Parent's Handbook

Dear Parents:

Welcome to Bear Garden Christian Preschool! This handbook is created to make the stay of your child at our school safer and more enjoyable. Please read through each item carefully. Your cooperation in the matters mentioned in this handbook will be highly appreciated and will ensure a fruitful year for your precious child! Thank you very much in advance!

Location:  Bear Garden Christian Preschool is located at:

11930 Vallejo Drive, Saratoga , CA 95070 (near Westgate Mall)

Phone Number: 408.406.4539

Programs:

Bear Garden offers two-day (Tuesdays and Thursdays), three-day (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and five-day programs, with the open hours of 9:00 am - 5:00 pm daily.  Summer camp dates vary each year.

Starting in mid-August, 2026, Bear Garden will offer only one program with  the opening hours of 9:00 am - 2:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Admissions:

Your child needs to be at least 2.5-year-old in order to attend our preschool. However, chronological age is not the absolute criterion, as many children are still not ready to leave their parents even at the age of three. This will be determined at the initial interview and in the child’s first month of school. Priority is given to the siblings of current and alumni Bear Garden families. Further selection of children and families is based on our commitment to balance our school by age, gender and cultural diversity. A child, who meets the requirements for admission, shall not be excluded from enrollment because of race, color, sex or religion.

Potty-training:

Preferably a child is potty-trained. However, if not, we will work with parents to train the child with a small added fee. 

Tuition Payments:

Monthly payment is due on the first day of the class in each month, from mid-August to June. One-month advance notice is required for termination of the enrollment. There is a one-month deposit at the time of registration, which will be applied to the child’s account as his/her credit in the January of the following year. The tuition of each program is listed as follows: 

Programs and Monthly Payment 

1) 2-day (Tu, Thur)                $860

2) 3-day (Mon, Wed, Fri)      $1200

3) 5-day (Mon -  Fri)             $1700

 Communication: 

Communication is the best method to avoid misunderstanding. For this reason, the teachers are more than happy to answer your questions, discuss your ideas or concerns and do whatever we can to find solutions to problems involving your child either at home or school. You can e-mail me at beargarden4kids@gmail.com, use our Contact Us page, or set up an appointment that is convenient for both of us. 

Health Policy: 

An immunization record is required at the first day of the school. If you suspect your child has contracted a communicable disease, please do not send her to the class. Once a child shows symptoms of sickness in the class, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., the child will be isolated at once, and parents or an authorized adult will be informed and expected to pick up the child within 30 minutes. After your child is 24 hour fever-free without taking any fever-reducing medicine, she is welcome back to the school. 

Arrival for Class: 

Please TRY YOUR VERY BEST to help your child arrive at school ON TIME! Punctuality is a good character trait that will benefit her all her life!

Pick-up Time after Class: 

Please pick up your child no later than the appointed dismissal time. A child can become very anxious and panicky after being left alone, without knowing when her parents will come. To ensure your child’s safety, she cannot be released to other child’s parent unless the parent has your permission. 

Absence: 

Please notify the teachers as soon as possible when your child cannot attend the school for any reason. To simplify the administration work, there is no refund/makeup for your child’s absence. A child's long-term absence can also cause problems for her and other children in adjusting their behaviors. Therefore, please try not to arrange any vacation during the school days.

Birthdays: 

We do celebrate your child’s birthday because, for her, it is the most important day in the year. However, instead of giving gift, we emphasize on how unique the child is and how much we love her. The celebration is held right before lunchtime or before the dismissal. Please let us know your decision when the event is coming up, so we can plan accordingly. Since we are a nut-free school, please make sure all the food you bring to share contains no nuts. 

Fire Drills and Earthquake Drills: 

Fire drills and earthquake drills will be held periodically, as required by the Licensing Department of Social Services. These drills are carried out in a calm and orderly manner. Please talk to your children at home about these practices to ease their possible anxiety.

Show and Tell: 

Show and tell items can be brought in any day and can be shown at Show and Tell time. The items should be educational, such as books, hobby collectibles, something the child has made, or the music instrument the child likes to perform for us. Try NOT to bring TOYS, please!

Toys: 

Please leave toys at home as we have enough toys for the children to play at school. Toys are easily lost or broken if they are brought to school and very often create problems when the owner of the toys is not willing to share with other children. 

Extra Clothes: 

Please prepare an extra set of clothes to be kept at the child's backpack or at our school whichever way you prefer. 

Discipline Policy: 

As I always believe that there are no bad children, but only lost children who need love. At the beginning of the school year, I explain classroom rules a few times to the children and request them to follow. When the rules are violated on purpose, first, I talk to the child. If no improvement shows, then a time-out is used, and at the same time I assure the child that I love her very much and want to bring out the best in her. Meanwhile, I’ll report to the child’s parents to seek mutual understanding and collaboration to reinforce some boundaries both at home and at school, because consistency is very important in helping a child to learn and grow.

Medication Policy: 

No medication will be administered at our school. Should your child need it, please give it to your child before or after school. 

Picture Policy: 

To respect each precious child’s privacy, Bear Garden will never put children’s photos in any public listing. Your written permission will be surely inquired if any photo of your child will be needed for website update in the future.