Morning Care Parent Handbook

Telephone Numbers:


  1. Shaw Elementary School (508)865-3541

  2. Elmwood Street School (508)865-5241


Statement of Purpose:

The Millbury Morning / AfterCare Program provides care in the morning and after school for school aged children. The atmosphere is enjoyable, structured, and safe. The Millbury Morning / AfterCare Program’s philosophy is that each child deserves the love and respect that will foster self-esteem, independence and self worth. The program provides for all aspects of child development: physical, intellectual, social, and emotional. Your child’s development is fostered through his/her participation in a planned program of instructional and social interactions. Our goal is to provide an environment that is enjoyable, structured, and safe. Staff members will take into consideration the mood of the group and act accordingly as well as exercise flexibility.


Statement of Ownership:

The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Programs are associated with the Millbury Public Schools.


Non Discrimination Clause:

The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, political beliefs, and/or marital status.


Registration Fee:

A non-refundable $10.00 per individual fee and a total of $20.00 per family is paid to hold your child’s slot in the program until you submit your paperwork or are on the waiting list.


Tuition:

The cost of the program is as follows:

Elmwood Street:

Morningcare: $10 a day - Aftercare $18.00/day, $55.00/week

Shaw Elementary:

Morningcare: $7 a day (held at Elmwood) $21.00/day, $60.00/week


*A week is considered 3 or more days.

**Tuition rates subject to change.

The Millbury Morning /AfterCare Program is self-supporting and is run under the Millbury Public School System. All accounts must be paid when due. If you have any questions regarding the billing, please contact the Program Director. All checks should be made payable to the Town of Millbury and handed to the director or office staff. Please make sure your child’s full name is on the memo line on the check. You may also pay online using Unipay on the school website.


Weekly tuition is determined by the number of days in which your child is registered.


Returned Check:

If a check is returned due to insufficient funds, you have one week to make a second payment. If you are unable to make the second payment within a week, a $25.00 fee will be added to your account. Only unipay will be accepted after two returned checks.


Payments:

The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Program ask that you pay your tuition one week in advance. Payment is required no later than Friday, but will be accepted any day of the week. Other payment arrangements must be approved by the Program Director. If two payments are missed, your child may be asked to leave the program. (This decision will be made by the Program Director; please communicate any problems with him/her.)


Hours of Operation and Late Pickup Policy:

Each program runs from school dismissal through 6:00 pm. Please understand that the staff has other commitments during the day as well as the evenings. When the parent or authorized person is going to be late picking up the child, the Millbury AfterCare Program requires the parent to:


1. Call the AfterCare site and leave the following information:

* Child’s name

* Name of the authorized person who will pick up the child

* Time child will be picked up

2. A $1.00/minute late fee will be assessed for every minute you are late after 5 minutes and payable to the staff at time of pickup.


If the parent or other authorized person is late and the Millbury AfterCare Program does not receive a call from the parent:

  1. The AfterCare staff will make every effort to contact the parent by phone.

  2. If the parent is unreachable, a staff member will call the authorized list until someone is reached.

  3. If no authorized person has come to pick up the child by 6:45 pm the Director will contact the Millbury Police Department to report the incident.

  4. The $1.00/minute late fee applies.


Holiday/Vacation Policy:

During all holidays that the Millbury Public Schools are closed, the Morning and AfterCare Programs will be closed as well. Both Programs will also be closed during all school vacations.


Health Care Policy:

Your child may be sent home if s/he appears to have symptoms during the day. In such an event, s/he will be moved to a quiet, isolated area until someone arrives.


Please note that there is no Morning or Aftercare nurse on duty. In the event of a medical emergency, the following procedure will take place. The director or assistant director will call 911. The parents/guardians will be called immediately.


If your child gets hurt during the aftercare program you will be informed either in person or by phone.


Medications:

The Millbury Morning / Aftercare Program is not able to dispense medications under any circumstances. If your child requires medication such as an inhaler due to a cold, bronchitis, or any other respiratory problem, the nurse will dispense the medication prior to the nurse leaving at the end of the day.


Allergies:

Please let the aftercare staff know if your child has any allergies.


Infectious Disease/Head Lice:

In the event a child has an infectious disease or head lice, all parents will be notified of the occurrence. The infected child may return to the program when s/he is fever free or free of head lice eggs for 24 hours.


Inclement Weather Policy:

The Morning / Aftercare Program will remain open, however, parent/authorized persons are expected to pick up the child by 3:00 p.m. In the event of a dismissal due to inclement weather, the following options are available:

  1. There will be a phone call from the Superintendent's office or from AfterCare Staff.

  2. Child can take his/her bus home at time of dismissal.

  3. Child can go to AfterCare, but the parent must pick up the child by 3:00 p.m.


Lockdown Procedures:

It is our hope that we never need to use this procedure. However, in the event of an emergency and Morning and AfterCare needs to be in lockdown to ensure the safety of all children and staff, you will be alerted by phone as to how and where to pick up your child/children as safely and quickly as possible.


Millbury Morning and AfterCare Staff:

The town of Millbury is proud of the Morning AfterCare Program and the staff members that are employed within. In order to maintain the highest quality of care for your child, the ratio of staff to children is as follows: At Elmwood, where there are more grades and younger children, the ratio is 1:7. At Shaw, the ratio is 1:10. The staff is made up of a Program Director who reports directly to the Superintendent. Each building has an Assistant Director who reports to the Director. Finally, each Director has a number of staff members, depending upon ratios, who report to them. The staff is made up of adults, college aged young adults and high school students.


Communication:

If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please communicate them to the Assistant Director and/or Program Director. The program will distribute memos and letters from time to time, please take the time to read them carefully. The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Programs welcome parent involvement. Please feel comfortable spending time at the site your child attends. We welcome any suggestions and ask that you express them to the Program Director or the Assistant Director.


Alcohol/Drug Policy:

The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Program reserves the right to determine whether an authorized person may not be competent to take a child home without placing the child at risk. In the event that an authorized person arrives under the influence of alcohol or any other substance, or appears to be unstable, the Millbury Morning and AfterCare Programs have established these policies:

  1. Staff will suggest to the parent/person that another authorized person be called to pick up the child.

  2. Staff will suggest using a taxi to transport the family home.


If the parent/person becomes belligerent, the Director must consider the possibility of injury to the child, other children in the program, and the staff; the Director, by State Law will be required to:

  1. Call the police to the site

  2. Otherwise, prevent the parent/person from taking the child (by removing the child from the parent’s/person’s presence) until the police arrive.


*The Millbury Morning / AfterCare Program reserves the right to deny services to persons who abuse this policy.


Behavior Management:

The Millbury Morning and AfterCare Programs will use positive reinforcement and redirection when issues occur. The staff will handle the incident in a professional, caring, and fair manner.


When a child forgets a program/school rule, the staff will remind the child the rules have been broken. The child will then be reminded of the proper behavior. If the inappropriate behavior occurs a second time, a “Time Out” will be implemented immediately. Time Out is removing a child who is acting inappropriately, from the activity, so that the child takes time to think about his/her actions. After a “Time Out” has been completed, the child will be able to rejoin the activity. During the rest of the day, the staff will watch for times when the child displays appropriate behaviors and will praise that behavior.


Bullying is Not Tolerated!

If a child causes harm to him/herself, another child or staff member, is continually disrespectful to authority figures, or destroys school or Morning / After Care property, a three to five school day suspension will occur. Parents will be notified by the Program Director or Assistant Director to pick up the child immediately and the suspension will begin the next school day. Should the behavior reoccur when the child returns, the Program Director and Assistant Director reserve the right to terminate Morning / Aftercare privileges to the family.


No child shall be subjected to abuse or neglect, cruel, unusual, or corporal punishment. Physical hitting upon the body, verbal abuse, denial of food and bathroom facilities is strictly prohibited.


Behavior Termination Policy:

If a staff member finds that a child is impacting the program in a negative way, the following disciplinary actions will occur:

  1. Use of positive reinforcement and/or redirection to change the behavior.

  2. Provide guidance and encourage use of problem-solving techniques.

  3. If behavior persists, consequences will occur (loss of privileges)

  4. The parent will be asked to help produce methods of correcting behavior

  5. If the above does not work, then the child will be asked to leave the program. The number of suspended days and/or termination is up to the discretion of the Program Director.


Termination Policy:

The Millbury Morning / AfterCare Program reserves the right to suspend and/or terminate services to the child and family. Services may be suspended and/or terminated for the following:

  1. Overdue fees.

  2. Child’s inappropriate behavior at the program.

  3. Chronic tardiness when picking up the child from the program.

  4. As determined by the Program Director to be in the best interest of the program.


Homework Policy:

Each afternoon, the children will be provided with the opportunity to complete homework. The AfterCare Program will provide children with a quiet place where they can begin their homework. Staff members will assist children that need help. Homework sessions will be 30-45 minutes long.


*It is not the responsibility of the AfterCare Program to make sure that homework is completed. However; we will do our best to check it over before the child resumes scheduled activities. Please be diligent to review your child’s homework each night.


Abuse and Neglect:

If there is suspicion of abuse or neglect, the staff will discuss their concerns with the Assistant Director and the Program Director. The staff person will complete an incident report detailing the abuse or neglect. The report will be submitted to the Program Director within 24 hours. The Assistant Director and Director will review and evaluate the situation. The Program Director will then speak to the building Principal and or Guidance Counselor immediately to confer the appropriate next steps. If a staff member is found to be the cause of abuse or neglect, the staff member will not be allowed to work at the

Millbury Morning / Aftercare Program during an investigation. If the staff member is found at fault, s/he will be terminated immediately.


Child’s Records:

All information in your child’s folder is privileged and confidential and cannot be released without your written consent. Any changes and/or additions to a child’s record must be dated and signed by the person making the entry. Updates, conferences, phone calls, correspondences, notes, etc. relating to the child must be written and filed under the appropriate heading. All reports must be signed and dated. Records are retained for a period of 3 years after the child has left the program.


*Please remember for the safety of all involved, that you should only park in the marked parking spaces at both buildings. No vehicles should be parked in the handicapped slots or in the fire lanes in front of the buildings.