Hamburg Preschool Mission Statement

The Mission of the Hamburg School Early Childhood Advisory Council’s mission is to support an all-inclusive, high-quality education for Preschool children who reside in Hamburg. We believe early childhood is a crucial time in development that requires positive experiences from which children can develop and grow. As such, we will:

  • Provide a safe and nurturing environment where children will play, explore, experiment, and develop a lifelong joy for learning;
  • Utilize developmentally appropriate practice and proven research to guide instruction;
  • Implement a research-based curriculum with an aligned assessment system;
  • Intentionally plan lessons, activities, and experiences that promote high expectations, exceed standards, and build a strong academic and social-emotional foundation;
  • Promote acceptance and understanding of our unique and special attributes;
  • Provide an inclusive program with appropriate supports and individualized plans as needed for children with special needs or dual language learners;
  • Develop creative thinkers and problem solvers who make good choices and develop positive self-esteem;
  • Collaborate and partner with families, health service providers, and community stakeholders;
  • Provide ongoing, comprehensive professional development to early childhood professionals who educate and support our children and families.

PRESCHOOL TEAM

TEACHERS
Mrs. Amy Breitenbach
Mrs. Dana Goens
Mrs. Krystal Menendez
Mrs. Sharon Triolo

ADMINISTRATION
Dr. Kimberly Sigman

INSTRUCTIONAL COACH
Dr. Sue Mankiw

PIRT
Ms. Melissa Garris

CPIS
To be determined

Introduction

The Hamburg School preschool program is a free, state-funded, full-day preschool program. We follow the Hamburg School district calendar. Children attend from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm each day. To register, parents or legal guardians must be residents of Hamburg and preschool children must be three or four years of age on or before October 1st

With class sizes of fifteen, our program contains mixed age classrooms that include both threes and fours. We believe that a strong relationship with children and families is at the heart of teaching. All preschool classes are looped, a practice in which children are taught by the same teacher in sequential years. We have selected Creative Curriculum for Preschool, a whole-child, comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes rich, engaging, play-based learning experiences. 

School Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Extended Hours

Outdoor Playground – Our modern and safe outdoor playground is equipped with a new play structure that has 2 slides, covered play areas, climbing structures, and more!  Outdoor activities help children develop their social, emotional and gross motor skills while enjoying the fresh air! Canopies provide shaded areas to enjoy, while our picnic tables allow children to do art projects, enjoy a snack, or just hang out. 

Indoor Gymnasium – Our indoor gymnasium provides a year round space for the children to ride bicycles, play ball, run, and play with their friends. Daily gross motor allows for stations including yoga, trikes, obstacle course  and other extracurricular activities are also held in our indoor gymnasium.

Classrooms – Each preschool class has a dedicated classroom. Every classroom is filled with age-appropriate learning materials for the children to explore. Theme-based centers as well as dramatic play areas, reading nooks, sensory tables and manipulatives are thoughtfully designed for developing the pre-academic (preschool) skills of our children.

Safety – Our facility has comprehensive measures in place to ensure your child’s safety.

  • Our security system allows us to monitor the building and oversee entry and exit to/from our school.
  • We routinely perform emergency drills and have emergency preparedness plans in place.
  • Our staff maintains current certifications in both CPR and First Aid. We are allergy aware and trained to administer EpiPens. Our school nurse advocates daily to keep students safe and healthy, as well as, bridge health care and education.
  • Drop off is curbside where children are safely escorted into the school.
  • Children are released daily by staff to an authorized parent/caregiver.

What is Preschool Intervention and Referral?

  • Preschool Intervention and referral is a process of providing strategies to your child’s teacher to support your child’s individual needs.

When you might hear from your child’s Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialist (PIRS)?

  • After the ESI-3 Screening. If your child’s teacher requests additional assistance for supporting your child.

What happens at a Preschool Intervention and Referral Team (PIRT) meeting?

  • You and your child’s teacher come together with our early childhood team to develop strategies to best support your child’s individual needs.

Who attends a PIRT meeting?͘

  • Parents or Guardians
  • Classroom Teacher 
  • School Social Worker 
  • Early Childhood Instructional Coach
  • Preschool Interventional and Referral Specialist

Early Childhood Screening

  • Inventory- 3 (ESI-3)
  • Initial screening (October)
  • Follow-Up Rescreening (December)
  • Identification of additional supports (ongoing)

What is the Creative Curriculum?

The Creative Curriculum is an early childhood curriculum that builds children’s confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills through hands-on, project-based investigations. Trusted for decades by early childhood educators, our curriculum:

  • serves infants, toddlers, and twos; preschool, preschool, and kindergarten children; and children in family childcare;
  • respects and nurtures individual skill progression for the whole child;
  • harnesses the power of play through studies that engage learners as young as 2;
  • seamlessly connects families to their children’s learning; and
  • provides intentional support for every teacher every day.

Preschool 3’s, 4’s and 5’s

Mixed age classes include three year old children who turn three or four on or before October 1st, 2024. The maximum class size consists of 15 children staffed by a certified teacher and a paraprofessional. The program is based on the curriculum guidelines set out by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). It is a developmentally appropriate program focusing on four major areas: social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language. Our daily classroom routines provide a predictable schedule that enables children to feel comfortable and confident at school.  Our teachers have designed many multi-sensory hands-on activities and projects which are stimulating and fun for all children. Their curriculums include music and movement which are a vital component for building brain development. There are many and varied opportunities for children to play, explore and develop their own interests and creativity within our thoughtfully structured learning environment and classroom routine. Preschool children are active learners who love to learn by “doing”, and your child will love to experiment, create, explore, question and discover! 

Our most important goals are for children to get along well with others and become independent learners. The skills and abilities your child will develop through themed activities in this class include:

  • positive separation from parent or caregiver;
  • cooperative play and sharing with classmates;                                           
  • participation in individual, small group and large group activities.
  • fine motor coordination through the use of manipulative materials such as play dough, beads for stringing, puzzles, crayons, paint brushes and more;
  • scissor skills with accuracy and control;
  • writing skills using a secure grip and control. writing first and last name using uppercase letters;
  • use of academically appropriate applications on the iPads and as a tool for learning;
  • gross motor coordination through our organized classes as well as daily play in our fenced outdoor playground with space to run and equipment for swinging, climbing, and balance. In addition, we make great use of a large indoor playroom set up for throwing, bouncing, balance, running and lots of tricycles;
  • problem solving skills both academic and social through guided play and one to one interactions between teachers and students;
  • shape and color recognition;
  • number recognition and one to one correspondence;
  • identification of both upper and lower case letters;
  • phonemic awareness through rhymes and beginning phonics: the relationship between sounds and written symbols;
  • recognition of child’s name in print as well as a number of common sight words;
  • speaking in full sentences, asking and answering questions, using age appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure;
  • a love of age appropriate children’s literature by being read to as well as the availability of books during free play

Our dedicated teachers and staff work in partnership with parents and caregivers for the benefit of each child. Communication between home and school is continuous through email, written classroom information, and Class DoJo. Preschool progress reports are given quarterly and parent/teacher conferences are offered.

Title 6A, Chapter 13A: Elements of High-Quality Preschool Programs

The mission of the Hamburg School ECAC’s mission is to support all-inclusive, high-quality education for early childhood children who reside in Hamburg. We believe early childhood is a crucial time in development that requires positive experiences from which children can develop and grow. 

The Hamburg School ECAC is comprised of these representatives: 

  • School district personnel
  • Family members
  • Community partnership members
  • Community Parent Involvement Specialist (CPIS)

Based on our community needs assessment and member input, council members engage in thoughtful discussion four times a year; and take part in reaching long and short-term goals focused on meeting the needs of Hamburg children and their families.

2024-2025 Meeting Dates:

  • October 3, 2024
  • December 3, 2024
  • February 27, 2024

Mrs. Aimee Landrud BSN RN NJ-CSN
973-827-4775 ext. 504

The Health office is located directly across from the main office. Mrs. Landrud works closely with administration, staff, parents, and students to promote optimal health, safety and well being.

Please note the following guidelines to help ensure a healthy school environment for all:

  • If your child has had a fever over 100 degrees, has had diarrhea or been vomiting, please keep him or her home until they are free of illness for 24 hours. This will allow your child to rest and recover while helping to keep the other students and staff healthy.
  • Please keep the health office up-to-date with emergency contact numbers. This is critical, especially in the event of an illness, injury or emergency.
  • Please advise the nurse of any drug prescribed for your child by his/her physician since it may affect his/her behavior or have other significant side effects.
  • Also, please notify the health office if your child has had any changes in his/her health status (surgery, injury, concussion, emotional concerns, etc).
  • Any medication to be given in school, including over the counter medications, must be prescribed by a physician and have parental or guardian permission. Medication must be brought to school by a parent or guardian in its original, labeled container. All medication must be picked up by an adult by the last day of the school year otherwise it will be discarded.
  • Contagious diseases and skin conditions need to be cleared in writing by your child’s physician before he or she may return to school.
  • With a diagnosis of Strep throat, your child is not to return to school until they have been on medication for 24 hours and have a note from their physician.
  • As part of our health services program, screenings include: height/weight measurements, hearing, vision and scoliosis (grades 5th and 7th). If any of these screenings are not within normal limits, a referral form will be sent home. Kindly use this form when following up with your physician and return to the health office when complete. If you have a concern or observation regarding your child (i.e. holding book too close), please do not hesitate to call the health office.

Resources

Hamburg Preschool  has a comprehensive approach to educating and enriching the whole child. Our curriculum is play based because play is the most appropriate mode for a young child’s learning.  Our experienced and highly qualified teachers enable each child to reach his or her highest potential by supporting children wherever they are on their own learning path and timeline. Our low child-to-teacher ratios and small class sizes enables our teachers to:

  • spend quality teaching time with each child;
  • develop close child-teacher bonds of affection, trust and respect;
  • assess each child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth and work to achieve the best learning outcomes for each child;
  • work with children in small groups.

Our goal is to build skills that set children up for success in kindergarten and beyond.

What is Preschool Expansion Aid (PEA)?

Preschool Expansion Aid (PEA) serves to establish or expand access to high quality, full day preschool programs. The Hamburg School demonstrated to the NJ Department of Education that it can provide a high quality preschool program for three and four year old students, and as a result was awarded the grant in 2021. A high quality preschool program is defined as a full day program with a certified teacher, a paraprofessional, and small classes that are inclusive of children with special needs. PEA will help to fund a comprehensive preschool program for all eligible students. The program will include:

  • a research based curriculum and assessment program;
  • materials and supplies to support the curriculum:
  • differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all learner;
  • professional development for teachers, parental support programs;
  • and the extension of learning outside tof the classroom walls through partnerships with community stakeholders.

What is Early Screening Inventory (ESI-3)?

  • The ESI-3 is an individually administered screening instrument that helps identify children who may need special education services.

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Hamburg Preschool! We are very happy to have you as part of our school family where we will work together for the benefit of your children. Our mission is to provide each child with a positive school experience while promoting their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. The early years are learning years, and your children will grow to their fullest potential.

In our school, learning takes place in a child-centered environment. We are dedicated to providing a happy and nurturing atmosphere in which children can develop a positive self-image and love of learning. The curriculum is diverse and flexible, offering a varied and developmentally appropriate choice of activities. Our interactive programs build the foundations for reading, language arts, math, science and social studies.

The children are valued as able, worthy individuals and are encouraged to develop singular talents and abilities while they are learning to be part of a group. Each child is offered unlimited possibilities to learn and grow through play, to try new activities, meet new challenges and to feel secure in a school environment.

We believe that parents are partners in learning and encourage you to become involved in school activities. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is the home and school association for our school community. This offers you many opportunities to participate in your child’s preschool experience as well as a great way to meet other parents and make new friends. 

We meet the highest standards in early childhood education, and for that we are extremely proud.

Call today to schedule a tour and see the amazing things happening in our classrooms!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Hamburg Preschool Team

  • A student’s age is determined by how old he/she is on October 1st of that school year;
  • All students who are 3 years old on or before October 1, 2024 and all students who are 4 years old on or before October 1, 2024, will be enrolled in a preschool class;
  • Regardless of how old a student is at the end of the school year, all students will follow the sequence of classes or his/her age level, unless otherwise specified;
  • Any student who is enrolled as a 3 year old will automatically roll over to a 4 year old class the following year;
  • All students must reside in Hamburg, New Jersey to maintain enrollment in our program.