HOURS:
Our center is open from 6:30am to 6:00pm Monday through Friday serving children from the age of six (6) weeks to five (5) years of age. Our school year is from August 1st to July 31st.
ENROLLMENT:
All parents requesting to enroll their children at our center are required to complete and sign the following forms before enrollment is accepted: Enrollment Form, Statement of Responsibility Form, Discipline Policy Form and a USDA Form.
It is a State Law requirement that a recent physical and up to date immunization record be provided for our records. This law is strictly enforced by our center and Department of Children and Families.
Your prompt cooperation is expected and appreciated in compliance with the above and any other forms required by our center or the State of Florida.
ARRIVAL – DEPARTURE:
Parents are required to park their vehicle in the parking spaces available in our parking lot. Parking along the yellow curb is prohibited.
All children must be brought into the lobby upon arrival and picked up there upon departure. No child will be allowed to leave from the playground or from the parking lot area for any reason. Do not leave children unattended in the parking lot.
All parents are required to sign children “in” and “out” on the attendance form provided in the Child Center lobby.
NO children are allowed to be picked up by siblings and/or other children. Your child WILL NOT BE RELEASED to anyone for whom prior written authorization has not been given. We need to have a current name, address and phone number on record. If the person is not recognized, proper identification, ie: driver’s license, will be required. Verbal messages from your child will not be accepted. Please send a note or telephone the Director prior to arrangements.
If there is any doubt at all, and the parents cannot be reached, the child will remain at our center until proper release is arranged.
HOLIDAYS:
Our center will be closed for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, the second or third Friday in September or the first Friday in October for Early Childhood Association of Florida State Conference, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving, the week of Christmas (varies each year, notification of closing will be well in advance). When a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, our Center will be closed the Friday before or on the Monday after the holiday. Occasionally an event may occur which calls for our center to close beyond the days listed. Notices will be posted in advance for parents to make other child care arrangements.
We also will close our facility if Lake and Orange County Schools close due to inclement weather or other emergency situations.
ATTENDANCE & VACATION – SICK TIME:
Each child is allowed TWO FULL WEEKS OF ABSENCES per school year where no tuition will be applied to your account. This is in one-week increments and cannot be accrued from one year to another. A child must be absent the entire week for no charge to be applied to your account. If a child attends at least one day in the week, full tuition will be applied to your account.
TUITION PAYMENTS: (REVISED 8/10)
Tuition is due on Monday of each week prior to attendance. Payments made after Tuesday will automatically be assessed a $25.00 late payment fee and be considered delinquent. If a child is absent on Monday, tuition is due prior to attendance.
There will be no pro-rated fees for days missed during a week due to illness, vacations, and holidays falling within the week.
Our center reserves the right to refuse attendance to children whose parents become delinquent in payment of their fees until all fees are paid in full. Unpaid balances will be subject to collection by attorney or collection agency. Parents will be responsible for all costs incurred in collecting delinquent fees.
Parents are asked to pick up their children from the center no later than 6:00pm. A late pick up fee will be charged to your account in the amount of $25.00 starting at 6:00pm and for every ten (10) minutes the child remains at the center after the 6:00pm closing.
A payment box is located in the Child Center lobby for your convenience. Please use the tuition payment envelopes provided, clearly writing in the information requested. If payment is a combination of fees (example: registration, tuition, field trip), please specify the individual amount for each fee being paid.
ILLNESS & MEDICATIONS:
Children with a fever, vomiting or diarrhea cannot be admitted in our center. If your child develops any of these symptoms, you will be notified to pick him/her up immediately.
A fever of 99.9 or higher, vomiting and diarrhea symptoms must be gone for a minimum of 48 hours WITHOUT medication before the child can return to our center. If a child still has symptoms after 48 hours a doctor’s note is needed to return to the center.
Please notify our center immediately if your child has been exposed to any communicable diseases or infectious illnesses. By the same token, our center will notify parents if your child has been exposed at school.
Prescription drugs will be dispensed as per the instruction from the doctor. All medications must be in original containers. No medications will be dispensed without a completed and signed medication form. Over the counter medication can only be dispensed according to the recommended dosage, unless written release from a doctor accompanies it. Medicines such as Tylenol and Triaminic cold, etc. will not be dispensed without a note from a physician, NO EXCEPTIONS.
DRESS CODE:
For all children’s safety, NO open-toed shoes, jellies or slip on shoes will be allowed. Be sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather each day. We will not allow gum chewing in our center.
WHAT TO BRING:
- Infants: Minimum of 6-7 diapers per day, change of clothes.
- Toddlers: Minimum of 6-7 diapers per day, change of clothes, blanket
- Pre-schoolers: Change of clothes, blanket
Please be sure to label all personal belongings with child’s name. We will not be responsible for anything not properly labeled. If you accidentally take someone else’s belongings, please return them as soon as possible.
TOYS & MOVIES:
Children are not allowed to bring toys or movies to our center except for Show and Tell Days or as directed by their teacher. However, no toy guns, swords or any toy or movie with a violent connotation will be permitted. If in doubt ask the Director for permission.
BREAKFAST, LUNCH & SNACKS:
Our center provides a nutritious breakfast from 7:00AM – 8:00AM. A hot well-balanced lunch is served to all children. We also provide a PM snack with juice or milk. Our Center follows the USDA guidelines and upon enrollment, all parents are asked to fill out and return a current USDA form. Parents of infants are also asked to fill out and return the following Infant Feeding Form. These forms can be found on the next page.
REST TIME:
A rest time is provided after lunch in all rooms. Your child does not have to nap, but needs to lie quietly so that those who need to sleep may do so. Please be sure your child brings a blanket on Monday and takes it home every Friday to be laundered.
BIRTHDAYS:
Every child’s birthday is a special day at our center. Please contact your child’s teacher regarding special healthy snacks, treats or favors to celebrate your child’s birthday. Parents are encouraged to stay and join in the celebration.