Embedded Files
Find us on Facebook for daily updates
KIDDIE CITY GENERAL INFORMATION
KIDDIE CITY GENERAL INFORMATION
Session Attendance Dates:
The sessions for Kiddie City follow three sections. Please note, due to DCFS regulations, a parent, guardian, or individual at MHS must be on-site if your child is the age of two. Including a teacher, staff, or faculty member that can serve as an emergency contact that is reachable on the Unit 2 property. Please call Mrs. Walker with questions. Kiddie City will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:10 to 9:45 in the morning. We may have an occasional makeup day for schedule conflicts. You will be given a daily schedule with attendance days on the first day of Kiddie City. Today you will be receiving general session information. Closer to the session, you will receive the plan, including detailed information about the lesson of the day, scheduled activities, and the lead teacher and child leader of the day. Kiddie City will observe the same school calendar as Unit 2 schools. If a question arises to attendance concerning a "snow day," please check the local news and their websites for closings. Please subscribe to the Facebook community page for up to date information.
Location Information:
In our new facility in room D104, we have two observation areas, a safe place, kitchen, bathrooms, and our parking lot. Visitation is welcome at any time, and I encourage you to observe from the office or observation walls. Your child may be experiencing school for the first time, and leaving the care of a parent/guardian can be very difficult for the child. We will take great care of your child and pay particular attention until they feel comfortable. Seeing the parent/guardian in the room and not being able to be with, you can make the transition very complicated. A parking area is the event parking lot along Carbon and Wildcat. Designated Kiddie City parking is along the practice football field.
Kiddie City Supplies and Fees:
Kiddie City will provide all supplies your child will need for school except a backpack and two supply items. Please bring one 24 count box of crayons and one white Elmers glue. We use the glue, crayons, and the backpack daily. Please label all items with their names or initials, including coats, bags, and winter accessories. There is a $40.00 fee for each session for each child. Payment can be made by check to Marion High School Child Care or cash sent along with your child on the first day of your child's session. We are a non-profit and $30.00 of the fee will be turned directly over to Marion Unit 2 unit office. The remaining $10.00 allocated to the Kiddie City account for art and science materials including Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target, and the Dollar Tree.
Paperwork:
Please complete all paperwork, application, health, and emergency medical questions through the online Google form. Application links are sent through private emails. Please complete the application for the Marion High School private school readiness program, Kiddie City. Please fill out one form per child that is attending Kiddie City during the 2019-2020 school year. There must be an application on file for the child to participate in the program. Your child will NOT be automatically enrolled for the following school years. You are responsible for enrolling your child for each school year.
Curriculum Guide:
Each day, by teaching color groups, a child will be a leader. The color groups are yellow, grey, red, orange, blue, green, and purple. The children sit in a color group based up their birth date and distributed by their gender. During small groups, activities with age-appropriate peers for Science, STEAM, and writing. During rug time, group activity, and one activity your child is free to sit in any location. On the day your child is a leader, their assigned teachers' assistant will be the lead teacher. Your child will assist in the calendar, Pledge of Allegiance, the countdown to free play, their picture for the newsletter, and special privileges with the leader during the lesson.
Each day we complete an art project to coordinate with the theme. Your child must bring a backpack/bag labeled with their name so we can place the art in a bag and into your child's backpack/bag. Some projects will take time to dry and will be sent home the next day. In compliance with John A. Logan College will we have an alternative "exploratory art" child can complete during free play. This art will be suited to the theme but will direct towards freedom of expression. At Marion, we believe in collaborative learning with other departments. MHS art instructor will be incorporating art projects that involve the Kiddie City students and advanced art students.
Science and small group activities play a major in our daily lesson plans. We will be linking the Pinterest items to our schedule. Science is fundamental to brain development. Introducing this subject at a young age with fun-filled experiments will help to lay the foundation for a positive outlook on Science later in their school careers.
Snack is an integral part of our day. We offer white or chocolate milk, juice, and water. If the child has an allergy or preferences, please provide your child with a drink each day. You have selected your child's beverage in the online paperwork. Their color group snack leader will ensure that they have the correct beverage. The snacks are small and healthy, with a mix of treats. We will encourage your child to take a bite and reward with a snack star sticker. If your child has an allergy to the snack offered, we will provide an alternative.
A bilingual environment is encouraged at Kiddie City. In session one, we will introduce counting in Spanish. In the course, three colors, numbers, and words will be incorporated every day in a daily lesson in throughout their time at Kiddie City.
During each day, the children will have a lesson presented by the lead teacher. The teachers will offer experiences on Google Slides. The presentations include graphics, videos, songs, and images that bring the lesson to life. The lessons will be available online by clicking on the experience on the main screen on the Google Doc.
Observations will be done on your child at least three times this session in agreement with John A. Logan. The comments will address how your child is progressing. The observations will be given to you once the student has completed their assignment. All findings are presented in a positive and professional presentation. I have attached the book that we will use for observations, and it is 125 pages, I don't recommend you print the book.
Observation Guide:
If your child is hurt, sick, or appears troubled, I will call or text the parent/guardian to share my concerns during Kiddie City. If your child becomes ill, a staff member will be assigned to care for them until the parent/guardian is reachable. Occasionally a child may slip in the room, drop a toy, or catch a finger on something. If it is small, we will send a text, picture image and inform you or the caregiver during pickup. If it appears worse, I will call to inform you of the situation. At the beginning or after a long weekend, some children experience sadness when beginning separated from you. If your child continues to cry very hard, we will call. Most children after art become involved and begin to enjoy the school day.
Coats, sweaters, and jackets will be placed into your child's box area, label your child's items. At about 9:45, we will dress your child with his/her sweater or jacket and backpack and return your child to the parent/caregiver. Each child will be assigned a specific teacher for the session, and they will escort your child every day to you or the caregiver. Pickup may be done in the cubby area, the auditorium entrance, or even escorted out to the vehicle. Your child's teacher will have a sign out the chart that the child's pick up individual will need to sign to ensure the safety of your child. After the child is escorted out of the room by the teachers and placed into the parent/guardian care, then they may choose not to wear the coat. Please be prompt with pickup at 9:45. You may want to sit outside of the school, in my office area, entrance area, out near the football field, or the auditorium entrance. The children must hold teachers' hands until they have reached the pickup person. Please do not be alarmed or offended if the staff asks for your name during pickup. We hold pride in knowing who should be picking the child and would never want anyone to pick up a child that is not approved by you the parents/guardians.
Professionalism:
Child Care is a program designed to teach students professionalism. We address each teacher as Mr. or Miss, along with their first name. As the lead instructor, children, and student teachers, please call me Mrs. Walker, not as Ms. Rani. If you have questions or concerns about a student-teacher, please let me know. Please be aware you granted permission on the slip to use your child's image on our social media unless noted. We will use their first name on the day they are classroom leader, and pictures of the child's face will be on a public Facebook account. Please voice concerns to Mrs. Walker in person or through email.
Contact Information:
You can reach me by phone at Marion High School extension 265. Contact times are 10:00 to 11:30 during the planning and lunch period or after 3:15, also, the office will not transfer calls during scheduled teaching times. Email or text message is the best way to reach me. Please do not give out my cell phone number to other parents that are not in the program.
We are so excited about Kiddie City, and it is one of the greatest joys of my life. I attended Kiddie City as a child under the direction of m-y Mom, Linda Walker. In high school, I became a staff member of Kiddie City, and now as the director, my passion continues to grow. Thank you for choosing Kiddie City as a part of your child's educational process. If ever my child is sick, or I have a meeting, Mrs. Linda Walker will be my substitute. We appreciate your interest in our program, and anxiously await the beginning of your session. If you have any further questions, please contact Mrs. Rani Walker-Gross.
Thank You,
Mrs. Rani Walker-Gross
Personal Program Information
Personal Program Information
Over forty years ago, the Marion High School private preschool program, Kiddie City, was placed into the care of Linda Walker. Mrs. Linda Walker served as the Child Care Director 1975 to 2011. The program grew from a small collection of students into a thriving business. Linda received several awards for her hard work and dedication to the program. The course offers high school students the opportunity to practice hands-on with children in a laboratory setting. All three of Linda's children attended Kiddie City, Ryan, Rani, and Lani. Over thirty-six years, Linda cared for thousands of students and families across multiple generations.
Over forty years ago, the Marion High School private preschool program, Kiddie City, was placed into the care of Linda Walker. Mrs. Linda Walker served as the Child Care Director 1975 to 2011. The program grew from a small collection of students into a thriving business. Linda received several awards for her hard work and dedication to the program. The course offers high school students the opportunity to practice hands-on with children in a laboratory setting. All three of Linda's children attended Kiddie City, Ryan, Rani, and Lani. Over thirty-six years, Linda cared for thousands of students and families across multiple generations.
In 2001-2003 Rani Walker served as a Child Care student under Linda Walker and fell in love with the program. Rani received her degree from Southern Illinois University in Family and Consumer Science under Workforce Education and Human Services in 2007. During her college education, Rani served as a personal assistant, chef, and preschool teacher and director assistant in the Child Development Lab (CDL). Work experience included an internship at Brehm Preparatory School, working with junior high and high school students with learning and social difficulties. In Fashion and merchandising, she served as a floor designer for New York and Company Fashion Industry. Rani served as a Saluki Shaker and NCAA dance team member during her college career.
In 2001-2003 Rani Walker served as a Child Care student under Linda Walker and fell in love with the program. Rani received her degree from Southern Illinois University in Family and Consumer Science under Workforce Education and Human Services in 2007. During her college education, Rani served as a personal assistant, chef, and preschool teacher and director assistant in the Child Development Lab (CDL). Work experience included an internship at Brehm Preparatory School, working with junior high and high school students with learning and social difficulties. In Fashion and merchandising, she served as a floor designer for New York and Company Fashion Industry. Rani served as a Saluki Shaker and NCAA dance team member during her college career.
Professionally, Rani began her career as the executive chef for Fusion Tapas restaurant. For four years, she treasured her career at Carbondale Middle School as a culinary arts instructor and coach. Upon Linda's retirement, Rani was elated to returned home as a director in 2011. The program continues to grow, so does the expectations of the students in their performance in the laboratory, elementary schools, and daycare partnerships. The Child Care program has advanced to offer seven hours of college credit through a partnership with John A. Logan. A new lab was completed in March of 2017. In 2017 Rani became a certified Gateways to Education instructor. This partnership with INCCRRA and Gateways to education provides her Child Care students with achieving an ECE level one teaching certificate and scholarship opportunities through the student's master's degree.
Professionally, Rani began her career as the executive chef for Fusion Tapas restaurant. For four years, she treasured her career at Carbondale Middle School as a culinary arts instructor and coach. Upon Linda's retirement, Rani was elated to returned home as a director in 2011. The program continues to grow, so does the expectations of the students in their performance in the laboratory, elementary schools, and daycare partnerships. The Child Care program has advanced to offer seven hours of college credit through a partnership with John A. Logan. A new lab was completed in March of 2017. In 2017 Rani became a certified Gateways to Education instructor. This partnership with INCCRRA and Gateways to education provides her Child Care students with achieving an ECE level one teaching certificate and scholarship opportunities through the student's master's degree.
Rani lives in Marion with her husband and daughter. Once a child, then a high school student teacher, then a director advanced her skills in the classroom. Becoming a Kiddie City parent has completed the needed experience to understand how to make the program great entirely. Her passion for the program grows every day. Rani enjoys cooking, arts and crafts, and traveling the world to meet and better understand other cultures. To advance her education, Rani has traveled to several different countries and studies the family dynamics of different cultures. The study includes the food, family dynamics, and knowledge of a culture. A review of the family cultures of Thailand and Cambodia provided in this link: Thailand Study. Study abroad countries include Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia, Greece, Italy, Peru, and Iquitos in the Amazon Jungle Region. The adventure has taken her to rural and village schools that are in desperate need of funding and advancements in textbooks and technology. Mrs. Walker-Gross returned to her studies in 2019 in Iceland, 2020 in Belize and Guatemala, assisting in low-income schools as a Masters in Educational Leadership student with EIU.
Rani lives in Marion with her husband and daughter. Once a child, then a high school student teacher, then a director advanced her skills in the classroom. Becoming a Kiddie City parent has completed the needed experience to understand how to make the program great entirely. Her passion for the program grows every day. Rani enjoys cooking, arts and crafts, and traveling the world to meet and better understand other cultures. To advance her education, Rani has traveled to several different countries and studies the family dynamics of different cultures. The study includes the food, family dynamics, and knowledge of a culture. A review of the family cultures of Thailand and Cambodia provided in this link: Thailand Study. Study abroad countries include Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia, Greece, Italy, Peru, and Iquitos in the Amazon Jungle Region. The adventure has taken her to rural and village schools that are in desperate need of funding and advancements in textbooks and technology. Mrs. Walker-Gross returned to her studies in 2019 in Iceland, 2020 in Belize and Guatemala, assisting in low-income schools as a Masters in Educational Leadership student with EIU.
Report abuse