Heaven Sent Children’s Academy I & II Parent Handbook

Heaven Sent Philosophy and Goals

We partner with parents to provide a positive environment where children 6 weeks to 12 years old can learn and explore their world. We guarantee lots of love and attention so you can feel secure that your child is well cared for. We provide a safe, clean environment, with well balanced meals, creative play time and quality education so your child will thrive inside and out! Our goal is to give families the best of both worlds - all the benefits of commercial child care, with the personal TLC of home care! 5616 & 5624 Gender Road, Canal Winchester, OH 43110 614-920-BABY (2229) Updated 2/10/2014

PARENTS EXPECTATIONS OF THE CENTER PARENTS MAY EXPECT THAT: 1. Their children are cared for in a safe, supportive environment. 2. They may visit the Center’s Director or owner about concerns related to their child or center. 3. They will be told about any misbehavior on the part of the child, and to visit with the Center Director or owner in order to bring about improvement to the situation. 4. They will be informed by the Director or owner about center activities.

CENTERS EXPECTATIONS OF THE PARENTS

THE PROGRAM EXPECTS THAT PARENTS WILL: 1. Pay fees on time as explained in this handbook. 2. Keep the children’s records up to date as per our re-registration process. 3. Pick up children on time as explained in this handbook. 4. Follow the health policy for ill children. 5. Contact the Center Director if the child will not be attending their regular hours. 6. Acknowledge any communication from the Center Director regarding their child’s behavior, and cooperate in efforts to bring about improvement in the situation. 7. Refrain from disciplining other children enrolled at the center. 8. Refrain from verbal or physical abuse of staff members or other adults.

CHILDREN’S EXPECTATIONS OF THE CENTER

CHILDREN MAY EXPECT: 1. To have a safe, supportive and consistent environment. 2. To use all of the programs equipment, materials, and facilities on an equal basis. 3. To receive respectful treatment. 4. To receive fair, non -punitive discipline as necessary. 5. To receive nurturing care from staff members who are actively involved with them.

CENTERS EXPECTATIONS OF THE CHILDREN

THE CENTER EXPECTS THAT THE CHILDREN WILL: 1. Be responsible for their actions. 2. Respect the center rules that guide them during the day while in our care. 3. Remain with their class and childcare staff member at all times. 4. Take care of materials and equipment properly. Licensing

We are licensed through Ohio Department of Job & Family Services to provide child care. Please see attachment at the end of this handbook for additional information about our licensing.

Registration & Enrollment

A child is considered to be enrolled only after the non-refundable registration fee has been received, the availability of space is confirmed and the required paperwork is received and approved by the administrator. This includes basic enrollment and health information. Any change to this information must be communicated to the office immediately. A medical form signed by a physician or certified nurse practitioner is required within 30 days of admission and must be updated every 12 months. Children will be required to re-register once per year which involves completing the necessary re-registration paperwork.

Hours and Days of Operation

We are open Monday – Friday from 6am-6pm. A late fee of $1 per minute will be charged if child is not picked up by closing time. This fee is due immediately and should be paid to the staff member who was kept late. Please call if you are not able to pick your child up on time, so staff members can plan accordingly. If after 6:00 pm, we have not heard from you, we will begin contacting the emergency contacts listed in your child’s paperwork. If we are unsuccessful in reaching someone, then our next step will be to call Children Services and/or the local police department.

Closings & Delays

Heaven Sent is located in Franklin County. If Franklin County has issued a Level Two Snow Emergency and is still in a Level Two by 11:00pm the night before, or any time before opening, then the daycare will have a 3- hour delayed start the next day. There is a possibility that Heaven Sent will not open at all if the forecast is calling for increasingly bad weather conditions.

If a Level Three Snow Emergency has been declared in Franklin County as of 11:00pm, the night before, or anytime thereafter, the daycare center will be closed the next day regardless of whether the Snow Emergency has changed or been lifted.

If at any time during our operating hours, a Level Two is declared in Franklin County, the daycare center will close and parents will need to pick up their children immediately.

Closings and delays will be posted on our Facebook page, as well as our website at www.Heavensentca.com, and Channel 10 News. If Franklin County moves to a Level Three any time before 9:00am, the daycare will be closed.

School Age Care Heaven Sent school age care runs off of the Canal Winchester Public School calendar. We provide before and after school care as well as care on snow days, holidays, school breaks, and during the summer months. We serve many children from various school districts, and we will make every effort to accommodate your child when there is no school if your child resides in a different district as long as staffing is available. We ask that you please notify us prior to arrival if you need care for a school ager due to a school closing or delay. *If a child is suspended from their primary school, then they are not permitted to attend Heaven Sent until returning to that school. Fees will not be pro-rated for days missed.

Payment Procedures

Your specific rates will be outlined in your Contract and Rate Agreement. Payment is payable in advance and is due no later than the first of each week. If you go away on vacation, payment is due in advance. Heaven Sent cannot deduct single days missed from your fees. Your fee pays for direct operating costs, i.e. staff wages, meals, crafts, and operating costs. All of these things must be available for the number of children enrolled in the center. When you enroll, you are reserving the time, space, staff, and provisions for your child whether he/she attends. In cases of illness, your payment is still expected unless other arrangements have been previously made.

Payments may be made by check or cash and should be made out to Heaven Sent Children’s Academy (HSCA) and turned in at the office. Checks must be dated for the day they are due. No post-dated checks will be accepted. There will be a late fee of $25 if your payment is not received by Friday for the current week of care unless previous arrangements have been made for special circumstances. Repeated late payments may be grounds for termination of childcare services. The success of HSCA depends on the prompt payment of tuition for each child.

Returned Checks

There will be a $40.00 fee for all returned checks. You are also responsible for any other fees that may incur as a result of the returned check. This fee as well as the tuition that was due will be required within 24 hours upon notification of the returned check or childcare services will not be provided.

Teacher/Child Ratios and Maximum Group Size

The center observes the following staff/child ratios and group sizes listed below:

AGE OF CHILDREN: RATIOS MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE

Infants (0 – 18 mos.) 1:5 or 2:12 10 (Heaven Sent)

Toddlers (18 mos. – 30 mos.) 1:7 14

30-36 months 1:8 16

3 year olds 1:12 24

4 and 5 year olds 1:14 28

School age children 1:18 36

Ratios for Toddlers and Preschoolers may be doubled for 2 hours at naptime as long as all children are resting quietly on their cots and enough staff is in the building to meet the regular required staff ratio if there is an emergency.

A major responsibility of our staff is to ensure the health and safety of each child in our care. It is our intention to go above and beyond the “requirement” in order to provide the best possible care for our children! This ratio enables us to give much more individual attention to each child. At NO time will a child be left unattended!

School age children may run errands inside the building or use the restroom alone or in groups of no more than six children without adult supervision as long as the following conditions are met: 1.) Children are within hearing distance of Teacher, the Teacher checks on them regularly and 3.) the restroom is for the exclusive use of the Center. One group of no more than six school age children, fourth grade or older, may engage in activities which pose no physical risk to their safety in a room without a childcare provider as long as the teacher can see or hear the children at all times and checks in on them periodically.

Arrival/Departure

Parents are required to walk their children into the classroom and make contact with the teacher on duty. The teacher will take attendance for each child upon arrival and departure from the center. Families receiving government assistance are required to swipe their child in and out daily as required by ODJFS. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children before arriving to the classroom and immediately upon pick up from their classroom.

All children are required to be in attendance before 11:00am. If for some reason, you need to drop your child off after the 11:00 cut-off, you must phone ahead to inform us, and to make certain enough staff is available to care for your child(ren).

Staff will not release your child to anyone who is not an authorized person on their enrollment form. If an emergency should arise, Parent must first call and inform the Center of the situation and provide a handwritten note with signature giving another person permission to pick up their child. Staff will check ID of anyone that we do not know personally. If your child is scheduled to arrive from another program/school, and they do not arrive as scheduled, we will first contact the Parent and if we are unable to contact the Parent, we will then contact the other program. Please let us know if your child will not be attending, or if their schedule changes to avoid unnecessary alarm.

It is important that we work together to ensure that all children are supervised at all times.

Vacation

Full-time children will be given 2 weeks at half fee to use for any five continuous days at a time after they have been enrolled for at least 60 days. This means that you will only pay ½ price for these weeks that your child is not in attendance.

Transition to next classroom

You will be notified when your child is ready to move up to the next classroom. Staff will prepare a transition plan that will include the beginning and ending of the transition period and include a transition schedule. Parents may also request that their child be moved to the next classroom. These requests will be accommodated if the Center feels that it’s in the best interest of the child, and there is space available.

Parent Participation

Communication is very important to us. It is important for all parties to feel that we can share openly any concerns or questions that may arise. We welcome questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind that are oriented towards a positive outcome for your child. If you wish to discuss private matters, or feel that your concerns need our individual time and attention, please make an appointment so we can address these issues. Our center maintains an open door policy for parents during the hours in which childcare is provided. This means that parents are always welcome to call or drop in to see their children. Parents will be assigned a 4- digit entry code which will allow them unlimited access during operating hours. Parents are also encouraged to participate in field trips, class parties or other special events at the Center.

Discrimination

We will not discriminate against any child on the basis of their sex, religion, national origin, or disability.

Sanitation

We practice good sanitation guidelines such as washing hands before preparing food, after changing diapers, after being with a sick child, etc. We also teach the children good sanitation habits such as washing hands before and after eating and using the toilet. All children wash their hands immediately upon arriving in the morning. Good sanitation is important to us and to the welfare of the children in our care.

Birthdays/Holidays

Each child’s birthday is his/her special day. We will have a mini party and you may bring cupcakes or your child’s favorite treat. If the child’s birthday falls on Monday- Friday we will celebrate on that day. If it falls on a weekend, we will celebrate the Friday before. We will also celebrate all major holidays.

Daily Schedule

Based on state requirements and our belief that it is healthy and beneficial for children to play outdoors, we strive to provide outdoor play time for all children on a daily basis, provided the temperature is acceptable, taking into account wind chill, heat index, etc. Please send appropriate clothing! If children are unable to play outside due to weather or safety concerns, we will provide indoor play time for gross motor play in our indoor recreation room.

Various activities throughout the day will include story time, music/singing, theatre, puppet shows, group games, computer time, arts & crafts and indoor & outdoor free play.

A copy of each classroom’s schedule is attached at the end of this Handbook.

Food Service/Daily Menu

Heaven Sent will provide breakfast at 8:00am, lunch at 11:15am and afternoon snack at 2:30pm. If your child does not arrive in time for breakfast, please make sure they are fed before they arrive! We will post the weekly menu in the foyer and copies are available at the front desk. If your child does not like the item on the menu for that day, you are welcome to pack them an alternative breakfast/lunch as long as it meets all of the nutritional requirements. Heaven Sent does not provide alternate meals for children with religious beliefs or a dislike for something.

Health Policies

Heaven Sent strives to provide a clean, healthy environment for our children; therefore we ask that you do not bring a sick child into the center. Please find alternate care if your child has any of the following:

 Temperature of 100 degrees in combination with any other signs of illness.

 Temperature of 101 degrees or above (no other symptoms necessary)  Vomiting more than once or when accompanied by any other sign of illness.

 Diarrhea (3 loose stools) during prior 24 hour period.

 Uncontained diarrhea. (Liquid feces coming out of the diaper posing a sanitary risk to other children.)

 Severe cough (causing the child to be red in the face or make a whooping sound)

 Difficult or rapid breathing

 Yellowish skin or eyes. Redness of the eye, obvious discharge, burning or itching.

 Untreated skin patches, unusual spots or rashes

 Unusually dark urine or gray or white stools

 Stiff neck with an elevated temperature

 Evidence of lice (we enforce a “no-nit” policy), scabies or other parasitic infestation.

 Sore throat or difficulty swallowing

Any child demonstrating any of the above symptoms will be isolated from the other children and parents will be called to pick them up. If a child does not feel well enough to participate in Center activities the parent may be called to pick them up.

Parents will be notified by a sign on the door if children have been exposed to a communicable illness. Children will be readmitted after 24 hours of being free of fever and other symptoms. If they are not symptom free, a doctor’s note will be required stating that the child is not contagious.

Good judgment is important in the containment of childhood illnesses. If your child is ill, please call us to let us know. We strive to keep our daycare as germ free as possible. If any child shows any signs of illness while at daycare, parents will notified. We will then discuss the best plan of action regarding the needs of the child, and if they will need to be taken home.

What if my child needs medication during the day?

All medication has to be approved in advance by us and a Request for Medication form must be completely filled out and signed. You must supply all medication with your child’s name written on it. All medication will be stored in a designated area out of reach of children. Medication may NOT be stored in your child’s cubby or book bag. The only exception to this is school age children who might require the immediate use of an inhaler. Parents must sign a release and the inhaler must be kept on that child at all times. If your child has to take an antibiotic, we recommend you ask your doctor for an AM/PM twice daily dosage that you can administer from home.

All medications must be in their original container and administered in accordance with the instructions on the label. Over the counter medications will not be administered for more than three days without instructions from a physician.

If your child requires a food supplement or modified diet, you must secure written information from your physician regarding this.

Accidents/Emergencies The Center has numerous procedures in place in the event that an emergency would occur while a child is in our care. In the event of a fire or tornado, staff would follow the written instructions posted in each classroom. In order to prepare children for the unlikely need to evacuate, the Center will conduct monthly fire drills and periodic tornado drills. Should we need to evacuate due to fire or weather conditions, or the loss of power, heat or water, our emergency destination is our alternate Heaven Sent location. Our emergency secondary location (should we be instructed to leave the premise) is TurnPoint Church on Groveport Road. A sign will be posted stating that we have been evacuated. Parents will be notified if possible, or you can contact Tamie on her cell phone at 614-554-9214.

We will always have one at least one staff member on site that has received training in First Aid, Communicable Disease and CPR. In the case of a minor accident/injury, staff will administer basic first aid and TLC. If the injury/illness is more serious, first aid will be administered and the parents will be contacted immediately to assist in deciding the best course of action. If any injury/illness is life threatening, the EMS will be contacted, parents will be notified, and a staff member will accompany the child to the hospital with all available health records should transportation become necessary.

An incident/injury report will be completed and given to the person picking up the child if any of the following occur: 1.) child has an accident, illness or injury which requires first aid, 2.) the child received a bump or blow to the head, 3.) the child has to be transported by emergency squad, or 4.) an unusual or unexpected event occurs which jeopardizes the safety of the child. If a child requires emergency transportation, the report shall be available within 24 hours after the incident occurred. The Center shall also contact licensing personnel from the appropriate ODJFS office within 24 hours of a “general emergency” or “serious incident, injury or illness”. The report will be provided to licensing staff within 3 days of the incident.

Guidance and Discipline Policy

The following policy applies to all employees, parents and children:

We maintain a positive discipline policy, which focuses on prevention, redirection and consistency. Every child will be treated with love and respect and expectations will be kept within the child’s capabilities. When a child must be disciplined, caregivers will work with the parents to choose a method most fitting to the circumstance from the following methods. The actions taken will always be in accordance with Rule 5101:2-12-22 and will apply to all children equally.

A.) Redirecting the child’s behavior. By simply talking with the child, explaining the rule or expectation and showing him/her how to change the behavior, many problems can be corrected. With very young children, sometimes just distracting the child by providing them with an alternate toy or activity will be all it takes to turn tears and tantrums into smiles and giggles.

B.) Time Away may be used to remove the child from a situation in order to discontinue negative behavior. The caregiver will respond immediately with a brief explanation. If the child's behavior is out of control to the extent that he/she cannot stand or sit independently, the caregiver will assist the child in calming down. The caregiver may need to stand or sit with the child in time-out, and possibly hold the child’s hand or place her hand on the child’s shoulders or back to assist the child in calming down. Breathing and relaxation techniques will also be encouraged.

C.) In order to use a consequence as a learning experience for the child, the caregiver will remove a privilege that is a logical response to an inappropriate or un-allowed behavior. For example, if the child continues to jump off the swing set in an unsafe manner after being aware of the safety rules, the caregiver may take away the privilege of swinging for a short period of time. D.) In certain situations, parent involvement may be necessary. Our staff will notify a parent if this is the case, or if there seems to be a consistent problem area that needs to be addressed. Our center believes that it is very important for parents to work closely with us in regards to any child-rearing goals, especially with discipline issues. We will communicate any behavior issues with you either during our end of the day conversation, by a phone call to your home or work, or by a note or email. If a serious problem needs to be discussed we may choose to schedule an appointment to explore solutions. We strongly encourage parents to communicate with us regarding any issue with the center, including discipline.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will there be any spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name calling or isolation used. A child will never be punished for failure to eat, sleep or accidents with toilet training. If a situation arises where a child is endangering himself, or others, and all attempts at redirection and discipline have failed, it may be necessary to unenroll the child. Management will work with parents throughout this process.

** At no time will bullying behavior be acceptable in any form in any classroom.

Removal of child from the center due to behavior:

All children are entitled to a pleasant and harmonious environment at the center. Heaven Sent is committed to positive reinforcement. Heaven Sent cannot serve children who display chronically disruptive behavior.

If consistent issues involving behavior occur,

1. The classroom teacher will begin documenting the behavior on a behavior log. This log will available daily for the parent to review and initial.

2. Continued behavioral issues will result in an initial behavior letter sent home to the parent and kept in the child’s file. A conference will be scheduled at this time.

3. If continued disruptive behavior continues to play a major role in the child’s classroom where the teacher and the children cannot actively engage in their daily routine due to the behavior issues, a second letter will be sent home to the parent requesting that their child seek additional assistance through St. Vincent’s Family Center.

4. If parent refuses to seek additional help per our request, and behavioral issues continue, child will be asked to unenroll.

Heaven Sent reserves the right to dismiss students from the program if repeated disruptive or violent behaviors continue. *If a child is suspended from their primary school, then they are not permitted to attend Heaven Sent until returning to that school. Fees will not be pro-rated for days missed.

Additionally, Heaven Sent reserves the right to disenroll a family for any reason deemed necessary. For example, disenrollment may occur if:

*a family member becomes verbally or physically threatening to any teacher, parent, or child within the center.

*loss of contact and/or attendance hours not being met.

*the child cannot adjust to the center’s daily activities.

Custody Agreements If there are custody issues involved with your child, you must provide us with court papers indicating who has permission to pick up your child. We may not deny a parent access to their child without proper documentation.

Child Abuse Reporting

All staff members are mandated reporters of child abuse. If staff has suspicions that a child is being abused or neglected, they MUST make a report to the local Children’s Services Agency. The safety of the children is always our first concern.

This information must be given in writing to all parents, guardians and employees as required in 5101:2-12-30 of the Ohio Administrative Code.

This information is also available online at: www.Heaavensentca.com

Your signature on your child’s enrollment/registration form is your acknowledgement and receipt of Heaven Sent’s Policies and Procedures.

Any updates to the parent handbook will be posted at the center in an effort to keep families informed of changes.