Frequently Asked Questions

Janice Otchere is the owner of ing’s Kids Preschool. She graduated from the University of Regina in 2003 with a Bachelor of Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education. Janice also holds Education Leadership Certification from 2023 through the University of Alberta. King’s Kids Preschool began operation in Sept 2011 and was Incorporated in 2014. Janice holds all the necessary documents and courses to run a fully licensed preschool program, including a Level 3: Early Childhood Educator Certificate, Food Safety certificate, Child Restraint Safety Technician Certificate (Car Seat Safety), and 1st Aid & CPR Certificate.

There are 3 positions for staff within our preschool. Of course, each staff member has travelled their own journey before coming to King’s Kids Preschool and has their own certification levels. I will tell you the minimum standards here. The minimum standards are as following:

*Assistant Director:

• Level 2 Early Childhood Educator Certificate

• 1st Aid & CPR training

• Clear Criminal record check with vulnerable sector search

• Ongoing training and professional development are required

*Preschool Teachers:

• Level 2 Early Childhood Educator Certificate (may have level 1 if they show exceptional teaching skills and trainability, and willingness to train to get a Level 2 Certificate)

• 1st Aid & CPR training

• Clear Criminal record check with vulnerable sector search

• Ongoing training and professional development are required

*Preschool Teacher’s Assistants:

• Level 1 Early Childhood Educator Certificate (may be in progress with a 6 mth time limit to complete) 1st Aid & CPR training

• Clear Criminal record check with vulnerable sector search

• Ongoing training and professional development are required

*Regular Transport drivers:

• Must have a minimum class 4 driver’s license

• An acceptable driver’s abstract

• Car seat safety training

• Level 1 Early Childhood Educator Certificate

• 1st Aid & CPR training

• Clear Criminal record check with vulnerable sector search

Yes, all staff members are expected to receive their 1st Aid & CPR certificates and keep them renewed. In the event that a new staff has not yet acquired one, she will not be able to administer any 1st Aid/CPR (not even place a band-aide) until a course has been completed.

The registration fee is a non-refundable fee of $50. It secures your spot and is non-refundable in the event you decide not to come to our preschool.

At a minimum, you will be expected to pay preschool fees monthly. You may pay by Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD/auto withdrawal) or e-transfer. If you prefer to pay for the year in full or in multiple months at a time, you may make lump sum payments. For simplicity sake and efficiency, please pay your fees on time. We charge a $20 per day late fee. A $45 NSF fee will apply to any bounced or NSF payments. Receipts are generally given 3 times in a year. You will receive receipts for September-December either at the end of December or beginning of January. Your January-June receipts will be given at the end of June. If your child is enrolled in any summer camps, the receipt is given within the last 2 weeks of Aug. If you have not paid your fees in full, then I wait to create your receipt until all arrears have been collected. We do accept subsidy from the AB Government. Please apply for subsidy here: https://www.alberta.ca/child-care-subsidy.aspx If you have subsidy specific questions, please contact them directly. Our Program name is “King’s Kids Preschool” Our Program ID # is 80000176 If you are approved for subsidy, we submit your child’s hours after each month is completed and then subsidy pays their fee to us directly. Once you receive approval for subsidy, your preschool fee is reduced by the amount subsidy agrees to pay each month.

As is stated in the registration forms: The following criteria should be used to decide when a child is too ill to attend preschool. Your child should not attend if he/she has any of the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Cold
Fever
Rash
Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)
Ear Infection, Sore throat, cough

If a child develops any of the above symptoms while at Preschool, you or your contact person will be notified to take the child home. In case of a communicable disease (measles, mumps, rubella, etc.) or a parasitic infestation, those infected may not attend Preschool until a clearance from a Doctor is obtained. A child must be fever/symptom free (and if required on antibiotics) for at least 24 hours, and feeling well, before returning to Preschool.
Please keep in mind that I do expect a text, email, or phone call if your child will not be attending class on one or more days. If you are leaving a message, please leave your child’s name and the reason why he/she is not attending. Thank you.

If you are interested in door-to-door transportation to and/or from preschool, please let the office know and you will be given a transportation form to fill out.
Transportation can be to/from home, dayhome, family member, daycare, etc. so long as it is located in Airdrie. You will need to have a regular place that is used for transportation (though we try to accommodate a new location as needed if we can). The child being transported needs to be fully ready and prepared to go at the time that will be given based on the number of other students and locations. It can be up to 1 full hour before and/or after school times. You will be given a rough estimate to begin with and then the times should become more consistent as parents/children/driver become more familiar with the routines/routes.
Your child’s weight/size will determine what type of car seat we use in the 15-seater vehicle we use to transport your child. We supply, and have installed, all our car seats. Transport drivers have received car seat safety training.
When your child is picked up/dropped off, a pass off wave needs to be seen to acknowledge the change of responsibility/care giver. If we have to wait at your door more than 5 mins for pick up, we will try to call and then will have to leave. If you are consistently not ready, we reserve the right to remove your child from the route.

When you register, you will receive a welcome letter that states all of the important dates in advance of the first day. We also have an orientation video that we will send out at the end of Aug or beginning of Sept. For 2 and 3 yr old classes, you will have a Meet & Greet prior to the first day of class. It is a time for families and staff to get to know each other. Please come with your child for this time and take your child with you when you leave. The first day of regular classes will happen on the following week.
For 4 yr olds, we have staggered entry, so half of the class comes on one day and the other half attends on the next day. On the third day onwards, they will all be together. Your welcome letter tells you all of the important dates.
On the first day of class, staff have some fun with the children and settle them into the classroom and routine. The staff get to know each of the children a little better and set the expectations/rules. We do our best to text you about how your child is doing on the first day; however, if you are ever wondering, you are always welcome to ask as well.
*For students starting after the first week of Sept, your child will simply enter in with their peers on their first day of class.

Each child reacts to their first school experience and first days of each new school year differently. Some run in and forget you are at the door, some kiss you goodbye and walk in confidently, and some cry when you are about to leave. In the event your child is one who sheds a few tears, please be encouraged that it won’t last for long. It is best for you to reassure your child that school is fun, that you love them, and that you will be back soon to get them. We will comfort your child (and distract them ) to settle them down and integrate them into the class as needed and as the child prefers. If your child does feel upset, we will send you a text message to let you know how your child is doing. Generally, children calm down pretty quickly once you are out of site. I will generally send each family a text at some point during the first class. Please also know, that if you are stressed at drop off, your child will feed off that as well so please do your best to stay calm and be positive.
If your child is a child who is a more consistent crier (this may last for a few classes) at drop off times, staff will continue to care for your child and comfort them until they feel comfortable. Generally, the longer you linger, the longer the tears will go on so the best method is to show your child you care and then say “see you soon”. It is typical that each day you drop off, the tears will subside faster and faster until they are gone. We understand (and can relate) that this may be a hard time for parents and will continue to communicate how things are going.

No worries. It is not required for a child to be potty trained to join us at King’s Kids Preschool. We believe that children are just as teachable wearing a diaper as they are without one. Wherever your child is with his/her potty training, we just take them from there. We do encourage all children to use the potty/toilet each class (unless they are in fact afraid – then we will just change diapers and talk positively about using the washroom). If your child is not potty trained, please keep a continuous communication with staff as things change and improve. We’d like to see your child without an accident for a minimum of 1-2 weeks before sending them in underwear. Then please send a few extra changes of clothes.

Please send:

• An extra change of clothes top to bottom (including underpants/diapers/pull-ups if not potty trained) – yes, even for older children. You never know when a child may spill their yogurt or pop a button off their pants. It is best for children to dress back up in their own clothes for size and comfort.

• A healthy snack from 2 food groups and water each day. Please do not send juice/pop or nut/peanut products.

• Your “home to School” Folder

A healthy snack from 2 food groups and a water. Good snack choices include fruit, veggies, yogurt, crackers, etc. Please try to refrain from sending sweets/candy in their daily snack. Please also cut grapes and hot dogs lengthwise to avoid choking. Please put foods that your child can feed him/herself – we can help to open containers and packages for your child.
Please do not send any type of nut/peanut products or they will be placed back in your child’s snack bag to be taken home. We do have children who are anaphylactic to these products so to ensure safety of all children – please refrain from sending nut/peanut products to school.
*Please also note that things like Wow Butter that look and smell like peanut butter, cannot be accepted, as we cannot tell the difference. This is for the safety of our students. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

• Water is the least messy drink and allows the most independence as we do not have to worry about a messy juice box sitting somewhere in their cubby or backpack.

• Many other drinks, even ones that say 100% juice have loads of sugar in them.

• Water is the best drink for your child’s brain as it improves the flow of oxygen to the brain.

• We do allow juice on special days if a parent chooses to send juice boxes for the whole class. For example Christmas or Valentine’s Parties.

A snack bag is not required but it is a good idea as it allows easy carry from the cubby to the table and back. It also contains things like a messy spoon that may not have gotten well cleaned or a container that accidentally had not been closed tight.

A medium sized bag is best – one that fits all of the child’s belongings with room for them to put things in and out themselves. If the bag is too small it becomes challenging for them to get all their things in and then they don’t want to do it themselves or are going home with handfuls of extra papers or items.

Please do not feel that your child has to wear their best outfit everyday – they may be getting messy. Though there are special days like the first day of school and photo days where we try not to get too messy, there are many different activities throughout the year that may cause some messiness like finger painting, cupcakes on party days (icing), playing on the floor, etc. Please also put leggings, tights, etc under your daughters’ skirts/dresses as we do cross our legs at circle times or while playing on the floor (it’s best if children cannot see another child’s underpants).

Absolutely, if you are planning to send a special snack for your child’s birthday, please let the teacher know what you are sending and on what day. Please know that different classes are being cautious of different allergies so please ask the teacher of any food allergies and how many children are in the class. If you cannot avoid sending food that may be an allergy to another child, we will ask that child’s parent to send something special on that day so he/she does not feel left out. Thank you for your care/concern for all our little students. The birthday child will get a birthday crown on their special day from the school.
An alternative to sending a snack item is to send a little something for each child like stickers, stamps, party hats, etc. Please feel free to be creative.
If your child’s birthday is in July or Aug, each class will celebrate their birthdays on a set date. Aug birthdays will be celebrated in September and July birthdays will be celebrated in June.
If you wish to invite children from your child’s class to a birthday party, please feel free to do so. You may feel free to give invites to the teacher to hand out for you. You are not obligated to invite very child in the class, as this is a personal choice that has many factors. However, if you are inviting only a few, birthday cards will be handed out discretely to avoid hurt feelings. You may also prefer to hand them out yourself directly to parents you see while dropping off/picking up your child from school.

Some holidays or special events we have are on a bigger/smaller scale than others. We do talk about general holidays and may do art related to them, including Remembrance Day and St. Patrick’s Day. We celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, and Easter with a party, and have Christmas concert and Easter Hunts.
Mother’s and Father’s Days are special to us and we invite you for our special in–class times (last 30 mins of class) to receive your gift and spend time with your child. “Muffins for Moms” and “Donuts for Dads”.
The one holiday we do not celebrate in class is Halloween – each family should feel free to celebrate it as they wish at home but we do not celebrate it or dress up in the classroom. Childhood anxiety is at an all-time high and some children are just settling into the preschool routine, others are frightened by what they see in stores and in yards, and we see an increase in nervousness, lack of sleep, and anxiety in children this time of year. Instead, we have a silly hair day to have fun at the end of Oct and encourage parents to participate in their own Halloween activities as they normally would at home. We do have a fun dress up party at the end of January for the whole school that does not have a Halloween foundation. We want to ensure children are not frightened or anxious about coming to school. The fun dress up party in January has been a great hit in the past (and many do wear their Halloween costume then and it seems so much less anxiety inducing for those children who struggle with anxiety/worries – and they’ve been in preschool longer so they are better able to stay calm with their teachers and classmates)!
All of these special dates will be mentioned in the monthly newsletters.

“I Can” Day is a time for parents to come into the classroom and see what their child Can Do. There are centers for your child to show you their abilities and for you to see some of the things we are working on in school. You will also have a chance to see your child’s scrapbook and talk with the teacher about your child’s progress. You will receive a report card that you can take home but please leave the scrapbook at school until the end of the year.
“I Can” Day is a great time to ask questions regarding your child in the classroom.

We have several special guests/trips set throughout the year and it is our goal for each age group to have more than the last. The 2 yr old groups get a 2 short trips and a “big hoorah” trip at the end of the year – we try to keep it simple for our youngest group. Our 3 yr olds have 3 trips/guests and a “big hoorah”. Our 4 yr old groups have the most guests/trips throughout the year, around 4, plus a “big hoorah”. Field trips and All of these special dates will be mentioned in the monthly newsletters.

You can reach Janice Otchere (owner/director) either by cell (403) 561-2342, by email kkpi.director@gmail.com or in person at the school. All teachers may be available before or after class times as time allows (usually after class once all children get to their parents is the best). The “Home to School” folder is a great way to communicate back and forth. If you are having a concern, please let the teacher and/or Janice know as soon as possible so any issues may be resolved. Feel free to appreciate the staff with your kind words at any time

Please text/email Janice to notify us of any absents. It is greatly appreciated if we know the reason why your child will not be in attendance. Please try to give us notice in advance if you are taking vacation so we can do any needed tasks in a timely manner or adjust prep as needed. We will need to take different action if your child is on vacation than if your child has chicken pox.

Yes, if you wish to volunteer with the school, you will need a criminal record check with vulnerable sector search. Please ask for a volunteer letter to take with you to the police station. Please get your letter early and take it in so that you don’t miss something you wish you could have attended. It is good for the whole school year. Please keep in mind that volunteering is not mandatory and the fees for the criminal record check are your own responsibility.

Yes, we have preschool screenings through Learning Potential Foundation to determine if any of the children may benefit from assistance. I encourage each child to have these preschool screenings to ensure we are on track with our development. The initial screening takes an average of 15 mins and if any further assessments with our Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist are suggested, we will let you know. Please note that it is recommended to participate in preschool screenings, but not required, and your written permission is needed for us to screen and/or assess your child. Your participation is voluntary and you can decline at any time.
All of the preschool screenings and any assistance given is free for families and is fully covered by AB Education. The goal is NOT to label your child but to give them as much success as possible before they enter Kindergarten.
If you have already been assessed before coming to preschool, and your family already works with an agency, please let Janice Otchere know your agency name and share contact info so we can put a plan into place for your child. We have worked with multiple agencies before and we want to ensure you choose the agency that best suits your child’s needs and your family’s wishes.

Each month we prepare the children for the rare chance that there will be an emergency. To ensure preparation for a true emergency, nobody will know when the drills will occur, except, of course, the teachers who are running the drill. We have the staff and children form a line and head to their designated exits. We do roll call as well. During the winter months, we do not go outside but when it is nice out, we may take the children to a grassy area just outside the back path (our muster point is around the outside of the back fence and on the pathway there). Each time, we reinforce certain important factors, for example, “you are more important than your things”; “things are replaceable, but I can’t get a new you”; “Listen while we are going so that you can hear where the fire is”, etc.
Each year in the 3 – 5 yr old classes, we have the firefighters visit the school and gear up so children feel comfortable going to the firemen in the event they ever experience a real fire. We teach the children about “Stop, drop, cover your face, and roll”; “Crawl low under smoke”; “Firefighters are your friend”; and “Kids toys vs adult tools” (i.e. matches/lighters, power drills are for adults only). The firefighters talk with the children and then we all get a chance to explore the firetruck.

Licensing makes an average of 2 visits per year. These visits are generally unannounced and licensing shows up at any time. They may spend time speaking to staff and searching through files at any time. They ensure that all safety and licensing standards are being observed at all times.

The health inspector makes unannounced visits as they deem fit to ensures all safety and health standards are being kept. They look through cleaning records, check for possible hazards, check cleaning solutions, etc.

King’s Kids Preschool is a separate entity from the church and the preschool rents the space. We are not affiliated with the church and do not include religious programming in our preschool programs.

If you do have a question or concern that was not answered here, please feel free to contact Janice Otchere either by calling the office at (403)945-5206 or via email at kkpi.director@gmail.com. Our preschool website is at kkpreschool.net and our Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/kkpi2011/