The Bluebonnet facility and grounds are locked and entry is gained only by a unique code for each parent and employee.
We go the extra mile where safety is concerned. The facility is monitored by an alarm company 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the front desk is equipped with a panic button that, when pushed, will bring the police in a few short minutes. Telephones are in each classroom for easy communication with parents and for emergencies. All teachers are trained in first-aid and CPR.
Additionally, fire and storm drills are practiced on a regular basis and each school has an alternate evacuation site close to the facility for use in case there is a need to evacuate the building for a long period of time.
Bluebonnet of Cedar Park has incorporated into its building a special reinforced storm room large enough for all children and staff in case of strong winds. This room is equipped with steel shutters and a steel door, battery-powered lighting, reinforced ceilings and extra strong walls bolted to the foundation. We are proud to say that this room was built based on a design developed by Texas Tech University and commissioned by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
Bluebonnet School is accredited by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), which is widely recognized as the “gold standard” of national preschool accreditations. Our voluntary accreditation means that both Bluebonnet schools follow higher standards in our operations than those required by our state licensing with Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Our school has an open door policy and we welcome parents to visit at any time. We also encourage parents to visit the classroom with your child for short periods of time, if possible, during the transition time into the new classroom. In addition, Bluebonnet hosts special events that parents are encouraged to attend throughout the year.
Our teachers and administrators encourage two-way communication with parents. In fact, we depend upon it to give your child and family the best experience possible.
Bluebonnet maintains strong lines of communication with parents in several ways. Phones are in every room enabling you to speak with the teacher. Parents of all enrolled children have digital access to view the child’s classroom through WatchMeGrow, a secure Internet viewing system available to our families at no extra charge.
We also utilize a digital app called Tadpoles through which parents receive personal messages and photos from the teacher, as well as menus, lesson plans and other information about school operations.
One-on-one, face-to-face parent/teacher conferences are offered several times a year giving parent and teacher the opportunity to meet and share information about each individual child. Of course, if you would like to set up a special meeting, it can be arranged at a time convenient for both teacher and parents. In addition, the Bluebonnet School Parent Handbook gives parents much more detailed information about our operations, programs and safety procedures.
Our optional enrichment classes are a convenience for parents, allowing children to take advantage of these classes during the week while at Bluebonnet. Specific classes available may vary by season and availability of our teachers. Swim lessons in our onsite pool are taught in two-week sessions during the summer. Offered are, classes in chess, piano, ukulele and guitar taught by our resident music teacher.
Programs are offered by carefully vetted outside vendors such as swim lessons , gymnastics, dance class, chess, socccer, and others. Payment is made directly to these vendors. Ask the front desk for a list of current enrichment providers.
Music is very much a part of the classroom routine at Bluebonnet. Songs and recorded music are frequently part of each teacher’s planned activities. Also, classical music is played daily throughout the building.
We recognize the importance of music to a child’s development and our on-staff music teacher visits all of our preschool children each week. Depending on the age of the child, these kids learn well-known songs, make their own music and learn about different rhythms and music from many cultures. Music and its rhythmic patterns are recognized as building blocks to learning math; while learning and repeating the song lyrics strengthens language skills.
Beginning with our two-year-old toddler classes, all our preschool children are given a Spanish immersion experience several times a week led by our on-staff, native-Spanish-speaking teacher. Children are taught songs, conversational phrases and games in Spanish. Children under the age of five are in a stage of brain development, which makes their brains particularly adept at learning different languages.
At Bluebonnet, we often enroll children who are not native English speakers. In these cases, part of Bluebonnet’s protocol is to request words from the parents the child understands for basic needs, if the teacher does not speak their native language. Bluebonnet’s staff is multicultural and it may be possible for us to provide the child or family with a translator for easier communication. Children are adept at learning new languages, and are far more able to learn in a short time than adults.
The price of meals is included in the tuition. At Bluebonnet School we are very conscious that nutritious foods enhance the performance and good health of your child. Our food program emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and a balanced selection from all food groups is served. In addition to lunch, children are provided a snack in the morning and in the afternoon. All meals and snacks are prepared in our commercial kitchen by our own on-site cook. Bluebonnet will work with any dietary restrictions to the best of our ability. For example, we serve a vegetarian menu to our vegetarian children and to avoid the complications and dangers of nut allergies, we provide a nut-free environment.
Infant bottles and baby food is provided by parents, and, as children begin to enjoy table food, parents and teachers work together to choose appropriate foods from our regular menus. Our kitchen provides menu items that are appropriate for the older infant and toddler palate.
We believe that appropriate discipline involves teaching a child what is expected. With this in mind, redirection and positive reinforcement are used in the classroom. Discipline is tailored to the individual needs of the child. In order to teach appropriate behaviors, our teachers often use positive language and visual cues.
WatchMeGrow handles the enrollment, technical support and the encryption for our secure internet viewing system. Cameras are mounted in most rooms, enabling the viewer to see the classroom from different angles. This free service is live-action, so you’re seeing what the children are doing while they are doing it. Additionally, with the WatchMeGrow app, internet viewing is accessible through your mobile devices.
The privilege of viewing Bluebonnet classrooms over the internet is limited only to those people approved by the enrolling parent. Several accounts per child may be set up, enabling parents, relatives, grandparents and others who parents choose, may view the child’s classroom independently.
To get onto the system, a parent of an enrolled child first signs up by registering on WatchMeGrow.com WatchMeGrow then e-mails Bluebonnet, confirming that this is a valid request, and then we respond to WatchMeGrow as to which classrooms the family should have access.