The Policies and Procedures contained in this Parent
Handbook have been developed and issued to ensure the safest, most nurturing
environment for the children in our care. Our ultimate goal is to help your
child develop mentally, physically, and spiritually to the best of his/her
ability. We feel it is vitally important to your child's well-being that you
know these Policies and Procedures and agree to abide by them. Together we will work to make your child's
experience with us a positive, successful one.
Failure to comply with these Policies and Procedures could result in the
immediate removal of your child from the Center's roster. For the convenience of our parents, we have
an information board located in the main lobby. Parents should review this board daily for
menu changes, schedule changes, closings, and amendments to this Parent
Handbook.
OPEN DOOR POLICY
Our Center maintains an Open Door Policy, which
means you are welcome to stop by any time during normal operating hours without
prior notice. We encourage our parents
to visit us, ask questions, and make suggestions. Communication is the key to your child's
success. If you would like a personal conference with your child's teacher or
the Center Director, it is suggested you make an appointment to ensure the
teacher and/or Center Director has ample staff to cover their absence in the classroom. Please remember, our teachers are responsible
for all the children in their care.
UPDATING FILES & PERSONAL
INFORMATION
On the Enrollment Form you will be asked to supply
personal information to the Center concerning your child and the household of
the child. This information is kept
strictly confidential, unless otherwise restricted by State Law. This information is used to aid the teacher
in making your child's stay at the Center a pleasant experience. Parents refusing to supply personal information
may be refused admission of their child, unless otherwise discussed and
approved by the Center Director.
Furthermore, it is the parents' responsibility to make sure their
child's file is updated regularly. If
there are changes to your child's family life, such as changes in contact
numbers, addresses, living arrangements, parents new work information, divorce,
or death in the family, please complete a Personal Information Update
form. These forms are located in the
main lobby. Once an updated form is
completed, you may give this form to your child's teacher or the Center
Director.
APPLICATION & REGISTRATION
PROCESS
All parents are required to take a short tour of the
Center's premises before an Enrollment Form will be issued; you are encouraged
to bring your child with you during this visit.
This tour allows you to get a first hand look at our Center's premises
and meet our staff. Please feel free to
ask questions and/or make suggestions during your tour. Hours, fees, policies, and procedures
will be discussed with you at this time. It is suggested, but not required, you make
an
appointment for this visit. This will ensure the Director is available
for your visit. After completing the
tour, you may obtain an Enrollment Form for your child. This form must be completed and signed by one
or both parents. It should be returned
to the Center along with all fees before we can add your child to our Center's
roster. Parents must review this Parent
Handbook and sign a Parent/Provider Contract before we can accept any of your
children into our Center's care.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Parents are responsible for keeping their child
current on all immunizations required by State Law. All immunizations must be up to date prior to
your child's admittance into the Center's care.
Parents are also responsible for updating their child's files after each
inoculation. Failure to provide the
Center with current information will result in your child's removal from the
Center's roster and will prohibit the Center from accepting your child into
care. This is required by State law and
is NOT optional. Please note that the
appropriate state required form must be used.
These forms may be obtained from your child's doctor or the Health
Department.
GENERAL HEALTH & SICKNESS
For the safety of all children in the Center, only
children who are free of any communicable disease will be admitted in the
Center. This policy is necessary for the
protection of all our children. Should
your child become ill during the day, you will be notified and expected to pick
up your child within one hour. Your
child should be free of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours
before returning to the Center. If your
child is ill enough to take to the doctor or has a communicable disease such as
pink eye, chicken pox, etc. a doctor's note will be required stating when the
child can return to the Center without posing a health risk to other
children. Your child's teacher and/or
the Center Director will determine daily acceptance of your child into the
Center. The Center reserves the right
to deny any child into the Center's care if we feel there is a possible health
risk to other children.
REGULARITY OF ATTENDANCE
Children are expected to attend the Center on a regular
basis as a space is reserved for your child.
Should your child be unable to attend the center for any reason, it is
your responsibility to notify us as soon as possible so we may adjust our plans
according to the number of children we have in our care. We request you give us a two-week notice if
for any reason you wish to remove your child from the Center's roster and care.
Also, you must file an enrollment termination form with the front desk.
EMERGENCY PLAN
In the event of an emergency such as severe weather
or fire, the Center will follow the plans posted on the Parent Board located in
the main lobby. When danger has passed,
parents will be notified of the safety of the children via telephone. Please do not call the Center! We will be busy caring for the safety and
well being of the children and will need the phone lines to remain open and
free.
In case of serious injury, the child will be made
comfortable until emergency personnel arrives, during which time the parents
shall be notified and directed as to where the child is to be/has been taken.
In case of a lost child, the police will be notified
immediately and all available staff will immediately begin a search for the
missing child.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event of inclement weather, the Center
reserves the right to close or remain open.
Parents should watch the local T.V. stations (3, 9, or 12) to see if the
Center has closed during times of inclement weather. Fees for services during inclement weather
periods will not be reduced, refunded, and/or credited, unless otherwise
decided by the Center Director.
DISCIPLINE
Our center believes in constructive discipline
methods to maintain control of the children in the Center. Under no circumstances will the use of any
physical punishment and/or any punishment that is shaming, demeaning,
humiliating, or frightening to your child be allowed in our Center at any
time. This includes parents disciplining
their own child while on the Center's premises.
REMOVAL
If your child's teacher or any other member of the
Center's staff determines your child's behavior has made a negative impact on
the classroom environment, you will be contacted to discuss the
problem(s). If your child's behavior
continues to have a severe negative impact on the classroom environment, you
will be asked to remove your child from the Center. Your child will be removed
from the Center's roster and will not be accepted back into the Center's
care. If your child's behavior endangers
his/her life or any other person in the Center, you will be asked to remove
your child immediately from the Center's premises. If you cannot be reached, please be assured
the Center will do everything possible to ensure the well-being of your child
and the other children in the Center's care until you arrive.
We understand children experience phases in their
childhood and may go through stages of kicking, hitting, pulling hair,
etc. We are willing to work with parents
on these matters; however, these guidelines must be set to ensure the safety of
all children in the Center's care. Communication is the key to your child's
success.
With more severe behavior such as biting, we have a
different policy. If a child bites three
times in the course of the day, that child must go home. If the behavior
persists for more than three days, the child is suspended for a week. If this
does not work, we will ask that you remove your child from our care.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
Our hours of operation are set. We will not accept children into care before
6:30 a.m. All children must be picked up
at the Center no later than 6:00 p.m.
There will be a $15.00 per fifteen minute, per child Late Pick Up fee
assessed for any child not picked up at the Center by 6:00 p.m. This fee must be paid when picking up your
child.
Also, we request your child be brought to the center
no later than 10:00 a.m. A later time
disrupts the daily schedule, play times, lunch times and nap times. No child will be permitted during nap time
hours. Breakfast is served between 8:00
- 8:30; lunch between 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
Every day upon arrival, you must escort your child
to their assigned classroom. You must
sign your child in at their classroom (using full names!) Upon departure, your child must be signed
out at the classroom. You must escort
your child from their assigned classroom and off the Center's premises.
Under no circumstances should any child be left
unattended on the Center's premises, whether or not that child is enrolled in
our Center's care. This includes the
parking lots, restrooms, etc. and includes children up to 18 years of age. Failure to comply with this policy will
result in immediate removal of your child from the Center's roster, and your
child will not be accepted back into the Center's care. This policy will be strictly enforced.
AUTHORIZED RELEASE
Your child will only be released to the individuals
named on your child's Enrollment Form.
If we are not familiar with these individuals, we reserve the right to
request a picture ID as well as the Code Word designated on your child's
Enrollment Form. You are responsible for
updating a list of these individuals of the appropriate Code Word. The Center assumes no legal responsibility
for any child once they are released to an authorized individual listed on the
Enrollment Form.
DAILY HEALTH CHECK
Teachers are required to document any serious
bruised, abrasions, etc. found on a child upon arriving at the Center for
care. Your child's teacher may request
that you sign a form stating you are aware of the child's injury, and that this
injury was present before the child was left in the Center's care. This procedure protects our teachers, as well
as complies with State Regulations. If
you refuse to sign this statement after being requested to do so by your
child's teacher, the Center reserves the right to deny care for the child for
that day until the matter is discussed with the Center Director.
ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Our teachers, the Center Director, and any
individual on the Center's premises are required by law to report any observed
child neglect and/or child abuse to the proper authorities. This includes observation of the actual
incident and/or observation of the injuries of the incident. The Center does not tolerate any form of
mistreatment toward any child on the Center's premises.
MEDICATIONS
The Center Director or approved staff is permitted
to administer medication to your child under the following conditions:
PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS
1.
Medication is to be furnished by the parent/guardian
and delivered directly to the Center Director or Administrative Assistant.
2.
Parents must provide written authorization for staff to
administer the medication, which must be updated on a weekly basis.
3.
All medication must be properly labeled with directions
for dispensing, including dosage and dosage interval. No deviations from these instructions will be
allowed. We are not allowed to administer medications on an as needed basis.
This is a State regulation, that will be strictly enforced.
4.
The Medication MUST have the original label on it and
MUST be prescribed specifically for that child.
5. No medications are to be left in the diaper
bag or back pack. All must be given to
the front desk personnel.
NON-PRESCRIBED
1.
Parents must provide written authorization for the
staff to administer the medication.
2.
The medication MUST have the original label on it.
3.
The parent/guardian must provide the medication as well
as directions for dispensing,
including dosage and dosage interval.
4. Medication should have child's first and
last name on it.
The
Center assumes no legal responsibility for parents who do not comply
specifically to these rules and/or for parents who provide false information
and/or authorization to the Center.
Also
all Medicines must be picked up by Friday. Any medication left for more than
two weeks will be discarded.
ALLERGIES
The Center will make every effort to ensure no child
is unnecessarily exposed to any substance to which that child is known to have
allergies. (The Center reserves the
right to ask for a doctor's note). If
your child needs special foods or formula, you must provide the Center with
this knowledge and with the special items.
It is your responsibility to keep the staff informed and updated.
The Center assumes no legal responsibility for
parents who do not comply specifically to these rules and/or for parents who
fail to provide this information to the Center.
ACCIDENTAL AND INCIDENTAL INJURIES
The Center puts forth every effort to prevent
accidents and incidents from occurring; however, children will be children, and
accidents and incidents between children do occur. Our Center is staffed with professionally
trained individuals who will respond promptly according to the nature of the
injury incurred due to an accident or incident.
Parents will be informed of all known accidents and incidents your child
is involved in while in the Center's care.
Minor injuries, such as normal scrapes and bruises, will be brought to
your attention when you pick up your child, and you will be provided with a
written Incident Report. Serious
injuries requiring the parents and/or emergency personnel's immediate attention
will be handled appropriately as follows:
If
emergency personnel are needed, the Center's staff will contact these
authorities first and then the parents will be notified via telephone.
If
emergency personnel are not needed, the Center's staff will immediately notify
the parents via telephone.
If
it is necessary to remove the child from the Center due to the circumstances of
the injuries, a member of the Center's staff will accompany your child to TC
Thompson Children's Medical Center or the nearest medical facility. In such instances, after notification,
parents are expected to immediately come to the medical facility and assume
direct custody and responsibility of their child. If parents cannot be reached, the Center's
staff will begin to contact the individuals listed on the emergency contact
list. Again, it is vitally important you
keep emergency information updated in your child's file.
CLOTHES AND BEDDING
Washable, comfortable play clothes and shoes are
most suitable for your child while at the Center. Please send a complete change of clothing,
labeled with your child's name. Also,
label any additional items brought to the Center. This policy applies to each child you have
enrolled. The Center will provide linens
necessary for naps, quiets time, etc.
These linens will be washed and maintained by the Center. If necessary, your child may bring a
"comfort" blanket or stuffed animal. The
Center assumes no legal responsibility for lost, stolen, soiled, torn, or
broken items. All personal items must be
taken home on Friday and washed.
TOYS
The Center provides sufficient toys and equipment
for the children, based on individual age and developmental needs. Toys and books should not be brought from
home, except on special "share" days set by your child's teacher. Even on these "share" days, please use
discretion in the items you allow your child to bring. Expensive or very sentimental items may get
lost, stolen, or broken. Also, please
keep in mind our Center is Christian-based.
Discretion should be used in determining if the nature of an item is
appropriate for sharing in a Christian environment. Items should not be offensive or violent in
nature. Audio and visual items must be
rated for all audiences. If you are
unsure about an item, contact your child's teacher or the Center's Director.
OUTSIDE PLAY
Outside play is a healthy measure for your child and
is an important part of the Center's daily program. Outdoor activities shall be provided daily,
weather permitting. Each child who is
not an infant shall be provided with at least one and one-half hours of outdoor
activity per day per State regulations.
Infants shall spend at least one hour daily outside. A child may be excused from outdoor
activities for a limited period of time if there is documentation from a doctor
that outdoor activity is medically prohibited, or there is an occasional
written request by the parents that the child be excused from outdoor
activities for a very limited amount of time because of special circumstances.
CENTER RIGHTS
The Center reserves the right to amend this Parent
Handbook at any time. Amendments will be
posted on the Parent Board located in the main lobby, and will become effective
one week after posting, unless otherwise noted.
PAYMENT OF FEES
Fees are due on Friday prior to the week of
service. A late fee will be applied for
all fees paid after Monday of the week of service. If fees are not paid by Friday of the week of
service, including any late fees that may apply, children will not be accepted
back into care until all past due and current fees are paid in full. If fees are still not paid by Monday of the
week after services, including any late fees that may apply and any fee due for
the current week of service, your child will be removed from the Center's roster
and collection efforts will begin for outstanding fees. Persistent late payment of fees may result in
your child being removed from the Center's roster, at the discretion of the
Director. Parents are responsible for
paying any collection fees, legal fees, etc. the Center may incur in trying to
collect outstanding fees due.
METHODS OF PAYMENT
The preferred method of payment of your child's fees
is by check. Checks should be made out
to Noah's Ark Christian Learning Center.
Checks can be given to the receptionist, Administrative Assistant, or
Director. Cash is accepted; however,
payments made in cash should be given directly to the receptionist,
administrative Assistant, or Director.
Please do not give payments to your child's teacher. The Center will not be responsible for lost
or stolen cash not given directly to the office staff. You will receive a receipt for all payments. A returned check fee of $35.00 will be
charged for any returned check, regardless of reason. The Center reserves the right to revoke the
privilege of check writing by any parent.
If the Center revokes this right, the parent is responsible for paying
future fees in cash.
UNSCHEDULED ABSENCES
The Center depends upon fees for financial
support. Refunds and/or credits are not
possible for the unscheduled absence of your child. Whether due to sickness or
vacations, you are still required to pay your weekly fee in order to hold your
child's position on our Center roster.
If you know your child will be absent for the next week's care, please
see the "Scheduled Absence" guidelines of this Handbook.
SCHEDULED ABSENCES
After your child has been in the Center's care for
six consecutive months, you may request up to two (2) weeks of care per year per child at a
discounted fee rate for periods you know your child will be absent from the
Center. The discounted fee rate will be
one-half of your child's regular weekly tuition. This discounted fee rate is applicable only
if your child is not present at the Center.
You must complete a Discounted Fee Rate Form and present it to the
Center Director one week prior to the week in question; otherwise, the Center
cannot guarantee the discounted fee rate.
FOOD
Meals and snacks are provided to your child while in
the Center's care. Menus and feeding
schedules are posted on a weekly basis on the Parent Board located in the main
lobby. Please take the time to observe
the menu and feeding schedule for your child.
Feeding schedule times are fixed, and no deviation will be granted
unless otherwise arranged by your child's teacher or the Center Director.
Children are not permitted to bring candy, gum, or
any other type of food to the Center, unless otherwise arranged with the
child's teacher or the Center's Director.
On special occasions, if parents want to bring
special treat for the children in your child's class, please see your child's
teacher. Parents must bring treats which
will accommodate all children in the classroom.
Breakfast
Breakfast is provided and prepared in the Center for
children who arrive between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Breakfast will include bread, fruit, and
milk.
Lunch
Lunch is provided and prepared in the Center. Lunch is usually a hot meal consisting of a
meat, fruit, vegetables, bread, and milk and sometimes dessert. The only time your child would not be served
a hot meal would be during a special "outing" (field trips, etc.) in which the
child would be given food such as a sandwich, fruit, etc. PLEASE NOTE: Parents, grandparents,
etc. are invited and encouraged to join your child for lunch occasionally. Please let the administrative assistant know
at least one day ahead so the guest can be added to our lunch count. There is no charge.
Snacks
Snacks are provided and prepared in the center. Snacks may consist of crackers, fruit,
biscuits, muffins, etc. and milk or juice.
State Regulations
All breakfast, lunch, and snack food provided are
nutritionally sound and approved by the state.
Infants
Parents are responsible for providing bottles for
infants and baby food for toddlers who do not yet eat table food. The Center requires bottles be labeled with
the child's first and last name, along with the date the bottle is sent. All unused bottles will be returned to the
parent at the end of the day. All baby
food jars sent must have the original seal intact. No opened jars of baby food will be accepted.
Holidays
The Center will close in observance of the following
holidays to enable our staff to enjoy these days with their families: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Any
holiday which falls on a weekend will be observed either the Friday before or
the Monday after the holiday weekend.
What we will do for you....
We will give the best possible care to and for your
child. We will treat them with respect
and love. If you are potty training your
two year-old, we will help. If you are
breaking your toddler from the bottle or pacifier, we will assist. If there are other areas of discipline you
wish us to be aware of and assist you in, let the teacher or the director
know. We're here to help you!
We will be fair and honest in our dealing with
you. This will be true in the case of
discipline for your child, policies, payment arrangements, etc.
We will try our best to communicate with you about
events, changes, and anything which affects your or your child. However, we are human and sometimes make
mistakes. Please contact us and share
your concerns and your praises!
Also, we will tell your children the familiar Bible
stories. We are unashamed of our belief
in Jesus Christ. We don't teach
"doctrine" to toddler and preschoolers.
We just want them to know Jesus loves them.
We desire to partner with you to provide wholesome
care and training for your precious child!
