Early Childhood Learning Center 201 N. Scoville Avenue Oak Park, IL 60302 Erin Graziano ~ Early Childhood Director
Welcome The staff of the River Forest Community Center would like to welcome you and your child to our program! The information in this handbook is designed to provide a convenient and handy reference to be used throughout the year. Please do not hesitate to call the Early Childhood Director at (708) 771-6159 River Forest Site or (708) 434-3199 OPRFHS Site, if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns about the program. History The River Forest Community Center is an Illinois not-for-profit organization, which was incorporated in 1975 for the purpose of providing recreational, educational, and social programs and services to the residents of River Forest and surrounding communities. The full time Early Childhood Program began in 1980 at the original site of the Community Center at 414 Jackson. As enrollment increased, the program was first moved to the River Forest Public Schools and then relocated to the interim Community Center building at 412 Thatcher before moving to its permanent site at 8020 Madison Street. Regardless of the site, the program has always been licensed and fully equipped to meet the needs of its participants. The Community Center is governed by a Board of Directors with the majority of board members required to be residents of River Forest. The Community Center does not have any direct taxing authority and derives virtually 100% of its operating budget from program user fees. Other sources of revenue include fundraising, special events and donations. Program Licensing The River Forest Community Center s full-time Early Childhood Program is licensed by the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS). State and local officials visit the program throughout the year to ensure compliance with the regulations that provide for the safety and well being of the children in the program. A copy of the DCFS licensing standards is available in the director s office for review. Program Philosophy and Objectives Our philosophy is to provide participants with a safe, caring and educational environment which can help each child to achieve his/her full intellectual and emotional potential. This foundation should provide the necessary tools for building meaningful, healthy and productive lives. Program Objectives: 1. Promote the development of meaningful, healthy values which will guide children throughout their lives. 2. To provide experiences to encourage sensitivity, respect and understanding of each child s rights and feelings, and those of others. 3. To promote and encourage the development of each child s autonomy and self-esteem. 4. To foster creativity, curiosity and initiative in learning experiences. 5. To expand knowledge and interest in language, math and science concepts. 6. To offer creative learning experiences in art, music and drama. 7. To present challenges designed to improve both gross and fine motor skills. 8. To plan a flexible program which takes into consideration the unique abilities and personalities of individual children within the larger class unit. The River Forest Community Center does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, gender or ethnic background. (2)
Early Childhood Staff The RFCC Early Childhood staff includes a full-time director, full and part time teachers, assistant teachers and van driver. The teacher/child ratio for infants (6 wks 14 months) is 1:4, for toddlers (15 through 23 months) is 1:5, for two year olds is 1:8, for children ages 3-4 is 1:10 and for children ages 5-12 is 1:20. Staff members have educational training and experience in meeting the needs of young children. All early childhood staff meet the requirements established by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Teachers and assistants attend at least 15 hours of in-service training per year to stay current with child development, child safety, and child health issues. All RFCC staff members are dedicated to providing a quality environment for each child in the program. Curriculum Content and Program Activities Consistency in the daily schedule and the classroom give children a sense of security that allows them to explore their environment freely. Each classroom has a daily schedule which is posted outside the classroom and communicated to the children frequently. A variety of age appropriate topics have been chosen to help the children explore ideas and the world around them. The classroom teachers prepare developmentally appropriate weekly lesson plans that include a variety of hands-on activities which allow the children to explore the specific themes for the week while developing close friendships and having fun. Parent/Teacher Communication The Early Childhood staff compiles a monthly newsletter and calendar informing parents of themes, upcoming events, activities, and special requests. Information is also posted on the message boards located by each classroom. Please take the time to read the correspondence that is distributed since it is an integral part of the Community Center s efforts to accurately convey program information to all participants. Teachers can schedule conferences with parents during the year to exchange information about the child s progress. Tuition and Payment Procedures Deposits At the time of enrollment, the first payment is considered a deposit for the current school year and is equal to the amount for the child s weekly commitment that is specified on the enrollment form. The deposit will be applied toward the child s last week of care for the school year. Since individual child care services may change after the deposit was paid, a family may have either a credit or balance due on the final bill. Tuition/Payments - River Forest site At the River Forest site, tuition for full time participants is due by 9:00 am on Monday for the following week of care (in essence participants are paying one week in advance for their child s care). Parents may either put a check in the payment box in room 104 or pay at the receptionist's desk in the front office. Payments may be made by cash, check, or credit card (Visa, Master Card, and Discover only). At the time of enrollment, parents must choose a weekly commitment for the school year. The Community Center reserves a spot in the program for the participant based on this commitment. The commitment may be changed during the school year only with the Director s approval. Tuition is not pro-rated for absences. Participants receive vacation credit vouchers based on longevity in the Center s child care program which can be applied to absences if desired. Tuition/Payments Oak Park/River Forest High School site At the Oak Park/River Forest High School (OPRFHS) site tuition is pre-paid two weeks in advance. Vacation vouchers are not applicable. (3)
Arrival and Departure Procedures A parent or authorized representative is required to sign his/her child in and out of the program daily. The parent should accompany the child into and out of the classroom and is encouraged to share information with his/her child s teacher at this time. The full-time Early Childhood Program hours are 7:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. OPRF Site and 7:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. River Forest Site. A late pick-up fee will be charged for each child picked up after the closing time. The late pick-up fee is $5.00 for the first 15 minutes and $1.00 per minute thereafter. The late pick-up fee will double for any child who is picked up late more than 5 times during the year by either parent for any reason. Any child who is chronically picked up ate may be suspended from the program at any time. Sample Daily Schedules Infants 7:00 8:15 Arrival Sign-In Free Play 8:15 9:00 Tummytime 9:00 10:00 AM Nap (playtime for non-nappers) 10:00 11:00 Playtime/Outdoor Activity 11:00 12:00 Storytime/Music and Movement 12:00 12:30 Relaxation Activities 12:30 2:00 PM Nap 2:45 5:00 Playtime/Outdoor Activity Schedule will vary depending on each infant s needs. Diapering and Feeding times are on an as needed hourly basis. Preschool 3-5 Year Olds: 7:00 7:30 Handwashing/Snack 7:30-9:00 Free Play 9:00-9:30 Handwashing/Snack 9:30 10:00 Calendar/Weather/Circletime 10:00 10:45 Art/Free Play 10:45 11:15 Large Motor Activities 11:15 11:45 Handwashing/Lunch 11:45 12:00 Storytime 12:00 2:00 Naptime 2:00 2:30 Handwashing/Snack 2:30 3:00 Music & Movement 3:00 5/6:00 Art/Free Play/Large Motor Activities (please note the OPRF site closes at 5:00pm and the River Forest site closes at 6:00pm) Washroom time will be on an as needed basis Discipline Policy Toddlers/Two Year Olds. 7:00 7:30 Handwashing/Snack 7:30 9:00 Free Play 9:00 9:30 Handwashing/Snack 9:30 10:30 Circletime/Art/Free Play 10:30 11:00 Large Motor Activities 11:00 11:45 Handwashing/Lunch 11:45 12:00 Storytime 12:00 2:00 Naptime 2:00 2:30 Handwashing/Snack 2:30 3:00 Music and Movement 3:00 5:00 Art/Free Play/Large Motor Activity Diaper/Washroom times are on an as needed/hourly basis (4)
Discipline Policy Encouraging appropriate behavior is one of the objectives of our program. The program helps children learn how to behave appropriately by setting clear, consistent limits that allow the children to safely explore their environment. Limits are explained to children and, most importantly, children are praised for appropriate behavior and are given reasonable opportunity to resolve their own conflicts. Disciplinary measures are taken only when a child s behavior is deemed inappropriate and are the responsibility of the adults who have an ongoing relationship with the child. Additionally, any behavior that is harmful or potentially harmful directly to a child or to another person or that damages property is not permitted. If such behavior does occur, an incident report will also be filed in addition to the disciplinary measures that are taken. 1. Discipline Process Step 1: Verbal Warnings & Sit Out Time a) Verbal warning/redirection. If a child behaves inappropriately, the child will receive a verbal warning from his/her teacher. The teacher will describe the inappropriate behavior and its consequences and then will redirect the child to a more suitable activity. b) Second verbal warning/redirection. If a child s behavior does not improve after the first warning, a second verbal warning will be given by the teacher. The teacher will reiterate the consequences and warn the child that a third offense will result in a sit out time with a teacher. The child will also be redirected to another activity. c) Sit-out time. If a child s behavior does not improve after a second verbal warning, the child will be asked to sit and talk quietly with the teacher in another area of the classroom. During this time, the teacher will discuss and explain the child s behavior and remind him/her about how this behavior affects others, themselves, and/or property. Removal from the group shall not exceed one minute per age of the child. Removal from the group shall not be used for children less than 24 months of age. 2. Discipline Process Step 2: Parental Involvement At times, a child may continue to behave inappropriately after the aforementioned steps have been taken by the classroom teacher. If the initial steps have not been successful in addressing the inappropriate behavior, the following steps shall be taken: a) Verbal Notification to Parents. The parent(s)/guardian will be notified of the child s inappropriate behavior and suggestions will be given for improvement in the child s behavior. b) Parental Conference. If a child s behavior does not improve satisfactorily after the verbal notification, a conference will be scheduled between the parents, teacher, Site Director and/or the Early Childhood Director to address the areas of concern. c) Second Parental Conference. If a child s behavior does not show satisfactory improvement after the first parental conference, a second conference will be held between the parents, teacher, Site Director and/or Early Childhood Director and the Executive Director, if necessary, to address the areas of concern and to establish a definitive timeline for the child s behavior to improve. Clinical behavior management plans may be developed with the parent and a professional clinician to meet the needs of a particular child. Such plans will be documented in the child s file and all staff working with the child will receive training on implementing the plan. (5)
Discipline Policy (continued) Biting Children often have a hard time expressing their emotions and may resort to biting when frustrated with themselves or their peers. Although this behavior is part of the developmental process for some children, excessive biting can result in suspension or even expulsion from the program. If a child consistently bites others while in the program, the parent(s) will be asked to schedule a conference with the teacher and the Early Childhood Director. Suspension Children may require 2-4 weeks to adjust to their new situation. Community Center staff understands that a child s behavior may regress and he/she may act out physically while assessing their new situation. However, depending on the degree of aggressiveness and overall disruptiveness to the program, it may be necessary to suspend or expel a child from the program if the child poses a threat or potential threat to other participants or staff or if satisfactory improvement is not shown in his/her behavior. In all instances, if a decision is made to terminate enrollment, the child s and parent s needs shall be considered by discussing with the parents the child s needs when he or she leaves the early childhood program, including referral suggestions to other agencies or facilities. Suspension may also occur when: Tuition payment/other fees are not paid in full when due. A child is continually picked up late after class. A parent, guardian and/or child conduct themselves in a manner, which is determined to be detrimental or not in the best interest of the River Forest Community Center programs. Note: The Department of Children and Family Services states that the following behaviors are prohibited in all early childhood settings by staff or parents/guardians: 1. Corporal punishment, including hitting, spanking, swatting, beating, shaking, pinching and other measures intended to induce physical pain or fear 2. Threatened or actual withdrawal of food, rest or use of the bathroom 3. Abuse or profane language 4. Any form of public or private humiliation, including threats of physical punishment 5. Any form of emotional abuse, including shaming, rejecting, terrorizing, or isolating a child Under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4], the River Forest Community Center staff is required to report to the child abuse hotline (1-800-25A-BUSE), whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a child may be abused or neglected. (6)
General Early Childhood Program Information Illness/Infectious Disease The full-time Early Childhood staff strives to provide a safe, healthy environment for all children and their families in our program. Therefore, we cannot allow children who have any of the following symptoms to attend the program until they are symptom free for at least 24 hours: Temperatures of 101.0 degrees or higher, constant coughing, very runny nose (especially if mucous is thick and/or green), diarrhea, rashes or scratching for unknown reasons with or without fever, or red and/or watery eyes that were crusted upon awakening. Parents should call the office by 8:30 a.m. to report a child s absence and to inform the Early Childhood staff of any communicable illness. The Community Center is required to report any cases of infectious illnesses and to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the infection. In order for a child to return to the program, a doctor s note will be required for any child who has been hospitalized, had a serious illness, or had a communicable disease. Allergies/Special Needs At the time of enrollment, parents must notify the Early Childhood staff of any allergies or special needs their child may have by accurately completing the health and enrollment forms which will be kept in the child s file. If any changes occur during the school year, parents must immediately notify the Community Center in writing. The Community Center cannot be held responsible if a parent(s) fails to provide the Center with updated information. The parents of participants with allergies or other special needs may be asked to bring alternate snacks, beverages, etc. if an acceptable alternative is not regularly purchased by the Community Center (i.e. the Center will provide juice to children who are lactose intolerant. A parent must bring lactose free milk if he/she feels that juice is unacceptable.) A quiet area will be provided to students who wish to practice religious customs/traditions before meals or anytime during the school day. Medication The staff will administer medications only if they are necessary to protect the health of a child. A signed medical authorization form must be filled out by the child s parent/guardian. The medication must be in its original prescription bottle with a label stating the child s name, the dosage, the pharmacy name, the prescription number, and the doctor s name. Non-prescription medication must be in its original container with the child s name written on the label. A physician s signature may be required for non-prescription medications. Clothing Indoors: Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes and shoes with non-skid bottoms. Gym shoes are necessary for all outdoor and indoor play. Although we attempt to protect clothing as much as possible, a full set of extra clothes should be left in the child s classroom at all times in case of any spills or accidents. Outdoors: Outdoor large muscle activities are important to the children s health and development. Children must have appropriate outdoor clothing for the weather conditions. Appropriate winter clothing includes a warm jacket, a hat, mittens, boots, a scarf, and snow pants. (7)
*THE CHILD S NAME MUST BE WRITTEN IN/ON ALL OF HIS OR HER CLOTHING* General Early Childhood Program Information (continued) Infant Supplies Supplies: Parents of infants and toddlers will need to provide the following supplies for their child: diapers or pull-ups, baby wipes (boxed), diaper ointment, small blanket, fever reducer, sunscreen and an extra change of clothes. All supplies should be labeled and packed in a clear plastic shoe size box. Formula/Milk: Formula/milk given to infants should be prepared at home in individual bottles. Each bottle should be labeled with the child s name and preparation date of the bottle. All formula or milk must be used within 48 hours of preparation. Jar Food: Foods stored or prepared in jars shall be served from a separate dish and spoon for each child. Any leftovers from the serving dish will be discarded. Leftovers in the jar shall be labeled with the infant s name, dated, refrigerated and served within 24 hours or discarded. Snacks/Lunch All toddlers, two year olds and preschool age children will be offered three snacks and a hot lunch daily. The River Forest Site has contracted with Quality Catering for Kids to service lunch and the OPRF site receives their lunches from the Oak Park and River Forest High School s food service program. Rest Time/Cot Sheets All children in the preschool and toddler classes at the OPRF site will rest from 12:00-2:00 daily. All children in preschool and pre-kindergarten at the River Forest site will rest from 1:00 3:00 daily. Children who do not fall asleep within the first 45 minutes of rest time will be allowed to read or to quietly work puzzles on their cot. The Community Center will provide each child with a cot and a sheet. We recommend that each child also bring in a blanket or sleeping bag. Pillows and small stuffed animals may also be used during rest time. Toys Children are not allowed to bring toys from home unless directed by the child s teachers. If a child brings a toy from home, it will be kept in the child s cubby or in the director s office until the end of the day. Birthdays Parents may bring a special snack to celebrate their child s birthday. Due to licensing requirements, all food items must be store brought products and free of peanuts/tree nuts and any other allergens that may cause harm to our students please check with your child s teacher before choosing your child s treat. Also, as a symbol of appreciation and celebration, we suggest that families donate a book or toy to their child s class in the name of the child for their birthday. This is a gift that keeps giving! Holidays The full-time early childhood program is closed on the following holidays: River Forest site Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year s Eve and New Year s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Oak Park and River Forest High School site (8)
Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, Winter Break* (2 weeks), Good Friday, Spring Break* (1 week) and Memorial Day. * dates established annually by Oak Park/River Forest School District 200 General Early Childhood Program Information (continued) Transportation The Community Center s River Forest location provides transportation for school age children to and from the River Forest Schools and afternoon transportation from selected schools in the Oak Park area. Transportation is not available to participants at the Oak Park and River Forest High School site. Field Trips Various field trips may be scheduled throughout the school year. If a field trip is scheduled for your child s class, prior written notice will be given stating the trip itinerary and mode of transportation (bus/walking, etc). Volunteers are always welcome on field trip days. Emergency Procedures Emergency information must be provided for each child in their enrollment packet. If an emergency occurs, the safety of the children will be the first priority and the parents will be notified as soon as possible. Designated staff members are certified in first aid and CPR training. If a medical emergency occurs, a staff member will call 911, perform First Aid/CPR and, if necessary, the child will be taken by ambulance to an area medical center. Emergency Response, Evacuation & Crisis Plans General Information The River Forest Community Center operates programs at two locations: 1) 8020 Madison Street in River Forest and 2) Oak Park & River Forest High School (OPRFHS) at 201 South Scoville in Oak Park. Each program site has an Emergency Response plan and an Evacuation plan that is specific to the building where the program is located. Information regarding the specific procedures for each location is outlined in the respective plan for each building and should be referred to in the event of an emergency situation. Copies of the Emergency Response plan and the Evacuation plan for each site are distributed at the beginning of each school year or at the time of enrollment. Additional copies are also available at the Community Center s office. Liability Insurance The River Forest Community Center carries liability insurance coverage in the single limit minimum amount of $300,000 per occurrence. Release of Personal Information Information pertaining to the admission, progress, health, or discharge of an individual child shall be confidential and limited to facility staff, the Department of Children and Family Services and the Oak Park or Elmwood Park Public Health Departments. (9)
If a student s personal information is requested by additional outside agencies, the parent/guardian of the child must sign a release waiver before the information can be shared. Acknowledgement of and RFCC Policies and Procedures Please sign this page and return it with your registration forms. I have received and understand the information in the and I agree to abide by all RFCC policies as stated in the. Signature of Parent/Guardian Date Signature of Parent/Guardian Date Signature of Early Childhood Director Date rfcc company folder/child care file/parent handbook-rev 1-3-13 (10)