,LLC

21 North Street

PO Box 138

Hartly, DE 19953

(302) 492-1152 phone

(302) 343-9258 fax

February 6, 2017

MISSION STATEMENT

Hartly Family Learning Center exists to serve families through high quality, developmentally appropriate children’s early care and education programs. We strive to build a strong community by serving individuals and families with outreach programs carefully designed to meet their specific needs, in an atmosphere of Christian love and caring.

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE

The Hartly Family Learning Center is a privately ownedearly care and educational facility. The center offers preschool education with extended care for children ages 12 months through 5 years old, before and after school programming for children ages 5 through 12, and summer camp programs for children ages 12 months through 12 years old. We are dedicated to providing the foundation to encourage each child’s love of learning in a safe and nurturing environment. Our staff members are committed to providing your children with a developmentally appropriate program that empowers them to develop a positive self image and a love of reading. Through interaction with peers, guidance by dedicated and caring teachers and a thoughtfully planned program, your children will discover the joy and excitement of learning in an atmosphere of Christian love and caring.

As a Christian based center, all programs and activities provide opportunities for Bible stories, Christian music and prayer. The focus for educational purposes is to develop positive moral character traits and Biblical knowledge. Christian aspects are non-denominational and presented in a positive manner. Christian holidays are celebrated.

CENTER CURRICULUM

Center curriculum is designed and implemented by our teachers and administration to address the needs of all children enrolled, including diverse learners and students with special needs. We are a partner with Hartly Elementary School and the Capital School District and we work closely with district teachers and staff to identify learning needs as early as possible so that interventions can be started early for best outcomes once children reach kindergarten.

The preschool curriculum includes sharing and conversation time; stories, songs, and fingerplays; creative art activities and crafts; games and large muscle activities; field trips; dramatic play and home living; science and nature activities; exposure to letters, numbers, colors, and shapes; and celebration of birthdays and holidays. We focus on building each child’s emotional, social, cognitive and physical skills, while providing an environment with opportunities for creativity and exploration.

The goal of the school age program is to provide your child(ren) with a safe and structured environment before and after school and on school half days and in service days. Many parents work outside of the home and the need for quality, affordable child care is high in this community.

The school age curriculum includes opportunities for individual and corporate activities, sharing and conversation time, homework time, a daily snack and play time. Play time includes indoor and outdoor activities and games. Themes are planned throughout the year to promote special occasions and holidays. Activities are incorporated into the themes.

Field trips are occasionally scheduled during half days and professional development days. Hartly Family Learning Center provides bus transportation through local school bus service providers and parents are asked to provide any admittance fees for spending money for their child(ren).

The summer camp program is designed around a weekly theme that incorporates individual and group activities, summer reading programs, math skill building practices, fun science activities, and off site field trips. Only children who are school age may participate in field trips due to bus contractor restrictions on transportation.

SCREENINGS, OBSERVATION & ASSESSMENT

The center utilizes the Ages & Stages Questionnaires developmental screening and monitoring tools for children ages 1 through 5 years old. An initial screening is completed on admission into the program and subsequent screenings are conducted at least once annually. The questionnaires are completed by the parent/guardian and address communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, personal-social skills and social-emotional development. More information can be found at

The center’s formal assessment tool for children ages 1 through 5 years old is Teaching Strategies Gold (TSGold). TSGold is aligned with Delaware’s Early Learning Foundations and addresses 38 objectives for development and learning. Child observations are recorded by classroom teachers and are used to guide lesson plans to target all objectives for learning throughout the course of a school year. More information can be found at

Students in our school age program are assessed once per year by the school age teachers. Areas assessed include after-school activities and experience, social competency, and life skills and values.

STAFF QUALIFICATIONS

All staff members of the Hartly Family Learning Center meet or exceed the requirements enforced by the Office of Child Care Licensing. Each staff member is certified by the Delaware Department of Education, Delaware First Professional Development System. All staff members attend additional training events for continual professional development. Every staff member is trained in CPR and First Aid.

Hartly Family Learning Center is pleased to support our staff through sponsorship of higher education programs through the Delaware Apprenticeship Program and the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program. We also support student interns who are seeking a degree and career in early care and education.

PROGRAM EXTRAS

Children in the three and four year old program will attend Chapel Time every week. They will learn songs and hear stories about God’s love for them. Our three and four year olds also participate in a Christmas Program in December. Also,our four year oldsperform attheir graduation program in May.

Our Center participates in a number of community service projects throughout the school year. In November, we provide a complete Thanksgiving meal to one or more local families in need. At Christmas, we adopt a local family through the Hartly Elementary School to provide Christmas presents. As an organization, we sponsor two children in third world countries through Samaritan’s Purse. We participate in Operation Christmas Child shoebox ministry in November as well. Other opportunities for ministry are presented as they are identified. Participation is always voluntary and not a requirement of the families enrolled.

Our four year olds participate in an annual field tripto the local fire company. Our three and four year old classes also participate in fun day field trips to Xbos in Smyrna and Wicked R Ranch in Camden-Wyoming. Our families provide their own transportation for preschool field trips. We routinely bring in special educational presentations to the four year old classroom such as nature programs from Killen’s Pond, and other local service agencies. Parents will be notified in advance when a special educational presentation is scheduled.

Wealso provide the community with access to our resource center. The resource center has information and contacts for local social service agencies, local churches and computer access for resume writing and job searches.

The Center is available for rentals for private parties, weddings, celebrations and professional training events during non-childcare hours. Families who are currently enrolled in the Center will receive special offers and discounts on Center rentals for private events.

The Center offers educational family centered events throughout the year. Through a grant provided by Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, we are happy to offer 3 parent education sessions each year focused on knowledge of parenting and child development and social and emotional competence of children.

In addition to educational activities, we offer many opportunities for social family centered events each year, including, but not limited to, our annual PreK graduation in May, Easter luncheon in spring, Thanksgiving luncheon, Christmas luncheon, and Christmas program in December.

STANDARDS

The Hartly Family Learning Center, established in 2012, is a for-profit organization owned by Connie Richard.We comply with the requirements of the Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing. Each preschool class is taught by a teacher and assistant with a background in preschool education. Our afterschool program is taught by a School Age Site Coordinator and School Age Site Assistants. The office is staffed with a Center Administrator, Curriculum Coordinator and a Bookkeeper.

ADMISSIONS

The Hartly Family Learning Center relies on a strong reputation and word of mouth advertising from satisfied families. As the need arises, we advertise in the public media in order to make openings known to all. Children are admitted regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or religion. Children who are 12 months through 12 years old are eligible to enroll in the program.

We offer the following enrollment options:

  1. Full time care for children ages 12 months to 12 years. 12 month old must be able to walk.
  2. Before and After school care to school age children through 12 years old
  3. Part-time preschool to children ages 3 years to school age. Part time classes are held from September to May every year.
  4. Full summer camp program for children ages 12 months to 12 years old.
  5. Casual or hourly care for school age programs only. This care is not guaranteed and is limited to space and staff availability. Casual care is any care defined as one day per week or less. Advance notice is always recommended in case we are not able to accommodate your child(ren) on a requested day. Hourly care must be paid in advance.

Admission requirements and enrollment procedures are as follows:

  1. A child must be 12 monthsold and able to walk on their own, to be admitted intoourprogram. Parents must also sign an addendum granting permission for their child to sleep on a cotversus in a crib. We do not provide cribs.
  2. A child must be three years old by August 31 to be admitted in the three year old class. All entering three year old children must be toilet trained. If there is a medical reason for a child not to be toilet trained, a doctor’s excuse will be accepted to accommodate any child with special needs.
  3. A child must be four years old by August 31 to be admitted in the four year old class.
  4. Classes are filled on a first-come/first-serve basis according to the date of enrollment.
  5. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $50.00.
  6. If the classes are filled when a parent calls or comes in to register, the child’s name will be placed on a waiting list to fill vacancies as they occur.
  7. Parents of registered children receive a letter in August inviting them to an Open House prior to the start of the school year.

Children are admitted on a first come first serve basis. Preference is given to full time children first, school age requests second, and casual or hourly care last. Being registered for casual or hourly care does not guarantee space. Casual and hourly families are admitted depending on space available and limited to one day a week.

DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATIONS

Before care is offered on school days from 6:30 a.m. until 8:10 a.m. After care is offered from 3:15 p.m. until 6:00 pm. Half day care is available from dismissal time until 6:00 p.m. All day care is available on in service days from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Our summer camp program runs from the last week of school in spring until the first week of school the following fall.

Summer hours are from 6:30 am until 5:30 pm beginning after Memorial Day weekend and ending after Labor Day weekend.

School closings and delays due to weather emergencies apply to our part time preschool programs as well. When there is a one hour delay in Capital School District, part time preschool will open regular time. When there is a two hour delay in Capital School District, part time preschool is cancelled for the day. During closings and delays, the center will still be open regular hours for full time students and school age students, unless a State of Emergency has been declared. The Center will close for all programs when a State of Emergency is in effect. The Center reserves the right to close at the discretion of the owner if an impending weather situation warrants such closure.

School delays and closings can be found on the school district websites and at You can also register for e-mail notification on your district website.

CENTER HOLIDAYS AND ANNUAL CLOSING WEEKS

The Center is open year round with the exception of the following holidays: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The Center is closed during the week of July 4th for the entire week for facility maintenance and major repairs. The Center will also be closed the week of Christmas Break. There are no weekly care charges or offerings during these weeks.

We are open for our full time students, including our regularly attending school age students, during Easter vacation. The full time weekly rate applies this week.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES

No child is to be dropped off at the school before 6:30 a.m. When you arrive in the morning, please escort your child into the center and sign them in. Licensing requires us to keep documentation of parent signatures for three years.

The after school program begins at 3:15 p.m. The children come to the center by school bus from their elementary schools. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to contact their respective school and transportation departments to make arrangements for bus transportation to and from the center.

The latest time for pick up is 6:00 p.m. This time is strictly enforced. A late fee of $1.00 per minute per child will be charged for each minute you are late picking up your child. This amount is due in cash at the time of pick up. Failure to pay this late fee will result in exclusion from the program until the late fee is paid in full.

It is important that we protect your child by ensuring that your child does not leave with a person you have not authorized to pick up your child. Anyone you approve to pick up your child should be listed on your Child Information Card. You must also tell us when someone else will be picking up your child. Even if it is

an emergency, we must have your permission to release you child to someone other than you. We will need the person’s name and a description of what he or she looks like. The person picking up your child will have to show us a picture I.D. before we will release your child from our care.

We have to assume that both parents have the right to pick up your child, unless you give us a copy of a court order stating otherwise. We will need to discuss how we should handle the non-custodial parent who arrives to pick up your child. Without a copy of the court order, we cannot refuse a parent. If we have a court order and a non-custodial parent tries to pick up the child, we will immediately call the custodial parent. If the non-custodial parent leaves with the child, we will immediately call the police and report the situation. We will not place the other children at risk in a confrontation with the non-custodial parent.

It is very important to us that your child arrives home safely. Therefore, if the person who arrives to pick up your child appears intoxicated or otherwise incapable of bringing your child home safely, we will call 911 immediately, and then we will call the parent or emergency contact person listed on the Child Information Card to request their assistance. If this situation occurs a second time, it will be grounds for the termination of our care of your child.

PROGRAM FEES

A registration fee of $50.00 is required for each student every year. This covers costs for insurance and start up supplies for the school year. Fees for child care services are broken down in the enrollment agreement. We do accept cash for payments, however, we do not keep cash in the building which makes providing correct change difficult. Payments made by check or money order are to be payable to Hartly FLC. Payments are also accepted with debit and credit cards. Payments for weekly care and monthly preschool are not prorated and aredue each Monday. A late fee of $5.00 per day is assessed for each day a payment is late. You may pay as many weeks in advance as you prefer to pay. Late payments may result in exclusion from the program until the account is current.

We accept Purchase of Care and Purchase of Care Plus. Our site name for this program is Hartly Family Learning Center and our site identification number is 1710454100. We allow five slots for standard Purchase of Care. There is no limit for Purchase of Care Plus students. Purchase of Care Plus families agree to pay the difference between the weekly fee for services and the amount paid by Purchase of Care. A contract is signed stating the exact amounts at the time of enrollment. It is the family’s responsibility to advise their case worker that they are enrolling for services at the Hartly Family Learning Center. If you choose to enroll your child before the POC authorization has been issued to the Center, standard rates will apply until the authorization is received by the Center.