POLICIES

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

SAFETY

DISCIPLINE

FIRST AID

IMMUNIZATIONS

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATIONS AND/OR VITAMINS

MANAGEMENT OF ILLNESS OR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN CHILDREN

MANAGEMENT OF ILLNESS OR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN STAFF

CHILD RESTRAINT LAW

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

Our Hours of operation are from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM Tuesday and Thursday.

The Preschool does not provide transportation to or from school. All transportation is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.

For the morning classes children should not arrive before 8:50 AM and for the afternoon classes arrival should not be before 12:20 PM. Teachers need the time before class for set up and preparation and will not be available to care for or accept early arrivals. Your cooperation in adhering to the above arrival times is greatly appreciated.

When arriving, please bring your child to the classroom door rather than send them down the hall alone from the parking lot. We cannot be responsible for children wandering the halls without adult supervision.

No child will be permitted to leave the classroom at the end of a session until a parent or other authorized person has come to the door for pick up. The designated person shall be at least 16 years of age. Only those persons authorized by the custodial parent or legal guardian on the Child Safety Card will be permitted to pick up a child. In the event this information changes, it is the responsibility of the custodial parent or legal guardian to provide updated information to the Preschool.

A $5.00 late fee will be charged to a parent or guardian who picks up a child after the ten minute grace period and an additional $5.00 will be charged for each ten minute period thereafter.

If a parent or authorized person fails to pick up a child after school, and attempts to reach the parents and the emergency contact person(s) has produced no results, our only alternative is to contact Franklin County Children Services. Leaving a child with no provisions for pick up could be viewed as child abandonment.

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SAFETY

The following safety procedures shall be followed by all teachers at all times:

1. No child shall be left alone or unsupervised at any time.
2. No child will be released from the classroom until a parent or designated person has arrived for pick-up.
3. In case of a minor injury of a child a staff member will treat the injury to the extent permitted under first aid. This generally will mean cleaning a cut or scrape with soap and water or applying ice to a bruise or bump.
4. In case of an emergency, a staff member shall remain with the injured child while another staff member calls 9 1 1 and the child's parent(s).
5. If a child must be transported to a hospital by an emergency squad, and no parent has yet arrived, a teacher will accompany the child to the hospital with the child's available records.
6. When an accident or injury occurs to a child the teacher shall complete an incident report and a copy shall be given to the child's parent(s).

Monthly fire drills for each class shall be held at varying times. Tornado drills are held in the Spring and a lock-down drill is held in the Fall. An evacuation plan is posted in each classroom and the muscle room which designates all emergency exit routes and safe areas as well as staff responsibilities in case of a fire, severe weather, or environmental emergency.

When children are taken away from the building for a walking field trip:

1. A first aid box shall be available on the trip which meets the requirements set forth by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
2. Each child shall have an identification tag attached to him/her containing the child's name and the Preschool's name, address and phone number.
3. At least one staff member trained in First Aid shall go on each field trip.
4. Each child must have a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian in order to go on any field trips, NO EXCEPTIONS!
5. The Emergency Transportation Authorization form and health records for each child will be taken on all field trips.

The use of aerosols shall be prohibited when children are present in our center.

MUST REPORT

Ohio law requires an Administrator and/or a teacher to immediately notify Franklin County Children Services, when they have any reason to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected.

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DISCIPLINE

A Classroom Management Plan is in place in our classrooms to insure that the teachers can teach, and children can learn and feel safe in their school environment.

Classroom rules are as follows:

1. Follow directions, as given.
2. Inside voices.
3. Walking feet
4. Hands, feet, and objects to your own body.

The teachers recognize and reward children in many ways for making good choices. These rewards are individual to each classroom. NOTE: Rewards change behavior and consequences only stop behavior.

When making a poor choice, the consequence is as follows:

1. Warning.
2. 3 to 5 minute time out, according to age.
3. Time out.
4. Time out.
5. Call to parents.
6. Conference with Parents.

In order for a child to become self-disciplined, which is our ultimate goal, he/she has to be able to make a poor choice and experience the resulting consequence. The result being that the child will eventually make a good choice 99 percent of the time.

This is a learning process, which occurs over time. It is the result of testing limits, failure, and success as is the case with all other learned skills. For many children this is their first classroom experience, a little different than being at home or in child care. The expectations are much different. When your child has a time out, please reply with the following: "We all make mistakes sometime, next time I know you will remember." Then drop the subject. Children need to learn how to struggle and acheive a goal on their own. This is an important life skill.

After children have learned the rules, there will be times during the year when they will again test limits. This is perfectly normal. These occur, for example, at holiday time, on rainy days, in winter when children are indoors on a regular basis, or at the end of school. If you have any questions regarding this plan, please feel free to address them with your classroom teacher.

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FIRST AID

The Preschool has on hand at all times, first aid kits and evacuation carts located in each classroom strage closet. Posted in the muscle room for your review is a chart describing the signs and symptoms of common communicable disease. Our staff has had training in first aid, CPR and in prevention, recognition, and management of communicable disease in classes conducted at Children's Hospital and through the American Red Cross. This training covers signs and symptoms of illness as well as hand washing and disinfecting procedures, rescue breathing and chest compressions.

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IMMUNIZATIONS

The Preschool Physical Examination form MUST be completed for each child and turned into the classroom teacher within thirty days following the child's first day of attendance. All immunizations MUST be up to date or in progress. If the date on your Physical Examination form exceeds one year at anytime during the current school year your child must have a new well-check, and a new Preschool Physical Examination form must be completed by your Physician and returned to the classroom teacher no later than two weeks after the expiration date. Approximately two months prior to the Physical Examination form expiration date a reminder notice and a new form will be sent to you.

Any child whose Physical Examination form has expired will be given a grace period of 2 weeks for renewal. Once a well check has been scheduled and a completed, physician signed Physical Examination statement has been returned to the classroom teacher, the child may return to Preschool.