FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the philosophy of the school? 
Sunny Hill Preschool has a child-centered, play-based philosophy. We teach academics through purposeful play. We believe in a developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages two years nine months to five years of age, presented in an environment which fosters the individual child’s emotional, social, physical and cognitive skills. Our talented team of professional educators creates an environment that supports and develops a love of learning, respect, cooperation, leadership, an ability to make choices, pride in individual accomplishment and problem-solving skills. 

How does the school communicate with and involve parents? 
Communication between the school and parents is facilitated by emails, phone calls, classroom newsletters, monthly school-wide newsletters and parent-teacher conferences.  Parent-teacher conferences are held twice a year and offer a one on one opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss your child’s development and learning. Outside each classroom is a bulletin board with information relating to your child’s individual classroom activities.  Parent involvement is encouraged through Back to School Night, Special Person Events and classroom volunteer opportunities, such as visiting the classroom to help children use the woodworking bench or sharing a book as a mystery reader.  We also encourage parents to share their unique talents and experiences with our school community. Parents are always welcome in the school and parent feedback is very important to us. 

How do you handle behavior issues? 
We put a strong emphasis on social and emotional growth in our preschool programs and utilize developmentally appropriate practices when working with behavior issues in the classrooms. Teachers progressively work with each child to build social and emotional skills and strategies to resolve conflicts, build creative problem solving skills and work successfully with their peers in a group setting.  We utilize redirection and behavior modeling to guide children towards appropriate behaviors, instead of time outs.  For example, if a child is engaged in inappropriate behavior, a teacher will stop the behavior and work with the child. You might hear:  “What could you say next time you wanted that toy?”… or… “What could you do the next time a friend does something that makes you angry?”… “How could we work this out so two friends can play in the block area?”… “We have words we can use for that. Let’s practice some ways we could say that.”  

Does my child need to be toilet trained to attend Sunny Hill Preschool? 
Children do not have to be toilet trained to participate in our preschool programs. We recognize that children will train as they are developmentally ready. Support for toilet training will be done in accordance with the requests of the child’s parents and in a manner that is consistent with the child’s physical and emotional abilities. While your child is at school we encourage using the toilet in a positive and supportive manner without pressure.

What if my child has difficulty separating from me? 
We work with you and your child so you both have a positive experience with daily transitions. We offer a summer playdate for children and families to become familiar with our playground and meet peers. We also begin the year with an open house, so children can explore the classroom and meet their teachers without having to separate from a parent or caregiver. When a child has difficulty transitioning into the classroom we work with each family to develop an individual transition plan based on the child’s developmental needs. Our program has an open door policy and parents are always welcome. 

How much is tuition at Sunny Hill Preschool?
Tuition rates are available during tours. Tuition is set in the fall for the following school year.

Families who have two or more children enrolled in the school are given a 20% discount for the child attending fewer days.  This discount does not apply to the Stay, Play & Learn Program or Summers at Sunny Hill.

Need-based scholarships are available on a confidential basis. Please speak with the Director for details.

What is the teacher to student ratio in the classroom? 
Each of our classrooms is led by a teaching team consisting of a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. We also have floating teachers available to offer additional support where it is needed. Our class sizes are determined based on the age of the children and the structure of the particular program offering. Classes for our 2.9 toddler program have a maximum of ten children, our three year-old classes may contain up to fourteen children and our four year-old classes may have up to sixteen children.