POLICY AND PROCEDURES HANDBOOK/CONTRACT
- "NEW STUDENT" SIGN UP INFORMATION
- DISCIPLINE - SCHOOL UNIFORMS
- SEPARATION ANXIETY
- NATIONAL HOLIDAYS & STUDENT/TEACHER VACATION ALLOWANCE
- TOILET TRAINING - BIRTHDAY PARTIES
- HEALTH SYMPTOMS REQUIRING THE REMOVAL OF A CHILD & ABSENSES
- TERMINATION POLICY - REVISIONS TO THIS HANDBOOK
- OPEN DOOR POLICY - VOLUNTEERING - VISITOR OBSERVATIONS
"NEW STUDENT" SIGN UP INFORMATION
NEW STUDENTS TRIAL WEEK:
We accept children on a one week (5 day) trial period.
REGISTRATION FEES:
A $50 non-refundable registration fee will be charged upon
registration of each child.
TWO WEEKS DEPOSIT:
Also a two weeks deposit is needed at sign up to be used towards
your child's last two weeks of care, whenever that may be down
the road. If any rate changes have been made from the time your
child starts, the difference Will need to be met. This deposit
is refundable if you terinate care during the one week trial
period.
TUITION DUE DATES:
Weeklies (contracted to pay weekly) are due each week by Friday
no later than 7pm. There is a $10/day late fee for each day it is
late per child. If due dates fall on a holiday or a weekend,
tuition will be due the last business day BEFORE the holiday
occurs. The teacher may terminate this contract with no
notice and the deposit will be forfeited if payments are not made
on or before the 3rd late day or if checks are returned more than
one time. Late fees will still be added on until all the
payments are made. Tuition rates are subject to change.
LATE PICK UPS:
Business hours are 8:50am to 11:50 am. If for any reason you are
late picking up your child you have a window of 10 minutes late
time where you will not be charged. After this time late
charges will be $1/minute. The late fee is due immediately.
Please make arrangements to have your designated person pick up
your child if you cannot make it before closing hours.
NON-SUFFICIENT CHECKS:
The school may terminate this contract with no notice and the
deposit will be forfeited if checks are returned more than one
time. In addition to the actual amount of the returned item
{NSF/UCF etc.} there will be a $25.00 fee.
TWO WEEKS NOTICE OF TERMINATION:
If at the end of the trial period We feel the need to terminate
the contract, We may do so without a two week notice. You may
also do so at this time, but it must be on or before the fifth
working day.
After the fifth day, a two week notice must be given by the
parent or teacher in the event one decides to withdraw you child
or terminate services.
If you wish to terminate care you must give us notification in
writing, your two week notice will only go into effect from the
day we receive the written notification. Registation fee is non-
refundable.
DISCIPLINE - SCHOOL UNIFORMS
DISCIPLINE:
We maintain a positive discipline policy, which focuses on
prevention, redirection, love, consistency and firmness. We
stress two main patterns of behavior: respect for other people
and respect for property.
The children are explained the rules frequently, so they are
all familiar with them. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE WILL BE
DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN CHILDREN. YOUNG CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY, WHO
ARE NOT ADEPT AT COMMUNICATION, HAVE A HARD TIME EXPRESSING THEIR
FEELINGS. We will try to prevent problems, redirect when
appropriate, discuss inappropriate behavior, encourage making
amends when offense involves another person, and sometimes
withdraw privileges based on the principle of "natural
consequences". Taking a break is only used as the last form of
discipline if the child is continuously not co-operating and only
after all the above has been tried. My goal is to teach and not
spend all the time of my 3 hr program disciplining your child.
This is your job.
HOWEVER, in the case of something dangerous like hitting, biting
etc.. or he/she does something that poses a threat to himself or
others after already receiving a warning, this is handled
immediately. IN THIS CASE THE CHILD WILL HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK
IMMEDATELY AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE CHILDREN
TO PROTECT THEM. A PARENT WILL BE CALLED TO COME PICK UP THEIR
CHILD IF THIS IS A CONSISTENT BEHAVIORiAL ISSUE. I have never had
parent involvement not work to be the best route for dealing with
discipline issues. We work as a team and it always works.
UNIFORMS
Our uniforms are mandatory. Children arriving without their
uniforms will be sent home. Only uniforms designated by will be
accepted. No exceptions.
SEPARATION ANXIETY
SEPARATION ANXIETY:
It is normal for children to have difficulty separating from
parents, they
may cry, scream or kick when dropping off. Please make your drop
off brief,
the longer you prolong the departure, the harder it gets. When
you get to
school say goodbye to your child in the greeting area and
depending on the
age, hand your child over or lift your child directly to the
teacher.
If you need more time saying goodbye then spend a little extra
time talking
with your child before arriving letting them know what to
expect. Remember
when children see or sense your worry it creates a deep
insecurity in them.
Parents dropping a child off have to be good actors. Always,
give a smile ,
cheerful good-by kiss, and a reassuring word that "you will be
back" no
matter how you feel. Your inner strength and positive attitude
towards
us will set the tone of your childs day and attitude after he has
stopped crying and settled in. Typically a child will cry for a
few minutes
and then is distracted with games, materials and the whole fun of
preschool.
The first couple of weeks children may plea and beg to not go to
our program.
This is their way of resisting change. Usually this separation
anxiety is a
battle to get their life back to the same old schedule they where
used to
before. You must show a re-assuring front so that you can instill
confidence
in your child during this difficult time. There are always
looking at Mom
and/or Dad for re-assurance. If you don't go through it now, you
will
eventually. Not only are you setting your child to be prepared
academically
but also emotionally, socially and mentally. This is one hurdle
that once
accomplished will give your child a real boost in their
confidence before
being thrust into the "BIG SCHOOL".
There are other parents here that have gone through it and are
ready to
support you and talk to you. Those parents will tell you some
funny stories
about how their children are now. eg. Having to physically carry
them off
the playground because they don't want to leave. Remember to
communicate
frequently with the school and talk to us about any concerns you
might
have. We are here for "YOU" to help you through it.
There are no stupid
questions. We are all parents here and we will get you through it.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS & STUDENT/TEACHER VACATION ALLOWANCE
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS:
The following is a list of the paid holidays that we will be
taking
each year.
Martin Luther King Jr.
President's Day
Easter Holiday
Memorial Day
July 4
Labor Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Holiday (Thurs & Fri)
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
New Years Eve and New Years Day
These holidays are paid holidays. If a holiday falls on a
weekend we will
take the friday before and/or the Monday after as a paid
holiday. Notice
will be given by our bulletin board. If a holiday falls during a
teachers annual 2 week vacation time, teachers reserve the right
to take an
equal day of paid vacation during the year. Please make sure to
check this
board daily for notices when you are signing in and out. This is
your
responsibility. Occasionally, we may need to take a day off for
appointments, training or conferences. We will try to schedule
these days as
far in advance as possible so that you can arrange other care for
your child.
STUDENT & TEACHER VACATION:
Students & Head Teacher may take one week paid vacation per year,
providing that
we give each other 2 weeks advance notice and the days are taken
consecutively. If
we receive less than two weeks notice the parent is
required to pay
the tuition for that week. Payment will be required for students
for any
other time off.
TOILET TRAINING - BIRTHDAY PARTIES
TOILET TRAINING:
The child must be kept in pull-ups at all times until your child
can and
does announce that (s)he must use the bathroom and can control
his/her
bladder for a few minutes beyond that announcement regularly.
When your
child consistently has a dry pull-up the school will ask you to
bring them
in underwear. During toilet training, you must bring your child
in "user
friendly" clothing, eg. dresses and elastic waist shorts. Your
cooperation
is crucial during this delicate time and your child's success
depends on
it. "They and not you or the school will dictate when they are
ready"
BIRTHDAY PARTIES:
We allow small birthday parties with advance notice. They
typically run
approx. no more than 30 minutes. All food is to be store bought.
Parents
need to supply all paper supplies for easy clean-up. Clowns
etc... are
allowed depending on advance notice/how long it will take/our
schedule
that week/planning a space in our teaching day. An organized
party is
usually the most fun.
HEALTH SYMPTOMS REQUIRING THE REMOVAL OF A CHILD & ABSENSES
FEVER:
Fever is defined as having a temperature of 100 degrees farenheit
or
higher. A child needs to be fever free for a minimum of 24 hours
before
returning to our program, WITHOUT THE AID OF TYLENOL OR ANY OTHER
FEVER REDUCING
SUBSTANCE. You will be called to pick up your child should a
fever occur.
ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS:
Sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability,
listlessness,
confusion, not participating in program.
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Hacking or continuous coughing.
Runny nose (other than clear), draining eyes or ears.
Frequent scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other
spots that
resemble childhood diseases, including ringworm.
Child is irritable, continuously crying, or requires more
attention that we
can provide without affecting the health, safety or well-being of
the other
children in our care.
NOTE: We will not accept parents diagnosis of their children as
regulated by the Health department of Social Services. You will
always be
asked for a doctor's note before your child can return.When the
note is being completed by a nurse or Dr.'s Asst.
please specify illness and exact date of when the child can
safely return. If illness is not specified, we may ask you to
have your Doctor or
Dr's office contact the school before your child can return to
school.
Teachers for the most part are educated in common childhood
diseases and
most times can recognize the signs.
ABSENCES:
Payment obligation is based on the days and hours you agree to
use the childcare, not on actual hours of attendance. There is
no refund for your
childs absence. There will be no refunds or adjustments made for
days
missed due to illness, holidays, or days off. A place has been
reserved for
each child that cannot be filled on a short term basis. If we do
not receive
tuition for the time your child is out, your two week notice will
be in
effect along with your deposit from when payment was due. Your
childs slot
in the school will also go the the next child on the waiting list.
TERMINATION POLICY - REVISIONS TO THIS HANDBOOK
TERMINATION POLICY:
Failure to pay
Failure to complete the required forms
Lack of parental cooperation
Our childcare & parents unable to meet each others needs,
resulting in a breakdown
in communication that would always end up not benefiting the
child.
Failure of child to adjust to us after a reasonable amount of time
Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property
Failure to comply with any/and all requirements stated within our
policy
and procedures Handbook.
Our inability to meet the child's needs
Lack of compliance with handbook regulations
Serious illness of child or provider
It is recognised that our childcare reserves the right to dismiss
child if and
when, in our opinion, his/her presence is judged to
be detrimental to the welfare of the us or any person. Failure
to pay
the TUITION PAYMENT OBLIGATION as indicated by this handbook and
the
Agreement is grounds for dismissal.
In cases of academic, discipline, or payment problems (tuition or
late
fees), we reserve the absolute right to dis-enroll child or to
dismiss the child. NO refund of tuition or fees will be made for
the
withdrawal, dismissal, or absence of a student during the year.
Our childcare at its sole discretion, may terminate this
Agreement upon two week
written notice to parent. Parent is also required to give a full
two weeks
notice. Your pre-paid deposit will be used for the last two
weeks of care
whether your child attends or not.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS
Please note that we do not have a religious affilitation with any
religion. All faiths are welcome. The children practice a
simple prayer
saying thank you to "God" after they eat.
REVISIONS TO THIS HANDBOOK:
We reserve the right to make changes in rates and/or policies in
this
handbook or our contracts as we deem necessary. You will be
notified in
writing of any changes that may occur and be asked to sign the
revisions.
Parents are required to sign/initial on the childcare contract
that they have read all of our police and procedure handbook
online.
OPEN DOOR POLICY - VOLUNTEERING - VISITOR OBSERVATIONS
OPEN DOOR POLICY:
We maintain an open door policy for parents during school hours.
This means
that parents are always welcome to call or drop in to see their
children.
We would appreciate your taking into consideration our
schedule when dropping in and remember that your presence might
cause the
children to react in an excited manner eg. sometimes running wild
or not
listening to either the visiting parent or teacher. Chaos like
this creates
interference with our structured teaching schedule. When you
arrive we will
immediately send your child out to spend time with you at the
greeting area.
That way there will be minimal distraction in the other childrens
teaching
program. If your visit causes your child to not want to
participate further
with our activities, you will be obligated to bring your child
with you.
If you would like to stay longer, your childs teacher will
schedule a time
for you to come in and volunteer and be part of our school. We
would love to
have you.
VOLUNTEERING:
All parents who would like to volunteer and assist the teacher
must let her
know in advance and she will schedule you on the volunteer
calendar.
Volunteers must try to focus equally on all children not just
their own and
never reprimand children. You are there to help with the overall
running of
the our program. You will be advised in advance as to where your
assistance will
be needed. Your own child must be able to behave well when you
are
volunteering. It is good to talk to them that morning before you
volunteer
and let them know that you are coming in to help the teacher. Go
over the
rules and consequences of not behaving while you are there eg.
mommy not
being able to come in and help and having to leave with him/her
and come
back another day. It should be a positive experience for
you/your child &
the teachers. If it doesn't work the first time don't be
discouraged we will
try again. Volunteering does not start until your child has been
in school
one month to allow them time to settle into the school.
VISITOR OBSERVATIONS:
Visitors whose children are not enrolled in the program and wish
to
observe are welcome. They need to remain only in the area
designated by the
teacher. Even though you may not be well seen, children usually
know about
your presence and it generally does not allow them to behave in a
normal way
as opposed to when they are not being observed. You may observe
for a
period of 15 minutes. Any longer than this you need to be
enrolled and
signed up in our school and involved in our volunteer program.