Our Classes

Moving up to the Preschool and Young Preschool groups (2-year-olds to 5-year-olds) brings some exciting changes, namely the transition to the larger preschool yards and more freedom to visit various locations on the upper Cate School campus. Please see the list below for items you will need on your child’s first day with the preschool groups.

Enrollment Forms 

• The Director will review all incoming paperwork prior to enrollment and your child’s primary teacher will share and collect any new or updated paperwork for the school year.

Diapers (if applicable)

• If using disposables, please bring in one sleeve (or large package), & label with your child’s full name or initials on it.
• For cloth diapers, please confer with primary caregivers regarding your diapering routine prior to your child’s first day.

Wipes (if applicable)– labeled with your child’s full name or initials

Creams

• Diaper cream, if applicable (labeled)
• Sunscreen (labeled)
• Non-prescription ointments (labeled)

Lunch & Snacks

The ELC is currently cashew and pistachio-free!

• Please provide food for the day based on your child’s needs. Please send fully cooked, prepared, foods that are ready to serve and eat. Food containers must be labeled with the date, food name(s), & your child’s name/initials; we recommend bento style containers & dry erase markers for this purpose. Be sure to include ice packs in your child’s lunchbox and/or use a thermos for heated food. You might also consider packing larger portions in their lunches, just in case!
• You continue to be part of the snack purchase program where you provide snack for a certain number of weeks per year. More information about the snack rotation is found here.

Water bottle (labeled) 

• Our favorite water bottles for preschoolers can be found here and here.

Clothing (to be stored at ELC)

• Please routinely check your child’s cubby so that they have a constant supply of weather-appropriate extra clothing. 
• 2-3 sets of extra underwear, outfits, jacket or sweater, a sun hat or beanie
• Wet bag for sending home soiled clothing, checked daily
• A well-fitting face-covering/mask for your child to use as needed for health and safety (in a clean Ziploc bag)

Napping supplies

• Parents provide the nap mat and sheet combo, which will be sent home at the end of the week to be washed. 

Family Photos

• You may email files to your teacher, or bring in hard copies of photos; please be aware that hard copies will not be returned home.

*** Additional Information ***

• Each day, you are required to sign your child in and out, marking times & your signature.
• Please make sure to have daily conversations with your child’s teachers so that we have a complete understanding of how your child is doing each day.
• Teachers will inform you when your child is running low on supplies such as diapers, wipes, extra clothes, or extra snacks.
• Your child will have their own storage spaces including a cubby for clothing, their lunch box, and their nap blanket. These areas are cleaned weekly by teachers, but we ask that you are also mindful of contents & amounts to help with replenishment reminders.

Welcome to the toddler group! Children in this class have made the transition from the infant play and sleep spaces to the toddler class embedded alongside the preschool classroom and the adventurous toddler playground. For our continuing families, you will be able to experience continuity of care for your child, as their teacher from the infant group will be joining them in this space. Please see below for some helpful information to help you through this transition.

Enrollment Forms 

The Director will review all incoming paperwork prior to enrollment and your child’s primary teacher will share and collect any new or updated paperwork for the school year.

Diapers (if applicable)

• If using disposables, please bring in one sleeve (or large package), & label with your child’s full name or initials on it.
• For cloth diapers, please confer with primary caregivers regarding your diapering routine during one of your pre-enrollment visit days.

Wipes (if applicable)– labeled with your child’s full name or initials

Creams

• Diaper cream, if applicable (labeled)
• Sunscreen (labeled)
• Non-prescription ointments (labeled)

Lunch & Snacks

The ELC is currently cashew and pistachio-free!

• Please provide food for the day based on your toddler’s needs. Please send fully cooked, prepared, pre-sliced foods that are ready to serve and eat. Food containers must be labeled with the date, food name(s), & your child’s name/initials; we recommend bento-style containers & dry erase markers for this purpose. Be sure to include ice packs in your child’s lunchbox and/or use a thermos for heated food. You might also consider packing larger portions in their lunches, just in case!
• Your child will also have a small area to store extra snacks, which should be unopened packages, and labeled with your child’s name. We adhere to all package instructions & dates.

Water bottle (labeled) 

• Our favorite water bottles for preschoolers can be found here and here.

Clothing (to be stored at ELC)

Please routinely check your child’s cubby so that they have a constant supply of weather-appropriate extra clothing. 

• 2-3 sets of extra underwear, outfits, jacket or sweater, a sun hat or beanie
• Wet bag for sending home soiled clothing, checked daily
• A well-fitting face-covering/mask for your child to use as needed for health and safety (in a clean Ziploc bag)

Napping 
Please note that toddlers make the transition from napping in a crib to napping on a mat in the classroom. We provide the nap mat and sheet; please provide a blanket for your child, which will be sent home at the end of the week to be washed. 

Family Photos
You may email files to your teacher, or bring in hard copies of photos; please be aware that hard copies will not be returned home.

*** Additional Information ***

• Each day, you are required to sign your child in and out, marking times & your signature.
• Please make sure to have daily conversations with your child’s teachers so that we have a complete understanding of how your child is doing. 
• Teachers will communicate with you throughout the day via the Learning Genie App. This app features a messaging system, a reminders system, and a record of your child’s daily feedings, diapering, and naps. Please note that we occasionally experience tech issues on our end; if this happens, we will provide a written daily report when you pick up your child.
• Teachers will verbally inform you when your child is running low on supplies such as diapers, wipes, extra clothes, or extra snacks. We will also set up a reminder using the Learning Genie App.
• Your child will have their own storage spaces including a cubby for clothing, their lunch box, blanket, and they will have dry snack storage. These areas are cleaned weekly by teachers, but we ask that you are also mindful of contents & amounts to help with replenishment reminders.

Welcome to Cate Early Learning Center’s infant group! Transitioning into group care can be challenging, and we want to make the first days (and all the days that follow) as smooth as possible for parents and infants. Below, you will find a list of items that you will need to bring on your child’s first day. During your enrollment or visits, we can review the list with you and answer any questions that you may have.

Enrollment Forms
The Director will review all incoming paperwork prior to enrollment and your child’s primary teacher will share and collect any new or updated paperwork for the school year.

Diapers 

• If using disposables, please bring in one sleeve (or large package), & label with your child’s full name or initials on it.
• For cloth diapers, please confer with primary caregivers regarding your diapering routine prior to your child’s first day.

Wipes

• Labeled with your child’s full name or initials

Creams

• Diaper cream (labeled)
• Sunscreen (labeled)
• Non-prescription ointments (labeled)

Feeding Supplies 

• Formula: Please bring 2-3 days worth of unopened, extra formula to be stored for emergency disaster situations (can be a small can, or single serve sachets). 
• For daily feedings, you have the option to provide a can of formula, or premixed bottles. If you chose to bring a can of formula, please bring it unopened & labeled, along with enough (labeled) bottles and nipples for the day. We have space to store the cans; once opened, formula cans have a shelf life of 30 days. If you choose to bring pre-mixed bottles, all bottles must be labeled with the date & your child’s full name or initials.
• Breast milk: Please bring 2-3 days worth of frozen breast milk to be stored for emergency disaster situations, if possible.
• You may provide breast milk in bottles or pouches labeled with the date expressed, today’s date, and child’s name/initials. If sending milk in pouches, please also provide bottles labeled with your child’s name or initials for each feeding.
• Solid foods: Please provide food for the day based on your infant’s needs. Please send fully cooked, prepared, pre-sliced foods that are ready to serve and eat. Food containers must be labeled with the date, food name(s), & your child’s name/initials; we recommend bento-style containers & dry erase markers for this purpose. We are able to warm foods in the microwave; please let caregivers know how you prefer foods to be served.
• For children entering into the stage of solid foods, please only bring in foods once child has had the opportunity to try at home 2-3 times. We do this to try to prevent allergic reactions. New foods should also be introduced one at a time a couple of days apart.
• Your child will have a small drawer to store unopened packages of food, labeled with your child’s name. We adhere to all package instructions & dates.

Clothing (to be stored at ELC)

• Please routinely check your child’s cubby so that they have a constant supply of weather-appropriate extra clothing. 
• 2-3 sets of extra clothes, jacket or sweater, a sun hat or beanie (all hats should have breakaway chin straps), socks, and shoes for cold weather
• Wet bag for sending home soiled clothing
• We prefer to be outdoors, rain or shine, so please be mindful of this when packing your child’s cubby supplies!

Napping supplies
Please note that we are unable to place anything into the crib with your child, including lovies, blankets, or pacifiers with clips.

• 2 crib sheets – “pack n play” size (these will be added to the ELC’s bedding supply)
• 2 sleep sacks, if applicable; only loose styles, no swaddle styles
• If your child uses a pacifier, please bring a small container to store it in.

Family Photos
You may email files to your teacher, or bring in hard copies of photos; please be aware that hard copies will not be returned home.

*** Additional Information ***

• Each day, you are required to sign your child in and out, marking times & your signature.
• Please make sure to have daily conversations with your child’s teachers at drop off so that we have a complete understanding of how your child is doing for that day. 
• Teachers will communicate with you throughout the day via the Learning Genie App. This app features a messaging system, a reminders system, and a record of your child’s daily feedings, diapering, and naps. Please note that we occasionally experience tech issues on our end; if this happens, we will provide a written daily report when you pick up your child.
• Teachers will verbally inform you when your child is running low on supplies such as diapers, wipes, extra clothes, or extra snacks. We will also set up a reminder using the Learning Genie App.
• Your child will have their own storage spaces including a cubby for clothing, fridge space for food and/or milk, and dry snack storage. These areas are cleaned weekly by teachers, but we ask that you are also mindful of contents & amounts to help with replenishment reminders.
• For families new to the infant program, please be sure to review all enrollment requirements.
• Infants 3-8 months at the time of enrollment must be enrolled for a minimum of 4 full days per week
• Infants 8-12 months at the time of enrollment must be enrolled for a minimum of 3 full days per week