Frequently Asked Questions

HOW LONG IS YOUR WAITLIST?

 

That depends on the class. Generally speaking, the younger the child, the longer the wait list. If you love CDP, and you think this is the best fit for your family, our best advice is to email us once a month at admissions@cdpkid.net. In the subject line, please put “checking in.” We see each and every one of these emails and take note of which family really wants to be part of our school. It makes a difference when two applications arrive on the same day and one family has been in touch and another has not.

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IS CDP AFFILIATED WITH CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION?

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We are not. CDP enjoys an amicable relationship with the church on our campus, but we are a private, Type 1 preschool. (Type 1 means we do not receive government funding and can create our own curriculum.)

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WHAT IS YOUR SICK POLICY?

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Fever is considered 100.4 at CDP, unless a fever over 99 includes other symptoms. In general if your child looks like he/she is falling ill, we will call you immediately. It is for the teacher’s safety as much as the children if sick children are kept at home. In addition, symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, contagious rashes, etc. need to be obsolete for 24 hours before children can return to school. Our school is cleaned throughout the day, at the end of the day, and over the weekend to maintain a safe learning environment. All of our teachers are certified in First-Aid care.

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WHAT IS YOUR DISCIPLINE POLICY?

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CDP practices conscious discipline, which for children our age, means that we discipline through word empowerment and one-on-one dialogues. The goal of conscious discipline is to not apply band-aid solutions like time-out, and instead teach children the words and tools necessary to avoid confrontation.

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IS CDP LICENSED? 

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CDP is licensed by the city, state, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the local Fire Department. We are below all state ratio recommendations and meet all safety and health standards. Our licenses are updated annually and posted in the school office.

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ARE YOUR TEACHERS LICENSED?

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Some, but not all. It is important to us that our teachers’ qualifications be judged by their experience and individual talents and strengths. Rather than focus solely on early education certification, we also look at experience in other areas of education such as visual art, music, drama, and children’s literature. In addition, we also hire based on a specific need in a given area of the school. 

 

WHAT IS YOUR TURNOVER RATE?

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We are happy to say that our turnover rate is low. More than half of our teachers have been at our school for multiple years. Several have been with us for more than a decade.

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HOW LONG IS RECESS?

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Weather permitting, recess is at least 45 minutes, but it is often longer if the weather is favorable. Additionally, outdoors becomes a secondary classroom. For example, if we are working with the children on a gardening unit, an insect unit, or a weather unit, outside is a perfect alternative classroom.

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IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT?

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Yes! We love our parents. Parents are invited to be mystery readers in our classes, can apply to be substitute teachers, and we have multiple opportunities throughout the year for our community to come together. In the fall, we celebrate with various events, including our fall festivals, Tent or Treat, a school-wide Thanksgiving picnic, a holiday concert, and the Krewe d’Etot Mardi Gras parade. We also host outdoor movie nights under the stars, and Pre-K 4 will celebrate an end-of-year graduation ceremony.

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IS CDP A YEAR-ROUND PRESCHOOL?

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No, we are not. Depending on the age of the baby in the Little Lambs program, our infants sometimes avoid breaks over the summer. Lambs do, however, observe the same holiday breaks as the preschool. Any child entering Toddler I and up will follow an academic calendar. We operate from August to May with traditional holiday breaks and a break before and after summer camp. Our summer camp lasts eight weeks. Many teachers use our breaks as an opportunity to host small holiday camps at school for those parents who cannot stay home with their child. The "underground" camps are not guaranteed but happen often. There is typically no gap care between the end of camp and the beginning of school because this is when our classrooms are refreshed for the school year and our teachers do their continuing education and fall lesson planning.