Frequently Asked Questions

• What is your teacher/child ratio at Kidslink?

  We have excellent teacher/child ratios. Most of our rooms are licensed for 20 children with the exception of B-118 (19) and C-112 (21). In our T-TH 3-year-old classes we reduce the numbers slightly. In our youngest classrooms of three-year-olds we have 16, and then each class of three’s we add another student according to age--older 3’s we have up to nineteen. It is always our desire to have two teachers, but this depends on enrollment. Most of our Kidslink classrooms have a 1:10 ratios (or less).

• I have a 4-year-old that will attend kindergarten next school year. What is your recommendation for your 2, 3, or 5 day options? I can’t decide how many days to send my child to Kidslink!

  This answer varies according to your family circumstances and your child’s needs. Some families like the two day option if they have a child that they are completely assured will be ready for kindergarten. Perhaps your child is involved in multiple activities: gymnastics, library enhancement programs, art lessons, etc. and to attend more than two days would be an overload for them. Our three day per week is an extremely popular option. This gives children time to learn skills necessary for kindergarten. Our 5 day a week option provides a great transitional year for those children who will be attending a full day kindergarten the following school year. Are you giving your child another year to mature before kindergarten or do they just miss the kindergarten cut-off? We would recommend our 5 year old class that meets MWF A.M. or MWF P.M. or the 5 day P.M. class.

• I noticed that a child must be potty trained to attend preschool. This is January and we just started working on this skill. Should I enroll when I’m not sure he’ll be trained by the time preschool begins?

  There is a lot of time between January and early September for your child to master this skill. If you think he’ll probably be able to accomplish this, then we would encourage you to enroll. We do have a non-refundable registration fee, but if you need to withdraw from our program in the late summer, then we put you at the top of our wait list for openings throughout the school year. (You would not be charged another registration fee.) If you think he’ll probably not be able to be completely potty trained and you want to avoid the uncertainty of the situation, then we suggest enrolling in Kids Day Inn, a program for ages 2-3 where potty training is not required.

• My child is “80%” potty trained. Can they come to school in pull-ups?

  No. A child wearing pull-ups means they are not fully trained. Kidslink policy is that a child must be 100% potty trained. They need to be able to handle all stages of being in the bathroom themselves! We have discovered that school readiness correlates to being toilet trained. If your child has not mastered the toilet, then perhaps it’s best to give them another year to mature and grow. Our Kids Day Inn is a great program for children that are “potty training in progress!”

• What is the age cut-off?

  Kidslink has expended age requirements and have re-licensed to accept “Almost 3’s”. If your child will be three before December 31 and is toilet trained then they can attend preschool on T-TH AM. Our threes are divided by birth date (younger and; Almost 3’s, middle,and older 3’s) if you are enrolling in T-TH AM.. It may vary from year to year as to the dividing date because of the age range of our enrolling children. For example: a child with a January birth date might be in our middle 3’s class for next year. The following year your neighbor’s child with a January birth date might end up in the older 3’s due to younger children enrolling as a whole in our 3-year-old program. If you are enrolling in MWF AM 3’s we do not divide our 3-year-old class by birth date and all 3-year-olds must turn 3 by August 31. For our 4-year-old program we use the same criteria for age cut-off: August 31.. We use this date because this is the state of Kansas regulations for a child to start kindergarten (5 on or before Aug. 31).

• What does it mean to be “state licensed?

  We follow the state of Kansas licensing regulations and requirements. Kidslink has a surprise inspection annually by KDHE (Kansas Dept. of Health and; Environment) to ensure that we are complying with their standards. All forms from our enrollment packet must be fully completed and on file for each child enrolled at Kidslink. Also, a health assessment (physical)and immunization record is required!

• I’m new to the community but I really don’t know much about Kidslink. What should I do?

  Check us out on social media! You can become acquainted with classroom activities, events, teachers, and our learning activities . We invite you to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. We also extend a warm welcome to come to experience Kidslink first hand by coming for a preschool tour. You can see us in action! A tour is usually about 15-20 minutes where we venture into the preschool rooms, observe our children and activities,and answer your questions. It is helpful if you call ahead to set up a tour time, so we can set this time aside and be available for you.

• What are your staff qualifications?

  We are so proud of our Kidslink staff. They are dedicated, loving teachers who genuinely care about children. All our staff are committed Christians and are actively involved at Pathway Church. On yearly parent surveys parents consistently rate our teachers are “Exceptional”. Qualifications vary from teacher to teacher. They all have experience working with young children and/or early childhood education hours. Kidslink has extensive new staff training and there are many state licensing classes to complete. All staff must have 16 hours of in-service per year and every other year we certifyand train in infant/child/adult first aid and CPR. Kidslink Staff all go through background and are now required to complete fingerprinting screening at a nation-wide level. When your children are at Kidslink, you can be assured that they are with outstanding teachers! Our handout “Introducing the Kidslink Staff” will help you get to know our Kidslink Team!

• What do you mean by “Christian preschool”?

  Kidslink is considered a ministry of Pathway Church. We teach the Bible as the Word of God and tell the children about Jesus! We have a Bible time every day, a monthly Bible focus,and memory verse. Our total program is based on Christian principles and we approach everything from this perspective. Many churches are represented here at Kidslink and all are very welcome; you do not have to be a member of Pathway Church to attend!

• What do you do each day at preschool?

  We post complete lesson plans on teacher’s bulletin boards. It lists what they are doing for: Circle Time, Bible Time, Learning and Play Centers, Snack, and Recreation. We send home paper copies of monthly calendars where we list a short one or two word theme for the day, cognitive concentration (i.e. letters, numbers, shapes, nursery rhymes, and additional skills)and Bible focus/memory verse. Monthly teacher calendars are available for your convenience on our Kidslink website as well.

• Do you follow a particular curriculum?

  No, we develop our own. We have specific developmentally age appropriate goals. Our three-year-old classrooms are more “introductory” in nature as we begin to teach concepts of scissor skills, letters, numbers, classroom environment, etc. All of our 4’s and; 5’s classrooms are considered to be “Pre-K” -preparatory to kindergarten. We are getting the children ready for school and emphasizing skills they will need to be successful in school. Classroom goals are emailed to parents prior to school and available on our website.

• I observe a lot of “playing” at Kidslink. What is that all about?

  There is tremendous value in play! In fact, it is the children’s “job”! Kidslink is a very “hands-on” preschool and one of our core philosophies is that children learn best through play. If you take a closer look at what is actually happening in our classroom, you will discover another dimension! Children are discovering, exploring, creating, and playing games to reinforce cognitive concepts. Our small group learning center time allows children to learn cooperation, to develop process and; reasoning skills, to resolve conflict, to expand their knowledge and; skills by a wide range of varied activities. Preschool is the foundation of further educational experiences and we want to build a very positive base where children look forward to coming to school. Our goal is to have kids eager and; excited about their first school experience!

• Does Kidslink go on field trips?
  
  

  No. We provide on-campus field trip opportunities. Children get comfortable in our preschool environment so to take them off-campus is sometimes upsetting to them. Kidslink does not have a bus so parent drivers would be necessary and with family schedules and employment this is sometimes difficult for parents to arrange! Every child’s car seat is unique and is installed in vehicles differently so all things considered - we feel that the best place to be is Kidslink! Children like to be in our building and we provide a number of enrichment/learning activities and special speakers. Some on-site opportunities that we have offered are the annual Pumpkin hunts, Dog Bite Prevention by a veterinarian, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Firefighter Puppet Show, Police Officers, Dental Hygienist,and EMS.

• What is your discipline policy?

  One of the best ways to avoid potential problems is to be pro-active! We go over class rules and expectations, so each child is aware of what is expected at preschool. If a child is not complying after several opportunities to make the right choice, they are given a time out. This is a short period of time where they can take a break and calm down away from the group or activity that is underway. After several minutes, we talk about what the right choice would be and then the child may rejoin the group or activity when they are ready to participate.

• How do you handle drop off/pick up?

  We have drop off and pick up at the child’s classroom door. There are several reasons for this:

  • We want to get to know you!
  • We want you to get to know us!
  • You get to know other parents (play dates/car pooling/new friendships)
  • You can read lesson plans and see the teacher’s board for important notes!
  • We can inform you of things we notice during preschool: a child that is struggling, a child that is not quite himself that day (maybe getting sick), a situation that has occurred.
  • You can ask brief questions and have them answered immediately!
  • We have “total” teaching time during our preschool session. Curbside drop off/pick up is not offered. It takes time and; staff away from the children and could reduce teaching time by 15-30 minutes per day.
• Can anyone pick up my child at the end of preschool?

  All parents must complete a permanent permission form for their child. This authorizes only specific individuals that you designate to pick up your child. We will always release children to their biological parents unless we are provided with court order documentation. You can add grandparents, aunts/uncles, neighbors, friends, or parents of classmates. On occasion, an unexpected situation might arise in your family where someone that is not on your list will need to pick up your child. Call the Kidslink Office to inform us of the situation and the name of the person that will be picking up. Teachers will check driver’s license photo ID at the classroom door before releasing your child.

• Do you have any music programs?

  Yes! These programs are definite highlights on our preschool calendar year! Kidslink has a Christmas program during class time in December and an evening spring program in late April.

• Do you offer a before or after school program or a full-day?

  No. Kidslink is a half-day preschool and we are licensed for 3 hours per session per day. We do not offer any programs outside of our normal operating times of 9:00 am-12:00 (Noon). OR 12:45-3:45 pm.

• Will my child stay in their classroom during the entire preschool time?

  Not usually! While most of our time is spent in the classroom itself, we do go several other places within the Pathway Church building. We spend time on the playground whenever possible. If it’s inclement weather we go to the gym. Music time is in the children’s theater or “Farm”. Also, we have access to the “Ball Park” which is a large multi-purpose room where we can have group recreational activities or on-site field trips.

• What school calendar do you follow at Kidslink?

  We take into consideration the following school districts: Goddard, Maize, and Wichita. We look at their vacation/holiday schedules and then set our own school calendar. Kidslink calendars are available on-line through our website in early June. We also have days that Kidslink is not in session on the monthly teacher calendars.

• What kind of information do I receive on my child’s progress and development during the year?

  You will receive three progress reports during the school year for your child. For three-year-olds we have end of October, mid-January, and late April progress reports. For four- and five-year-olds we have November and January Progress Reports, plus an evaluation during Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled in March. Our progress reports show developmental progress in an easy to read format and this report will document the growth your child is experiencing through the school year.

• Okay! I’m ready to enroll! How do I do that?

  The very best way is to simply go to www.kidslinkpreschool.com and click on the “Enroll Now” button. We are very pleased to now offer on-line enrollment. It’s simply, easy and convenient. You can also stop by the Kidslink Office and fill out a registration form. The combined registration/activity fee of $50 for 2 or 3 days and $70 for 5 days must be submitted with the registration form.

  An enrollment packet will be sent with our email confirmation. You may fill these out electronically or print them out and turn them in. You do not have to complete this immediately! All packets need to be returned to the Kidslink Office by August 1st. It is important to point out that the packet includes a physical assessment that your doctor will need to complete and sign. You will need to allow some extra time to schedule a doctor’s appointment and make sure your child has all the required immunizations. Calling in advance is especially important during late summer as doctor offices are extremely busy! If your medical clinic can print off a list of immunizations, we will accept the form and you will not need to fill out the immunization form by hand.

Kidslink has been offering quality early learning in a Christ-centered environment for 32 years!
We hope that you will consider Kidslink for your child’s preschool!

Call 316-722-1034 or email [email protected] if you have additional questions or if I can help in any way!