Welcome!
This booklet has been written to help you answer many of your questions. Please read it thoroughly so you will know about Positive Parenting’s philosophy and requirements. Feel free to contact the Director if you have any questions.
Mission Statement
Positive Parenting at Trinity promotes the future success of children by nurturing their unique talents and abilities, fostering their readiness for school, and supporting their families.
Positive Parenting at Trinity Philosophy
The philosophy of Positive Parenting is based on the theory that children construct and order their knowledge and learning through interactions with people and by acting on and in the prepared environment.
Positive Parenting provides children with opportunities to enhance their intellectual and problem-solving abilities; strengthen their emotional health; develop socially in their ability to relate with other children and adults, and express themselves creatively. Opportunities are presented in a warm and secure environment that fosters the development of the whole child. Every aspect of our program is designed to contribute to the children’s learning and development. We believe that developing a positive self-concept ensures success in life, and that this can only happen when each child is cared for in a nurturing setting that meets physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs.
Positive Parenting is a place where a child can play and share experiences with other children. A variety of materials and activities are provided for children to use in exploring, constructing, and organizing their world around them. Children are guided in making choices and in understanding that choices have natural consequences. Our program offers a balance of free choice and guided activities, as well as individual and group (large and small) activities.
Positive Parenting at Trinity Child Care Program Goals
To provide a developmentally appropriate environment for children from 18 months old through age 5 and of all abilities.
To encourage positive social/emotional interaction within the group setting.
To offer an educational environment that stimulates and supports individual and group learning.
To promote independence and a positive self-concept.
To provide a safe and nurturing environment which allows children to become “risk-takers” in their learning process—meaning that they’re willing to try new things and even fail on their way to success.
Origin of Positive Parenting at Trinity
Positive Parenting is a 501©(3) non-profit corporation governed by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of community leaders with interest or experience in early childhood education. The program was established in 1995 after the Davenport Community School District (DCSD) noted that high school students with children were not attending classes or dropping out due to a lack of affordable childcare that also met their scheduling and transportation needs. At the request of the DCSD, a group of concerned citizens rallied to create a quality childcare program to enable high school mothers to remain in school and achieve their goal of a High School diploma.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral agreed to provide the space and utilities to support what it considered (and still does consider) to be a local mission project. The childcare program began in one of the Sunday school classrooms. As years passed, the majority of the church’s lower level is shared in harmony by the Church School program and Positive Parenting program.
Positive Parenting has evolved into a childcare pre-school program caring for children from all cultures and economic backgrounds, and, in some cases, a variety of special needs. We believe that by offering a community that pursues various life-styles, we are encouraging the development of acceptance and the understanding of unity. We are proud to represent a diverse group of children, parents, and staff, which in turn provides a realistic view of the world.
SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT
No smoking shall be allowed anywhere in the building or on the premises in sight of the children.
ENROLLMENT POLICY
The following forms will be required at the time of enrollment:
- Service Contract
- Intake Sheet
- Physical Assessment and Health Form
- Certificate of Immunization
- Parental Emergency Medical/Dental Consent Form
- Release Authorization (Travel and photography-video)
Parents are responsible for completing all of the paperwork necessary for tuition fees, for childcare reimbursement from the Department of Human Services or for co-pay arrangements. Failure to file the required papers or misrepresenting information on the application will result in the child being dismissed from Positive Parenting. Parents are responsible for payment of all fees in a timely manner or future enrollment will be denied.
Parents will be required to review and update the intake form on a quarterly basis in February, May, August, and November. If no changes are necessary, parents will be asked to initial the form. Once a year, in November a new form will need to be filled out.
Once a year or if there is a change in requested days for enrollment parents, will be asked to fill out and sign a new contract to keep the child’s file up to date. Parents will read and initial their intake form on quarterly basis.
Ages Served
Positive Parenting is a year-round program serving all children from 12 months (by the first day of enrollment) to kindergarten age. Children are admitted regardless of race, creed, color, sex, disability, national origin, or religion.
The age of your child, along with available space and staff-to-child ratios required by state licensing authorities, will determine your child’s placement in a “family”. Room C and F“family” will have around 15 children aged 2 years to 3 years in it with a “lead” teacher and two helping teachers. Ages 12 months to 23 months will be placed in A family with a maximum of 8 children and 2 adults, the 4 & 5 year olds will be in the preschool family with a maximum of 18 children and 3 teachers.
Your child will participate with their “family” in all of the small group activities, called “family time,” throughout the day, including calendar time, focus time, slow-down time, and rest time. This “family” setting allows the child to develop a sense of security that stems from knowing their teachers and friends within a small group. However, we will rearrange “families” throughout the year to facilitate your child’s learning how to adjust to new situations and to accept change. Your child will also be encouraged throughout the day to develop friendships with children from other “families” through large group activities. Breakfast, lunch and snack times are shared with at least one other “family” in the dining room. Please be assured that your child’s teachers will do everything possible to make this a caring and pleasant experience for your child.
TUITION AND FEE POLICY
As in your home, Positive Parenting operates on a budget. We depend on receiving tuition payments on time so that we can operate smoothly, making necessary purchases for the Center and pay salaries. We have established a policy concerning payment of tuition and fees.
Tuition
Tuition is due the first working day of your child’s week, regardless of attendance that day, unless other arrangements have been made with the Director. If tuition is not paid on Monday, a $5.00 per day delinquency fee will be assessed. If you have a problem with your payment, please talk to the Director. We will make every effort to accommodate special circumstances; however, we will request that you not bring your child to Positive Parenting until payment is made. If tuition and the delinquency fees are not paid by the 10th working day, you will be asked to withdraw your child from the Center. If there are circumstances affecting your ability to pay tuition, you may bring the matter before the Executive Board for consideration.
A two-week notice is required for withdrawal without penalty. Without notice and/or a discussion with and the approval of the Director, tuition is due.
Weekly tuition fees are as follows:
12 months to 23 months $200.00
24 months to 36 months $178.00
*3 years to 5 years *$158.00*
* This fee applies only to children who are potty trained, All children regardless of age, who are still in diapers or pull ups will be charged the 18 month to 36 month fee. Children are considered potty trained once they have been accident free for two consecutive weeks.
Returned Check Fee
A fee of $35.00 for each returned check due to insufficient funds will be charged. Most banks run all checks two times
Late Pick-Up Fee
Positive Parenting closes promptly at 5:30 P.M. every day with the exception of closing early due to bad weather. We request that you make every effort to pick up your child on time. When you are late, we face staffing and licensing issues. Our late fee policy is the following: from 5:31 P.M. -5:35 P.M. there will be a $10.00 charge, and after 5:35 P.M., there will be a $5.00-per-minute charge. This late fee will be paid directly to the staff person who stayed late with your child, and must be paid before your child may return to Positive Parenting.
Full Time /Part Time Care
Full time - Monday through Friday (5 days) 7:00am to 5:30pm or 10 units
Part time – anything less
Positive Parenting is currently accepting full time childcare only.
If you wish to have part time child care and there is another family wanting the opposite days as you Positive Parenting is able to combined the two children making one full time slot. In some cases we may be able to combine a Monday – Friday am slot with a pm slot.
If you receive less then 10 units a week per your contract. The parent will be responsible to cover the cost of any remaining units. For example contract states the family is eligible for 8 units the parents will be required to pay for the remaining 2 units out of pocket. This amount is due at the beginning of each week. If the family has more then four absences in a month they will be responsible for the additional cost of childcare that is not covered by their funding source.
Funding Assistance
We accept funding sources from the following sources
Department of Human Services
Friendly House
Promise Jobs
CLOSINGS AND HOLIDAYS
The Center will observe the following holidays with closures:
- New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- The week of Independence Day for summer break
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve, through New Years Eve for Winter
Positive Parenting will make every attempt to operate during periods of inclement weather. Announcements of any closings due to weather will be made on our local television and radio stations.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Please notify the Director of any plans you may have to withdraw your child from the center. Your notice must be received (2) two weeks prior to your child’s last day to avoid additional charges.
Children mature and accept new experiences at different ages. If we feel that your child is not benefiting from our program, or that we are not meeting his/her needs, we will meet with you to discuss our concerns. Together, we will work to develop a plan to address concerns and seek solutions. If a plan cannot be agreed upon or, if in the Director’s judgment, you are not cooperating fully in the implementation of an agreed-upon plan, we will ask that you withdraw your child from Positive Parenting. The decision of the Director in these matters is final. We will provide you with referrals to other programs that may be more suitable for your child and yourself. We may ask that you withdraw your child from Positive Parenting in the unlikely event any of the following situations arise:
Failure to pay tuition and delinquency fees.
Failure to follow Positive Parenting at Trinity’s policies.
Failure to cooperate appropriately and fully in any special, agreed-upon plan developed to address specific issues or concerns with your child in the center.
Continual arrival or departure beyond regular hours of operation.
Inadequate or misrepresented information on enrollment and information forms.
SAFETY POLICY
Checking In and Out
Providing a safe and secure environment is extremely important to us. Every time you arrive or leave Positive Parenting at Trinity, your child must be checked in and checked out on the sign-in sheet located on the sign-in/out counter across from the office. Attendance records are required by the state’s licensing regulations, and they provide up-to-the-minute attendance lists for teachers and staff. Once your child is checked in, please be sure to walk with your child to his or her classroom (or dining room or playground, if needed) and inform the teacher that your child is present.
To ensure your child’s safety, the Director and teachers will keep the names, addresses, and phone numbers of those persons authorized to pick up your child. We require that anyone picking up your child must show proper identification, such as a driver’s license, before your child is released. If this information changes, you will be asked to update the section on the Parental Emergency Medical Consent Form that lists those persons authorized to pick up your child. If you know ahead of time that the authorized person will be picking up you child instead of you, please notify the Director in advance in writing. If someone other then the person written on the sign in book comes to pick up your child, the administrative assistant will call the parent or guardian for permission prior to releasing the child in to their care. If you know in advance that someone other then the person assigned to pick up the child for that day is going to come please call ahead and inform the office. In all cases, anyone picking up the child, which we are not familiar with must bring proof of identification with them. Please note that your child cannot be released to the care of someone under the age of 18, even to walk him or her to your car.
In the case that your child may require a special procedure at either pick up, drop off, or both, the process will be decided upon prior to your child’s first day of school.
In the case of divorce, please inform the Director and your child’s teacher of the custodial parent who may pick up your child. The parent with custody is required to provide the Director with a copy of the divorce decree, which will be kept confidential in your child’s file.
When picking up your child, please do not leave your car running unattended, and please do not leave children in the car unattended. Please drive with caution in the parking lot, there are many people moving about and we want everyone to be safe at all times. When assisting your child to your car please hold their hand and be aware of other vehicles in the parking lot.
Children will be under adult supervision at all times, this includes in the rooms, walks, on the playground, bathrooms, getting drinks, hanging up coats, and washing hands. If a child must leave a room during family time, a staff member will be with them at all times.
PARENTAL ACCESS
Parents will have unlimited access to their children throughout the day while they are attending Positive Parenting. However, in situations where parental contact is prohibited by court order, a copy of the applicable portion of the court order must be provided by the parent or custodian and made a part of the child’s file.
Access Policy
Positive Parenting at Trinity
Positive Parenting is a locked facility. All parents, staff, outside teachers, deliveries and guests, must ring the door bell located at the entrance of Positive Parenting to gain access. All individuals looking for the church must ring the bell at the East door to gain access to the church. No one will be allowed into the building though any other door by any other individual during the operating hours of the child care center.
When children are present individuals for the childcare center will enter through the West door on 12th street. Individual’s for the church will enter through the East entrance on Brady Street and go up the stairs to the church office. (going down the stairs will result in a locked dead end). If there are special circumstances will be addresses in coordination with Trinity Staff.
When children are present if a individual enters the building through the church entrance and requested the child care center the church may send the individual to the correct door, call the child care office and inform them that the individual is here and the childcare center worker must greet them at the elevator or walk the individual to the child care office. If a person requesting the church comes to the child care entrance the individual will be sent to the church entrance, or walked to the church office.
Individuals picking up children must be on the pick up list and written down on the daily sign in sheet as the pick up person. If this person is new to the facility they must bring a photo id. (Ex. Drivers license, state issued id, employment issued id) If the parent does not write down the pick up person, they must give verbal permission to the office so that the individuals first and last name can be placed on the pick up list. If the person does not have a photo id the child will not be released.