policiesprocedures

Policies

Attendance Policy

Each child 2 ½ years through 5 years of age will be required to attend a minimum of 2 half days per week. Children
not attending the minimum 2 half days per week will be charged the equivalent.   Children age 6 weeks through 2½
years will be accepted on a 3, 4, or 5 set days per week contract.

Each child 2 1/2 years through 5 years or infants with a 5 day per week contract will be allowed 2 weeks (5
consecutive days per week) vacation per year without tuition fees. School age children here for summer Day Camp
programming will be granted 1 week (5 consecutive days) vacation during the established summer Day Camp
program. Summer Day Camp children have a 2 day per week required minimum attendance or will be charged the
equivalent.

The above attendance policies are based on a calendar year of January 1 through December 31.

Child Guidance Policy

All strategies relating to "discipline” or behavior guidance maintain the respect for children as human beings, will
display sensitivity to their developing self-esteem, and will be approached as an opportunity for learning. Our
strategies reflect an understanding of developmentally appropriate expectations, foster children's self-
discipline, inner control and intrinsic rewards, and shall reflect natural and logical consequences.

In our interactions with children, we offer choices to empower them as decision makers and encourage them to
take ownership for their feelings and wants. Confrontational behaviors of children shall be managed with an
emphasis on the principles of conflict resolution and problem-solving. Children’s emotions at times are very easily
shared—positive and negative. When child are distraught attempts to console them include offering time for
space to calm themselves or time for appropriate touch like a hug or hand hold. At times distraction to a favorite
activity could help the distraught child. We strive to look for the individual comforts that each child has.
Expectations for each child are developmentally appropriate reflecting an understanding of developmental
differences between infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and reflecting an appreciation of each child's individual
development.

Children’s rights for personal and physical space are respected by affirming their ability to choose when and how
they physically interact with others and respecting private spaces.
When interacting with children, staff use appropriate voice level and tone. We communicate on a child's physical
level. Children shall be encouraged to be involved in the problem-solving process and will be presented with
choices in achieving appropriate behaviors.

Children will be encouraged to use "I" statements reflecting their own feelings or wants. Staff members will
facilitate opportunities for the expression of all feelings, and feelings shall not be labeled as good or bad.
Children's positive behavior shall be reflected with praise.

We strive to help children to develop an understanding of their own individuality and the individuality of others,
and celebrate these differences. We also strive to facilitate awareness of themselves as members of a group,
and help them to recognize and acknowledge their own pleasure in successfully cooperating within a group.
Inappropriate behavior will be addressed by our teachers in a manner that separates the child from the behavior
(i.e., the behavior is the problem, not the child). Our program is our opportunity to create a sense of community
among our children, our families, and our staff.

The curriculum for each classroom will encourage children's understanding of their individual self, their feelings
and those of others, our friendship, our community, and ways to address problem-solving and conflict resolutions.
The classroom teachers will regularly evaluate the classroom environments to ensure and create play spaces that
enhance the program objectives and goals, reflecting the needs and abilities of the children. Many activities will
originate from and reflect the interest of children. Teachers will use positive language when directing all
activities and offer choices of activities. The flow of daily activities follows a routine schedule enabling children
to experience an expected order of events.

Staff will discuss our room and center rules and limits with children regularly. Children are made aware that acts
of physical aggression and violations of limits or rules set to protect children and adults are not tolerated. We
will use discussion, voice tone, and natural or logical consequences to convey this to children. Rules can be altered
as children grow and limits made flexible yet consistent by continual staff reevaluation of techniques and
expectations.

Biting Policy

Biting can be a normal experience in a toddler’s world who is learning how to handle frustration or anger. We
strive to teach children, even at a very young age, that biting is not an acceptable way to handle frustration. We
handle biting with a firm approach that incorporates close monitoring and interventions to decrease biting. When a
biting occurs, reports are given both to the Administrator and the parents. This team approach helps to find the
triggers to biting.   Parents will be called if skin is broken. The teacher will do daily charting on the biter
answering why and when biting occurs. The teacher will find strengths of the child and handle discipline with love
and respect.