Parent Handbook of Policies and Procedures

Milpitas Child Care

And

Learning Center

Revised 02/2015

“InspiringChildrentoImagine, Believeand Achieve”

Table of Contents

Welcome

PHILOSOPHY

POLICIES

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

AGES SERVED

DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

Registration and material fee

SIGN-IN SHEET

Tuition Fees

Late Payment

HOLIDAYS

MEDICATION

DIAPERING

PROPER ATTIRE

TOYS AND PERSONAL ITEMS

ILLNESS AND SICK CARE

DISCIPLINE

SMOKING

BIRTHDAYS

FIRE DRILLS PROCEDURES

HEALTH AND SAFETY

EMERGENCY

PARENT/CAREGIVER COMMUNICATION

LEARNING EXPERENCES AND PLAYTIME

A TYPICAL DAY AT: MCCLC

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

TOILET TRAINING

MEALS

NAPTIME

MISCELLANEOUS

Trail Period, Withdrawal and Termination of Services

Inspection Authority:

Publicity

Extra Attendance:

ABSENTEEISM AND ILLNESS

PERSONAL POSSESSIONS

HOUSE RULES

OPEN DOOR POLICY

Welcome

Milpitas Child Care and learning Center

Website: Milpitas-childcare.com

Parents,

Thank you for choosing “Milpitas Child Care and learning Center”for your childcare needs. Enclosed you will finda copy of Parent Handbook. Please take the time to go over this handbook. If, at any time you have a question regarding my policies, please don’t hesitate to ask. I want to always have an open line of communication with you. A new contract will be signed by all families at the beginning of each year. MCCLC reserve the right to make changes in policies when it is necessary. Parent will be notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be made to give at least a two-week notice of new changes.

MCCLC look forward to welcoming your child/ren into our childcare/preschool care.

PHILOSOPHY

Thank you for choosing Milpitas Child Care and Learning Center. Ourgoal is to provide a safe and happy environmentfor each child that will stimulate their physical, intellectual, social and emotionalgrowth at their own pace. We at MCCLC offer loving care that focus on each child as aunique and wonderful individual and in doing so, builds self-esteem and respect for others.MCCLC believes that every child has the natural desire to learn and these early years are extremely important in each child’s life. These years not only builds their future but their character too. MCCLC believes that children develop characteristics which will affect their lifelong love of learning. So we are committed to provide an enriched environment, which benefits their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.We focus on their cognitive learning but we value theirplay need too so that we support the whole child. We follow the Montessori Method but at the same time we feel that sometime that little push and guidance(scaffolding)is required to achievetheir full potential. So we follow the emergent curriculum to allow them to nourish their own interest andfacilitate them so they do not get overwhelmed and frustrated in their journey of exploration. MCCLCbelieve that each family brings to the program their values, language, diversity, and traditional customs. We, therefore, recognize the importance of forming a partnership with parents to create a positive experience for all children.

POLICIES

For clarification purposes:

Regarding all statements in this policy book directed to the parent, the word parent shall mean parent or guardian or adultresponsible for the child’s physical and financial wellbeing.

All policies shall remain in effect as stated herein unless provider gives notice of change of any said policy in writing. Provider retains the right to enforce these policies at will. Lack of enforcement or a certain policy at any time does not indicatethat the particular policy is no longer in effect.

The following are the rules and regulations which constitutes the policy handbook and financial agreement.Please read this handbook thoroughly as it contains many important policies and procedures that pertain to the care of your child. If you have any questions, please contact us.

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

All necessary forms must be completed, signed and submitted to the officeupon registration. Please inform the officeimmediately of any changes.

Listed below you will find the required forms you need to return to “Milpitas Child care and Learning Center” upon your child’s registration.

*Financial Agreement

*Information Form

*Food Program Form

*Medical Consent

*Birth Certificate

*Authorization to Leave Care

*Immunization Record (within 30 days)

*Discipline Form

AGES SERVED

MCCLC serves the children from 6 weeks up through school age. I am occasionally available for afterschool care for other siblings. But the arrangements must be made in advance. If you reserve a spot for an older child and they do not attend, you will still be required to pay the full time rate.

DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

Child care is open Monday—Friday From 7:30a.m. To6:00p.m. Parent can choose the suitable nine hours of the day. Child care is never offered on week-ends, evenings or holidays. Please remember that your fee is based on the hours you contract for, not the hours that I am open. You are scheduled for child care @the above hours. If your child is picked up after the contracted hours, a charge of $20.00 per quarter will be assessed. If you are late three times in one month, the late fee is tripled ($60.00 per quarter).If you are late more than three times in a month, your admission may be reviewed by the administration.Late drop-off does not constitute late pick up.

Registration and material fee

A non-refundable registration fee of $100.00 and $165.00 annual material fee per child is payable at the time this agreement is signed and returned.

SIGN-IN SHEET

Parents will be required to sign-in and sign-out your child on the sheet provided for each child, upon arrival and departure

Tuition Fees

Tuition is payable in advance, on the first day of each month. In case your child starts in the middle of the month, tuition will be pro-rated. You are paying for a contracted spot for your child. So if you decide to go on a vacation, you have to pay. In case of involuntary withdrawal, the tuition owed will be calculated up to the last day of attendance and any money paid in excess will be refunded.

Late Payment

Parents are given a grace period for payment until the 4th of each month. After the 4thof each month, a late fee of $20.00 to the account balance will be charged. There will be a $30.00fee for each returned checks. If two checks are returned from the bank, tuition will only be accepted in the form of cash or money order. When fees are not current, children will not be admitted. In the event that a Court Date has to be set for collection the Parent/Guardian will be responsible for any and all fee’s associated with this. This is to include but not limited to Late Fees, Loss of wages and any Court Costs.

HOLIDAYS

Milpitas Child Care and Learning Center will be closed on the days listed below. If the holiday falls on a weekend, then we will be closed the next working day. There are no discounts in the tuition for all Holiday Breaks.

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
July 4th
Labor Day
Thanksgiving, and Friday after Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Two Eid Muslim holidays per year (will notify in advance)
Two Break Weeks for staff (will notify in advance)

(If you choose to take vacation during one of these holidays, we will still receive pay for the holiday).

MEDICATION

If your child is on medication and it must be administered while at child care, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor,name of medication, dosage and when it is to be taken. I will also have a formfor you to sign giving me permission to administer the medication to your child.Medication will be given at the time or with the meal you specify and a writtenrecord kept.

DIAPERING

Hands of the child and care giver are washed thoroughly. Diapers are changed as needed and are checked often. Creams, ointments and powers are not routinely used. On occasion that these products are needed it will be discussed with the parents before applying. We very seldom have a problem with diaper rash. Most cases occur because of the child having been on certain medications or teething.

PROPER ATTIRE

Child’s play is messy work. Your child will be painting, playing on the grass, in the sandbox, playing with chalk and other various activities. Please do not expect me to keep your child’s clothes clean and free from stains. Please dress the kids appropriate. I will not be responsible for “Cute” clothes getting messed. The children will participate in all activities regardless of their dress.

Children do not wear shoes when inside the home. They must be taken off in the entrance and put on the shoe tray. This helps to keep the floor more sanitary for crawling infants and children.

TOYS AND PERSONAL ITEMS

Toys brought from home will be place in their child’s cubby until it is time to go home. I am not responsible for broken toys.

ILLNESS AND SICK CARE

Our Child Illness Policy is based upon the standards developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. MCCLC understands that it is difficult for a parent/guardian to leave or miss work; therefore, it is suggested that alternative arrangements be made for occasions when children must remain at home or be picked up due to illness. Exclusion from the center is sometimes necessary to reduce the transmission of illness or because the center is not able to adequately meet the needs of the child. Mild illnesses are common among children and infections are often spread before the onset of any symptoms. In these cases, we try to keep the children comfortable throughout the day, but will find it necessary to exclude them from the child care setting for the following reasons:

Illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in program activities.
Illness that results in a greater need for care than our staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children.
Illness that poses a risk of spreading harmful disease to others.
Fever (100° axillary (armpit), 101° orally, 102° aural/ear)* and behavior change or other signs and symptoms such as sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, irritability, constant crying, or difficulty breathing.
Diarrhea — more watery stools or decreased form of stool that is not associated with change of diet. Exclusion is required for all diapered children whose stool is not contained in the diaper, and toilet-trained children if the diarrhea is causing “accidents.” Diapered children with diarrhea will be excluded if the stool frequency exceeds two or more stools above normal for that child.
Blood or mucus in the stools not explained by dietary change, medication, or hard stools, and/ or uncontrolled, unformed stools that cannot be contained in a diaper/underwear or toilet. Special circumstances that require specific exclusion criteria include the following: – Toxin-producing E. coli or Shigella infection, until the diarrhea resolves and the test results of two stool cultures are negative for these organisms. – Salmonella serotype Typhi infection, until diarrhea resolves. In children younger than 5 years with Salmonella serotype Typhi, three negative stool cultures are required.
Vomiting more than two times in the previous 24 hours unless the vomiting is determined to be caused by a non-communicable condition and the child is not in danger of dehydration.
Mouth sores with drooling unless the child’s medical provider or local health department authority states that the child is noninfectious.
Abdominal pain that continues for more than two hours or intermittent abdominal pain associated with fever, dehydration, or other signs of illness.
Rash with fever or behavioral changes, until a medical provider has determined it is not a communicable disease.
Purulent conjunctivitis (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge) until on antibiotics for 24 hours.
Impetigo until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
Strep throat (or other streptoccol infection) until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
Head lice until after treatment and all nits are removed.
Rubella, until six days after the rash appears.
Scabies until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
Chicken pox, until all lesions have dried or crusted (usually six days after onset of rash).
Pertussis (whooping cough), until five days of appropriate antibiotics.
Mumps, until five days after onset of parotid gland swelling.
Measles, until four days after onset of rash.
Hepatitis A virus, until one week after onset of illness or jaundice or as directed by the health department (if the child’s symptoms are mild).
Tuberculosis, until the child’s medical provider or local health department states the child is on appropriate treatment and can return.
Any child determined by the local health department to be contributing to the transmission of illness during an outbreak.

DISCIPLINE

My philosophy is that you use discipline to teach a child. I achieve this through love, consistency and firmness. I stress two main patterns of behavior: respect of other people and respect for property. The children are explained the rules of the child care home frequently, so they are all familiar with the guidelines.

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 feeling’s.Sometimes they hit or throw toys, etc. Although teaching children appropriate behavior is whatI will be doing, remember that this behavior is normal in most cases.

The following methods of discipline will be used:

*Encourage children to solve problems themselves

* Intervention and discussion

* Redirection to another play area

* Loss of privileges

* Turtle technique

If I feel there is a chronic behavioral issue that needs attention, I will let you know so that you and I are handling it in the same way and your child has continuity in discipline between our homes. These types of behavior might include such things as biting, use of bad words, chronic hitting, etc. Together, we will try to find a solution. You may be called to remove your child if his/her behavior prevents me from being able to properly care for the other children. If problem continues, other arrangements for the care of the child will have to be made, for thesafety and wellbeing of all.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will there be any spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name calling or isolation used. Neither food nor sleep will ever be withheld from children as a means of punishment. As a Child care provider, I have a responsibility by law to recognize and report any evidence of child abuse—physical or emotional—or neglect. This is strictly for the benefit of your child.

SMOKING

This is a non-smoking home and there will be no smoking anywhere on the premises. Cigarette butts are not to be discarded in the driveway, yard, planters, etc. Please respect this.

BIRTHDAYS

Each child’s birthday is his/her “Special Day.” We will celebrate everyone’s birthday by responsibility to provide fruit and yoghurt and treats if required.

FIRE DRILLS PROCEDURES

We have monthly fire drills. The children are instructed to go outside untileveryone is outside. If there is a fire the children will be moved to safety and the fire departmentwill be called. We will all remain there until it is safe to return to the child care area.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

If your child becomes ill while at child care, he/she will be isolated from the other children and one parent will be called immediately. If I am unable to contact a parent I will call the designated emergency contract person on their emergency card. The child will be unable to remain in child care if ill and I will expect them to be picked up WITHIN the hour. No exceptions—IF a child is not picked up with one hour you will be billed a late fee of $1.00 per minute.

If your child is unable to go outside or participate in daily activities, please inform me. Special needs required by one child restricts the activities of all the children. Prolonged requests for special treatment may result in a request to keep the child home until they are able to participate in normal activities. Should your child require a modified diet due to recovery from an illness or injury, please inform me. You may be requested to supply the necessary foods required.

EMERGENCY

In case of an EMERGENCY, I will administer necessary first aid. The Milpitas Police Departmentor Paramedic Unit will be called and your child will be transported to the hospital. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. If an ambulance is called to transport your child, the cost of the ambulance will be covered by the parent or guardian.