The Great Start Readiness Program

**Our Classroom Welcome Letter are available in both Arabic and Spanish**

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is Michigan’s state-funded preschool for eligible four-year-old children with a focus on supporting children’s development of school readiness skills. The program is funded and administered by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Great Start (OGS). Research on preschool programs and specific research on GSRP indicates that children provided with a high-quality preschool experience show significant positive developmental differences when compared to children from the same backgrounds who did not attend a high-quality preschool program.

Program Atmosphere

We feel that your child’s experiences at our Center should be happy and rewarding ones.  We know that your child is a unique individual and should be treated as such.  We believe that equipment alone does not make a learning center and we therefore entrust our teachers with creating a warm, loving, and teaching atmosphere for all children. Each classroom has its own daily schedule which is conducive to the ages of its children.

Program Overview

  • We utilize the Creative Curriculum which is an early childhood curriculum that builds children’s confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills through hands-on project-based investigations.

  • We utilize the Ages and Stages Questionairre (ASQ) developmental screening at a minimum of twice a year monitor your child’s development.

  • We utilize the GOLD assessment tool which will enable teachers to capture observations in the moment therefore understanding each child’s needs and further strengthening family partnerships.

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Program Closures

We are closed for the following holidays or in observance of those holidays:

Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Election Day (only Presidential Election)

We are also closed for the following days (these dates change yearly and are specified in the enrollment forms) :

At least two Professional Development Days* and Spring Break*

Center closures are limited, but do occur. In the event the Center will be closed, you will receive a text message via the Tadpoles texting system and /or email. Tuition is still charged for these days as we compensate staff . The days denoted with a (*) will not be charged tuition at this time.

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Arrival Criteria

Little Jungle requires students to be clocked in by 8:30 am. If an unforeseen circumstance does arise and a student cannot be in by 8:30 am, please notify your child’s teacher through Brightwheel. Entry to the parking lot before 8:30 am is off of Russell and the exit is on Euclid. Gates close at 8:30 am and should not be reopened by parents. There is a single gate on each side of the larger gates to enter when the larger gates are closed.

Staff Requirements

In compliance with licensing rule 400.5102, dictated by the State of Michigan Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, Little Jungle Network has in place a written screening policy which includes, but is not limited to, subjecting employees to: criminal background checks, abuse and neglect checks, driving record checks, medical clearances (including TB tests), drug testings and reference checks. All teachers must also yearly sign the Child Protection Law Acknowledgment and keep the following trainings current: 24 annual clock hours, adult/child/infant CPR, first aid, blood borne pathogen, safe sleep and shaken baby syndrome.