Early Childhood Education Program Policies and Procedures

Early Childhood Education Program Policies and Procedures Parent Handbook Revised 2013 Excellence in education is when we do everything that we can to make sure they become everything that they can. Carol Tomlinson 1

Welcome to the Early Childhood Education Program at Bethlehem Centers of Nashville! We are honored to care for your child during this very important time in his or her life. We take the responsibility of caring for and educating your child very seriously. We will partner with you to ensure your child s needs are being met and that they will receive a foundation for success in elementary school and beyond. Locations and Hours of Operation Bethlehem Centers of Nashville North Site 12 months 10 years old 1417 Charlotte Ave. Nashville, TN 37203 615-329-3386 ex 225 Toddlers, Preschool, Pre-K, After School, Summer Programming 7:00am 6:00pm Administrative Staff Rachel Parker Tiffany West Cheryl Floyd Tina Holmes Early Childhood Education Program Director Literacy Coach Site Supervisor North Site Lead Teacher North Site 2

Curriculum and Schedule At Bethlehem Centers of Nashville we use two developmentally appropriate curriculums. For our Toddler program we use the Creative Curriculum. This curriculum is guided by children s interests and paced to meet their developmental needs. It is a theme based curriculum, each week a new theme will be introduced and explored in play, art, music, and story. Our Preschoolers use DLM and Pre-K uses the Frog Street curriculum. This curriculum has a more structured program as it transitions children toward Kindergarten readiness. There are large group lessons, small groupinstruction, plenty of play experiences, music and art elements. Children are introduced to a theme and then it is carried through all they do in the week. Themes build off each other as children learn and the year progresses. Daily Schedule While schedules are different for each class, there is a typical structure to the overall day at BCN. Your child s class schedule will be posted in their room so you will know exactly what is happening for them during the day. It is important that all children arrive before 9:00am. By 9:00 we are ready to start our instructional day for all ages. Please make sure that your child arrives before 9:00 so they are ready for a successful day. Typical BCN Schedule 7:00 8:00 Arrivals 8:00 8:30 Breakfast 9:00 Instructional Day Begins - group times, center play, outside, art, music, stories 11:30 12:00 Lunch 12:00 2:30 Nap Routines and Rest 2:30 Children Up and Toileting/ Diaper Changes 3:00 Snack 3:15 6:00 Play, Closing Activities, & Outside time, Dismissals Meals Breakfast 8:00 8:30 Lunch 11:30 12:00 Snack 3:00 3:15 We believe that children learn best when they are well fed. We will provide a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack for all children involved in our program. If your child arrives after the breakfast time, they can receive the breakfast the children eat, but a parent will need to sit with them while they eat. 3

Enrollment, Fees, and Holidays The Bethlehem Centers of Nashville serves children 6 weeks through 12 years old. We enroll children without regard to race, religion, sex, color, national origin, ancestry, or disability. Children with special needs will be accepted into the child care center providing their care can be met safely with reasonable accommodations. Enrollment Procedures Parent and Child must have a pre-visit in the Center before enrolling. The parent must complete the entire enrollment packet including a Child Profile and Child Health Form prior to the child s first visit to the center. Family service hours must be met at all times in order to maintain the teacher/child ratio. If hours need to be changed, please speak with the site supervisor and revise the service contract. All children must have a valid shot record and physical form on file before they will be enrolled in the program All children will need a completed transportation plan stating who is able to pick up the student from the center. The child will only be released to people on this written plan. Call in permission for pick-up will not be accepted. Registration Fee and first week s payment or valid DHS voucher must be received before enrollment will begin. Fees At Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, we accept DHS vouchers. If you are on a voucher, your co-pay will be determined according to your voucher contract. This fee will not be waived. Fees are due on the Monday of each week. If fees are not received by Wednesday morning, a $5 late fee will be added each day the payment is late. If your payments get behind more than 2 weeks, children will not be able to return to the center without full payment including late fees. When a voucher expires, a new valid voucher must be on file to receive uninterrupted service, or a weekly fee must be paid. Spots will not be held when vouchers expire and service is terminated. Weekly Rates: Toddlers Pre-School Aftercare School Age School Out Care Registration Fee (nonrefundable) $120 weekly $105 weekly $40 weekly $75 weekly $25 upon receipt of application 4

Late Fees Late fees will apply for any child who is in the Centers past the closing time. A fee will be charged for each child when siblings are left. After the first 5 minutes, the late fee is $1 per minute beginning at closing time. After 30 minutes, Child Protective Services will be called to pick up your child. 1 4 minutes late no charge 5 minutes late $5 10 minutes late $10 30 minutes late $30 DHS called Emergency contacts will be called at pick up time to pick up child if parents can not be reached. Attendance Weekly fees will be charged regardless of attendance. There will be no pro-rating for daily absences. Children may take up to 2 weeks off for vacation without pay during the year. We must have prior written notice of absence and children must be out for the entire week. Families who are on a child care voucher must give written notice if their child will be absent for over 1 week. Children who are absent for 2 weeks without written notice will be unenrolled and when applicable reported to the DHS voucher office. Parents must give 2 week notice when unenrolling a child. If a child misses 2 weeks of school without written statement, they will be un-enrolled in the program. Their spot will not be held. Fees may be added if parent choose to re-enroll children. Holidays The Center will be closed on the following State Holidays: New Year s Day Martin Luther King s Birthday Good Friday Memorial Day 4 th of July Labor Day Thanksgiving Day Friday after Thanksgiving Christmas Eve Christmas Day If a holiday falls on the weekend, the Centers will be closed on either the Friday before or the Monday after in accordance to State closings. We will also be closed for up to 5 in-service days in a calendar year. The Centers will give families at least 2 weeks notice of in-service closings. Snow Days Snow closings will be announced on Channel 2, 4, and 5. All programs will be open unless an announcement is made. Please look under Daycares and Other Programs for these notifications. 5

Health Each child enrolled in Bethlehem Centers of Nashville must have a complete Health Record form, including a record of up-to-date immunizations, on file at the center. Teachers and children will practice procedures that will help prevent the spread of contagious diseases and illnesses. A child will not be accepted to the Center or will be removed from the group immediately for pick by a parent or emergency contact if they display any of the following symptoms: Fever of 100.4 or more Unidentified skin rash Diarrhea 2 or more times in the same day Vomiting Lice, Scabies, Ring Worm or other infestation Inflammation of eyes, discharge of eyes, or redness of eyes A child who is unusually irritable, lethargic, and unable to participate in the daily activities Children may not return to the centers until they have been symptom free for 24 hours or have a doctor statement declaring them non-contagious. When a child becomes ill, the parent/guardian will be contacted. They will have 1 hour to pick up the child. If a parent can not be reached, the emergency contact will be notified. Bethlehem Centers staff will administer medication to a child only if the followings conditions have been met: o Parents have completed a medication form indicating medication name, prescription dosage, time administered, and possible side effects. Medicine form must be filled out each week. Medicines must be clearly labeled with your child s name. o Staff will only administer prescription medication. A copy of the prescription must be attached to the medication. A prescription must be for the child receiving the medication and it can not be out of date. If a child needs an over the counter medication, there must be a doctor s orders, signed by the doctor describing all the points covered in a prescription. Children should not be brought to BCN if they have taken multi symptom cold remedies or fever controlling medication within the last 6 hours. All medications must be locked away from children. Sunscreen Parents will be asked to sign a permission slip for teachers to apply sunscreen in the hot months of the year, May Sept. Parents will have the choice of sending sunscreen for children, or paying a small fee for water proof sunscreen. 6

Discipline The goals for Classroom Management for Bethlehem Centers are for children: To be able to evaluate and make choices To take responsibility for their own actions To recognize and express their feelings appropriately To be considerate and fair in solving problems with others You child is expected to show consideration and respect for all other persons and things while in the center. The following procedures are in place to help children reach these goals: Establish a climate of trust Communicate positively and clearly Prevent inappropriate behavior with redirection and gentle reminders Offer choices Ignore minor annoyances Use natural and logical consequences Assist with verbal problem solving and conflict resolution Discipline will never involve food, bathroom, or rest. Corporal punishment, which includes any physical act intended to bring pain or fear, will not be used at all. Abusive or profane language will not be used or tolerated. Any form of emotional abuse or humiliation including shaming, rejecting, threatening, or isolating a child will not be used. When an inappropriate but non-physical incident occurs the child should be reminded of the expectations and others praised for appropriate behavior. If the incident continues: Try to busy the child and redirect his/her behavior to something more positive. Remove the equipment or material if it seems to be bringing about consistently inappropriate behavior in the children. Give Alternatives: o Tell the child, Use your words and give the child the necessary words if she or he doesn t have them o Encourage them to express their feelings and look for patterns in behaviors and feelings. o Maybe the child is ready for an active time or quiet time. o Suggest they pound clay or kick a ball. Guide them into eventually making these choices for themselves if needed. o Talk to the child about how they feel and why. Help them work through what was upsetting in the situation. o Give them time and space to calm down and reenter the situation when they are ready. 7

Time Out For young toddlers, it is best not to use Time Out as a punishment. It should be used as an opportunity to get away from the situation and have time to calm down. When using time out with toddlers be patient and talk quietly. Give them space while observing and intervening as necessary. Help the child learn to self regulate in upsetting or frustrating situations. For older children, time out may be used as a natural consequence for extreme behavior. Do not keep a child in time out more than five minutes when used this way. For any child, always verbalize with the child what happened and what is appropriate and expected when the time out is over. Allow the child to rejoin the group and praise for appropriate behavior. Steps for ongoing Behavior concerns Parents, teacher, and administration hold a conference to share information and develop a plan of consistent expectations for the classroom and home. Community resources shared with parents The Director has the authority to call the parents for immediate pick up if the disruptive behavior continues after a reasonable amount of time or if the behavior is excessively dangerous to the child or other children in the program. If the child s inappropriate behavior does not change after all efforts have been exhausted and the child has been sent home 3 times the family may be asked to find another program. Biting Biting is common among toddlers because of their expanding emotional range and their developing language skills. When toddlers become angry or frustrated, they often bite other children. At times bites also occur during fun times for no apparent reason at all. Please be patient with your child, with other children and with teachers when bites occur. We use redirection, correction, explanation, and ask the child to apologize to the bitten child. We also shadow a child who is having trouble with biting. If biting continues over time, we have conferences with parents, document occurrences to look for patterns and intervene, and look to other resources for help with biting. The director reserves the right to terminate care if the needs of the child and other children in the room are not being met. When a bite occurs we: Comfort the injured child Clean the wound with soap and water Fill out an incident report on the child who was bitten and the child who did the biting. We do not tell a parent who the other child involved in the incident is to safe guard confidentiality. 8

Arrival and Dismissal Routines Arrival An arrival routine is important for children to separate easily and begin a successful day at school. Drop offs should be fairly quick, with easy communication between teachers and parents. To help with arrivals, cell phone conversations should be terminated before entering the Child Care Center. Upon arrival please follow these steps: Greet your child s teacher and other staff you encounter Help your child take off outer wear coats, hats, boots, etc. Please place these items in their cubbies for later use. Supervise the washing of your child s hands. They need to wash with soap for at least 10 seconds in warm water. Sign your child into the center with your first and last name. Put any notes for special instructions in the teacher s notebook. Speak with the teacher, give them information about how your morning has been, or check to see how things are going at school. Tell your child goodbye, encourage a great day and then go ahead and leave. If a child is upset, let the staff hold your child as you leave. A quick clean goodbye with a smile helps assure your child that they are in a safe place. Please make sure doors close behind you and that gates are re-latched upon entry and exit of the child care facility. Dismissal Children will only be released to people on their transportation plan. Parents can add people to this plan in person at any time. We will not accept phone calls authorizing the pick-up of children by anyone not on the transportation plan. When you return to pick up your child: Please sign your child out. Check with your child s teacher about their day. Teachers will give any important details or just share a little about how your child spent their day at school Gather all materials from your child s cubby, coats, clothing, papers, etc. Speak to staff, as you leave. When leaving the facility, please make sure only your child(ren) leave with you. Do not let other children leave the facility, even if their parent is directly behind you. Please instruct them to, Wait for your parent to walk you out. If someone who does not regularly pick up your child is picking up, it is best to let staff know ahead of time. Anyone who is new to picking up your child will need to bring in a photo ID and their ID will be compared to the information on the Transportation plan. If they sporadically pick up, they may be required to show ID on multiple occasions. Children will not be released to any adult who appears impaired or exhibits behaviors that would put children at immediate risk. 9

Outdoor Children will be taken outside daily unless extreme weather conditions exist. Extreme weather includes active precipitation, heat index of over 100 degrees, wind chill less than 32 degrees, or air quality warnings. Please dress your child appropriately for daily weather conditions. We will monitor weather conditions and adjust time outside accordingly. What to Bring Children will need an extra set of clothing available. Accidents and spills are frequent occurrences and we will change children when this occurs. If soiled clothes are sent home, be sure to send an extra set of clean clothing the next day. Diapers and wipes are to be provided by parents. In some cases, we will ask for pull ups during naptime if a potty trained child is having more than one accident per week during naps. Teachers will notify parents before supplies run out. All items sent to the Center should be labeled with your child s name. Nutrition and Food Substitutions We serve breakfast, lunch and snack at Bethlehem Centers. All meals are nutritionally balanced and approved by the USDA for children s health. Parents are invited to join their child for meals at any time. Please let your teacher know at least a day in advance if you will be eating so there will be food available. Menus will be posted on the Parent Information Board for all meals. Because we provide meals according to USDA approval, we can not substitute food based on likes or favorite foods. We will make accommodations for allergies, religious or medical nutritional needs. Parents must provide the needed food substitution. It must be labeled and will be stored in the kitchen until time for meals. Parents of Infants must provide formula, breast milk, or baby food for transitions to solid food. All food that comes into the Center must be labeled with your child s name and in a sealed container. At 12 months we will transition children to age appropriate table food. TV/ Videos/ Movies There is limited use of TV and Videos at Bethlehem Centers. Only G rated videos will be shown. They will be limited to special occasions or when subject matter is relevant to topics being discussed in classrooms. Photography Many times the teachers will take photos of children in their classroom. These photos are primarily used for teaching purposes. Occasionally, these photos will be used in Bethlehem Centers promotional materials. When this happens, you will be given the chance to sign for permission of photo use. You have the right to refuse your child s photo being taken or used. Photos will never be distributed with children s names or any identifying information. Photos will not be posted on the Internet for any purpose without specific permission. 10

Parent Involvement and Communication Involvement Parents are welcome and encouraged to visit the Center. We encourage you to become actively involved in the program. In addition to daily contact at arrival and dismissal, parents can also become engaged in: Parent/ Teacher Conferences Held twice during the school year, in late fall and late spring and at any other time with parent or teacher request. A vital time for parents and teachers to share success, concerns, and future plans for individualized education for a student. Sharing of Talents and Interests with the Students Parents are invited to share special talents with their child s class or with the center as a whole. Playing an instrument, a cooking activity, art project, outdoor activity, reading a story, or playing a special game are just a few ways you can bring something special you do at home into the school environment. Parent Meetings All parents are invited to serve on the Parent Council. This body makes decisions primarily regarding school wide events, teacher appreciation, and fundraising. All parents are encouraged to attend these quarterly meetings. Other Parent Meetings include Open House and periodic parenting classes. Family Literacy Workshops Parents are encouraged to come to the 3 Literacy Workshops offered during the school year. We will discuss ways to incorporate reading and writing in your everyday life and help better prepare your child for Elementary school and beyond. Communication We encourage open communication between Bethlehem Centers and our families. We all need to be fully aware of what is going on so that we are providing consistent, reinforcing educational practices. We communicate to parents in a variety of ways: Daily notes in our Infant and Toddler classes Bulletin Boards in each classroom with lesson plans, schedules, and special announcements Parent s Bulletin Board for general Center Information located by entrance door Center Wide Monthly Newsletters Memos from the Director placed in child s folder Emails from teachers and director Phone Calls from teachers or director Place for notes in Sign In/Out Book for parents to leave teachers Classroom Newsletters Information meetings Open House, Literacy Workshops Conferences 11

Transitions Child to New Class Typically, children move to a new classroom the first week of the new school year in August. To ease this transition, children will be introduced to their new class by spending hours in the days before the official move. Parents will be informed before the transition begins. Occasionally, children will be moved into new classrooms during the school year depending on age, enrollment, and a child s development. When this occurs, teachers, administration, and parents will be in conversation about appropriate transition times. We will have the child spend several hours in the new class daily for about a week before the final transition is made. New Teachers When we experience a change in teacher midyear, we do everything we can to make a smooth transition for children and families. If we have notice of the teacher s departure date, we make every effort to find a new teacher who can overlap and work with the departing teacher for at least a week. If a replacement teacher cannot be found we will substitute with a floating teacher with whom the children are familiar until a more permanent arrangement is made. Children and families will always have an opportunity to meet the new teacher and know a little about him or her before the complete transition is made. Introductions will be made in the classroom and also through written notification to the parents. Disenrollment Children may be dismissed from the program for the following reasons: Behavior after multiple conferences with teachers and parents. A behavior plan will be put in place and multiple steps will be taken before disenrollment occurs. Behavior that continues to put the child or other children at risk will be grounds for disenrollment. Not Complying with the Department of Health regulations in a timely manner. Children will not be admitted without current immunization and physical records. Parents will be give 2 weeks from notification or a specific date to have forms updated as children age. Parents who do not submit updated forms by the set date will lose their childcare spot. Late Payment Parents who become more than 2 weeks behind in payments may have children disenrolled from the program. Payments are due on Monday, and $5 late fee is added on Wednesday. 12

Safety Accidents While the staff at Bethlehem Centers makes every effort to avoid injury to children, accidents do happen. When accidents occur the follow procedures are followed: Child is immediately comforted and calmed down. Every attention is paid to minimize trauma to the child Severity of injury is assessed can we move the child, can we clean the injury, do we need to call in EMT? For severe injury 911 will be called and instructions will be followed, parents will be notified immediately For minor injuries injuries will be treated according to American Red Cross training, ice may be applied, wound care will be given, and children will be comforted Parents will receive an accident report including how the injury occurred and how the injury was treated. Parents will be called if there is a head injury or any concern that a doctor should look at the injury. All BCN staff goes through First Aide and Pediatric CPR training. All are qualified to administer general first aide treatment, but none of the staff are doctors or nurses. Our opinion and treatment are never to be taken in place of or as a substitute for a doctor s order. Emergencies In case of any emergency, local authorities will be contacted immediately. Bethlehem Centers Staff will follow the plans in place to get children out of immediate danger and then follow the direction of rescue teams to ensure ongoing safety. When students are moved all staff will take their class rolls with attendance and up to date emergency contact information. An emergency kit, including children s emergency contact information, activities, snacks, and personal health items has been prepared and teachers have been assigned to retrieve it during an emergency. Fire In the event of a fire, children will be evacuated according to the Fire Evacuation Plan posted at each site. Children will be evacuated by staff, teachers will then check roll and count all children. Children will remain in the designated location until the facility is cleared for reentry by the Fire Department. Arrangements have been made for children to be housed in locations across the street in the event of a fire and extended evacuation. Parents will be called to pick up their children if a fire occurs. Tornado In the event of a tornado or severe weather, children will be moved to the lowest level and interior wall of the facility. Children will not be allowed to leave the facility with parents until the immediate threat of a tornado or storm is over. 13

Lock Down Children will be moved to interior hallways away from all windows, all doors will be locked and there will be no one moving throughout the facility. Bomb Threat Children will be evacuated from the facility according to the fire escape plan. They will be moved to the designated safe locations. If the threat is from outside and children should remain in the building, the children will be moved to the lowest, interior wall. Flood Children will be moved to the highest interior level of the building. All facilities have at least 2 levels. Earthquake In the event of an earthquake, children will be taught to get under tables and cover their heads. If tables are unavailable, they will be taught to move to the center of the room away from falling materials, curl in a ball on the ground and cover their heads. Children who are unable to move on their own will be placed under a table or crib all facing the same direction. Teachers will positions themselves at the children s heads, get on floor with children and cover their own heads. Hazardous Material (Chemical) Spill If the event is indoors, we will evacuate as according to the Fire Escape Routes. We will locate upwind of BCN and the chemical spill. If the event is outdoors, we will remain indoors with all doors and windows closed. We will follow emergency crew instructions if there is a need for evacuation. Safe Places for Evacuation - immediate evacuation to church lot across 15 th Ave; indoor evacuation to Capers AME Church across street on 15 th or Clinical Research Associates Building on Broadway and 15 th 14

Grievance Procedure The staff at Bethlehem Centers strives to offer the best care we can to your child. We know that at times misunderstandings and miscommunications can cause a strain in care. If you have any concerns that are not resolved through conversation and conference with your child s teacher the following steps may be taken: 1) Speak with your Site Supervisor. Talk through the problem, they will work to solve or take the issue to the director for further discussion. 2) File your Concern with the director. You may schedule a meeting where the concern will be documented. The director will work with you to come to a solution that is agreeable to meeting your child s need and feasible for the center. 3) If the concern is not resolved by the Director, you may submit your concern in writing to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will then get back with you within two weeks of receiving the complaint. If there is any suspicion of abuse or neglect of children parents should immediately contact the Depart of Human Services at 1.877.237.0004 and the Childcare Director at Bethlehem Centers of Nashville. 15