WACO Community Childcare Center
Parent Handbook
2014-2015
200 South Main
Crawfordsville Iowa 52621
319-658-2931
WACO Community Childcare Center for School Aged Children
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the WACO Community Childcare Center for School Aged Children. This handbook is designed as an overview of our program with the hope that it will serve as a resource for parents throughout the year. This parent handbook is also a valid part of the enrollment agreement between the WACO Community Childcare Center and parents or guardians of children in the program.
The goal of the WACO Community Childcare Center is to provide a supportive, enriching, and adult-supervised environment.
The objectives of the WACO Community Childcare Center are to:
Provide a variety of activities to support the strengths and needs of school age children. Activities will match children’s developmental levels.
Provide a nurturing environment where the staff and all children show respect for each other.
Provide a safe environment with staff interacting with the children to ensure that safety rules are consistently taught.
Schedule
Full day childcare will be offered on the following dates for Spring 2015:
1/09
1/16
3/20
4/17 5/8
Full day childcare will be open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.
+1 Fridays:
Half day childcare will be provided on the following dates for the 2013-2014 school year: (Full day will be offered for preschool children)
1/233/65/1
2/63/275/15
2/204/24
Half day childcare will be open from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm
On +1 Fridays, preschool students may be dropped off at the school beginning at 7:30.
***Please Note: Ten children must be enrolled in Childcare for the center to be open.***
Tuition
Tuition for all full and part-time options is outlined on the schedules below.
Tuition Rates
Fridays
●Full day Childcare Days (Professional Development Days):$10
●+1 Friday Childcare Days (K-6 grade students): $5
●+1 Friday Childcare Days (PK Students): $10
A $20 non-refundable pre-enrollment fee is for each child ($60 maximum deposit per family). Amount will be applied towards the first bill.
Tuition Payment
It is the policy of the childcare center to collect payments prior to service. Payments are non-refundable and only apply to the days signed up for. This allows the Center Director to schedule staff and maintain appropriate ratios. Payment will be due on the 15thof each month for the following month’s childcare. (Example: Payment is due for September childcare by August 15th).
Payment may be sent with your student, mailed to the school or you may drop off your payment at the elementary school office.
Late Pick-Up Policy
On Fridays, childcare will be available 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. When you are late picking up your child(ren) our caregivers must work overtime to care for your child(ren).
The following policies will apply:
● Time will be determined by childcare center’s clock.
●Late fees will be assessed at $15.00 per child per every fifteen minutes.
●Late fees will begin accumulating at 5:31 p.m.
●The fees must be paid before your child(ren) will be allowed to return to the child care center.
The first time you are late picking your child(ren) up from the childcare center, you will be assessed the late fee.
The second time you are late picking up your child(ren) from the childcare center, you will be assessed the late fee and sent a letter. The letter will outline our late fee policy and inform you of our three strikes policy.
The three strike policy states if you are late three times picking your child(ren) up, your child care may be terminated.
Enrollment
Eligibility
Children must be enrolled in WACO Community Schools in order to attend the WACO Community Childcare Center. Pre-registration will be in early June for the following school year. No child will be allowed to attend childcare until all of their enrollment paperwork is completed and on file.
Enrollment Fee
A non-refundable $20 enrollment fee is required for each child enrolled (maximum of $60 per family). This enrollment fee will hold a place for your child and be credited towards the first month of tuition.
Enrollment Policy
Childcare services may be terminated by WACO Community Childcare Center in the following circumstances:
1Nonpayment of fees
2The child exhibits behavior that is detrimental to the general well being of the children and staff at the childcare center. Detrimental behavior is any behavior defined by the childcare staff as detrimental to the childcare environment. An incident report will be sent home by the childcare staff.
Grievance/Appeals Procedure for Childcare Patron Termination
1. In the event a childcare patron wishes to appeal a termination decision, he/she should submit one copy of a written statement concerning the appeal with two working days of the notice of termination. Submit one copy to the center director.
2. The center director shall submit documentation of policy to the Elementary principal within three days.
3. The Elementary Principal will attempt to resolve the situation and will provide a written decision to the childcare patron within the two weeks of the notice of termination.
4. If the Elementary Principal accepts the childcare patron appeal, the committee shall provide a written contract for future services.
Meals and Snacks
Lunch will be served for all childcare students. The price will be in conjunction with the already established prices for the WACO Community School District and subject to the Free and Reduce Lunch Program. Students will receive a sack lunch on Fridays.
Students are also allowed to bring their own lunch from home to eat during the established lunch time.
A small snack will be served at a regularly scheduled time each afternoon. Parents will be asked to contribute to snacks throughout the year. Students may choose to take the snack or not. All snacks must be pre-packaged, store bought items. Children with allergies shall be protected from contact with any problem foods.
Policies and Procedures
**All policies in the WACO Elementary Student handbook will also be adhered to**
Please Note: There will NOT be a nurse on duty during daycare hours.
Administration of Medication:
Students may need to take prescription or non-prescription medication during childcare hours. The school must know the medication a student is taking in the event the student has a reaction or becomes ill. Parents must provide written instructions for administration of the medication as well as the authorization to administer the medication. These written instructions will include name of medication, dosage, time medication is to be given, the reason for medication, route of administration, and length of time it is to be given. Medication is kept in a locked cabinet and distributed by the appropriately trained staff.
Medication must be in the original container with clear written instructions for proper administration.
Medical Emergencies and Notification of Accidents or Incidents:
The WACO Community Child Care Center has in place an “Emergency Procedures Guide” that describes the following situations and procedures to follow:
- Emergency Phone Numbers
- Fire Procedures
- Tornado Procedures
- Severe Weather
- Bomb Threats
- Physical Threats/Armed Intruder
- Evacuations
- Crisis Intervention Plan
- Accidental Injury or Illness procedures for life threatening and non-life threatening situations
- List of CPR/First Aid experiences person in each building
Illness Policy and Exclusion of Sick Children
For the health and safety of all the children, it is mandatory that sick children not be brought to childcare. If your child has any of the following symptoms during the night, he or she will not be admitted the following morning for the safety of the other children.
- fever greater than 100 degrees F
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- pink eyes with drainage
- cough with congestion and excessive nasal drainage
The center’s established policy for an ill child’s return:
- Fever free for 24 hrs
- Chicken Pox: One week after onset (or when lesions are crusted)
- Strep: 24 hours are initial medication
- Vomiting/Diarrhea: 24 hours after last episode
- Conjunctivitis: 24 hours after initial medication or when without drainage
When a child develops signs of an illness during their day parents, legal guardians or other person authorized by the parent will be notifiedimmediately to pick up the child. For this reason, please be sure that we have current and accurate phone number for you, and your authorized emergency contact person. In the meantime, we will provide the child a place to rest until the parent, legal guardian or designated person arrives under the supervision of someone familiar with the child. If you the child is suspected of having acontagious disease then until she or he can be picked up, the child is located where new individuals will not be exposed.
Reporting Communicable Diseases:
Staff provides information to families verbally and in writing about any unusual level or type of communicable disease to which their child was exposed, signs and symptoms of the disease, mode of transmission, period of communicability and control measure that are being implemented at the program and that the families should implement at home.
First Aid Kit:
First Aid Kits are located throughout the building and on outside play areas. It is fully equipped according to guidance from Healthy Childcare Iowa. Following each use of the First Aid kit the contents will be inspected and missing or used items replaced.
Inclement Weather:
In the event that the WACO Community Child Care Center must be closed due to weather, we will notify school patrons by radio on KILJ 105.5 and KCII 106.1. Information will also be sent to Iowa School Alerts, which allows families to receive an email or a text.
Should childcare be closed, or a scheduled childcare day become a school make up day, tuition for that day will be credited towards the next month’s tuition.
Pets/Animals:
No pets or animals will be allowed in the WACO Community Child Care Center.
Open Door Policy
We strive to meet the needs of the parents as well as the children, and encourage your active participation in our program. We encourage you to visit the center at any time. Families may also participate in their child’s care by volunteering and assisting staff, joining committees and project endeavors, and becoming members of the Child Care Advisory Committee.
Student Dismissal
Students will only be released to custodial parents or their designee (named at enrollment) unless otherwise determined by court order.
Attendance Records
As part of the child care’s records, the daily attendance of each student shall be recorded and maintained on file in the office.
Childcare Staff
WACO has written personnel policies that define the roles and responsibilities, qualifications and specialized training required of staff and volunteers. These policies outline nondiscriminatory hiring procedures and policies for staff.
Hiring procedures include completion of the following checks: criminal –record check, free form history of substantiated child abuse or neglect check, education credentials, verification of age, personal references and a current health assessment.
Staffing patterns and Schedules:
The WACO Community Childcare Center is in compliance with staff regulations and requirements. Our program maintains and adult to child ratio of at least 1:12 at all times (1:8 when three year olds are present).