The Cyert Center Welcoming Process
Aside from the necessary paperwork and other onboarding requirements, the Cyert Center Welcoming Process for new families is primarily outlined in the information below.
At the Cyert Center, it is our hope to make every family feel supported and welcomed as they join our community. Our Welcoming Process is designed to foster trust, understanding, and strong connections between families, educators, and children. From orientation meetings and resource guides to one-on-one family exchanges, we strive to ensure that families are equipped with the information they need to feel confident in their child’s transition. For our youngest learners, the process is especially thoughtful, taking a gradual and personalized approach to ease infants into their new environment. This intentional approach helps lay a strong foundation for lasting relationships, ensuring that each child and family thrives in their new classroom community.
Preparing for your Child's First Day
The following are resources and procedures designed to provide families with essential information, introduce them to educators and classmates, and ensure a smooth transition for their child as they prepare to transition into the Cyert Center community.
Classroom Resource Guide
The purpose of the Classroom Resource Guide is to familiarize families with the specific routines, spaces, and procedures of their child’s classroom. Guides will be distributed to families prior to their Age Group Welcome and Orientation Meeting.
Age Group Welcome and Orientation Meeting
This meeting is an opportunity to meet other families and members of our staff. Prior to the meeting, we distribute the Classroom Resource Guide, which includes essential information and an overview of classroom systems. This should address many questions regarding classroom routines.
Family Exchange Form
Families complete and submit the electronic form prior to meeting with Educators at their Family/Educator Exchange Meeting. When completing this form, families will share information related to identity and culture, as well as information about their child’s personality and disposition, development, feeding habits, napping habits, and health.
Family/Educator Exchange Meeting
During the Exchange Meeting, families discuss information shared in their completed Family Exchange Form with Educators, and take the opportunity to share more about the classroom.
Classroom Visit and Supply Drop-Off
For families joining the Center at the beginning of the program year, the classroom visit and supply drop-off is an opportunity to say hello and set up the child’s cubby and other personal classroom spaces with their belongings prior to the first day. For families joining outside of the month of August, classroom educational teams will reach out to make alternate arrangements.
Your Child's First Days at the Cyert Center
The Welcoming Process is our system for transitioning children and families into the Center at the start of the new program year. Specifically, the process for infants has been designed to ensure a smooth and gradual transition from parents to educators for basic care needs. This approach allows children, parents, and educators to build relationships over time, establishing a foundation of trust and communication.
The Infant Process
The welcoming process at the Cyert Center is a gradual transition inspired by the Inserimento approach from Reggio Emilia. It focuses on building strong relationships between the child, family, and educators to foster comfort and security. The process begins with a one-on-one meeting between the family and an educator to set expectations and build rapport.
The child's entry into the center progresses over several days through a process that we call Welcome Week: the first two days involve a parent accompanying the child for four-hour visits, the third and fourth days extend to six hours without the parent, and by the fifth day, the child stays for a full eight-hour day. By the second week, the child follows a typical daily schedule.
While the center encourages the gradual transition, flexibility is offered to accommodate parents' schedules, such as allowing a grandparent to join the child during the first week. Families are not required to strictly follow the process, and educators work closely with parents to ensure a smooth and supportive transition.
The Toddler, Preschool, Prekindergarten, & Pre-K/Kindergarten Process
After a family accepts a spot in a toddler, preschool, prekindergarten, or pre-k/kindergarten classroom, they receive a welcome letter from the educator team and schedule an information-gathering meeting to share details about the child and classroom. This initial meeting kicks off a dialogue and relationship-building process, where educators and parents discuss the best ways to welcome the child, plan the child’s first days, and schedule classroom visits. Like in the infant classrooms, parents are encouraged to spend time with their children in the classroom, and daily communication is emphasized to share updates on the child’s day. If needed, longer exchanges can be arranged for more in-depth discussions.