| Handbook abbreviated |
6:30 AM – 6:00 PM Monday through Friday We offer an infant/toddler program for children 6 weeks through 2 years and a daycare program for children 2-5 years. This includes daily pre-school and pre-kindergarten classes. We also offer care for school-aged children up to 13 years old. This can range from part-time care during the school year to our full time summer program. We close for the following holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. • Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, we will close at 4:00 PM. Tuition & Fees Billing is Monday for the current week and payment is due when you drop your child off at the center on MONDAY. If you cannot pay on Monday, it is your responsibility to reach an acceptable agreement with the director before your account is delinquent. If account balance is not paid in full by 6 PM on Monday, A $5 daily late fee will be applied until account balance is zero or you have a credit on your account. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check, credit, debit, or money order. Please make checks and money orders payable to Creative Kids. You may also use Tuition Express to pay your tuition electronically. Accounts that do not use Tuition Express to pay their tuition electronically by check will pay a weekly $5.00 processing fee. Discharge Creative Kids’ policy is to provide the best childcare possible for all the children. To do this, however, it may become necessary to discharge a child for one of the following reasons 1. Needs of the individual child cannot be served by the center. 2. Parents are uncooperative, such as, but not limited to: a. Failure to submit required child health forms. b. Failure to comply with all policies, procedures, rules and regulations. This includes but is not limited to this handbook and state licensing rules and regulations. c. If you attempt to conceal an illness with medication before bringing your child to daycare. d. Failure to pay tuition. 3. Behavior of child is deemed detrimental to the other children or staff. Required Forms Children in care shall have the following documents on file; failure to have these forms will result in termination of daycare services. 1. A completed center contract and Authorization for Contact and Pick Up 2. A completed enrollment form (state & CACFP). 3. A report that indicates the child has completed, is in the process of completing, or is exempt from age-appropriate immunizations. 4. A medical examination report completed as required for each infant, toddler, or pre-school child. A health report on school age children that includes health history, current health problems, and any restrictions necessary for care. You have thirty days from enrollment to submit this form. 5. Individualized Care plan, Infant Feeding Preference, Parent's Specialized Instructions for Infants and Toddlers, if applicable. Late Pick-up policy If you know you will be unavoidably late, it is your responsibility to have an alternate person pick up your child. Bad traffic or weather will not be an accepted late excuse and you will be billed accordingly. There is a late pickup fee per child, for every 15 minutes or any part of 15 minutes you are late. This policy will be strictly enforced. We will begin applying this fee at 6:01 PM, with the first late pickup fee. Every fifteen minutes thereafter, we will charge an additional late pickup fee per child. This late fee will be billed to your account. Collection of this fee will be enforced. If you choose not to pay this fee, your account will be considered overdue. Behavior Management & Discipline It is expected that your child be respectful of the property and furnishings of the center. A certain amount of “wear and tear” is normal. If your child intentionally damages property or furnishings through destructive behavior or roughness, you will be liable for 100% of the replacement and/or repair cost. Your account will be billed accordingly and payment due with your next tuition payment. When a child is having a difficult time following directions or being respectful, developmentally appropriate guidance techniques are used. If unacceptable behaviors continue then a conference with the parents will be conducted. These guidance techniques are as follows: 1. Positive Reinforcement: The child will be encouraged when he/she is demonstrating acceptable behavior. 2. Redirection: The child is redirected to another activity and given an opportunity to try again at another time. 3. "When...Then" Statements: A statement in which the child is encouraged to accomplish something before going on to something else. Sample: "When you finish picking up the blocks, then you can go outside." 4. "If... Then" Statements: A statement in which the child is encouraged to make a positive choice. Sample: "If you pick up the blocks, then you can go to the Play area". 5. Take a break: The child is separated from the group for a child-regulated period. This technique is used only when a child is exhibiting temper tantrum type behavior or hurting self, others, or equipment. When the child shows that she/he is ready to demonstrate acceptable behavior, the child is encouraged to join the rest of the group. Illnesses This is a well childcare facility. This means that if your child is not feeling well, for any reason, you need to find alternate care. Please do not bring your child if they have a fever, are vomiting, had diarrhea or a contagious illness within the last 24 hours. If they are too sick to go outside, they are too sick to be in childcare. Activities Age appropriate activities are scheduled with flexibility allowed to respond to the needs of the individual child and day. We will offer times for outside play, crafts, stories, instruction, music, and naps appropriate to the child's ages, interests, and abilities. Please dress your child in clothing that they can learn and play in without worrying about getting dirty or staining. Do not send them in dress clothes. We let them be children, we have fun, and sometimes it can be a little messy. Chores, such as picking up, putting things away, and helping to set the table will likely be a part of the day. We provide a flexible theme program, developing large and small motor skills. We do arts and crafts where the focus is on the process, not the product. Free play is an important part of a child's early years. It is here that they learn social skills that will be needed the rest of their lives. Food and General Meal Information We prepare and cook all of our food here at the center based on the Child and Adult Food Care Program nutrition guidelines and these meals and snack are included in your tuition. Breakfast is served between 7:00 AM & 8:30AM Lunch is served between 11:30AM– 12:15PM Snack 3:00PM Referral Incentive If you refer a new family, once they enroll and have attended the center for thirty days you get $150 as a tuition credit applied to your account. They must tell us at the time of enrollment that you referred them to the center. |