School-Aged Childcare Parent Handbook Extended Time No School Day Programs Camp Oh-Pea-Dee Oregon Park District Page 1
Table of Contents Welcome Letter 3 Extended Time Information 4-5 No School Days Programs 5 Camp Oh Pea Dee 6 General Procedures 6 Absences/Refunds 6 Parent Communication 6 Location 6 Philosophy & Goals 7 Dress Code 7 Arrival Procedures 7 Dismissal Procedures 7 Emergency Contacts 7 Snacks 8 Personal Belongings 8 Lost & Found 8 Illness 8 Medicines 8 Special Needs 9 Insurance Coverage 9 Rules 9 Code of Conduct 9 Disciplinary Action 10 Website Information 10 Oregon Park District Page 2
815-732-3101 Oregon Park District Fax: 815-732-3736 www.oregonpark.org 304 South 5 th Street Oregon, Illinois 61061 Dear Parents/Guardians, Welcome to the Oregon Park District s school age childcare programs. I understand that childcare is an important decision for your family and I am confident that I can provide the utmost quality experience for your student. You student will be engaged in themed activities, physical games, unique crafts, positive peer interaction, trips and much more. In addition, students will also be engaged in structured activities that will focus on educational, cultural, and life-skills building. I am committed to a positive and supportive environment where your child can demonstrate his/her best. This handbook will give you a basic overview of the programs. I promote all open communication; therefore do not hesitate to call me at (815) 732-3101 or email at Amanda@oregonpark.org if you have any further questions. We are thrilled to welcome your child into our program. Sincerely, Amanda Zimmermann Recreation Program Manager Amanda@oregonpark.org Oregon Park District Page 3
Extended Time Extended Time Registration/Payment Procedures Extended Time follows the Oregon School District s calendar. This program is designed for students in grades K 6th grade. 4-5 days per week Before School: Monday Friday, 6:15am 7:50am, $68.00 per month After School: Monday Friday, 3:00pm 6:00pm, $110.00 per month 1-3 days per week Before School: Monday Friday, 6:15am 7:50am, $40.00 per month After School: Monday Friday, 3:00pm 6:00pm, $70.00 per month Parents/Guardians may register a child for Extended Time throughout the year upon availability. All participants should register through Nash Recreation Center. Fees are paid monthly, with payments being due by the 25 th of each month beginning in August. Parents/guardians receive a 10% discount off each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled at full price. Program fees vary depending on the number of days per week the child is registered for. Parents/Guardians are responsible for the first month payment as a deposit to reserve a spot in the program. If registered prior to August 1 st the deposit will be used towards the 1 st monthly payment. The deposit is refundable prior to August 1 st. The total amount is divided into 9 equal payments. Each month the same monthly fee will be due despite any days off of school. Each month, every parent/guardian will need to submit a monthly attendance calendar with their payment by the 25 th of each month at Nash. Excessive tardiness of payment could induce late fees. Auto payment is now available, and highly encouraged. Inquire at Nash for more information. We use our best judgment in accommodating participants. Once signed up for the ET Program, please plan to use the program for the full year. Do not take months off during the school year after submitting payment. This will prohibit those on the waitlist from attending accordingly. Daily Structure We have designed a structure at Extended Time to allow every student to thrive. Upon arrival, we check all students folders for homework. During homework time we will assist where we can with students and require the room to be at a low level of noise. During this time, students have options to do other activities such as activity sheets, puzzles or reading if they finish or have no homework. Following homework time we have a light snack. We then move into a short free time. After that we do our themed activity for the day. Each week we have a theme in which our daily activity is inspired from. We end each afternoon with free time. Homework Time Snack Time Free Time Themed Activity Time Free Time Oregon Park District Page 4
Early Dismissal On days that school releases at 1:30pm, ET students are welcome to walk over to the ET room for an extended program at no additional costs. Calendar/Newsletters/Pictures at ET Each month we provide a calendar and newsletter of all the upcoming activities that are planned. We also will release pictures from the prior month s activities. These are available on our website. Withdrawal A minimum of two weeks notice would be appreciated if a participant is withdrawing from the program. Please call the Recreation Program Manager, Amanda at 815-732-3101, if you must withdraw or make a program change. No School Days Programs Types of Programming on No School Days Kids Off The Couch Days Recreate & Celebrate Days Winter Holi-Day Camp Spring Fever Day Camp Kids Off The Couch Days When school dismisses at noon, we offer a half day program for the students. All students should bring a sack lunch and gym shoes. Similar to ET, these days will be themed with crafts and games. A light snack will be served in the afternoon. All students must be registered one week in advance for this program. The fee is $10 per student and covers the time from noon- 6pm. The program is free for 4-5 day a week ET students. Recreate & Celebrate Days When school is out for a teacher institute day or other holiday, we offer a full day program accompanied with a field trip during the day. A light snack is provided in the morning and the afternoon. All students must be registered one week in advance for this program. The fee is $25 per students and covers the time from 615am-6pm. Winter Holi-Day Camp Registration/Payment Procedures This camp is held during Oregon School District s winter break. All participants should register in advance by the deadline through Nash Recreation Center. Fees must be paid at time of registeration. Parents/guardians receive a 10% discount off each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled at full price. Weekly fee varies for this camp due to the constant change of days on the following holidays: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. If these holidays fall on a week day, camp will not be held on that day. Spring Fever Day Camp Registration/Payment Procedures Spring Fever Day Camp is held during Oregon School District s spring break. Full Week s Payment Daily Payment $100/$120 NR $25/$30 NR Oregon Park District Page 5
Parents/Guardians must register in advance at Nash Recreation Center. Fees must be paid at time of registration. Parents/guardians receive a 10% discount off each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled at full price. Camp Oh-Pea-Dee Camp Oh-Pea-Dee Information Camp Oh-Pea-Dee day camp is designed for students entering grades K 6 th. Weekly Payments: five day weeks *Weekly Payments: four day weeks 4-5 Days/Week: $100/$120 NR 3-4 Days/Week: $80/$96 NR 1-3 Days/Week: $60/$72 NR 1-2 Days/Week: $40/$48 NR Please note the payment difference for four day holiday weeks, which could fall on the weeks of Memorial Day and the 4 th of July. If you pay for all 11 weeks of camp (for 4-5 day attendance) before the first weeks deadline, you receive the Fourth of July week free! Camp Oh-Pea-Dee Registration/Payment Procedures Parents/Guardians must register for camp in advance at Nash Recreation Center. Fees are paid at time of registration. Parents/guardians receive a 10% discount off each additional sibling after the first child is enrolled at full price. Camp Backpack Packing List Your child should come with these items packed in their backpack every day during a camp program: Swim Suit Towel Sunscreen Refillable Water Bottle Sack Lunch General Procedures Absences/Refunds A parent/guardian must call the main office (815 732 3101) if a student/camper will be absent. We cannot accept information relayed from siblings. Fees will not be prorated or refunded due to nonattendance. Parent Communication Communication between the staff and parents is very important. It is essential that parents/guardians inform the staff of any changes in a participant s daily routine: problems at home, illness, etc., as they may affect behavior during the program. At times it is difficult during pick-up and drop-off times to effectively communicate. Exchanges of information between the staff and parents/guardians provide insight for both parties. Notify the Recreation Program Manager if a meeting needs to be arranged to discuss any concerns. Location Program location is in the Blackhawk Center s Extended Time room. The main entrance into the room is Door #7 on the north-east side of the Blackhawk Center. Oregon Park District Page 6
Philosophy & Goals The program is committed to providing a recreational based program. It is the goal of the Oregon Park District s program to help the participants: Develop experiences that promote cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development Support parents in fulfilling their parental responsibilities in the most creative way Develop autonomy, self-esteem, independence, and social skills Experience sharing with others, learn positive interaction with fellow participants and the staff, and understand individual s rights and feelings Experience creativity and problem solving using a variety of tools Develop fine motor skills through the use of puzzles, scissors, finger-painting, crayons, etc. Develop gross motor skills through creative movement, physical activities, etc. Dress Code All participants should dress in comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. Gym shoes are required for all the school age childcare programs. Sandals/flip flops are only allowed at the pool. Arrival Procedures When a participant arrives at the Extended Time room, an adult needs to walk the participant into the building and sign the participant in on the sign-in sheet, as well as notify the staff of the participant s arrival. A staff member will be available if you need assistance. Dismissal Procedures These procedures are to ensure the safety of your child when in our care: Only individuals authorized on the Program Enrollment & Emergency Form may pick up a child. If the individual picking up a participant is unrecognizable, the staff must call the parent/guardian. Parents/guardians picking up participants must come into the facility and sign the participant out on the sign-out sheet. Participants are not allowed to sign themselves out without consent in writing from the parent/guardian. All participants must be picked up by 6:00pm. Excessive tardiness may result in additional charges followed by dismissal from the program. Every fifteen minutes a parent/guardian is late in picking up a participant after 6:00pm results in a $5.00 charge. Example: 6:01pm 6:15pm = $5.00, 6:16pm 6:30pm = $10.00, etc. If a participant is not picked up by 6:00pm and all individuals on the Program Enrollment & Emergency Form list are unreachable, our procedure is to call the Oregon Police Department for assistance. Emergency Contacts Parents/Guardians are required to provide emergency contacts. These are listed on your child s registration form. Emergency contacts will be reached when we are unable to reach parents at the numbers you have provided, if your child is sick, injured, or has not been picked up when the program ends. If there are any changes or additions to the emergency contacts, please submit this in writing. This information is needed to ensure the safety of your child. Oregon Park District Page 7
Snacks A light morning snack is provided before 8am during these programs. A snack will also be offered to participants every afternoon. It is very important that dietary restrictions (allergies, preferences, etc.) are noted on the Program Enrollment & Emergency Form. Participants are not allowed to access vending machines at the BHC, Nash nor on field trips unless accompanied with their parent/guardian. Personal Belongings Participants are not allowed to bring personal items. Personal items include, but are not limited to: skateboards, roller blades, electronics, toys, sporting equipment, pets, money, etc. If personal items are brought to the program, participants must keep them inside their backpacks/bags. Parents will be informed of dates when exceptions to this rule may apply. Lost & Found All participants belongings should be labeled with proper identification. If a participant loses an item and the staff finds it, it will be placed in the lost and found area in the Extended Time room. The Oregon Park District and all staff are not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen items. Illness For the protection of all children, your child should NOT be brought to the program (we cannot accept him/her at the program) if showing any of the following symptoms: fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or a rash. Parents should exercise every precaution and keep their child home for 24 hours once these symptoms have occurred. In case of head lice, a child should stay home for 24 hours after his/her first treatment. Children must feel and be well enough to participate in all regularly planned activities upon returning to the program from an illness. If the child has a contagious disease, he/she should be kept at home and you must report the condition to the Recreation Program Manager immediately. Included in this category are conditions recognized as highly contagious such as Strep Throat, pin worms, measles, mumps, chicken pox, scarlet fever, head lice, etc. Parents will be informed of such illnesses that are reported to staff via e-mail, phone call, or letter. Medicines Necessary medicines may be administered to a child at the program upon completion of the Medication Dispensing Information form. Non-prescription medications may be administered upon completion of Medication Dispensing Information form. Such medications shall be administered according to medication package instructions and shall be labeled with the child s name and date. Any differences in medication procedures from parent instructions and packed instructions will not be given without a written doctor s note. Please hand any of the above necessary medications to the Recreation Program Manager for it to be placed in the appropriate medicine cabinet. If the medication needs refrigeration, please let the staff know at that time. Prescription medications must be brought in its original container and labeled with the child s name, directions for administering the medication, the date, the physicians name, the prescription number, and the drug store or pharmacy. Please only send daily dosages, we cannot be responsible for an entire prescription. Oregon Park District Page 8
Please never send your child to the program with medications in a lunch, backpack, or let the child carry it to self administer the medication. Every kind of medication, including aspirin, etc., must be turned into staff for the safety of your child and other children at the program. Any medication that your child may need needs to be turned in to the staff by the parent/guardian. Special Needs If your child has any special needs, please make the staff aware of this by noting it on the Program Enrollment & Emergency Form. Special needs might include, but are not limited to: ADD, ADHD, Asthma, Food Allergies, Behavior Disorder, or anything else that the staff should be aware of. It is imperative that you let us know about the needs of your child so that they can have the best possible experience at the program. Knowing their needs helps us to help them have the best experience while at program. Insurance Coverage The Oregon Park District does not carry medical or accident insurance for program participants. The cost would make program fees prohibitive. Please review your personal health insurance plan to be certain that your family has proper coverage. Rules Six basic rules we have for the children in program are: Respect. Keep hands & feet to self. Clean up after yourself. Use your kind inside voice. Walking feet only. While at the program, children must: Show respect to all participants, staff, and volunteers. Follow directions from staff and volunteers. Show respect to equipment, supplies and facilities. Not use inappropriate, abusive, or foul language. Not show any aggressive behavior regardless if the behavior is provoked or in retaliation. Not show continuous disruptive behavior. If a child engages in behavior(s) which may result in bodily harm to others, an immediate meeting with the parent/guardian may be called. If such behavior warrants it, immediate suspension or expulsion may result. Temporary suspension from participation due to misconduct will not entitle participant to a refund. Code of Conduct Participant Code of Conduct: It is important for participants to learn and respect the limits of acceptable behavior at the Oregon Park District s programs and elsewhere. Discipline is creating inner controls of the child. Our goal is to encourage self-discipline within each child. Oregon Park District Page 9
Disciplinary Action The role of the staff is to lead participants toward self-discipline and self-direction. Supervised timeouts may be used as a means to calm the participant, allowing the participant to regain control in a dignified and thoughtful manner. There will be no cruel or harsh punishment or treatment. If unacceptable behavior continues, the following procedures must be taken: 1 st Offense o Verbal warning o Communicate the problem to the parent/guardian o Complete an Incident Report 2 nd Offense o Remove privileges related to the behavior o Parent/guardian meeting will be established with the Recreation Program Manager o Complete an Incident Report 3 rd Offense o Participant suspension for 2 5 days o Complete an Incident Report 4 th Offense o Participant removal from program o Complete an Incident Report Website Information The Oregon Park District website, oregonpark.org, is your 24/7 information source on everything the Park District has to offer. You can view the seasonal brochures, download forms, contact Board and staff, view upcoming events and find information about these childcare programs as well as all our parks, facilities and recreational programs. The Oregon Park District is recognized as an Illinois Association of Park Districts and Illinois Park and Recreation Association Distinguished Accredited Agency. 304 South Fifth Street Oregon, Illinois 61061 (815) 732-3101 www.oregonpark.org Oregon Park District Page 10