Policy Book and Parent Handbook

Pettengill Academy

An Early Learning Childcare Center

Parent Policy and Handbook

October 2012

About Pettengill Academy

Pettengill Academy is an early learning childcare center that specializes in infant, toddler and preschool-aged care. They are a family center located in Lewiston, Maine. Chantel Pettengill, owner/director previously taught at the middle school level and observed that many students were coming to school lacking many social and academic skills. Chantel and her husband, Zack, wanted to make sure that their children would get the best early childhood education to help them become successful in later schooling. They decided to open up Pettengill Academy so that parents with the same worries and beliefs would also have a place to send their children. Chantel is a certified teacher with the State of Maine with a concentration in Mathematics and English Language Learning. She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington and has 7 years experience working in childcare.
Pettengill Academy has integrated the philosophies of Montessori, and Reggio Emilia in their philosophy and curriculum. They also follow the Maine Early Learning Guidelines that the state is aligning with the Common Core that is being used in the Maine Public School System. Children-led play and learning is the most important thing at Pettengill Academy. Music, art, creative movement and outdoor play in a fenced in area are part of the daily schedule.
Pettengill Academy is proud of the steps they are taking to be a green center. They are following the Eco Healthy Child Care checklist for becoming a green center. They are striving to be able to check off all 30 of the items on the checklist. When possible, Pettengill Academy will only use natural cleaners. They also use LED, CFL and natural lighting in most of the home.
Pettengill Academy provides snacks and lunches for children. It is important that children eat healthy and fresh. In the summer and fall months, meals will include fruits, vegetables and grains from the Lewiston farmers market or from their personal garden. All baby food is made in the home by Chantel. Pettengill Academy provides Berkley & Jensen advantage milk based infant formula with iron (comparative to Similac Advance) for any babies on formula. There is also space for proper storage of breast milk for babies who are breast feed. Wipes will also be provided for the children.
Pettengill Academy believes strongly in parent involvement and encourage parents to visit to observe their children during the day. They also encourage mothers who breast feed to come in and do a mid-day feeding if their schedule allows. Pettengill Academy will celebrate a variety of cultural holidays and hopes parents will join them during these celebrations. They are also striving to hold open house and family nights.

Enrollment Requirements

The enrollment packet must be complete and turned in before we can take responsibility for caring for your child. We also need updated immunization forms to keep in the child's file. All forms will be reviewed annually. Please notify us of any changes so we can keep your child’s file updated. A payment of $150 is required for the first week of care and will hold your spot.

Tuition/Payment Procedures

 The rate for childcare is $150 a week. Tuition is expected to be paid every Friday for the following weeks enrollment. If tuition is not up to date by the close of business on Monday, your child will not be allowed to attend until tuition is paid in full. At this time payments are accepted only in cash, checks and/or money orders.

Any returned checks will be charged a NSF fee of $30. Services may be halted until tuition and fee are paid in cash. If another check bounces in 6 mouths then only cash payments will accepted.

If a parent goes on vacation tuition is expected to be paid to hold your childcare spot. Pettengill Academy will also take 2 weeks of paid vacation and 9 holidays.

Late Pick-up Fees

A $5 late fee will be charged for every 15 minutes that children are picked up after program hours. Payment should be made at the time of pick-up. By Maine State Licensing law, a child is only allowed to be at a childcare facility for 9 ½ hours a day.

Hours of Operations

We are open 6:45-5:30, Monday through Friday.

Full time care is between 20-49 hours and part time care is less than 20 hours a week. At this time Pettengill Academy is not accepting part time care unless we can fill the unused days with another child.

We maintain an open door policy and welcome parents to visit or call. We also encourage breast feeding mothers to come in and do a midday feeding if their schedule allows. We appreciate your consideration of our schedule when visiting. If you call during the day, please be aware that we may be busy with children and not able to be answer the phone. If you leave a message, we will call back as soon as possible.

Arrival and Departure

We will try our best to send children home with a clean diaper and would appreciate the same consideration when you drop your child off.

Please make sure your drop off time is brief. Drop-off time can be a difficult time for some children and the longer you prolong the departure, the harder it is for the child. A smile, a goodbye hug and kiss and the reassurance that you will be back will help your child in the transition. Children are usually quick to get involved as soon as the parents have gone.

If your child is going to be arriving after 10 am and we have not been notified that your child will be arriving late, they will not be able to attend that day. We need to know counts for staffing and lunches.

At pick-up times, I will expect parents to be in control of their child and hope you will back the expectations of the Pettengill Academy.

Our normal procedure is to release the child only to his/her guardians or any guardian designated person that is on the authorized pick-up list. If someone other than the guardian is picking up the child, please notify us ahead of time. A verbal notice is o.k. if the person is on the authorized pick-up list. If the person is not on the list, we will need written permission to release your child. Please inform people designated to pick up your child that we will I.D. them, if we do not know them. This is not meant to offend them but to protect your child.

Absences

Childcare fees are based on enrollment (a reserved space), not on attendance. To maintain a reserved space, fees must be paid during the absence of a child due to illness, holidays, vacation or for any other reason.

Holidays and Vacations

We will be closed:

New Years (January 1, 2013)

Memorial Day ( May 27, 2013)

Independence Day (July 4, 2013)

Labor Day (September 3, 2012 September 2, 2013)

Veteran’s Day (November 12, 2012, November 11, 2013)

Thanksgiving and the day after ( November 22 and 23, 2012 November 28 and 29, 2013)

Christmas Eve (December 24)

Christmas (December 25)

We will be closed for vacation the weeks of April 15-19 2013 and August 12-16 2013.

Clothing and Attire

Children should arrive dressed for play. We like to play and believe children-led exploration so they will probably get messy. We also will be going outdoors. We will supply bibs for meal time and cover ups for art to help protect from some of the mess.

Please do not dress your child in “nice clothing” and expect them to be spotless when you arrive at pick-up. Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots, and coats for cold weather. All ages will be going outside weather permitting.

Please pack extra clothes for you child. Accidents happen and your child might need to be changed. On average two sets of extra clothes a day is sufficient. You will need to make sure you bring more during the potty training period.

Personal Belongings

We prefer if personal toys stay home. If toys are brought it might get put away if it is causing to much anxiety. Children are welcomed to being their favorite nap time snuggly or bring a toy for show and tell. We are not responsible for any loss or breakage of personal items. All personal items must be marked clearly with the child’s name.

Supplies

Parents are responsible for the following items:

Diapers/Pull ups

Ointments

Pacifier

Any Medications

Change of Clothes

Sunscreen/Bug Spray

Nap Time blanket

Breast Milk

If you use something different than what Pettengill Academy supplies you are responsible for that.

We will supply:

Wipes (most of the time homemade with water, baby soap and baby oil)

Bottles (Playtex and NUK)

Formula (Berkeley and Jensen Advantage Formula)

Food (homemade baby food)

Bibs and Burp towels

Infants and Toddlers

Infants create their own schedules. They are fed on demand. Breast fed infant need to have adequate supply stocked and labeled. We have an extra freezer to store the milk. Infants also determine their own sleep schedule.

Toddlers will eat meals and snack on a set schedule with the pre-school aged children. They will be put down for a rest at least once a day after lunch then as needed determined by the parents and child.

A report will be prepared for each infant and toddler each day. This will include time of feedings, what was eaten, amount eaten, diaper changes, naps and other information about the day.

Schedule for Toddlers and Preschoolers (*Subject to change*)

6:45-Arrival/Free Choice Play

8:30- A.M. Snack

9:00-Circle Time

9:30-Structured Activities (Arts, cooking, science)

10:15- Gross Motor Play (outdoors)

11:15- Story-time/Wash up/ Quiet Activity

11:45- Lunch

12:15- Rest/Nap Time

2:45- Wash-Up/ Nap Transition

3:00- Snack Time

3:30- Gross Motor Play/Afternoon Planned Activity

5:30-Daycare Closes

Meals

Pettengill Academy will supply 2 snacks and lunch. We will also supply homemade baby food. Menus will be posted and copies can be provided to parents upon request. Menus are subject to change. If your child eats more than that please supply extra snacks. If you supply breakfast, we will feed it to your child when they arrive.

Infants will only be offered food once their parents have tried the foods at home first. If your child has an allergy, please have a doctor’s note stating foods the child is not permitted to eat. If your child has severe allergies or diet restrictions, we ask for you to work with us to meet your child’s diet needs. We encourage children to try new foods but we will never force them to finish their plates.

Cleanliness and Hygiene

Children’s hands are washed before and after meals and after toileting. If parents supply a toothbrush and toothpaste, teeth will be brushed too. Employees are required to wash hands frequently.

Infants sleep in separate pack and plays or travle co-sleepers with clean sheets. At the toddler age, washable nap mats are used and each child has a separate nap mat. Sheets and blankets are washed weekly unless they are soiled. Mats and pack and plays are disinfected weekly.

Children use separate cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils that have been thoroughly washed. High Chairs are wiped and disinfected after each use. Potty chairs are disinfected in between use.

Fire Drills

We are required by state to do 1 fire drill per month. We will not do fire drills when the temperature is below 20 degrees or above 85 degrees. Evacuation cribs with wheels are used to transport infants and non-walking toddlers.

Toilet Training

When you feel your child is ready for toilet training, we ask that you begin teaching at home during the weekend or vacation. We will follow through and encourage your child while in our care. Parents need to supply training pants with plastic covers or pull-ups plus extra changes of clothing each day. During toilet training, we ask that your child be dressed in “user friendly” clothing, as much as possible. Clothes children can remove in a hurry is best.

Nap/Quiet Time

There will be a designated nap/rest time each day. All children must nap or rest. Infants nap at varying times and their schedules will be accommodated.

Special Needs

We will make reasonable modifications to policies and practices to accommodate children with special needs, unless to do so would be a fundamental alteration of our existing program. Each child will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine best fit of the child. We reserve the right to decline a child if we find our center is not the best environment for the child.

Parent Involvement

There will be times and ways you can get involved in your child’s childcare experience. You are welcomed and encouraged to participate in any or all of these.

Activities and Curriculum

Our main objective is to encourage early learning of literacy, numeracy, and social interactions through play. We will use a variety of activities to accomplish this goal. Free play, reading, arts and crafts, music and singing, dancing, dramatic play/pretend and puzzles.

Television will be used only on an occasion such as rainy weather, extremely hot days, celebrations or holidays. Anything watched will be limited to age appropriate material.

All children will participate in a curriculum developed by Chantel that is based on the Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines. Each child will also have a portfolio developed for them and how they are meeting the goals of the curriculum.

Center Rules

There are certain rules that all children will be taught and expected to follow. This is for the safety and well being of everyone. In addition, we realize that we must expect a certain wear and tear where children are concerned but this is also our home and we do not want it destroyed.

Hitting, pushing, biting, grabbing, kicking, spitting, or pinching other children or adults will not be tolerated. No standing or climbing on chairs, tables or shelves. There will no use of obscene, derogatory or disrespectful language.

If behavior is a continuous problem, we will set-up a meeting with parents to create an action plan. If behavior doesn’t improve in 2 weeks, we reserve the right to ask you to find alternative care.

No smoking is allowed on the property as per state law. This includes parents and staff. Also we also request to not have cars idle when dropping off and picking up your children. This is part of the eco-healthy checklist.

We also ask you to turn off your car during pickup and drop off times to reduce car emissions.

Reporting Requirements

As a childcare center we are mandated reporters to the Department of Human Services if we feel a child is abused or neglected. Always be sure to let us know when you drop your child off if they have any unexplained cuts or bruises. All children that come to daycare with injuries have the injuries logged into the child’s file.

Discipline

We maintain a positive discipline policy, which focuses on prevention, re-directions, love, consistency and firmness. Please keep in mind that there will be disagreements between children. Young children have a difficult time expressing their feelings, sometimes they hit, throw toys, bite etc. We will try to prevent problems, redirect when appropriate, discuss inappropriate behavior, teach the use of words instead of actions. When needed, children will go to “a think about it” for 1 minute of each year of their age.

Under no circumstance will spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name calling or isolation be used. Neither food nor sleep will be withheld as means of punishment.

llness Policy

Pettengill Academy is a “well child” care facility. At no time do we provide sick child care.

Sick Child Policy

You may not bring a sick child to daycare, for example if the child shows any signs of illness or is unable to participate in the normal routine and regular daycare program. Sick children want care from their parents in the comfort of their own home.

Every effort is taken to reduce the spread of illness by encouraging hand washing and other sanitary practices.

In the event your child becomes ill and needs to be picked up, you will be called and are expected to come pick up the child within one hour. If the parents cannot be reached the emergency contact person will be called.

If one of our children are sick, there will be a substitute and the child will stay on the 3^rd level of the house.

Symptoms requiring removal of child from daycare:

* Fever: If a child has a fever of 100.4, we will call parents. If the temperature reaches 101* F the child will need to leave. A child needs to be fever free for 24 hours before returning to daycare without the aid of a fever reducing substance.

* Fever with sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability or confusion.

* Diarrhea: runny, watery, bloody stools or 2 or more loose stools with the last 2 hours.

* Vomiting: 2 or more times in 24 hours.

* Breathing trouble, swollen glands, hacking, or continuous coughing.

* Yellow/green runny nose.

* Pink, itchy eyes with discharge.

* Frequent Scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other spots that resemble childhood diseases such as hand, foot and mouth and ringworm.

* Child is irritable, continuously crying, or require more attention that we can provide without hurting the health, safety or well-being of the other children.

Medications

Parents will provide any medications needed by the child, including over the counter and prescription medications. Written authorization is needed for us to administer ANY medication, prescriptions or over the counter.

All medications must be in the original containers with the pharmacist’s or manufacturer’s label. Child’s name and dosage instructions, current date, name of medication and times to be administrated must be documented.

Medical Emergency

Minor bumps and scratches are inevitable, but we make every effort to keep children safe through supervision and childproofing. Minor injuries receive appropriate first aid and is documented. If an emergency injury occurs, you will be contacted as soon as possible. If necessary, your child will be taken to Central Maine Medical Center, where you will be asked to meet us. If you prefer St. Mary’s please put that on the enrollment form.

Parents are responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical treatment, including transportation if required. The owners of Pettengill Academy, LLC will not be held liable for any sickness or injury of either parent/guardian or child while on premises.

Swimming and Wading

The in ground pool will not be used for daycare purposes. There is a locked fence on three sides with two doors with deadlocks always locked to the backyard.

On hot days, children that can walk might use a small wading pool or hose. This is a supervised activity with an adult constantly by the small wading pool

Termination Policy

We reserve the right to terminate a child for the following reasons but not limited to:

* Failure to pay.

* Failure to complete required forms.

* Lack of parent cooperation.

* Failure of a child to adjust to the center after a reasonable amount of time.

* Physical or verbal abuse to any person or property.

* Our inability to meet the child’s needs.

* Lack of compliance with handbook regulations.

* Serious illness of a child.

Parents are required to give a two week termination notice. The two weeks will be paid in full regardless of whether or not the child attends. We will give a two weeks notice of termination for which full tuition is due. We reserve the right to give written notice of immediate termination where there are extreme circumstances that affect the well being of the provider or the other children in attendance.

Anyone who terminates daycare and has a balance that is outstanding will need to have the account settled within 30 days. All accounts not settled in 30 days will be turned over to collections and will pay a $20 per week late fee plus a 35% collections fee added to the amount due.

Revisions to the Handbook, Rate, and Contract

There will be a yearly revision of this handbook and the accompanying contract. All families will sign a new contract each year. We reserve the right to make changes to the rate and policies we deem necessary. You will be notified in writing of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be made to give at least a two week notice of changes.