KLUBHOUSE KIDS, INC
Table of Contents
Page number
Mission Statement & Philosophy ………………………………………………. 2
State Regulations ……………………………………………….. 2
Information to Parents ………………………………………………. 3
Invitation to visit Klubhouse Any Time……………………………………………. 5
Registration …………………………………………….. 5
Enrollment Policy …………………………………………….. 5
Children with Special Needs …………………………………………………. 5
Confidentiality …………………………………................... 5
Staff to Child Ratio ………………………………………………. 5
Staff Qualifications ………………………………………………. 6
Family/Staff Communication & Orientation & Input.........…….……………….. 6
Ways to Keep Families Involved ………………………………………………… 6
Community Outreach …………………………………………………… 6
Program Hours & Days of Operation …………………………………………………. 6
Emergency Procedures for Weather, Fire, Potential Terrorist Threats, etc…… 7
Emergency Preparedness Procedures………………………………………………. 7
Fee Schedule/ Available of Subsidies ……………………………………………… 7
Late Pick Up ………………………………………………… 8
Attendance …………………………………………………. 8
Program Withdrawal ………………………………………………… 8
Site Phone Numbers & Addresses ………………………………………………… 8
Sick Children - Health & Safety Policy…………………………………… 9
Management of Communicable Diseases…………………………………… 9
Dispensing of Medication ………………………………………………… 9
Illness & Emergencies ………………………………………………… 9
Fire/Evacuation Drills & Incidents/Accidents …….…………. 9
Parent Code of Conduct …………………………………………………. 10
Swearing & Cursing, Threatening of Staff, Parents or Children………… 10
Physical/Verbal Punishment …………………………………………… 10
Quarreling with Other parents or Staff………………………………………….. 11
Violation of Safety Policy ………………………………………………… 11
System for Monitoring Children’s Arrival........................................................ 11
Release of Children ………………………………………………… 12
Impaired Parents/Guardian or Designate …………………………………………….. 12
10 Philosophy on Child Guidance/Discipline............…………………………………. 13
Conduct Referrals …………………………………………… 13 Homework/Quiet Time ………………………… 13
Food Service ………………………………… 14 Toys from Home …………………………………………… 14 Off Site Activities/Field Trips …………………………………………………… 14 Community Outreach ………………………………………………… 15 Provided Activities ……………………………………………………. 14 Transportation of Children …………………………………………………………………. 15 Out of Program Time ………………………………………………… 15
Addendum # 1 dated 4/2010 ……………………………………………………………. 16 Guidelines for Positive Discipline ……………………………………………… 16
Expulsion Policy.................................................................... 17
Proactive Action That Can Be Taken In Order To Prevent Expulsion ………………….. 18
Addendum # 2 dated 3/6/2014
Activity Requirements……………………………………………………………………………… 19
School Calendar – Warren …………………………………………………………… 20
WELCOME TO KLUBHOUSE KIDS, INC.
MISSION STATEMENT AND PHILOSOPHY
Klubhouse is a privately owned and operated after school program designed to care for ‘typical’ elementary and middle school children. The concept upon which The Klubhouse philosophy is based is, respect for the child. Our program always endeavors to individualize the expectations for each child by that child’s developmental stage. We also believe that children should be free to make their own choices within the program. This will help them develop the skills and abilities necessary for effective learning, autonomy and positive self-esteem. We feel that experience is the best teacher; therefore, we try to provide an assortment of hands on materials, a stimulating atmosphere and consistent adult guidance that will encourage our children to that end.
STATE REGULATIONS
Please note we are licensed by the NJ Division of Children & Families and guided by the NJ State School Age Child Care Regulations Manual. A copy is available at each site for your inspection.
INVITATION TO VISIT KLUBHOUSE ANY TIME
Parents are welcome to visit and observe our centers at any time without having to secure prior permission.
REGISTRATION
Please complete and return a registration form to the site director along with your nonrefundable $25 registration fee. This will enroll your child/ren in the Klubhouse program for the current school year. Registrations with missing information will be returned and your child/ren WILL NOT be considered registered. A $100 security deposit is required for each family. Withdrawal from the program must be made in writing at least 30 days in advance. The security deposit will be refunded only if and when another child fills your child/ren’s slot. This deposit will be applied towards your June payment. Enrollment is available on a first come, first served basis. A waiting list will be maintained for available openings. It is the responsibility of the parent to keep enrollment records current as to home, business and cell phone numbers, contract days and person authorized to pick up their child/ren. Parents are encouraged to make themselves aware of information about the program and its operation by regularly checking the “Parent Information area at the center and watching for special notices sent and emailed home.
ENROLLMENT POLICY
Enrollment for Klubhouse Kids is open to children who attend school or live in North Plainfield or Warren Twsp. and are in grades kindergarten through eight. Enrollment shall be granted without regard to a child’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin or gender and without regard to parents or guardian’s race, color, creed, religion, age, national origin or gender.
Registration forms are available at each site or by fax or email. Four days after receipt of a completed registration form, registration fee and security deposit the new Klubbie may start attending any Klubhouse program dependent upon space availability.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
We at Klubhouse will do whatever possible to allow enrollment of all interested children in our programs, however, Klubhouse Kids is designed to care for ‘typical’ elementary and middle school age children. When asked to enroll a child with special needs, the child will be evaluated on an individual bases. If the child can be reasonable accommodated at the site and the child’s condition does not pose a direct threat, a 30 day trial enrollment will commence. The staff members will be trained to understand that child’s special needs and ways of working with that child in a group setting. If providing care for a special needs child will impose an undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the program, and the child cannot be reasonably accommodated at this point, we will be unable to enroll that child at this time. We will, however, do what we can to help parents to find other placement.
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
Within Klubhouse, confidential and sensitive information will only be shared with employees of the program who have a “need to know” in order to most appropriately and safely care for your child. Confidential and sensitive information about faculty, other parents and/or children will not be shared with parents. Confidential records are kept in a locked file.
STAFF TO CHILD RATIO
Each Klubhouse site is staffed with one site director plus additional staff as enrollment dictates. We use a 1:10 ratio. New Jersey State requirements are 1:15 ratio.
STAFF QUALIFICATIONS
All staff members have either a National School Age Child Care Director’s Academy Certificate, are certified teachers or certified school age childcare professionals. Yearly in-service training is required of all staff members as mandated by DYFS. All staff members are trained in CPR and First Aid. Klubhouse utilizes qualified substitute staff when needed.
FAMILY/STAFF COMMUNICATION & ORIENTATION & INPUT
Klubhouse will hold an open house/orientation during the month of September and throughout the year. At this time parents and Klubbies will have a tour of their facility and the staff will address all questions and concerns. Children starting Klubhouse during the school year will have a tour and family orientation by a staff member at a mutually agreeable time. There is an Activity Board posted near the sign out sheet to inform parents of upcoming events as well as a Parent Suggestion Box, encouraging input from families, which sits on the teacher’s table. Each Klubhouse family also has a mail box which is used to send information home to families to notify them of health issues, last minute curriculum changes, monthly bills, etc. Klubhouse also will send frequent email newsletters to parents. Staff members are encouraged to interact daily with parents as they arrive to pick up their children to attend to any questions or concerns that may arise.
WAYS TO KEEP FAMILIES INVOLVED
All families should be encouraged by staff members to read the monthly newsletter, parent information board, check their mail boxes and use the Parent Suggestion Box. We frequently ask for parent input so as to include family traditions, special foods and interesting family members in our curriculum.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Public school administrators, teachers, members of our host community and members of the community at large are invited via email and newspaper to attend our open house/orientation days. We frequently send articles to the local newspapers informing them of interesting projects or distinguished guests hosted at Klubhouse.
Klubhouse also sends frequent email newsletters to public school administrators, teachers and facility board members to keep all informed of Klubhouse activities.
We try to encourage our Klubbies to be good citizens of the local community by adopting socially conscious projects effecting Somerset County.
PROGRAM HOURS AND DAYS OF OPERATION
Klubhouse runs in accordance with the public school schedule for your district. Warren Township programs run from school dismissal until 6:30 PM, North Plainfield programs run from school dismissal until 6:00PM.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR WEATHER, FIRE, POTENTIAL TERRORIST THREATS, ETC.
In the event of school closing or early dismissal due to inclement weather, Klubhouse will be closed. A message to that effect will be placed on the telephone answering machine at each location as early as feasible. Please have alternate childcare arrangements made early in the school year and inform the public school as they will dismiss your child/ren on those days.
Klubhouse Kids is working closely with public health and safety officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels in response to national warnings about potential terrorist threats. Depending on the nature and scope of emergency — including situations involving chemical, biological and/or radiological materials — Klubhouse staff will act at the direction of appropriate emergency management personnel. The expectation is that Klubhouse will do the best we can with existing resources under whatever circumstances occur and that children, staff, and parents will be supportive and flexible.
In any emergency situation, response strategies will depend on the nature and scope of the incident and prevailing conditions. Public safety officials will play a critical role in identifying the specific nature, cause, and extent of the emergency, as well as providing guidance to us on the response steps that must be implemented. In such cases, we will react at the direction of public safety and health officials.
A complete Emergency Preparedness document is available at each Klubhouse location.
If Klubhouse needs to close early because of severe weather, each family will be personally contacted by the staff.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROCEDURES
Klubhouse Kids is working closely with public health and safety officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels in response to national warnings about potential terrorist threats. Depending on the nature and scope of emergency — including situations involving chemical, biological and/or radiological materials — Klubhouse staff will act at the direction of appropriate emergency management personnel. The expectation is that Klubhouse will do the best we can with existing resources under whatever circumstances occur and that Klubbies, staff, and parents will be supportive and flexible.
In any emergency situation, response strategies will depend on the nature and scope of the incident and prevailing conditions. Public safety officials will play a critical role in identifying the specific nature, cause, and extent of the emergency, as well as providing guidance to us on the response steps that must be implemented. In such cases, we will react at the direction of public safety and health officials.
A complete Emergency Preparedness document is available at each Klubhouse location.
FEES
Fees will be determined by the number of days you choose for your child to attend on your monthly schedule. A 2 day per week minimum attendance is required in Warren Twsp. Days are not transferable. These non-refundable fees are payable in advance on the first business day of the month but no later than the fourth. Fees paid after that date will be assessed a $10.00 late fee on the fifth business day of that month plus an additional $2.00 per day thereafter. Bills will be in your Klubhouse ‘mail box’ at the end of the prior month.
FEE SCHEDULE
Available at your site.
A 15% Discount will be applied to additional children from the same family.
AVAILABILITY OF SUBSIDIES
Klubhouse is a fee based program but we will endeavor to help families obtain child care funding from Federal, State and Local agencies when possible.
LATE PICK-UP – BY THE SITE CLOCK
Fee available at your site.
REPEATED LATE PICK –UP
After three (3) significant late pick-ups, a mandatory meeting will be held with the parent to try and find a solution. Possible withdrawal from the program may occur.
ATTENDANCE
Site staff will verify that all children that are scheduled to attend are at the program at the beginning of each daily session. Parents are required to let the site staff know if a child will not attend the program on a scheduled day or will be at public school based after-school activities and arriving late. A message may be left on the site telephone any time, day or night but prior to noon on the scheduled day. The Klubhouse staff goes to great lengths to locate children missing from the program. If Klubhouse is not notified that your child will not attend on a scheduled day:
1st occurrence = warning
2nd occurrence = monetary penalty of $10
3rd occurrence = 2 day suspension
PROGRAM WITHDRAWAL
30 Days written notice is required when withdrawing your child from the program. Please hand to the director or mail to the office @90 Myrtle Ave. North Plainfield 07060. Telling a staff member is not sufficient notification of withdrawal. As soon as your child is replaced, your security deposit, less outstanding balances, will be returned.
SITE PHONE NUMBERS & ADDRESSES
North Plainfield East End School Program 908 672 4546
Oneida Avenue, North Plainfield 07060
West End School Program 908 230 5872
Green Brook Road, North Plainfield 07063
Warren Township Community Firehouse 908 693 0753
14 Community Place, Warren 07059
Pilgrim Church 908 500 0969
105 Mountain View Road, Warren 07059
SICK CHILDREN - HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
Management of Communicable Diseases:
Klubhouse is designed as a WELL CHILD PROGRAM. We remain committed to providing the best possible care for children under our supervision but we are not equipped to adequately provide the needs of a sick child. When the school nurse or main office has deemed a child ill and the child does not return to the classroom because of such illness, Klubhouse will not accept the child that day. To avoid health risks to other children and staff, parents will be asked to remove a child from the After School Program site should any of the following occur after a child has been accepted in the program: coughing; acute diarrhea; nausea/vomiting; fever with behavioral changes; unidentified rash, infection or swelling of the skin or eyes; communicable disease such as flu, lethargy, shingles, measles, German measles, mumps, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, head lice, ringworm, worms or any other condition deemed contagious or transmittable to others or as listed in the NJ Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers. Women of childbearing age should be aware of the possible presence of the common disease Cytomegalovirus (CMV), in any school-age program. Otherwise known as “Fifth’s Disease”, CMV is contagious and may cause birth defects in pregnant women.