Plew Child Care Handbook - Okaloosa County School District

Plew Child CareHandbook2013-2014Plew Elementary School220 Pine AveNiceville, FL 32578Principal: Mrs. Carolyn McAllister(850) 833-4299

Table of ContentsIntroduction ................................................................................................ 3Hours of Operation/Fees ............................................................................... 3Registration Fees ......................................................................................... 4Fee Payment Policy ...................................................................................... 4Payment Methods: ....................................................................................... 4Late Pick-Up Policy/ Fee ............................................................................... 5Financial Aid .............................................................................................. 5Withdrawal from Program ............................................................................. 5Vacations/Emergencies/Illness/Absences .......................................................... 6Vacations ........................................................................................................... 6Illnesses ............................................................................................................. 6Drop-in Procedure ...................................................................................... 6-7Sign-Out Procedures ..................................................................................... 7Early Release .............................................................................................. 7Important School Dates for Child Care ..................................................................... 8Teacher Workdays ........................................................................................ 8Dates ................................................................................................................ 9Spring Break Camp (March 24, 2014 – March 28, 2014) ......................................... 9Requirements ...................................................................................................... 9Homework ................................................................................................. 9Severe Weather Conditions ............................................................................ 9Parent/Guardian Guidelines .......................................................................... 10Dress Code ................................................................................................ 10Child Care Discipline Policy/Procedures .......................................................... 11Policies/Rules Children Must Follow .............................................................. 11Electronic Resource Permission Form…………….………………………………………...12School Calendar 2013-2014……………………………………………………………………132

IntroductionWelcome to Plew Elementary’s Child Care Program! We offer care for the following:before/ after school, teacher workdays, and the summer. Our Child Care program is closedon school holidays. (Please see the summer brochure for additional information on oursummer program and events). Brochures on our summer program will be available in thespring. You may also contact our program at (850) 833-4299 for additional information.This is going to be another exciting and wonderful school year for all the children in ourPlew Child Care Program. Our program is offered to all students currently enrolled at PlewElementary School and does not discriminate against race or religion. During the summerour program provides preschoolers entering into kindergarten an opportunity to attend andbegin their transition for upcoming school year. Preschoolers must be registered with ourschool to attend and must be current on all vaccinations. (Please see the front office forschool enrollment).The purpose of Plew’s Child Care Programs are to provide a safe, fun, and interactiveenvironment that allows each child to gain social skills, as well as provide opportunities toseek, explore, learn, and grow. The program must be self-sustaining and any excesscontributions to overhead realized beyond the operating expenses will be used to enhancethe total Plew Elementary School Program.Hours of Operation/Fees6:15 A.M. – 8:05 A.M. / 2:45-P.M. – 6:00 P.M. ($85.00)Before School: 6:15 A.M. - 8:05 P.M. ($45.00)After School: 2:45 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. ($70.00)Drop-in A.M. ($20.00)Drop-in P.M. ($25.00)Early Release: 12:10 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. (an extra charge applies)Teacher Workday: 6:15 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. (an extra charge applies)3

Registration FeesPlease remember that in order for your child to attend our Child Care program he/she mustbe registered. The registration fee must be paid at the time of registration. All children thatare drop-ins must pre-register in advance and fees paid upon registration.Registration fees are good for the school year (August 19, 2013 through June 5, 2014). Anew registration/fee is required at the beginning of each new school year for all students(returning /new). Our summer program requires a separate registration fee and the cost isdifferent. Pre-registration and pre-payment are mandatory. A $30.00 non-refundableregistration fee per student is required at the beginning of each new school year.Parents or guardians may register students in the Child Care facility during program hoursor may obtain information from the school’s front office. Registrations for our schoolprogram will start on July 28, 2013. The last day of our school year program will be onJune 5, 2014 (Child Care will be open for A.M. and P.M. care on this day). We will beclosed on June 6, 2014 (Friday) to continue preparations for our summer program.Fee Payment PolicyDue to the accounting system and automatic computerized billing, the Okaloosa CountySchool District requires the following payment schedule: All fees must be paid in full theFriday prior to the upcoming week your child/ children will be attending. If your paymenthas not been received by Monday, your child/children will be denied care. Regular weeklycharges apply when the program is open regardless of your child’s attendance. The onlyexceptions are: the family elects to use 1 of the 2 vacations allotted for each school year,approved emergencies, and approved serious illnesses. Late payments will result in acomputer generated $5.00 per day late fee that will be billed to your account. In the eventthe school closes due to inclement weather, or your child misses a day, regular weeklycharges will apply.Payment Methods:(Checks/Credit Cards Preferred)- Checks are made payable to Plew Child Care. Thereturn check fee is $25.00 plus all banking fees. Credit card payments are acceptedthrough the school website at http://www.okaloosaschools.com/plew. Cash is acceptablealthough checks and credit cards are preferred. (Please note that credit card payments areonly taken online).We do not allow outstanding balances on accounts. Any account with a balance over aweek in the rears will result in discontinued services until the account is paid in full. Ifthe services are discontinued for more than 2 weeks, the child will be withdrawn fromthe program and his/her position will be filled. Our Child Care cannot guaranteeavailable openings. If a space is available, a new re-enrollment fee will apply.4

Late Pick-Up Policy/ FeeThe Plew Panther Child Care daily hours of operation end promptly at 6:00 P.M. and ouremployees are promptly dismissed and permitted to leave the building at this time. Anypickup after 6:00 P.M. is considered tardy/late. Charges will begin accruing immediatelyafter 6:00 P.M.If a child is picked up after 6:00 P.M. (closing time), the parent/guardian of the childwill be charged a $10.00 late fee for every five minutes past 6:00 P.M. (The late feepayment is due at pick-up and cannot be billed to your account).If the parent/guardian has not arrived by 10 minutes past the 6 o’clock hour, our staff willcontact an authorized person on your child’s pickup list to come and pick your child up. Alate fee payment will be applied to your child’s account and will be charged according to thepolicy listed above. Late payment fees must be made at the time the child is picked up.Please make arrangements for this fee to be paid at pickup. We do not bill late fees.(The above policies are strictly enforced out of respect for our employees and theirfamilies) (850) 833-4299.Continuous late pick-up is considered abuse of the Child Care program/employees andwill result in the withdrawal/suspension/revocation of Child Care privileges. Weunderstand unforeseen circumstances and emergencies occur but out of courtesy andconsideration for our staff, please call and offer notification as soon as possible. It is theparent’s/guardian’s responsibility to have other arrangements for after hour Child Care.Financial AidFor Financial assistance contact Okaloosa Walton Child Care Services. Families mustmeet certain qualifications set by their office. Please contact OWCCS for additionalinformation (850) 833-9330.Withdrawal from ProgramPlease remember that if you withdraw your child from the program, your child’s space willbe assigned to someone on the waiting list. This means that your child may be placed on awaiting list if you decide to return to the Child Care program. A $25.00 reactivation fee isrequired upon re-enrollment to the program. To hold your child’s spot, theparent/guardian must continue to pay the full-time weekly rate.5

Vacations/Emergencies/Illness/AbsencesVacationsPlew Child Care allows two (2) weekly vacations per school year at no charge and two (2)weekly vacations in the summer, but advance notice must be provided to the director inwriting. To use a vacation, the child must be absent for the entire week. Holidays observedby the school will result in a prorated weekly rate. Prorated rates are based on the OkaloosaCounty School Board’s Calendar and cannot be used in conjunction with vacations.Due to automatic computerized billing, please inform the Coordinator as soon as possible ofemergency leave time or planned vacations to prevent charges from being added to youraccount. Contact the program at (850) 833-4299.IllnessesChildren who are ill (runny nose, continuous cough, red throat, unexplained rashes, swollenglands, headache, stomachache, fever) within the past 24 hours SHOULD NOT BE SENTTO CHILD CARE. If a child becomes ill or is injured at Child Care, then theparent/guardian will be notified immediately and be expected to pick the child/ children upwithin 30 minutes of contact. In the event of an emergency, 911 will be called and theparent/guardian will be contacted immediately. Parent/ Guardian will be responsiblefor all costs incurred in such emergencies.Weekly charges will apply unless your child/children are absent due to one of the followingillnesses: mumps, measles, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, a death of an immediate familymember, or a legitimate unforeseeable family emergency. A credit can be obtained withsubmission of appropriate documentation by the parent/guardian and approval by the ChildCare Coordinator.****In the event your child is sick, absent, or not attending Child Care on any particularday it is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to call the Child Care program and notifythem of the absence at the beginning of the school day (850) 833-4299. This is extremelyimportant so that we can ensure every child is safe and accounted for.NOTE: Plew Child Care is not permitted to administer prescription or over-the-countermedications with the exception of an Epi-pen.Drop-in ProcedurePlew Child Care offers an occasional drop-in service for the unexpected emergency. Thechild must be currently registered and the drop-in fee is required at time services arerendered. Fees may be paid in advance. Plew Child Care does not permit billing for anyperiod of time. Any child who does not frequent the Child Care center on a regular basismust have a parent/guardian provide a written notification to their child’s/children’steacher and the Child Care program to ensure the child/children are directed6

accordingly. Without notification, all children will take their daily scheduled routes home.(Children must be registered with Child Care before attending the program and that alsoapplies to drop-ins). Children who are not registered will not be allowed to attend theprogram. This is strictly enforced. Due to automatic computerized billing, pleaseinform the Coordinator as soon as possible of emergency leave time or planned vacationsto prevent charges from being added to your account. Contact the Coordinator at 850-833-4299.Sign-Out ProceduresLegally, parents/guardians or previously authorized persons must check-out the child fromthe program using the finger printing (ID) pad.Children will only be released to individuals listed on the enrollment registration form.That person must present a picture ID. The Child Care program will not release a child toindividuals not listed on the registration form. Safety and security is our primary concern.In the event a person is not listed on the pickup list, a parent/guardian may send a note, fax,or email with a written authorization to the attention of Child Care at (850) 833-4103.Faxes are only received during school hours (7:30am – 3:30pm) through our front office.Please follow up on all requests with a phone call to Child Care at (850) 833-4299.All requests will be verified by our Child Care staff prior to release of the child andidentification will be required at the time of pickup. This policy applies to any child goinghome with another child from Child Care.Please include the following information: Full name of the child, full name of the personpicking up, current date, and a short memo authorizing pick up.Early ReleaseEarly release falls on the first Thursday of each new month.Early Release fee is $12.00 per day, in addition to the standard weekly charge. If your childdoes not attend the program on a full-time weekly basis, your child will be charged adrop-in fee, in addition to the early release fee. We do not offer a 2 nd child discount onearly release nor do we offer a discount for children who attend other after schoolprograms and arrive late to Child Care. Other after school programs are not affiliatedwith Child Care. If your child does not attend during early release, the regular weeklycharges will still apply.7

Important School Dates for Child CareSeptember 2, 2013 (Labor Day) ClosedOctober 21, 2013 (Teacher Workday) OpenNovember 11, 2013 (Veteran’s Day) ClosedNovember 25, 2013-November 29, 2013 (Thanksgiving) ClosedDecember 20, 2013-January 3, 2014 (Winter Break) ClosedJanuary 17, 2014 (Teacher Workday) OpenJanuary 20, 2014 (Martin Luther King) ClosedFebruary 17, 2014 (Washington’s Birthday) ClosedMarch 21, 2014 (Teacher Workday) OpenMarch 24, 2014-March 29, 2014 (Spring Break) ClosedMay 26, 2014 (Memorial Day) ClosedJune 5, 2014 (Last Day of School) Child Care Closed in the P.M.Teacher WorkdaysDuring the 2013-2014 school year Plew Child Care will be open for every teacher workday.This is only subject to change if our numbers continuously run low and we are not selfsustaining.We will provide advance notice before making any changes.Teacher Workday (Holiday Camp) fee is $25.00 per day per child and $20.00 for the secondchild, in addition to the regular weekly charges.DatesOctober 21, 2014January 17, 2014March 21, 2014Hours of operation will be 6:15 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. Breakfast and lunch will not be servedat Holiday Camp. Snacks and drinks will be provided in the A.M. and P.M. hours. Pleasepack your child’s lunch and feel free to provide additional snacks for your child to eatthroughout the day.8

Spring Break Camp (March 24, 2014 – March 28, 2014)RequirementsPlew does not guarantee opening for the Spring Break Holidays, and the school reserves theright to close that week without the use of a parent survey. If a survey is offered, aminimum number of 35 children must be signed up. Fees for Spring Break must be paid infull in order for your child to be counted. If Child Care does not meet the minimumnumber of children required by the set deadline, all payments collected will be applied as acredit to your account.Weekly Fee $120.00 for the first child/ $115.00 for the second childThe drop in fee for Summer Camp is $35.00. A registration fee is required before thechild can attend on a drop-in basis. (We do not offer a 2 nd child discount for drop-ins).HomeworkDuring the school year our Child Care program will provide basic homework assistance forall students. Our staff is not responsible for checking planners for homework or readingassignments. It is between the child and parent/ guardian on whether your child elects toparticipate in homework. We are not responsible for making a child attend the homeworksession. Homework time runs approximately 1 hour but by request more time will begranted. (We will have a qualified staff member available to help answer questions,mentor, and provide basic guidance and assistance). We do not implement homework onFridays, special celebrations, or long weekends/ holidays.Please note: This is not a tutoring service and one on one attention is not alwaysavailable as we have a limited number of staff to supervise the children and safety is ourfirst priority. Reviewing your child’s homework and signing your child’s planner issolely the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility!Severe Weather ConditionsDuring hurricane season or whenever the local area is under a hurricane watch/warning.Plew Child Care will suspend operations in conjunction with the suspension of otherOkaloosa County School operations. In the event the school closes due to inclementweather, or you personally elect to have your child miss a day, regular weekly chargeswill still apply. Inclement weather goes beyond our control and the facility still has tomaintain utility service. Please watch your local weather channel or contact the directorat (850) 833-4299.9

Parent/Guardian Guidelines1. Label all belongings. The Child Care staff is not responsible for your child’s personalbelongings. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to check lost and found periodicallyfor missing items. (Any unclaimed items will be donated to the Bargain Box).2. Children must be picked up no later than 6:00 P.M. There will be a $10.00 late chargefor every 5 minutes past 6:00 P.M.3. Child Care fees must be paid on the first school day of each week. There will be a$5.00 late fee added to your bill each day your payment is late. (This policy isstrictly enforced).Dress CodePlew Child Care follows the same dress code policy as the Okaloosa County School Board.(Policy F-26)1. Appropriate grooming and dress are the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian.A child’s personal hygiene (appearance, cleanliness, and dress) should not interfereor disrupt the program or endanger the health and safety of the child or others.2. Our Child Care promotes a very active outdoor program. Proper dress and footwearwill be necessary on a daily basis. (Please provide your child with light, comfortableclothing in the spring/summer and light to heavy clothing (jackets) in thefall/winter).3. The wearing of appropriate garments is necessary for Child Care. Clothing,hairstyle, makeup, and jewelry must be in good taste. The principal or Coordinatorof the school will determine when these provisions have been violated.Parent Copy10

Child Care Discipline Policy/ProceduresOur Child Care staff believes in using positive reinforcement and guidance to correctundesired behavior. Plew Elementary Child Care does not use or support any type ofphysical punishment. The list below is some of the methods Plew Child Care uses to correctsuch behavior. Every situation is different and these methods may not get used in thisorder.1. Counselors will provide a verbal correction/warning unless it involves harm tooneself or others.2. Counselors will use their judgment to implement a time-out as they see fit.3. If the child continues to act out, he/she will meet with the Child Care Coordinator.4. The Child Care Coordinator will speak with the parents to discuss the issue thatneeds correcting.5. The Child Care Coordinator has the right to remove any child from the program andsend to Mrs. McAllister based on his/her judgment.Policies/Rules Children Must Follow1. Always be respectful to your counselors and others.2. Keep your hands to yourself. We have a zero (0) tolerance for physical aggression.3. Use only kind words and be considerate of how others feel. We have a zero (0)tolerance for bullying.4. Toys, cell phones, hair spray, curling irons and make-up are not allowed. Items willbe taken and only returned to the parent/guardian.5. Gum is not permitted in Child Care or on the playground.6. Sticks, rocks, pinecones, dirt, and any other debris may not be played with.7. Never leave the building/gate without an adult.8. Always stay with your assigned group.Parent Copy11

Plew Panther Child Care MIS 5251Rev. 06/06School District of Okaloosa CountyParent or GuardianElectronic Resources Rules of Acceptable Use/Responsibility ContractAs the parent or guardian of ____________________________, I have read the Terms andConditions of the Okaloosa County School District Electronic Resources Rules of AcceptableUse/Responsibility Contract for Students. I understand that this access is designed foreducational purposes. However, I also recognize it is impossible for the School Board ofOkaloosa County to restrict access to all controversial materials, and I will not hold the Board orits Employees responsible for materials viewed on the network/internet.Further, I accept full responsibility for supervision if and when my child’s use is not in a schoolsetting. I hereby give my permission for my child to use the internet and certify that theinformation contains in this form is correct.Student Contract to use School District of Okaloosa CountyElectronic ResourcesPlease read the information above on the Electronic Resources Rules of Acceptable Use forStudents carefully before signing this document. This is a legally binding contract that must besigned before you will be given student access to the internet._____ I have read and agree to the terms of the Electronic Resources Rules of Acceptable Use forStudents.Above The Electronic Resources of Acceptable Use for Students has been established by theSchool Board of Okaloosa County. If any user violates any of these provisions, access to theinternet will be terminated. All future access could be denied and further disciplinary action maybe taken by the school. The signature at the end of this document is legally binding andindicates the party who signed has read the terms and conditions carefully and understands theirsignificance.My signature indicates that I have read these rules and agree to the conditions of the ElectronicResources Rules of Acceptable Use for Students. I understand that my use ofElectronic Resources will be suspended if the rules are not strictly followed.Parent Copy12