We Are Committed to the Children and Families We Serve

The Children’s Garden 70 Bradley Rd • Woodbridge, CT 06525 • (203) 387-7018 www.childrensgardeninc.com [email protected]

This Parent Handbook is provided to you to aid in the smooth and happy admittance of your child into our program. The Director will be available to answer any questions about the information included in this handbook. You will be asked to sign a form stating that you have read and understand the contents of this handbook.

Core Values Commitment We are committed to the children and families we serve Nurturing All children are cared for in a loving, nurturing environment Social Beings Children are social beings and we will provide opportunities for them to work and play with each other along side of responsive adults.

Mission Statement Our mission here at The Children’s Garden is to provide safe, affordable, high quality child care for all children enrolled in our center. In doing so, we support families in their efforts to reach their goals. The Children’s Garden provides a cognitively based program for children ages six weeks to five years. The Children’s Garden staff is committed to the families we serve as well as providing support and encouragement. FORMS:

Every child enrolled into the Children’s Garden must have the following forms on record at the center.

1. Registration Form

2. Family and Child Information Form

3. Authorization Forms

4. Child Health Record

5. Signed Enrollment Agreement

6. Discipline and Parent Handbook Sign off

7. If applicable, Topical Medication Forms or Medication Administration Forms All information must be kept up to date and accurate. Please report any changes or new information to the office immediately. Your child will not be permitted to attend unless all the required paperwork in complete.

HOURS:

Our hours of operation are 7:30AM to 5:30PM, Monday through Friday. It is essential that children be dropped off and picked up within this time frame. We do not allow any child to be dropped off prior to 7:30AM. Please be sure there are 2 staff members on premises before leaving you child at the center. Part-time enrollments must be picked up within a 5 hour time frame to avoid additional charges. If you are enrolled part-time and need to extend your hours, please let management know in advance.

DROP OFF POLICY:

We ask that you be consistent in timing when dropping off your child. We encourage parents to drop their children off no later than 10:00am to minimize disruption to the classroom and for scheduling reasons. Please be sure to notify the center if your child will be arriving after 10:00am. Please advise the center director or a staff member of any problems your child may have had, physical or emotional in the past 24 hours. Please be sure to sign your child in and out in the lobby when dropping off and picking up. This is a State requirement and must be done daily.

HALF DAY PICK UP POLICY:

Please be prompt when picking up your child from the center. Half day children should be picked up within the 5 hour timeframe. There will be an additional $15.00 per hour charge for children left at the center past the 5 hour time frame. If someone other than the parent will be picking up your child please notify the center in writing at drop off time. Please include the individual’s full name and phone number in this written notice. This is for your child’s safety and protection. If you will be picking up your child later than the scheduled time please notify staff at drop off.

LATE PICK UP POLICY:

Again, Please be prompt when picking up your child up at the end of the day. Our center closes at 5:30pm and we are only licensed to care for your child until 5:30pm.You must arrive at the center no later than 5:30pm. Our staff does not receive compensation past 5:30pm so if you are late arriving to pick up your child you will incur an additional fee. This fee will go directly to staff here with your child after hours. The late pick up fee is $15.00 per every 15 minutes you are late past 5:30pm, for example; pick up between 5:31-5:45pm will incur a $15.00 charge, if picking up after 5:45pm than another $15:00 will be added to that fee and so on. Two staff members will remain on premises with your child at all times. Excessive late pickups will result in possible termination of your enrollment here at the center.

LEFT CHILD PROCEDURE:

On the advisement of State of Connecticut Officials, we are herewith stating our policy concerning children who are left at the center after closing time (5:30PM). Two staff will always remain on the licensed premises with the child or children. In the event of an emergency, when you cannot be at the center by closing time, you must notify the staff and make arrangements for an authorized individual to pick up your child. If you fail to make contact with the center staff by 5:45PM, we will contact authorized individuals on your pick up list. If we are unable to reach an alternate pick up we will then be required to contact the local authorities; which is advised by our state and local officials. The Woodbridge police department will be notified and asked to come and retrieve your child from the center and maintain custody of your child until a parent or guardian can be reached. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES is the staff allowed to transport your child off the premises due to a late pick up.

TUITION PAYMENT POLICY:

Tuition is to be paid on the first day of services for each week that services are provided. If your tuition payment is not received by Wednesday of the current week a $15.00 late fee will be applied to your tuition payment. If tuition payment is not paid by Friday of the current week, including any late fees, then your child may not return to the center until your past due tuition along with the following week’s tuition is paid in full. NO EXCEPTION! IF YOU WISH TO PAY ON FRIDAY THEN YOU MUST BE A WEEK AHEAD ON TUITION PAYMENTS. There will be a $25.00 fee charged for all returned checks. If your check is returned by your bank you will be responsible for making payment of the tuition fee along with the $25.00 returned check fee within 2 days of the notice of unpaid tuition. If your check is returned a second time you will no longer be allowed to pay your tuition by check and it must be paid in cash or money order. You will be charged your full tuition rate regardless of holidays or days your child is out due to illness or personal reasons. Full tuition is also required regardless of center closings due to weather, loss of electricity, loss of heat or AC as well as any other unforeseen circumstances that will not allow us to operate on any given day. If your child will be absent for an entire week due to a vacation or time off then you may utilize 1 week annually where half tuition may be paid. After the use of your one half week, any additional full week’s absence will require the payment of full tuition. Please note that if you are to utilize your half week, advance notice of this time off must be given to the Center Director. Payment for any week that your child will not be attending is due the week prior on the last day your child is in attendance. Failure to make this payment prior to your child’s absence will result in a $15.00 late payment fee. Your child must be out an entire week (Monday-Friday) to use the half week. The Children’s Garden reserves the right to terminate day care provisions, at any time, without notice, due to unpaid tuition. Any unpaid tuition is subject to legal action should the family leave or have their enrollment terminated.

TUITION DISCOUNTS:

Our center offers discount for siblings, Yale Affiliates and those employed by Marrakech. The discount for siblings is 10% off the total combined tuition, the discount for Yale affiliates and Marrakech employees is 10% off full time enrollment and 5% off part time enrollment.

OPTIONS FOR TUITION PAYMENTS:

Our center accepts the following forms of payment: Cash, Check, Money Order, Online Payments and Credit Card Payments. Please note that credit card payments may be subject to an additional fee. If using our online system, payments must be set up through a checking or savings account to avoid additional fees. If you use a credit card for your online payments you will see an additional fee added to your tuition. Please remember that all tuition payments are due the first day of services, no later than Wednesday, to avoid the $15.00 late fee.

ANNUAL TUITION INCREASES:

At the Children’s Garden we increase tuition annually in September. A 30 day notice will be sent out to all families with notification of this increase and your new tuition payment. A reminder is sent out the week prior to the increase.

WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE: If you plan to withdrawal your child from the center you must submit, in writing, 2 weeks’ notice and include the final 2 weeks tuition payments with this notice. If you fail to leave the 2 weeks tuition payment with your notice then your enrollment will be terminated immediately. If the center chooses to withdraw or terminate your child’s enrollment due to any reason the center will give 2 weeks written notice to the family as long as your child is not imposing a health or safety risk to the staff or children. If the termination of your child is due to a health or safety reason, the center reserves the right to terminate your child’s enrollment immediately without repercussion. Any paid tuition fees that were paid for the current week of termination will not be refunded. If tuition is paid in advance then any unused weeks may be refunded to the family.

CARE 4 KIDS PAYMENTS:

Our center accepts the Care 4 Kids program. A valid certificate from Care 4 Kids is required upon enrollment for us to accept payments made by them. Our policy regarding this program is in such, any family currently on the Care 4 Kids program will be responsible for paying the difference of the tuition after the Care 4 Kids amount is deducted. Any family awaiting Care 4 Kids approval will be responsible for the full tuition payment until a certificate is received by the center. Once a current certificate is received the payment amount will be adjusted and any credits will be applied to the families account. The family may choose to use this credit to pay their portion of the weekly tuition until it is used up. Care 4 Kids requires all applications to be recertified every 9-11 months, this process is called redetermination. Redetermination applications will be sent to families approximately 2 months prior to the current certificates expiration date. We strongly suggest all families that are due for redetermination gather all required forms and paperwork and submit it to Care 4 Kids at least 30 days prior to the expiration date on the current certificate. This will ensure that a new certificate is issued prior to the current one expiring. If you delay submitting your redetermination and your current certificate expires prior to the center receiving a new one, you will be responsible for the full tuition until the new certificate arrives. The breakdown for Care 4 Kids payments is as follows; on the reverse side of the certificate is the total amount each month that Care 4 Kids will pay. Taking that total amount and dividing it by 4.3 will give you the total weekly amount that Care 4 Kids is paying for your child. The reason we divide by 4.3 is due to some months having 5 weeks and not 4 weeks. We will then take the amount that Care 4 Kids is paying each week and deduct it from our regular weekly tuition rate. The difference between the two is the amount the family is responsible for paying. You will see an amount on the front of your certificate stated as your “family fee”, this amount is figured out by Care 4 Kids based on your income as what they feel you could pay weekly. Please note this is not the amount you will be responsible for paying as our policy is to charge the difference after the Care 4 Kids portion is deducted from our tuition rate.

WEATHER CLOSINGS, DELAYS AND EARLY DISMISSALS: The Children’s Garden will post all closing and delays on NBC 30 and WTNH. Please visit the websites for these news stations and set up for text alerts for closings and delays. When setting up the alerts, please be sure to search for Children’s Garden, Woodbridge. Information regarding weather related closings, delays or early dismissals will also be posted to The Children’s Garden Facebook page. If the center will be closing early due to weather conditions it will be posted to NBC 30 and WTNH as well as our Facebook page. Phone calls will also be made to all families notifying them of an early dismissal.

Holiday Closings:

Our center does close for the following major holidays: New Years Day Good Friday Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Christmas Day A Holiday closing schedule is given to families every September with the dates the center will be closed in recognition of these holidays. Please be aware that Thanksgiving and Christmas may have a 2 day closing. It will depend on the day Christmas falls on to determine if the center will close one day or two. The center may also close early on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Please look out for the holiday schedule in September to be aware of the current school years closing schedule.

SUMMER PROGRAM AND FIELD TRIPS:

The Children’s Garden does offer a summer program in addition to our year round program. The summer program is an important component of our curriculum and the children will be involved in many fun and educational activities during the summer months. On occasion the children in our Pre- K program may travel off premises on field trips. There will be additional forms for transportation and activity participation for field trips. Only children age 3-5 will participate in off- premises trips and they are optional. Additional fees will be required and will vary depending on the trip planned. Please note that children in our Toddler, Two and Preschool program will all participate in our summer program. There will be an additional fee for the summer program which is collected in June. This program is part of our curriculum and if your child will be attending in the summer months you will be responsible for paying this summer fee. Notice of activities and fees will be provided to families a month prior to the start of our summer program. FOOD:

Parents are responsible for providing a healthy, nutritious lunch for their each day. Parents may also provide 2 additional snacks for their child if they choose but our center will have snacks on hand. The children will have a morning and afternoon snack served with juice or water. Lunch is served with water unless you provide milk for your child to have with their lunch. Please be sure to label all lunch bags, containers and cups that your child brings into the center. All children in the Infant room must have ALL food and drink items provided by the parents. Be sure to notify management and staff of any food allergies your child may have. Also, please note any food preferences or allergies on your child’s enrollment forms.

REST TIME:

All Classrooms have a rest time. The Toddler, Two and Preschool classrooms will have a scheduled naptime which children will rest on cots. Each family is asked to provide the following items for rest time:

• Crib Sheet

• Small, light blanket Our rest time is scheduled for 2 hours. Children will be required to rest quietly for 45 minutes. After a 45 minute rest time children that are not asleep may have a book or quiet activity on their cot for the remaining rest time. Infants will rest and sleep when needed. We ask that parents of infants provide the following items:

• Tight fitting crib sheet

• Sleep Sack for infants under 12 months of age

• Light blanket for infants 12 months of age and older Our center take safe sleep very seriously and we will not allow any heavy blankets, loose fitting sheets or stuffed toys in your child’s crib. If your child uses a pacifier please be sure they are not attached to any stuffed animals or cloth items as they will not be allowed in the crib. Per State Regulations, all children under 12 months of age must be placed on their backs in the crib. If they can roll over on their own they may move to their stomach to sleep. If your Infant needs to sleep in an elevated position for any reason you must provide a note from your child’s doctor giving us permission to elevate the crib mattress or allow them to sleep in something other than the crib. The note must state the reason for the elevation and should be as specific as possible when stating where the child can use the elevation (i.e.: crib wedge, swing, and bouncy chair). All bedding items will be sent home the end of each week for cleaning and must be returned the following Monday.

MEDICATION:

The staff in our center is medication administration certified. The center will store medications at the facility only if they are in the original box, prescription label attached (if applicable) and labeled with your child’s first and last name. Medications must not be expired and all medications including topical medications must have the proper authorization forms along with them. The following medications require an authorization from the parent only: *Diaper Creams (Desitin, A&D, etc.) *Orajel or teething gel *Vaseline *Sunscreen * Baby powder *Any other topical lotions or creams that are not medicated The authorization form for these medications must include: Child’s Name and Date of Birth Name of medication Parents Name and Address Start and End Date of Administration Area Medication is to be applied to Signature of Parent and Staff

The following medications require an authorization form from an authorized physician or prescriber: *Tylenol or other pain relievers *Benadryl or other allergy medications *Inhalers *Nebulizers *Epi Pen *Antibiotics *Eye Drops *Any other medications that are prescribed or purchased over the counter

The authorization form for these medications includes: Child’s Name, address and date of birth Name of medication Prescribed dosage to be administered and frequency of administration Method of administration Start and end date of administration Any known side effects Authorized physician or prescribers information and signature Parent’s signature and knowledge of authorization Staff’s information and signature

If medication is administered parents will be notified of the time and dose of the administration. Medications are checked regularly to be sure they are not expired and that all authorization forms are current and filled out correctly. If a medication form or the medication is expired the parent will be notified immediately and the medication will be sent home until a new form or replacement medication is received.

MEDICAL GUIDELINES AND ILLNESS:

State regulations require us to maintain a medical record for each child. This form must be updated by the child’s physician every 3 months up until the age of 1 year and then annually thereafter. All immunizations must be up to date and kept current with documentation from the physician provided. For the protection of all the children and staff please keep your child home if they have any of the following symptoms: *Fever *Diarrhea or vomiting *Unexplained Rash *Excessive nasal discharge or discharge from eyes or ears *Bright yellow or green discharge *Excessive cough or wheezing If your child exhibits any of the above named symptoms while at the center a parent will be notified and your child must be picked up within 1 hour of contact. We ask that all children remain home until they are symptom free, for 24 hours, without the use of medication. If your child has been exposed to any contagious illness or disease they should remain home and the center should be notified. The following are considered highly contagious and require notification to the center if there is a risk of exposure: *Strep Throat *Chicken Pox *Measles or Mumps *Coxsakie (Hand, Foot and Mouth) *Fifth’s Disease *Roseola Any child diagnosed with a contagious illness will require a doctor’s note to return to the center. If your child is sent home due to an unexplained rash the center will require a doctor’s note upon your child’s return to school. We at The Children’s Garden want to do our best to ensure the environment is a healthy one and we do need the assistance of parents and families in doing so. Please keep your child home when they are ill and please be prompt when picking your child up when you are notified of them being sick while at the center.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE:

Any complaints or concerns should be directed to the Center Director or the Owner of The Children’s Garden. All inspection reports are available for your review by contacting the Center Director or The Office of Early Childhood.

DISCIPLINE POLICY/BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT:

We, at The Children’s Garden, strive for a policy of POSITIVE DISCIPLINE. We promote acceptable behavior through positive reinforcement until it becomes a natural part of a child’s life. We do not tolerate any behaviors that may be harmful to your child or the other children in the center. Positive reinforcement and redirection will be used at all times to move your child from inappropriate behavior toward acceptable behavior. The Director will be happy to discuss any methods or ideas you may have regarding the discipline of your child. Any child that may display constant inappropriate behaviors towards the other children or staff may be placed on a behavioral plan. This plan will be discussed with the parents prior to implementing it. Any behavior that may produce an unsafe or harmful environment for the staff or children can result in the termination of a child’s enrollment. Rewards are a part of our everyday lives. Sometimes rewards are tangible, such as a star sticker or a smiley face stamp; sometimes they are intangible like a hug or a positive verbal phrase. Rewarding appropriate behavior is a part of our positive reinforcement policy and will encourage the appropriate behavior to continue. Our goal is to give out lots and lots of hugs and stickers! We would like to comment briefly on the subject of physical contact. Today, it is a very unfortunate fact of life that we must warn our children about strangers and to always be watchful for abuse. We encourage our staff to be your child’s protector and friend as well a positive influence in your child’s life. We believe that things like hugs, holding hands and pats on the back are natural and nurturing responses in many circumstances. These things should be encouraged between caregivers and children as well as children and other children. Hugs are okay!  PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

We strongly encourage parent involvement in our center. Parents are encouraged to join us for all events held at the center as well as attend field trips when planned. Monthly newsletters are emailed to parents and in those newsletters there is information about center events and center policies. It is extremely important for parents to review those newsletters each month to stay up to date on our centers events and policies. In each classroom there is a calendar of the monthly curriculum. This is posted so parents are aware of what their child is learning each month. We encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s early education and are always open for parent visitors during circle time and project time. We do have an open door policy and you are welcome to visit the center at any time. Communication between parents and staff is one of the most important aspects of running a successful program. Please do not hesitate to communicate any ideas, concerns or compliments to the center director or staff.

SCHEDULE SHEETS AND DAILY SHEETS:

Each classroom has a daily schedule posted to notify the parents of your child’s daily schedule. All children in our Infant, Toddler and Twos classroom will receive a daily sheet with information regarding your child’s day. Information on this daily sheet includes, diaper changes, nap time and foods eaten. There is also a section for activities done throughout the day. Please be sure to check your child’s daily sheet each day as there may also be supplies that you may need to provide for your child.

CLOTHING:

Due to the wide range of activities here at The Children’s Garden, we ask that your child come to school dressed in comfortable, seasonable, washable clothing. Your child will participate in arts and crafts activities, water play and other sensory activities as well as outdoor play. We will do our best ensure that children’s clothing be protected with smocks during arts and crafts but we cannot always guarantee their clothing will remain free of paint, dirt or other items including food. Please dress your child in clothing that will allow for the activities the children will participate in daily. Spills, and bathroom accidents are a common occurrence and we ask that additional clothing be kept at the center so we can change your child as needed. If we use clothing for our extra clothing bin we do ask that those items be washed and returned to the center the following day. Please check your child’s clothing bin regularly and update items as needed. We ask that weather appropriate clothing also be provided. Our program includes a daily outdoor time all year round. Children should be dressed accordingly for outdoor play. We will not be outdoors if the temperature is above 100 degrees or below 32 degrees. Sneakers are the best option for your child and we would prefer them to wear sneakers daily. If you wish for your child to wear boots or sandals please keep a pair of sneakers at the center for outdoor play.

We ask that you provide the following items for your child: *Two complete changes of clothing (including underwear and socks) *Crib Sheet *Light Blanket *Diapers and wipes if necessary Additional Items for Infants: *Pacifiers (2) *Extra crib sheet *2 additional changes of clothing *Bottles *Formula *Baby Food Please be sure to label all items with your child’s first name and last initial.

BIRTHDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS:

Parents are welcome to bring in special treats to celebrate their child’s birthday. We will celebrate all holidays here at The Children’s Garden. Parents may be asked to provide food items or special treats for some of these holidays. We will notify all families of any food allergies that children may have in advance.

TOYS AND CANDY:

We do not allow toys from home to be brought in to school unless your child’s teacher notifies the parents of a sharing day or special event. When children bring toys from home it does cause a disruption to the classroom and can cause the toy to become broken or lost. Any child that brings a toy from home will have the toy placed in the office where the parent can pick it up at then of the day. Nap time items (special blanket, stuffed toy) are okay to remain in your child’s cubby and can be used during naptime only (Only for children not in cribs). Gum and candy are not allowed to be eaten during the school day unless it is a special treat given to all the children. Please do not send your child in with a lollipop, gum, chocolate or any other type of candy.

ABUSE & NEGLECT:

The State of Connecticut requires that all members of day care institutions be aware of, and report any signs of child abuse or neglect. We are all mandated reporters and we have an obligation to report any and all cases of suspected abuse and/or neglect to the abuse and neglect hotline. If you suspect any type of abuse or neglect please bring it to the attention of management or contact the hotline at 800-842-2288.

FINAL WORD:

The Children’s Garden accepts children and families regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or nationality. Our goal is to provide a loving, caring and educational environment for your child. We strive to enrich each child’s development in the area of social and emotional growth, gross and fine motor skills, music and dance, arts and crafts as well as many other areas of development. We appreciate your support and involvement with the Children’s Garden Learning Center, and we look forward to working together with you to make your child’s future bright!

REVISED: JANUARY 2017 Please return this page to the office by January 30th 2017.

I have read and understand the policies stated in The Children’s Garden Handbook. These policies have been discussed with me.

Family Name: ______

Signed: ______Dated: ______

Discipline Policy/Behavior Management as stated in the Parent Handbook:

I ______, have read and understand the discipline policy and behavior management plan for The Children’s garden as stated in the Parent Handbook. This policy has been discussed with me and I am fully aware of said policy.

Signed______Dated ______

Director’s signature______Dated______