Policies

A Health Certificate and Immunization Record must be on file within 30 days of enrollment. We will notify the parents if the forms are getting close to being expired, so that updated records are always available.

Health considerations for both the individual child and for the group dictate that sick children must stay at home. Any child with a fever, general body rash, diarrhea, vomiting, conjunctivitis, or any known contagious illness may not come to school that day; if a child becomes ill at school, we will notify the parent, isolate the child, and wait for someone to come pick up.

The Center will post information should there be more than one case of lice, chicken pox, and other infectuous diseases.

Medication can only be given to a child if it has been prescribed by a doctor and if the parent has completed a Medication Record form. Only the Director or Assistant Director will dispense any medication. Medication that must be refrigerated will be kept locked up away from the reach of children. Medications must be clearly marked with the child’s name and dispensing information.

In case of emergency or illness requiring medical attention, the Director or Assistant Director will contact the parents or other people listed on the Child Identification Record form that was completed at the time of enrollment. Licensing requires that there be at least two emergency contacts for each child, not including parents. For each, we need current phone and address information, so please let us know of any changes.

If first aid is required, The Director or other staff member will treat the child; all staff is trained in First Aid and CPR procedures. Most minor incidents will only require cleaning and ice applied. Anytime we treat your child, you will receive a report of the incident which you will sign in duplicate and be given the original.

Discipline is an integral part of the program, but it can be given in positive, re-directing and loving ways. We respect every child for his/her uniqueness , we are fair in setting and explaining limits, we model the behavior we expect from the children, and we use praise and reinforcement to emphasize appropriate behaviors.

Physical punishment of any kind will never be used. We never use food, drink, rest, or toileting as punishment or reward.

We use ‘time-out’ for those behaviors that are potentially harmful to the child himself, other children, or to property.

Discipline concerns will be communicated to the parent. Continual incidents will probably bring about a conference with the Director, Teacher, and Parents. For extreme disciplinary cases, the Director and the Board of Directors may decide to terminate a child’s enrollment, if no other measures are working.

We encourage parents to initiate conferences with the staff if they feel one is needed.

Formal parent/teacher conferences will be scheduled if either party requests one. Due to the size of our Center, as well as the family atmosphere, most conversations between parent and teacher happen on a daily basis. However, please remember that the Teacher’s primary responsibility is to the children in the classroom; therefore, if a discussion isn’t possible at the time, it can be arranged for a later time or handled by phone.

Parents of children going into Kindergarten will also have the opportunity to confer with the Pre-K Teacher during June prior to ‘graduation’.

Due to the serious nature of this problem facing society, the Center is required by law to report any suspected cases of abuse or neglect, and to document all observations and information of unusual incidents. If we suspect anything, we will first try to discuss the situation with the parents if appropriate; however, obvious, serious abuse or neglect will be reported immediately to the authorities.

In the same vein, if a parent feels there may be any type of abuse at the Center, the parent should waste no time in contacting the Director to discuss concerns. There is no room for tolerance in cases of abuse/neglect.