Reading at Home

  • Read to your child every day! The best way to become a fluent reader is to read or be read to. We encourage our families to develop their own routine for reading at home.

FINAL WELCOME

WELCOME TO Expressions Dance and Preschool! We look forward to an exciting, rewarding year of learning and playing! We all get so much joy out of watching the student’s progress throughout the year.  Remember, YOU ARE STILL THEIR GREATEST TEACHER!

1. Complete your Registration Packet

2. Sign up for Bountiful or Centerville classroom donations and volunteering.

3. Bring in donations & Crafty Club art prep packets the first week

THANK YOU!