Nursery School
INFANT AND TODDLER NURSERY SCHOOL
Abdel Sakhri
Head of Early Years Programs
Our nursery school is the newest addition to the IST programme. The infant programme revolves around the individual schedule and needs of each baby. The environment is designed to help the baby grow and develop in a caring, nurturing environment. The toddler programme promotes learning through language development, personal skills training, social interaction, creative thinking opportunities, and center-based cooperative activities.
The main focus of the nursery school will be on the development of each baby and toddler individually. At the International School of Tucson, we believe that children require developmentally appropriate programmes to meet their social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs. The classrooms are designed to allow the children to explore, play, and learn to make choices.
The Infant Programme will revolve around the individual schedule and needs of the baby. The environment will be designed to help the baby grow and develop in a caring, nurturing environment.
The Toddler Programme will promote learning through language development, personal skills training, social interaction, creative thinking opportunities, and center-based cooperative activities.
Language
A key component to the nursery school will be language acquisition. English will be the main language spoken by each teacher. However, each child may have the opportunity to be exposed to Spanish, Chinese, French and German. For example, a German lullaby may be sung to an infant and a book in Spanish about different animals may be read to the toddlers. The purpose of this language exposure is to help the child become accustomed to the sounds of the different languages helping them to ease into the IST preschool programme.
Infants
Parents should provide any specific instructions in writing. Infants can stay on their own feeding schedule. All food and drink will be refrigerated and must be labeled with the child’s first and last name. Teachers may not prepare food or bottles, everything must come ready to serve. Bottles will be heated in a bottle warmer. Infants 5 months and under will always be held when bottle fed.
Each child will have their own crib and may be on individualized sleeping schedules. Parents should provide sleeping schedules in writing. All children will be placed on their backs to sleep. Infants are not allowed to have any items in their crib, including blankets. Sleep sacks are allowed.
Parents will need to bring a supply of diapers and wipes, individually labeled for proper storage. Children will be checked every half an hour for soiled diapers. If obviously wet or soiled, the child will be changed sooner. Please bring at least three sets of clothing that are labeled. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather as your child will be going outside everyday for a play period or a ride in the stroller.
Ratio:
Infants – 2 teachers for up to 9 students
Toddlers
We currently have three toddler classrooms. The “Cottontails”, “Owls”, and “Bobcats” class placement is based on age, developmental readiness, and availability.
IST will provide whole milk and water at each specified meal time for each child in Cottontails and Owls classrooms and children will need to drink from sippy cups, labeled and brought from home. Food and snacks will not be provided.
Parents will need to supply diapers and wipes, individually labeled for proper storage. Children will be checked every half an hour for soiled diapers. If obviously wet or soiled, the child will be changed sooner. Please leave at least one set of clothing in your child’s cubby. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather as they will be going outside everyday for at least two play periods or a ride in the stroller. Toddlers can begin working on potty training at school as long as parents inform teachers about what they are doing with potty training at home so that training can be consistent.
Ratios:
Cottontails – 2 teachers for up to 11 students
Owls – 2 teachers for up to 13 -16 students (depending on the ages of children enrolled)
Bocats – 1 teacher for up to 8 students
Hours
The Nursery School is open Monday through Friday from 7:00am until 6:00pm with the exception of the following holidays:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rodeo Days, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day (and the Friday after), and the week between Christmas and New Years.
The Nursery School will be open during all IST Preschool and Junior/Middle School holidays (fall break, winter break, spring break, and the INSET weeks) with the exception of 3 training days per year. Please see the school calendar for specific dates.
Payments
Fees may be paid weekly, every 4 weeks or every 12 weeks. We accept cash, check or credit card. There is a 2.75% processing fee for all credit card transactions.
Please call the school for our most current rates