Hermitage Church of the Nazarene Mother’s Day Out P.O. Box 111, Hermitage, TN 37076 615-847-3335 www.hermitagenazarene.org Kristin Jordan, Director
Parent Handbook
It is our pleasure to have your child in our care. We strive to provide quality care to each child while providing fun, learning activities that will strengthen your child physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. Please review the following policies and procedures, fill out the appropriate forms and return as soon as possible.
A. Operating Hours: 9:00-2:00 Tuesdays and Thursdays Please do not drop off your child any earlier than 8:55 as your child’s teacher is preparing for their day. Children must be picked up by 2:00. A late fee of $1.00 per minute will be charged starting at 2:05. We follow the Wilson County school schedule. This will include a two-week fall break and Christmas break and one week spring break. We will also follow Wilson County in regards to weather related dismissals, both for closing of schools and early dismissal.
B. Ages: We begin taking children when they are 1. For the 1 year old room, the child must turn 1 by August 15, 2014. For the 2 year old room, the child must turn 2 by August 15, 2014. For the 3 year old room, the child must turn 3 by August 15, 2014. For Pre-K, the child must turn 4 by August 15, 2014. C. Fees: Registration and Supply Fee: $60 per child o This is a non-refundable fee and is due upon registering your child. Monthly Tuition:
1 Child $90 2 Children $170 3 Children $250
o Tuition is due by the 15th of the month. There will be a $5.00 late fee each day your tuition is not paid. o During the month of October, tuition will be prorated based on the number of days we are scheduled to meet, regardless of attendance. o Tuition will be regular price for December.
D. Drop off and pick up Beginning in September, we will provide a morning curb-side drop off service. Parents will pull up to the doors under the overhang (please form one line in one direction) The MDO staff will help get your child out of the car and inside to their teacher who will be waiting in the gym. This will run from 8:55 to 9:15 each morning. If you arrive after 9:15, you will need to bring your child inside. For afternoon pickup, you will need to come inside to get your child.
E. Sickness: Children who have a contagious illness or exhibit signs of illness (fever, diarrhea, vomiting or a suspicious looking rash) may not attend. They must be fever free (without medication) and symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school. No medication will be given out at school. If your child becomes ill during the day, you will be called to pick him/her up immediately. F. Supplies: Children should bring a backpack to school each day with a change of clothes inside. Children should bring a rest mat on the first day of school. This will be kept at school. They may bring a small stuffed animal and favorite blanket each day, but this will be reserved for nap time only. Blankets can be left at school and will be sent home periodically to be washed. No sleeping bags or large pillows please. Children should bring a lunch with a drink each day. Please do not send items that need to be warmed up or cut. Please do not send lunchables that require assembly such as pizza, tacos, hamburgers, etc. Toys should be left at home unless permission is given according to the teacher’s lesson plans. Exceptions would be one stuffed animal or doll to sleep with which will be reserved for nap time.
G. Discipline: All teachers will review the behavior expectations each day. They will positively reinforce children displaying appropriate behavior. Physical discipline as well as speaking to the child in a hateful or belittling manner will not be used. Should a child refuse to cooperate with a teacher’s request, a time-out will be used, as is age appropriate for the child. If the behavior does not improve, the teacher will consult the parent for suggestions on correcting the behavior. Serious or continuous infractions will be referred to the director. Biting or otherwise hurting other children will be handled as follows: o 1st offense-time out and separation from offended child; parent will be informed o 2nd offense-time out and separation from the offended child; a behavior plan on how to correct the problem will be developed with the parent o 3rd offense-parents will be called to pick up the child, conference with the director to determine further solutions. o Failure on the parent’s part to participate in correcting the behavior or picking up the child could result in your child’s withdrawal from the program. H. Toilet Training We will help your child with toilet training. We encourage you to watch for signs of readiness (this usually occurs between the ages of two and three years). Information is available if you need help determining readiness. Also we have found that children, who are ready, learn to potty much faster wearing underwear. We discourage the use of pull- ups. They give a false sense of security and feel like a diaper. In underwear, a child knows when he or she has had an accident. This knowledge of being soiled accelerates the learning process. If you don’t think you child is ready for underwear to school, we will be glad to help children in pull-ups. We simply ask that you bring your child in Velcro fastening pull-ups. Please be sure to send extra clothing as accidents do occur during toilet training.
HCN Mother’s Day Out policy is, children must be toilet trained to enroll in the three and four year old program as diapering facilities are not available in the room. The director will consider any special needs of any child.
I. Communication: A monthly calendar and newsletter will be sent home each month. Please refer to this for information related to special events. If there is a change in who is to pick up your child, please send a note in writing or personally tell your child’s teacher. We will require ID to be shown for someone who does not regularly pick up your child. If a parent is not allowed to pick up a child due to a court order, we must have a copy of that court order on file. We want communication between parents, teachers, and the director to be open at all times whether face to face, by phone, or email. We do ask that if you have a concern you discuss that with us in private and not during drop off or dismissal in front of other children and parents. This insures that we are not distracted from your children’s safety during a transitional time of the school day.
J. Withdrawal: We require a 30 day notice before you plan to withdraw your child from the program. Tuition is non-refundable, regardless of the date of withdrawal.