KIDSKOOL Parent Handbook

Summary & Explanations

Required Forms:

Immunization Records and Medical forms signed by a physician MUST be completed within 2-3 weeks of enrollment date. This is required by the state of North Carolina.

Days & Hours of Operation:

Our hours are 6:30 AM-6PM. Please wait until the doors open at 6:30 before bringing your child inside. We charge $1 per minute for late pick-ups after 6PM. (Typical of most daycares). We request that all children arrive by 11 AM at the latest, but prefer they arrive by 9 AM in order to benefit from our morning program and active play. PLEASE, try to notify us if you are running late so we can include them in our preparations.

Weather Closings:

In the event of snow or ice, please call first to see if staff has arrived safely. We will try to post any delays or closings on our website as soon as we make our decision. We do NOT typically follow the school schedule since bus transportation isn't involved.

Communication / Parent Involvement:

Menus and calendars are posted on the Parent Board in our entrance hallway. Calendars are also sent home monthly. Please keep them handy and let your child participate in SHOW & TELLS. They really enjoy sharing! Also, feel free to call your child's teacher during naptime (12:30 - 2:30) if you'd like to discuss any concerns about your child's day.

Safe arrival & Departure:

ALWAYS bring your child inside to your child's teacher and sign them in daily. We sometimes see children arriving unattended and this is so unsafe! Also, please remind anyone picking your child up for the day that they will need to show their ID if they haven't picked up before. Hold your child's hand when entering and leaving the building to the parking lot! Please bring trash inside and dispose of properly in one of our trashcans instead of dropping onto the parking lot. (Food, especially!)

Personal Belongings, Toys & Money:

Please keep all toys and personal items of value AT HOME! These items are often misplaced, confused with similar items belonging to another student and cause constant disruption. Clothing items should be marked with a Sharpie marker in the label. Avoid letting your child bring money, especially loose change, to school. A small coin could possibly end up in the hands of a younger child and become a choking hazard. Thanks.

Behavior Management / Trial Period & Dismissal:

Positive reinforcement and redirection are our goals in handling situations throughout the day. We try to communicate important behavior issues as they arise to parents in order to help each child adjust to our open setting. If we feel parents aren't trying to work with us to improve behavior issues at home, and no improvement is being made, then it is possible that we would have to dismiss that child. Unacceptable behavior would include hurting or injuring another child or staff member, using foul language, displaying extreme temper tantrums and/or constant disruptions to the classroom setting. We ask that no parent discipline his or her child by spanking while on the property. It would be possible that a visitor or outsider could witness this action and assume it was a staff member carrying this out. . Thank you for cooperating on this matter.

We would like to encourage every parent to cut back on violent television, video games and "rough-housing" at home. The "bad-guy vs. good-guy" scenario has definitely increased our behavior situations over the years. It almost always leads to losing tempers and actual fighting. Also, foul language has become more frequent, due to song lyrics, television and family use. Please remember that children listen to everything we say and they are just too young to start this bad habit so early in life! Thanks for understanding!

Dress & Outdoor Play:

Wear appropriate clothing for having fun and getting messy occasionally. Nice outfits cannot be guaranteed to stay clean throughout the entire day. (Especially on Ravioli and spaghetti lunch days!) Children also need to wear clothing that can be easily removed for going to the bathroom. Buckles, snaps and belts really slow down the process and sometimes an "accident" occurs that could be embarrassing. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather conditions. Jackets are a must for cool days, layers are best on warmer days and gloves & hats are preferred for cold days. They will play outdoors, so to avoid cold fingers and ears, this is a MUST! Also, for summer, NO FLIP-FLOPS or strapless CLOGS & sandals. Children are constantly tripping and falling due poor fit and lack of support. Avoid shoes that are too big or too small, as well.

Breakfast / Sanitation:

Healthy items PLEASE! No soft drinks, candy or gum! Children bringing in food may do so BEFORE 8 AM! Please let your child eat on the way to school if they will arrive after that time. Also, ALL containers from home must be clearly marked with child's name & date. Containers left past one week will be discarded. No food or drink of any kind can be left in child's cubby or mailbox for later use. Every child must also WASH his/her hands daily upon entering Kidskool. These are NC sanitation policies.

Emergency Procedures:

Please keep Kidskool informed of any changes in work or home numbers. In the event of an emergency, we need to be able to reach parents at all times. All staff members maintain current First Aid & CPR certifications. Fire Drills and Playground Safety inspections are performed monthly. We have annual Fire Inspections by the City of Monroe.

Health Policies / Medications:

In order to maintain a healthy environment for all children and staff, these are important rules to follow: FEVER-FREE (diarrhea & vomiting also applies) for 24 hours with NO Tylenol, Motrin, etc. needed. If your child is sent home due to illness, they MUST NOT return the next day without a doctor's note. This is only effective if followed strictly by everyone. Children must be picked up within the hour that parents were notified. We will notify parents of contagious illnesses, such as strep throat. Medications will only be given at lunchtime unless we receive a doctor's note. We will not administer fever-reducing medications. All medications should be in original packaging with labels marked clearly for your child only.

Fees:

Tuition payments are due by Wednesday mornings by Noon. All payments arriving past that time are considered late. Late fees are $10. Checks returned for insufficient funds may be re-deposited only by request. Two returned checks would result in future cash payments only! NSF Fees are $20. If payments are not received for 2 weeks, children will not be able to attend until tuition is current. Parents generally find it very difficult to catch up on outstanding balances, while maintaining current ones.