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Preschool Policies & Procedures/Parent Handbook
Ray of Hope Preschool
The following is a comprehensive listing of Ray of Hope Preschool’s Policies and
Procedures. If you have any questions regarding any of the policies or procedures
listed here, please contact us at (502) 543-1857.
This document is divided into sections as shown below:
Services Description
Communication
Enrollment Policy
Tuition/Payment
Procedures
Bounced Checks
Late Fees
Hours of Operation
Arrival & Departures
Signing In/Out
Attendance
Holidays/Vacations
Clothing/Attire
Personal Belongings
Supplies
Preschool Schedule
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Snacks
Cleanliness/Hygiene
Fire Drills
Toilet Training
Special Needs
Parental Involvement
Training & Development
Activities/Curriculum
Preschool Rules
Reporting Child Abuse/Sexual Abuse Requirements
Indoor/Outdoor Play
Discipline
Illness
Medications
Incident Report
Medical Emergencies
Termination Policies
Revisions & Contract
Services Description
● Classroom may serve up to 11 children ● Preschool may be available to 4 year olds (potty-trained)
exceptions are to the complete discretion of staff/director. ● Comprehensive education curriculum which includes a variety of
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learning experiences, hands-on activities ● Children attend Monday-Friday, 8:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ● There will be a daily snack time. Snacks are to be provided by
parents and sent with child (No items that need to be heated or reheating). Snacks that parents send must consist of the following: Protein (milk, cheese, or meat), Bread/Grain (bread, graham crackers, goldfish, or saltines, etc.), Fruit/Veggie
● With current staff available, we do not offer Disability programs or admission for students with severe disabilities that would require additional staff support
● Referral system in place for student and/or family needs
Communication
Good communication is of the utmost importance. When a new family is
accepted into our Preschool, we like to be sure that we can share openly
about any concerns or questions that may arise. It is important that there is a
similar child care philosophy between the center and the parents. We
welcome questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind that are oriented
towards a positive outcome for the child(ren). Sensitive issues will be
discussed in private at a mutually beneficial time. Preschool Phone: (502)
543-1857. Preschool Email: [email protected]
Enrollment Policy
There are several forms that make up the Ray of Hope Preschool Student
Application Packet. This enrollment packet must be completed and in our
possession before we can assume the responsibility of caring for your child.
This is to ensure that your child will get the very best care possible and
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satisfies the record keeping requirement of state licensing guidelines. All
forms will be reviewed annually. If there are changes to any of the forms in
the enrollment packet, please notify your director to update your records.
If you have any questions regarding the completion of these forms, please
feel free to ask your director.
Registration Fee: There is a $50 Non-Refundable registration fee per family
at time of enrollment. If you terminate Preschool admission and are gone
more than 60 days and wish to return to Ray of Hope Preschool, you must
pay a $25 re-application fee.
Last week security deposit: Each parent when enrolling must pay an amount
equal to one week’s preschool as a last week security deposit. This payment
may be made in installments but must be paid in full within 30 days of
enrolling.
Tuition / Payment Procedures
Your specific rates will be outlined in your Student Application and Policies
& Procedures Agreement Form. Tuition is payable in advance and is due no
later than Noon, the 15th of each month. If the 15
th occurs during the
weekend, then payment will be due the Friday, prior to the 15th, by noon,
unless another arrangement has been agreed upon. Payment may be made by
check or cash. There will be a late fee of $15 for failure to pay by Closing on
the 15th
of each month. An additional $10 (total $25) late fee will be assessed
if not paid by closing time on the following school day. Repeated late
payments may be grounds for termination and parents who are more than 2
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weeks late on payment will be denied Preschool services until account is
made current. We ask you to consider how you would feel if your employer
came to you on your expected payday and told you that your paycheck would
be delayed?
The success of our Preschool depends upon the prompt payment of
tuition/fees in order to take care of day-to-day expenses that are encountered.
Tuition and fees are computed with the following factors in mind:
● Health supplies, craft/activity/curriculum supplies, toys, computers,
play equipment and books provided for the children
● Outside play equipment
● Employees' Social Security, Medicare, Workers Compensation,
Unemployment Compensation and employee benefits
● Employees' continuing education
● Employee wages and benefits
● Building heat, electricity, telephone, maintenance, and liability
insurance
● Additional time spent, each day, on record keeping, parent-provider
communication; clean up from day care, and shopping trips for
Preschool supplies
Parent Vacation: If occurring during school-year (we go by the Bullitt
County School Calendar), you must continue to pay your tuition on your
vacation to hold your Preschool spot.
Bounced Checks
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If a check is returned for non-sufficient funds, there will be a $30 fee
incurred as a result of the returned check. Preschool services may be halted
until full payment of tuition and NSF charges has been made, in CASH. In
addition, upon the second returned check within 6 months, only cash will be
accepted for 3 months.
Late Fees
A $1.50 per minute late pickup fee will be assessed for all children picked up
after closing, at 12:30. This must be paid in cash at the time of pickup, or
before the child’s next regularly scheduled day. This will be strictly enforced,
and habitual tardiness may result in termination of services.
Hours of Operation
We offer 3-hour preschool, with an additional half hour built in for a snack
time. We will open our doors at 8:50 am, with class beginning promptly at
9:00 am. The extra 10 minutes is given to allow parents time to sign in their
child. Student pick up will be at 12:30. Doors will be locked during the
school day for the safety of our students and staff. If you are arriving late,
you will need to call when you arrive to be let in. Habitual late arrival may
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cause termination of student admission.
We maintain an open door policy for parents during Preschool hours. This
means that parents are always welcome to call or drop in to see their children
(MUST call to schedule). We would appreciate your taking into
consideration our schedule when dropping in or calling, and remember that
visitors usually cause children to react in an excited manner. If you call
during the day, please be aware that we may be busy with students and may
not be able to answer the phone. If you would leave a message, we will call
you back as soon as possible.
Arrival and Departures
Children are to arrive clean and fed (as we do NOT provide meals). We will
try our best to send your student home clean, and would appreciate the same
consideration when you drop them off.
It is normal for some students to have difficulty separating from parents, or
cry when dropping off. Please make your drop off brief, the longer you
prolong the departure, the harder it gets. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and
a reassuring word that you will be back is all that is needed. In our
experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or
activities as soon as parents are gone.
Please be brief at pick-up times, as well. This is a time of testing, when two
different authority figures are present (the parent and the teachers). All
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children will test to see if the rules still apply. During arrival and departure,
we expect parents to back up our rules. Please be in control of your child
during pick up times.
Please leave your cell phones in your car/off, so that the director, teachers
and your child will have your undivided attention at pick up or drop off time.
This allows for easy and clear communication for all, at this sometimes
hurried time of day.
Our normal procedure is to release the child only to his/her parents, or
someone else the parents designate on the Authorized Pick up and
Emergency Contact Form. If someone other than the parent is to pick up the
child, please notify us ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day, if
this person is on the list of people who are authorized to pick up your child. If
the person is NOT on that list, we MUST have written permission to release
your child. Please inform emergency contacts, or people designated to pick
up your child, that if we do not know them then we will need to ask for
identification. This is not meant to offend them. This is simply a measure
taken for the child's protection. Drop off and pick up are not good times to
discuss serious problems. Little ears and minds hear and understand
everything. Your director can set up a time where the issues can be discussed
in private.
Sign In / Out
It is required that all parents/guardians sign their child in and out each day.
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For your convenience, a sign in/out sheet, pen, and a clock are located by the
door, this gives us a written record of the child's attendance, hours, and the
person who brought/picked up the child each day.
Attendance
Ray of Hope Preschool keeps track of attendance and absenteeism.
A. At Ray of Hope Preschool:
(i) The children are expected to attend school regularly, unless they
are ill. A daily attendance record is kept by classroom staff and
the program Director. These attendance records will be reported
weekly to the Program Director; if there is a specific absenteeism
circumstance or problem, it will be reported immediately or as
soon as possible to the Program Director. A copy of attendance
records will be given to the Program Director monthly. After a
child is absent for three consecutive days, the classroom staff, or
Program Director will call the family regarding the child’s school
attendance (if the program has not already been otherwise
notified).
(ii) If the absences are a result of illness or if they are well
documented absences for other reasons, no special action is
required. If, however, the absences result from other factors,
including temporary family problems that affect a child's regular
attendance, staff will take necessary steps to help child make up
for missed lessons, including home visits and or providing
students and families with updates on the learning going on in the
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classroom and materials for learning and practicing lessons.
B. Ray of Hope Preschool Attendance Policy:
After four consecutive days of absence, a home visit or second
phone call will be made by the classroom staff or Program director
concerning the child’s continued absences. A child with five
consecutive unexcused absences may be withdrawn from the
program. If a child’s absence is due to family problems, assistance
is provided to the family by the Preschool if needed or a referral is
made to another service agency. Follow up measures are taken to
ensure that the family problems have been resolved. Records of the
family contact (phone calls or home visits) are made by the
classroom staff or Program Director. Referrals are also documented
and kept in the child’s folder.
(i) Ray of Hope Preschool Attendance Policy-Excused Absences
a. A child is hospitalized.
b. A child is incapacitated due to a serious illness or injury.
c. A child contracts a communicable disease or contagious
condition.
d. A child has other health ailments which temporarily affects
attendance, such as asthma.
e. There is a death in the child’s family.
f. A child cannot attend class because he or she has to receive
medical treatment or therapy at the time when the class is being
held.
g. The child’s attendance is affected by a temporary family
situation.
C. In circumstances where chronic absenteeism persists and it does not
seem feasible to include the child in the program, the child's slot
may be considered an enrollment vacancy and child may be
removed from the program.
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Holidays / Vacations
We will be adhering to the Bullitt County Public School Calendar (see
attached) and inclement weather closings/delays. If BCPS’s have a 2-hour
delay, our preschool will be closed. However, we will be open if there is a 1
hour delay, on the delayed schedule, starting 1 hour later.
Clothing / Attire
Children should arrive dressed for play. We like to have fun! Having fun
involves indoor & outdoor play and lots of messy activities, so make sure
that your child is dressed appropriately. You will be expected to supply an art
smock (can also be a large t-shirt) to protect clothes from paint or other art
materials as much as possible. Please don't dress your child in nice clothing
and expect them to be spotless when you arrive to pick them up. Clothing
should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make
sure to include hats, mittens, boots and coats for cold weather.
Personal Belongings
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We prefer that children do not bring toys from home unless it is something
that can be shared with the entire group (i.e. books, videos, etc.). Little ones
have a difficult time sharing with others, and it is even harder with their own
special toys. If toys are brought, please note that they may be put away, if
they are the cause of disagreements among the children. Exceptions to this
policy will be that a child may bring a favorite toy for show and tell
activities. We are not responsible for any loss or breakage of personal items.
All personal items must be clearly marked with the student’s name.
Supplies
Parents must supply the following items to be kept in their cubby/hook:
● Backpack (none with wheels)
● Folder (for communication & important papers)
● Spare outfit in case of damaged/soiled clothing
● Daily Snacks, in a bag/lunch box (none that are required to be
refrigerated or heated). Snacks that parents send must consist of the
following: Protein (milk, cheese, or meat), Bread/Grain (bread, graham
crackers, goldfish, or saltines, etc.), Fruit/Veggie. If their snack
requires eating utensils/dishes, you must provide DISPOSABLE ones
in their bag/box.
All personal belongings should be marked with your child's name.
Donations help us keep costs down, so if you have any of the following
items on hand and are willing to donate them, it would be greatly
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appreciated. This is NOT mandatory.
● Dress up clothing, costumes, jewelry, hats, etc.
● Paper of any kind, brown, white, colored, waxed, foil, etc.
● Crayons, water color paints, or any misc. art supplies, such as fabric
scraps, glitter, pipe cleaners, paper plates, etc.
● IDEAS! We welcome any ideas that you may have for fun activities or
crafts!!!
Preschool Schedule
Preschoolers enjoy a structured schedule that allows for flexibility. A
schedule helps the day to flow more smoothly and allows the children to
anticipate upcoming events. We will adhere to our written schedule to the
best of our ability. There will be times when we have to make adjustments to
the schedule. We appreciate families considering our schedule when picking
up or dropping off children.
We thank you for the information you filled out for us regarding your
preschooler's individual needs. It will help us get to know your child better.
Our daily schedule, while very flexible, is as follows: 8:50- a.m. – Preschool Drop-Off begins/Morning Work
9:00 am- Morning Meeting
9:30 a.m. - Structured Center Play (teacher directed)
10:15 a.m. - Gross motor play (outside weather permitting)
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10:45 a.m. – Snack Time
11:15 a.m.- Group Art/Music/Movement Activity
11:45 a.m. – Free Choice Center Play (student choice)
12:05 p.m. – Clean-up & Pack-up
12:15 p.m. – Story Time
12:30 p.m. -Dismissal/Center Closes after last child leaves
Snacks
Snacks are to be provided by parents, and are to be brought in the child’s
bag/lunch box daily. If your child has allergies, we must be notified of this in
writing. Snacks that parents send must consist of the following: Protein
(milk, cheese, or meat), Bread/Grain (bread, graham crackers, goldfish, or
saltines, etc.), Fruit/Veggie. We will need to have a physician's written
instructions describing any foods the child is not permitted to eat/be
near.
We never force a child to finish their snack, but we do encourage each child
to try one or two bites of it. Snacks are expected to be nutritious; i.e. goldfish,
graham crackers, veggies or fruit, etc. Gummies, candy, soda, etc. are not
considered nutritious and will be sent back home with student. We will have
emergency (pre-packaged and individual serving size) snacks available when
necessary. However, if student’s snacks are habitually forgotten, we may
begin to charge for snacks provided by the school.
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Cleanliness / Hygiene
We do our best to maintain strict cleanliness and hygiene standards. Students
wash their hands before and after meals and after toileting. We use paper
towels for drying hands, so students do not have to use the same towel. All
employees are required to wash their hands frequently and also use
antibacterial gel. We will disinfect toilet seats each day/more often, as
necessary.
Fire Drills
We are required by state law to do fire drills bi-monthly. We vary the time of
day to help the staff and children prepare to evacuate the building quickly
and safely. We will not do fire drills when the temperature is below 20
degrees or above 85 degrees.
Toilet Training
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Toilet training is required for admission into our Preschool. More than 1
accident in one week will be considered Non-trained, and admission to
Preschool may be terminated until child is fully toilet trained. We are not a
daycare, and are not equipped for diaper/pull-up changing. We want to give
our students as much time as possible for learning. Continual accidents take
away from your child and other students’ learning time.
Special Needs
Ray of Hope Preschool will make all reasonable modifications to our policies
and practices to accommodate children with special needs, unless to do so
would be a fundamental alteration of our existing program. Each child will be
evaluated on an individual basis to determine eligibility. Due to a small staff
size, students with severe special needs may be better served in another
program. Admission of students is the sole discretion of Ray of Hope
Preschool.
Parental Involvement
There will be times and ways you can get involved in your child's Preschool
experience. You are welcome and encouraged to participate in any or all of
these, after a criminal background check is received. This is for the safety of
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all students. Some examples of ways to be involved include:
● Lending objects for units of study
● Coming and talking about your job, when asked
● Helping your child at home with the concepts we are studying here
(see monthly newsletter)
● Helping your child prepare for "Show and Tell"
● Helping to provide treats or other items for our parties
● Volunteering to read at Story Time
Training & Development
Ray of Hope Preschool has a structured approach for staff, consultant,
and volunteer training and development. The program provides an
orientation to all new staff, consultants, and volunteers that includes, at
a minimum, the goals and underlying philosophy of Ray of Hope
Preschool and the ways in which they are implemented by the program.
A. Ray of Hope Preschool staff will attend the 6 hour Orientation Training
mandated by Kentucky Division of Licensed Child Care. Employees will be
trained and will implement all topics covered in the Orientation Training in
their daily work regularly, routinely, and consistently.
B. The program establishes and implements a structured approach to staff
training and development. This system is designed to help build relationships
among staff and to assist staff in acquiring or increasing the knowledge and
skills needed to fulfill their job responsibilities.
C. At a minimum, this system includes ongoing opportunities for staff to
acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the content of the
Ray of Hope Preschool Program Performance Standards. This program
includes:
i) Methods for identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect
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that comply with applicable State and local laws using so far as
possible, a helpful, rather than a punitive attitude toward abusing
or neglecting parents and other caretakers; and
ii) Methods for planning for successful child and family
transitions to and from the Ray of Hope Preschool program.
Activities / Curriculum
Our main objective is to have fun, improve social skills, and encourage
creative expression. We will utilize a variety of activities to accomplish this
goal. Free play, computer programs, reading, arts and crafts, music/singing,
dancing, dramatic play/pretend, puzzles, and educational TV/videos are just
some of the activities we will be doing. We will be using the “Horizons
Curriculum” to help direct and develop student learning. Additionally, we
will be designing custom thematic units to complement and enhance the
learning curriculum.
Music helps to develop young brains and will play a strong role in day-to-day
activities. We may have special music activities and may also play music
during other activities, for example, during arts and crafts or snack times.
Some of the music we will be using may include, classical, children's songs
(by a variety of artists), foreign language tapes and others.
Television will be used as a learning tool. We usually watch no more than ½
hour per day, and some days none at all. The exception will be special
occasion days/days when weather prevents outdoor play. Viewing will be
limited to PBS and child-friendly, educational-style videos, such as Veggie-
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tales, The Letter Factory, etc. We carefully screen everything the children
watch and watch along with the children. We avoid any type of graphic
images, potentially frightening images, unpleasant language, or anything of
that nature, as we believe that young children are extremely impressionable.
We prefer to err on the conservative side when choosing appropriate viewing.
Preschool Rules
There are certain Preschool Rules that all children will be taught and
expected to follow. This is for the safety and well-being of everyone.
Classroom rules will be posted in the Classroom. In addition we realize that
we must expect a certain amount of wear and tear where children are
concerned; however, we do not want to have our school "demolished".
There will be no running permitted in the center. Hitting, pushing, biting,
grabbing, kicking, spitting, or pinching other children/infants/adults will
NOT be allowed. No standing or climbing on chairs or tables. There will be
no use of obscene, derogatory or disrespectful language.
Children may not walk around the school with food or drinks. Respectful
treatment of other people and all property, toys, and furniture is expected.
Willful destruction of property will be charged to the parent at the cost to
replace the item. Please support us in the enforcement of these rules, in order
to create a better environment for all (see Departure and Arrival).
No smoking is permitted on the premises as per state law; this includes
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parents and staff.
Reporting Child Abuse or Sexual Abuse Requirements
As a Preschool, we are mandated reporters to the Department of Human
Services if we feel a child is being abused or neglected. All children that
come to Ray of Hope Preschool with injuries will have them logged into the
child's file.
Ray of Hope Preschool has a plan for responding to suspected or known
child abuse or sexual abuse as defined in 45 CFR 1340.2(d) whether it occurs
inside or outside of the program.
PROCEDURE:
A. This obligation is legal and may not be transferred to someone
else.
B. The law requires the person suspecting child abuse to report it.
C. Employees may call the Child Protective Services Office for
interpretations of circumstances.
D. Employees may choose to remain anonymous in filing the report.
This request shall be honored unless the case goes to court
proceedings.
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Indoor / Outdoor Play
Indoor play: We provide a variety of age-appropriate toys/equipment for
indoor play. Toys may be rotated or placed temporarily out of use so that the
children do not become bored. During free play times, each child may select
one or two things at a time to play with. They will be shown how to put those
things away before selecting something else.
Outdoor play: We will be playing outdoors every day that weather permits.
Please make sure that your student is appropriately dressed (see
Clothing/Attire section) for outdoor play at all times. Our activities will
include walks, play equipment, water play (water table), and others. We do
not go outside when the temperature is below 20 degrees (including wind
chill), or above 90 degrees (including heat index). We are mandated by state
law to take the children outside. Parents who feel that their child is not well
enough to participate in outdoor activities must keep them out of daycare
until they are able to participate in all activities.
Discipline
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Behavior Management
Positive Reinforcement is considered to be the preferred mode of managing
behavior. However, Aversive techniques (i.e. redirection, modeling, time-out,
ignoring) are also options for managing behavior.
When these techniques are unsuccessful and a child is becoming a threat to
himself/herself, other students, the teaching staff, volunteers, or property, the
child’s guardian/s will be called to take the child home for the day.
If the previously mentioned behavior is recurrent or habitual, the child may
be removed from the program and no longer eligible to attend the preschool.
A. Decreasing Behavior
1. Ignoring
Probably the simplest and most effective way of decreasing
behavior is ignoring that behavior. Ignoring involves
rearranging the consequences of behavior such that neither
attention nor any rewarding conditions are provided for the child
after he performs the behavior. Ignoring means not coaxing, not
chasing, not scolding, and not looking. Along with ignoring the
undesirable behavior, appropriate behavior will be
acknowledged using positive reinforcement.
2. Time Out
Time-out generally means removing the child from an activity
for a short period of time until he/she is calmer; therefore, it is
important not to interact or attend to the child in any way during
“time-out.” Time-out might be sitting in a chair or bench. This
technique is most effective when used for short periods of time.
A rule for this guidance is one minute for each year of age.
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When using time-out, it is best to begin with a short time limit
of no more than two minutes.
3. Loss of Privileges: considered last option and will be
accompanied by a note home to parents explaining the child’s
behavior and the steps that were taken to decrease that
behavior.
This does NOT include snack time/outdoor play time! Loss of
privileges may include: not be able to participate in special job of the day
(i.e. line leader, teacher’s helper, time keeper, etc.), waiting to choose last
for outdoor/indoor play.
The use of corporal punishment and total or extended isolation as
disciplinary measures are forbidden.
A. Corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force as a
discipline measure, which includes, but is not limited to
spanking, slapping, pulling of hair, pinching, etc. Isolation refers
to separating the child from normal association with classroom
activities as a punishment measure. Isolation includes, but is not
restricted to, the classroom when other children go to play, or
restricting the child from snack with his/her classmates.
B. Physical punishment and total isolation are not consistent with
the Ray of Hope Preschool Performance Standards. The
Standards define goals as increased social competence,
establishment of patterns and expectations of sources of the child,
and the enhancement of dignity and self-worth within the child.
C. Isolation in which the child is left totally unattended is
unacceptable. If it is necessary to isolate a child from a group,
adult supervision will be maintained and the isolation period will
be minimal. Performance Standards prohibit the use of snacks as
punishment.
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D. Conduct of pre-school children which disrupts normal classroom
activities on a frequent or extended basis may be indicative of
physical or emotional problems which Ray of Hope Preschool
shall take steps to address.
Illness
Ray of Hope Preschool is a "well-child facility". At no time do we provide
care for sick students. Students are not able to learn and grasp new concepts
when they are sick, and may spread illness to other students. The following
illness policies will be strictly enforced, for the health, well-being and safety
of all concerned.
Sick Child Policy: Under no circumstances may a parent bring a sick child to
preschool, if the child shows any signs of illness (see SYMPTOMS
REQUIRING REMOVAL OF CHILD FROM CHILD CARE), or is unable
to participate in the normal routine and regular preschool program. Sick
children will expose all children and staff members who they come in contact
with. These people can in turn expose the other children. Sick children want
care from their parents in the comfort of their own homes. If other children
become ill due to exposure to your sick child, either because he/she was
returned to daycare before full recovery or because he/she was not picked up
promptly upon notice of becoming ill; other parents will be unnecessarily
inconvenienced. Because this is disruptive to other children and their
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families, your cooperation on this issue is extremely important.
Every effort is taken to reduce the spread of illness by encouraging
handwashing and other sanitary practices (see Cleanliness and Hygiene).
If your child is unable to participate in the normal activities of the
preschool (including being able to play outside), then your child MUST
stay home.
Students will be visually screened when they arrive in the morning. In the
event a child becomes ill and needs to be picked up, the parent(s) will be
called and are expected to come pick the child up within one hour (60
minutes). If the parent(s) cannot be reached, or have not arrived within an
hour, the emergency contact person will be called and asked to come pick the
child up.
For the benefit of our staff and other children in our care, a sick child will not
be permitted to return to preschool for 24 hours after condition has returned
to normal. The child may return 24 - 48 hours (depending upon the illness)
after they have received the first dose of an antibiotic. If a child receives an
antibiotic for an ear infection, he/she may return to preschool immediately if
he/she has been free of other symptoms mentioned for at least 24 hours. If
you aren't sure about whether or not to bring your child, please call your
onsite director to discuss it. Allergy related symptoms, and non-
communicable illnesses do not require exclusion if you have a note from
your doctor.
Symptoms requiring removal of child from preschool:
● Fever: Fever is defined as having a temperature of 100°F or higher
taken under the arm, 101°F taken orally. (A child needs to be fever free
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for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to Preschool; that means
the child is fever free without the aid of Tylenol®, or any other fever
reducing substance.)
● Fever AND sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability,
or confusion.
● Diarrhea: runny, watery, bloody stools, or 2 or more loose stools
within last 4 hours.
● Vomiting: 2 or more times in a 24 hour period. Note: please do not
bring your child if they have vomited in the night.
● Breathing trouble, sore throat, swollen glands, loss of voice, hacking or
continuous coughing.
● Runny nose (other than clear), draining eyes or ears.
● Frequent scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other spots that
resemble childhood diseases, including ringworm.
● Child is irritable, continuously crying, or requires more attention than
we can provide without hurting the health, safety or well-being of the
other children in our care.
Just a note: Many times our preschool may get blamed for the illness of a
child, meaning that we have "allowed" sick children to come here. Parents
may not stop to think that when sick children are brought to our school, our
entire staff is also at risk of exposure. How would you feel if another parent
brought their sick child and exposed your child? We STRESS this again -- if
you are not sure whether or not it is okay to bring your child, please call
ahead to ask us. We may require a doctor's decision as to whether or not the
child is contagious. We appreciate you cooperation in this matter.
Medications
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I. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:
1. No medication may be given by any staff person unless there is
written permission from the parent or guardian.
2. Permission must give specific directions for the administration of
that medicine, such as what time of day and how much medicine is to
be given, etc.
3. Permission must be specific for that medication; permission for one
medication will not serve as permission for another medication.
4. All emergency medication must be stored in a locked storage area
out of reach of the children.
5. Emergency medication must be kept out of the reach of children, but
accessible to administering staff.
6. Children should NEVER carry or bring medication to the classroom.
It is the parent’s or guardian’s responsibility to see that the
medication is delivered to the appropriate staff person.
7. All permissions and directions for medication are to be on file in the
child’s classroom.
• NO medication will be given at the Ray of Hope Preschool
without signed permission.
• All medicine, prescription and over-the-counter medicine, must
be in its original container. • The medication label should include: name of student, name of
medicine, dosage of medicine, times to be administered, and the
prescribing physician. • Doctor’s orders are required for over-the-counter
medication, such as Motrin, Tylenol, skin cream, etc.
It is best for all medications to be given at home if at all possible. Usually the child’s doctor will arrange the medication schedule so that
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medication can be given at home, if you request that he/she do so.
• do so. In the event that both the regular teacher and instructional assistant
are absent from the classroom and a medication needs to be
administered to a child, the regular substitute (trained in health
services, i.e. CPR and First Aid) will administer the medication to
the child.
In the event that a child is given a medication later than the regularly
scheduled time, the time administered will be documented, and the
parent will be notified. The child will be observed for any adverse
effects.
**Any exceptions to the above rules must be cleared by the Program
Director.
NOTE: All medicines must be in their original container with
pharmacist's or manufacturer's label, child's name, dosage instructions,
current date, name of medication, and times to be administered clearly
written.
Medication Administration
Ray of Hope Preschool establishes and maintains written procedures
regarding the administration, handling and storage of medication for
every child.
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:
The procedures include:
(a) Labeling and storing, under lock and key, and refrigerating,
if necessary, all medications, including those required for staff and
volunteers; emergency medications will be kept out of the reach of
children but accessible to staff;
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(b) Designating trained staff member(s) or to administer,
handle and store child medications;
(c) Obtaining physicians' instructions and written parent or
guardian authorizations for all medications administered by
staff;
(d) Maintaining an individual record of all medications
dispensed, and reviewing the record regularly with the
child's parents;
(e) Recording changes in a child's behavior that have
implications for drug dosage or type, and assisting parents
in communicating with their physician regarding the effect
of the medication on the child; and
(f) Ensuring that appropriate staff members can demonstrate
proper administering, handling, and storing medication,
including the use of any necessary equipment to administer
medication.
Incident Report
In the event of an injury during school hours, an injury report will be filed
and sent home for parents to review, with a copy placed in student file.
The report will appear as follows:
Ray of Hope Preschool – Incident Report
___Child ___ Employee ___ Volunteer
Name of Injured:________________________ Date: ________________
Time: ___________
Facility: _______________________________ Phone
________________________________
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Address:
______________________________________________________________
_________
Position:
______________________________________________________________
_________
Date of Injury: _______________________ Time of Injury:
______________________________
Injury reported by: _________________________ reported to:
__________________________
Location of Incident: Classroom _____ Playground _____ Bathroom
_____ Sidewalk ______ Parking Lot _____ Hallway _____ Parent
Room ______ Gross Motor Room _____ Play Field _____
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Injured Body Part: Eyes _____ Ears _____ Nose _____ Mouth _____ Teeth
_____ Throat/Neck ____
Hand/Arm/Elbow _____ Trunk/Back _____ Groin/Leg/Knee/Ankle _____
Head _____ Other _____
Type of Injury: Bruise/Swelling _____ Cut/Laceration/Scrape _____
Sprain/Strain _____ Impaled Object _____ Physical Trauma to Head, Neck
or Spine _____ Breathing Diff. _____
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Other _____
Parent/Guardian Notified via: Telephone _____ Direct Contact _____
Report taken home by child ____
Blood Borne Pathogen Exposure:
Did “direct contact” with blood or other potentially infectious body fluids
occur? Yes ________ No _______
If yes, describe contact and which fluids:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Staff Signature: ________________________________________________
Date: __________________
Program Director Signature: _____________________________________
Date: __________________
**Please fill out details of Incident and attach paper to report**
Medical Emergencies
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Minor bumps and scratches are inevitable, but we make every effort to keep
the children safe through supervision and childproofing. Minor injuries
receive appropriate first aid, and if an emergency injury or illness occurs, you
will be contacted as soon as possible. If necessary, your child will be taken to
the nearest hospital where you will be asked to meet us. If you are not going
to be at your usual place of employment, or at home, please make sure that
we have a number where you can be reached.
Parents are responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical
treatment, including emergency transportation, if required. The owners and
staff of Ray of Hope Preschool will not be held liable for any sickness/injury
of either parent/guardian or child while on these premises.
Termination Policies
We reserve the right to terminate a child for the following reasons (but not
limited to):
● Failure to pay
● Routinely late picking up/dropping off your student
● Failure to complete the required forms
● Lack of parental cooperation
● Failure of child to adjust to the Preschool after a reasonable amount of
time
● Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property
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● Our inability to meet the child's needs
● Lack of compliance with handbook regulations
● Serious illness of child
We appreciate as much advance notice as possible when terminating, and
will give the same courtesy in return. Parents are required to give two weeks
written notice when they decide to terminate admission. The two weeks will
be paid in full, regardless of whether or not the child is in attendance.
We will give two weeks’ notice of termination for which full tuition is due,
whether or not the child is in attendance. The provider reserves the right to
give written notice of immediate termination where there are extreme
circumstances that affect the well-being of the provider or other children in
attendance.
Anyone who terminates admission and has a balance that is outstanding will
need to have the account settled within 30 days. Late fees will apply. (see
Tuition/Payment Procedures)
Revisions and Contract
There will be a yearly revision to this handbook and the accompanying
contract. All families will sign a new contract each year. We reserve the right
to make changes in rates and policies as we deem necessary. You will be
notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be
made to give at least two weeks notice of changes.
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Ray of Hope Preschool Parent Signature Page
I have read, understand, and agree to abide by all the aforementioned
policies and procedures from Ray of Hope Preschool. I understand that my
non-adherence to these agreed upon policies and procedure may result in the
termination of my child’s/children’s attendance at Ray of Hope Preschool.
I understand that if issues arise that can’t be solved via in-person/phone
communication, I may schedule an appointment/have one scheduled, to meet
with the school’s director, staff, mediator, and or president, in order to
resolve said issues, depending on severity.
Parent/Guardian Signature:
______________________________________________________________
Date:
______________________________________________________________