Handbook of Policies for Heidi and Jamie's Daycare

Handbook of Policies

About Us:

           Welcome to Heidi and Jamie’s Childcare program.    Heidi opened our family child care in August of 2005, Jamie has been helping since the beginning and then joined full time.  Heidi is  a licensed elementary teacher with 7 years of classroom experience.  She has worked as a teacher at a daycare center in the preschool room.  We enjoy spending our days teaching and playing with the children, they are a joy to be around!  Heidi is an avid reader, loves to garden (and the kids get right in there with me!), shop, bake, try new recipes and spend time with our family and friends.  We have two teenage sons, Christopher and Joseph.  

Please carefully read through this parent handbook, and fill out all necessary forms.  It is important that you are aware of all of our policies, as we want you to make your decision about child care based on the terms provided.

It is our goal to offer your family the quality childcare experience that you deserve.

Again, welcome to our daycare!  We look forward to getting to know you and your child!

What to expect:

           Through the daily curriculum, the children will be encouraged to discover about themselves, others and their environment.  We believe that children need routines to their days, so they know what to expect and can be an active participant in the day.  Children participate in a wide range of activities throughout the week, large and small motor, teacher-directed as well as child-directed activities, inside and outside play, music, stories, letters, numbers, science, math, colors and much more. We have a strong play based approach to preschool education. Your child can expect to have healthy meals and snacks.  Children will be taught to respect themselves and others, no violent play such as guns or wrestling is allowed, neither is potty talk.

Hours of operation:

Our hours of operation are 6:50 am to 4:30 - a 9.5 + hour work day. Your hours are based on those that you have contracted. Not all families need the same hours, therefore your tuition is based on the hours you contract. Your hours and tuition may be different from other families. There may be children that arrive before you, as well as children that stay after you arrive in the afternoon to pick up your child. 

The maximum number of hours allowed per day is 9.5. 

In the event that you need to change your hours, we require two weeks written notice. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate the new hours. Any changes in hours may result in a change of your tuition fees.

Additional hours that you may need on an occasional or temporary basis will require additional childcare tuition. we must approve these hours in advance. We CANNOT accommodate hours after 5:00. 

As parents ourselves, we understand that there are times when you need to leave your children with us while you take care of personal business, such as doctor's appointments, We just ask that you respect our policy and let us know when these times arise and where you can be reached in an emergency. We also appreciate earlier pickups on days you are not working. 

A late fee of $1 per minute will be assessed.   This fee is due upon pickup.  Please call/text if you know you are going to be late, as we may have personal plans after our working hours. Please avoid picking up your child during rest time.

Please plan to arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to closing to allow time to pick up your child and their things. 

Open Door Policy:

           You are welcome to visit the daycare anytime your children are present.  You are asked to avoid rest time if at all possible.   The front door is locked during the day. This is done for the security of your children and the home.   If you come into the home further than the tiled entry, please remove your shoes.  

 Heidi will check her e-mail at various times during the day, that E-mail address is JCH-16@msn.com.  We do keep our cell phones on us most of the day.  Text messages are preferred for quick questions, but feel free to call Heidi’s cell 507 398 9627 or Jamie’s cell 507 398 9628

Guidance:

           We provide guidance in a loving and supportive manner using limit setting, respect, support, encouragement and choices.  Children will be treated with courtesy, respect and patience.  Guidance will be according to age and understanding level.  Younger children, babies and toddlers, will be redirected to another activity.  Older children may be given time outs depending on the offense.  (1 minute per year of age)  We will ask children to assume responsibility for their behavior by guiding them to make appropriate choices.  We will never use physical or corporal punishment; no child will ever be punished for toilet accidents. 

           If behavior becomes an issue, we will speak with you about it and we will resolve it together.  In the rare case of extreme behavior, you may be required to pick your child up if it is warranted.

House Rules:

           No hitting, biting, pinching, throwing, pushing, hair pulling, or otherwise hurting ourselves or others.  Not intentionally breaking anything.  No running, jumping, wrestling, climbing, etc in the house or on the furniture.  No picking up babies or toddlers.  No leaving the house or yard without permission.  No name calling, potty talk, yelling, foul language or teasing – everyone deserves to be treated with respect.  All food and drink stays in the kitchen or dining room.  Treat others, my home and family with respect. Stay quietly on your mat during naptime so the other children may rest.  

We will not care for children whose behavior is unacceptable such as biting, hitting, fighting, swearing...etc. We know sometimes things happen, but if a child is always acting out or running wild and causing problems, this will be grounds for termination and you will be asked to make other arrangements. It is our goal to make sure the children in our care are happy and free from harm. When we have such children this makes it very hard to create a happy environment for the other children in my care. So such a child will be removed. We believe children are responsible for their actions and we teach them to respect other people's property and the value of those items.

Toys:

           Each child is permitted to bring a small “lovey” for rest time that remains at daycare.  This toy will only be taken out for rest time and may not be played with during the remainder of the day.  No other toys may be brought to daycare.  School age children that are attending full days during breaks or summer are allowed to bring a book to read during rest time.  We have plenty of books to choose from for all ages but understand the need to finish that book you have gotten yourself wrapped up in! 

Rest Time:

           Approximately 12:15-2:30 daily.  All children will have a daily rest time.  Each child will have their own mats / blankets.  Infants will have cribs or playpens.  The children will not be required to sleep but they will need to remain in their space.  They may not disturb other children during this time.  Please refrain from picking up your child during this time.  School age children (ages 5+) are allowed to go outside in the backyard during rest time after a 45 min rest/reading time, weather permitting. 

Preschool Program:

Preschool activities are provided year round.  These activities provide routine and structure.  Coloring is a huge part of preschool fine motor skill development and as such they always have different coloring sheets available to them to practice this skill.  We will work on getting your child ready for Kindergarten.   Age appropriate activities are scheduled with flexibility allowed to respond to the needs of the individual child and day. The majority of our day is spent in child led play.  Other times include our special teachers coming in as well as our daily routines of eating and sleeping. 

Every year we have watched the robins build a nest, lay eggs and raise their baby birds.  We plant in the garden, water the flowers, pick weeds, harvest the tomatoes and eat them for lunch.  We will offer times for outside play, crafts, stories, games, and play based instruction appropriate to the child's ages, interests, and abilities.  

Our play will introduce them to letter, shape, color, and number recognition as well as science, and social studies.  

Free play is a critical part of a child's early years that is often getting overlooked in our crazy busy days.   It is here that they learn social skills that will be needed the rest of their lives. We provide ample time for this for them here. Play based, Montessori influenced, Creative curriculum guided preschool is what we have found to be the most appropriate for our setting. 

Currently we have Zumba with Miss Carol weekly and every other week a Music class with her as well.  We have Spanish class every other week.  These classes are subject to change based on instructor availability and children’s interests.   

Children are taught to be independent with their self help skills as they are able.  Please help us by sending your child in clothing and shoes that they can manage on their own, as developmentally appropriate and encouraging them to try to dress themselves. 

Example of our Daily Schedule:

           The schedule varies daily but here is an example spring/fall day:

Before 7:30: Daycare opening- quiet play.  8:00 Breakfast , 8:30 Bus time,  8:00-9:00/9:30 Clean up, structured and unstructured activities, play time, stories, coloring, music, dance, diapers. (Zumba) 9:00/9:30-11:00 Inside and outside play time(longer when warm), snack. (Spanish with Miss Tati) 11:00 Lunch.  11:30 Before nap video, story,potty time, diapers.  12:15-2:30 Rest time (School agers get up after a rest time and play quietly inside or outside).  2:30-3:30 Wake up, story, snack, clean up nap, diapers, potty, inside or outside play. 3:30-4:30 free play, stories, dancing, coloring, homework time for school age children. 

Please note that when the windchill is at or below zero we will not be going outside.When the windchill is close to 0 we may or may not be going outside, or for a shorter amount of time. 

Required Daycare Supplies:

Parents must provide the following:

A full change of clothing to be kept at daycare- 2 for infants- (shirt, underwear, socks, pants). These will go into their cubbies. If these are used, a clean change of clothing will be expected the following day at daycare. Please check your child's cubby as the seasons change for weather appropriate clothing. Please label all clothing!

           Disposable diapers and diaper rash creams (labeled) you want us to use if the child is not toilet trained.  (Pull-ups if needed for nap and for toilet training children)

 We provide all wipes.

         Formula or breastmilk, 2 LABELED (first and last name is required by the state) bottles and 2 pacifiers. 

            Sunscreen needs to be applied in the mornings before coming during the summer months. A bottle of sunscreen may need to be brought to be reapplied as needed during our time outside. We have supplied sunscreen in past years and may do so in the future as well.  

           A swimsuit to be left at daycare during the warm months- clearly labeled!  We have sprinkler time on those hot days!

         Any medication that you may wish to be used.  This must be labeled with your child’s full name and a permission form filled out before administering.  A bottle of pain reliever is recommended to keep here.  

  A Fogo brand or similar insulated water cup, with straw that completely closes.  (These can be found at Target in the sporting goods section, or in the household section at Walmart next to the children’s dinnerware)  

These items need to be replenished as used. 

         Please label anything that comes with your child to daycare!

Appropriate clothing:

           Children need to come dressed in seasonal outerwear.  We are outside daily, weather permitting.  In the winter; snow pants and coat or snowsuit, gloves or mittens, hats, boots.  In the spring and fall; boots for muddy weather, coats or sweatshirts, light gloves and hat or hood.

Summer; swimsuit for sprinkler days, light jacket for cool mornings.

           Shoes need to be ones that your child can easily put on and take off by themselves, with the exception for children under 2. 

           Please be aware that we play and have fun.  This involves lots of messy activities, so make sure you dress your child in clothing you don’t mind having them get dirty. We recommend garage sale or hand me down clothes for daycare.  

Daycare Meals and Food from Home Policy:

          Breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack are served.   Children are not forced to eat what we are having, but they will be encouraged to try a bite or two.  Studies have shown that it takes multiple exposures to a food for a child to determine if they really don’t like a food or if they just need to acquire a taste for it. If your child will be arriving after our scheduled meal time, please feed them at home before coming.  Infants will be fed on demand. Water will be offered between mealtimes.  Milk or water will be served with each meal or snack.  Juice is offered sparingly. 

I have the children help with the garden and then they get to eat the product of their work.   I like to talk to the children about the difference between a snack and a treat.  A snack fills your tummy and gives you energy to play and learn. A treat is a special cookie or candy that you have “just once in awhile.”

No outside food, drinks (except the Fogo water cups), candy, gum or snacks may be brought to daycare. Please do not wait to take food or drink away from your child until you are at the door.  No special meal will be prepared for a child because they do not like what we are serving that day.  (Exceptions are only made for medical reasons, with a doctor’s note.)  Please contact us in advance if you would like to provide a special treat for your child’s birthday otherwise we will bake the child's choice of birthday treat. 

We have tried to remove as many artificial colorings from our menus as possible.  Nothing with Red 40 is served and very limited other food colorings are used.  

Smoking:

There is no smoking in our home at any time.  If you are a smoker please extinguish smoking materials in your vehicle.

 Firearms:

           Firearms on the property are locked in a gun safe, in the garage, with the ammunition in a separate, locked ammunition box.  The children have no access to the area where the safe is. 

Non-Discrimination Policy:

           We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex or disability.

Substance Abuse Policy:

           We prohibit employees, helpers, substitutes and volunteers, when directly responsible for caring for the children, from abusing prescription medication or being in any manner under the influence of a chemical or alcohol, to the extent that the use or abuse has or may have a negative effect on the ability of the person to give care or is apparent during the day care hours.  At no time will an employee be under the influence of alcohol.  We will train employees, helpers, substitutes and volunteers about this substance abuse policy.

Grievance Procedure:

           If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the services provided, please discuss it with us. 

Pets in the Home:

         Pets are a wonderful learning tool for children.  Besides the wonderful, unconditional love that they give, a child can learn gentleness and the proper way to handle the pets. We have 2 dogs in the home, golden retrievers.  

Medical Conditions: 

           All parents must inform the provider of any medical condition the child has, no matter how minor. We also must be kept current with any changes to the child’s condition  Medications the child is taking regardless if they are given here must also be noted.  Before starting care here parents must notify us of medical conditions their child has.

Fire Drills and Storm Drills:

           Once a month we do a planned fire drill and storm drill.  We practice the routine to evacuate each room in case of fire and practice meeting at the designated spots for roll call.  This will prepare children in case there ever really is a fire or storm.  We have battery operated flashlights and a radio.  

Insurance:

           We do carry daycare liability insurance for daycare. 

Mandated Reporter:

           As a licensed childcare provider and teacher, We are mandatory reporters of all child protection concerns.  We must report any concerns or suspicions of child abuse, neglect, sexual, mental, emotional or physical abuse.  Please see attached pages for a detailed description of this requirement.  These pages need to be signed and returned. 

Sick Child Policy:

We do not care for sick children.

Please do not ask us to make the decision whether or not your child is too sick to attend daycare.

 If you are questioning it, they probably are too ill.

 The following are our rules on illness in our daycare. Sick children expose other children and their family, me and my family to their illness.  They require additional care and attention that we are unable to give.  Moreover, sick children want care from their parents in the comfort of their own homes.  If your child is unable to participate in the normal activities of the daycare they need to stay home. 

         Communicable Diseases: Not permitted.  Examples are- Infectious Conjunctivitis – pink eye, Impetigo, Hepatitis A, Scabies, Ringworm, Infectious Diarrhea, Chicken Pox, Scarlet Fever, Lice, Strep Throat, Pertussis, Hand Foot and Mouth, contagious rash.  If your child is thought to have a communicable disease, you will be notified to pick your child up.  Your child will be accepted back into care when no longer contagious.  All other parents will be notified of the possibility of a communicable disease. 

         Fever (over 100.0) and or Diarrhea:  Not permitted.  Your child must be fever free- without the aid of a fever reducer- for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to daycare.  Administering Tylenol/ibuprofen to reduce your child’s fever so you can bring them to daycare is grounds for immediate termination.  Uncontained diarrhea will result in an immediate call to the parents to pick up.  If a child has more than 2 episodes of diarrhea in a day the  parent will be called to pick up the child.  Infants and toddlers with  diarrhea pertaining to teething may need a doctor's note stating that is the cause.  Fever over 99 is not a normal symptom of teething.  

         Vomiting: Not permitted.  If your child vomits while at daycare you will be called to pick them up.  The child must stay home until 24-48 hours have passed with no vomiting episodes. They may not return for a partial day to meet the 24 hour requirement. 

         Runny Nose: clear, related to common cold, acceptable.  Discharge of any other color is not permitted at daycare.  If your child has a consistent clear runny nose that has to be wiped constantly for longer than a week, we may ask that they see their doctor to determine if it is due to allergies or an illness.  We will then require a doctor’s note stating the same.  It is not a pleasant thing for a child to have a constant runny nose. 

            Eye drainage/pink eye: Not permitted until all drainage has stopped and redness has cleared. Eye drops for bacterial pink eye are required to be used for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to care. If it is a viral pink eye they will need to remain out until the eyes have been clear for 24 hours. 

         Rashes:  Not permitted.  Any rash, other than diaper rash, must have a doctor’s note stating it is not contagious for the child to attend daycare and this is subject to our discretion to readmit. 

         Lice: Not permitted to return until after the second hair treatment, complete home treatment, and all nits have been removed. Hair will be inspected on return to care. 

        Influenza: Not permitted.  As with the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, we will follow the recommendations for exclusion based on the MN Dept. of Health or CDC guidelines as they pertain to children. This may require extended exclusion beyond the 24-48 hour rule depending on the guidelines issued by these two departments for a specific illness. 

            Viral infections: 24 hour exclusion after all symptoms have stopped. Even though it is “just viral” and doctors cannot prescribe anything, it is still contagious and not allowed in daycare. 

         24-48 Hour Rule:  Your child must be free from any of the above symptoms for a minimum of 24 hours before they can return to daycare, it is preferable to wait 48 hours for vomiting and influenza. 

COVID Pandemic- we follow the decision tree put out by MDH for all exclusions and closings. We also are in contact with Olmsted County Public Health if there is a positive case in our program.  We will follow their guidance as to who needs to be excluded to care and for how long.  If anyone in the home is sick or under quarantine, all children must remain home from daycare.  

           It is always best for you to have a backup plan available to you in the event you feel you cannot miss work and your child is ill. A doctor’s note does not override our illness policies.  We have the final say in if a child may or may not be in care. This is for the good of all of the children in our care. 

Injuries and Medical Emergencies:

Although supervision is constantly given, we cannot be by the child’s side at all times to prevent falls, tripping, bumps, blows from other children, etc. If the child is injured in a non life-threatening way, we will assess the child and provide home first aid. If the injury is more serious, the parent will be notified so the child can be transported to the hospital or doctors office. (I.e. needs stitches, broken arm, or dislocation, etc.) All costs associated with injuries to the child will be the responsibility of the parent, unless we have been found to be negligent. In case of a medical emergency, we will attempt to contact you immediately. If we are unable to reach you, we will start calling the people designated as your emergency contacts. If we are unable to reach you or your emergency contacts, we may transport your child to his/her doctor or to the hospital, if necessary. If immediate intervention is required, we are certified in infant, child, and adult CPR and First Aid and will take appropriate action including calling 911 and having your child transported to the appropriate hospital. You or your family's insurance is/are responsible for the cost of medical help or treatment due to accidents or illness while in childcare.

Safety Plans:

We pride ourselves in having a warm, loving and safe environment in which your child can explore, learn and experience many different things. Some features that help insure your child’s safety are:

* Gates are used on stairways when infants 6- 18 months are present.

* Fire extinguishers and alarms are maintained properly.  Fire extinguisher is located in the kitchen.

*Carbon Monoxide detectors are integrated into every fire alarm in the house.

*The house has been tested for radon and has been deemed safe.  

* Toys are age appropriate. 

* Toys are sanitized regularly, and any time there has been an illness.

* Electrical outlets are tamper resistant .

* Fire drills are practiced regularly.

* Cleaners and chemicals are locked and out of reach.

* The hot water heater is regulated at 120 Degrees.

* Medications are out of reach.

* Tornado and fire drills are practiced regularly.

* Cribs are inspected monthly and records maintained on them.  

* Recalled toys/cribs and other items are removed from the daycare the same day as we receive notice of the recall.  We subscribe to an email list that sends us notices of recalls. 

*Whole house sanitizing system on furnace. (UV light/ozone/upgraded filter) 

Toilet Training:

           We will assist with toilet training once some success at home has been obtained.  Children will typically begin to show signs of readiness between 24 months and 36 months of age.  We will have children sit on the potty at diaper changes to begin with here. Until a child is able to recognize and articulate they need to use the bathroom, can get on and off the potty as well as dress and undress themselves for potty, they are not completely trained. All of these skills can be worked on long before actual potty training.   Children need to remain in pull ups or diapers until the habit has been thoroughly mastered at home.  Daycare is a highly distracting, multi age setting and it is easy for children to not realize they need to use the potty.  Children who come to daycare in big kid underwear, after a couple of weeks of mostly dry diapers, need to have 4 complete changes of clothes, including socks, with them. (If your child has an accident they will be changed, the soiled clothing bagged and sent home that day) They also need diapers or pull ups for naps.   Please dress your potty training child in easy to get out of clothes, those urges to go can hit fast and now!  (Avoid - bib overalls, belts, one piece outfits, excessive layers, lots of buttons etc.). We have a written potty training policy that we will share with you as your child shows signs of readiness. 

Biting Policy:

           It is normal for young toddlers to bite one another as a means of communication before they are able to express themselves with words.  Although we will try our best to prevent biting, it occasionally will happen too fast for us to intervene and sometimes there is no warning before it happens.  When a child is bitten, we will wash the bite area with warm soapy water immediately and comfort the child.  The biter will be talked to, explaining that they have hurt another child and that is not ok, they need to make a different choice next time.  The child will then be redirected to a different activity close to us.  Parents will be notified if their child has been bitten at pick up. 

Medications:

           No child will be given any medication without the permission of the parent.  Over the counter medications as well as prescription medications must be in their original containers.  Written permission for diapering products, sunscreen, insect repellent and first aid items will be obtained at the beginning of care on the “Permission to Administer” form. 

Immunizations need to be scheduled at the end of the day as we cannot accept a child back into care the same day they receive them. 

Substitute Caregiver:

           In the case that we are unable to provide care, we have substitute providers available.   You will need to have backup care for vacation/ personal days as well as sick days. 

All backup providers have a clear background check and all required training including CPR and First Aid. 

Drop off and Pick up:

           It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents, or cry when dropping off when beginning a new daycare.  To help everyone's day start well, please be brief when dropping off your child. 

1.  Inform us of any important information.

2.  Give them their hugs and kisses.

3.  Assure them you will see them after work.

4.  Leave as quickly as possible.

The quicker the departure the faster the recovery of the child when they are crying, we promise! Drop off must occur by 9 am unless other arrangements have been made in advance. 

If someone else is picking up the child please notify us in advance and inform anyone who is picking up your child that we will ask for identification if we do not know them.

We do outdoor/entryway pick ups and drop offs. Please text to let us know when you are on the way. 

           Please arrange to pick up your child before or after rest time if at all possible. (Approximately 12:15-2:30) No drop offs are allowed during nap time. If you absolutely need to pick up during rest time please email or text us to let us know when to expect you so that we can put your child down for rest in an area that will not disturb the other children when we need to wake them. If at all possible please schedule appointments before or after rest time or pick your child up before rest starts. Nap time pick ups are very disruptive to the other children who have the right to have a quiet uninterrupted nap time.  Only one drop off/pick up per day/child is allowed. 

House Cleaning:

           Please do not expect our house to be spotless at all times.  Our main concern is the care of the children.  We have been playing and learning all day and we do our best to maintain a clean home.  Children will help clean up toys after playing and will help with age appropriate chores such as setting or clearing the table for meals or snack. Dishes are often in the sink as we run the dishwasher at least twice a day and are often waiting for it to finish.  We cook a lot of meals from scratch together and that makes a lot of dishes.  The kids get in there and help with the cooking and baking and we all know that leads to messes. We do have a housecleaner who comes every other week to thoroughly clean the house. 

Our License: 

           Our license allows us to care for up to 14 children under the age of 11. 

A complete copy of the daycare rule may be obtained from Daycare Licensing or our copy may be reviewed at our home.

Days of Operation:

           The following are paid holidays, no care provided:

Independence Day

Thanksgiving and the day after

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after

New Year’s Eve and New Years Day 

Good Friday and Easter Monday 

Labor Day

Memorial Day

If the holiday falls on a weekend, the daycare will be closed on a day surrounding the holiday and we will notify you in advance of when these days will be. 

The daycare shares a google calendar for days closed, special events, days your child will be late/absent/picked up early ect. 

You will be added to this calendar once you join our program. Please check it frequently. Updates will also be posted on the daycare Facebook site.  

 Our calendar year runs from August 15th-August 14th each year. 

Our Vacation / Personal Days

           Each calendar year we will take 20 days of paid vacation / personal days.  We will let you know at least two weeks in advance whenever possible and will try to let you know even earlier.    We try and schedule things a month ahead in part so that Mayo employees can get a spot at the backup daycare.  There may be times when it is necessary we take unpaid days off as well.  You will be notified as far in advance as possible, but usually at least two weeks in advance, unless it is due to a sick child, death in the family or other emergency. Our longer vacation weeks are typically arranged months in advance. 

Medical leave for the provider:

 In the event Heidi and/or Jamie becomes ill, injured or hospitalized for an extended period of time we will try to help arrange backup daycare or may hire a substitute to fill in as we recover. If we have a substitute, payment is required, regardless if your child is in attendance.   If we are not able to get a substitute, tuition is not required beyond any time we notify you we are using personal days for.  

Maternity Leave/ Vacation for Families:

We do not offer  unpaid maternity leave or vacations for families.   Our business and income are based on our enrollment at all times.  Your payment is still due each Monday in order to hold your child’s existing spot in our care.

 If we are taking infants at this time and you have made arrangements for us to hold a spot for your child, (please tell us right away if you are expecting, we may or may not have an opening) there is a monthly charge to hold the spot until your infant comes on a regular or planned basis.

Funeral leave:

In the case of a death in our family or close friend we will take bereavement leave for a period of time ranging from a single day up to a week or longer.  We will try and let families know if a family member is quite ill. The first 5 days per calendar year of funeral leave are paid days.  Any additional days in a year will be at the your discretion.  Payment is appreciated for those days but not required (unless we choose to use paid personal days for them)  If we arrange for a substitute then payment will be required as usual.  

Photography release:

Authorization is given for Heidi and Jamie’s Daycare to photograph my child and use these photos in advertising, website, facebook page and to share with other families in care.  We try to only use the backs of heads with limited facial exposure when using photos anywhere outside of the daycare family group.  (Ie photos of friends together may be shared with faces to other daycare families) 

Sick Days:

If we need to close for a day due to a sick child or are sick ourselves, we are paid for the first 2 days in a year.   We rarely take these days as we try to arrange a substitute if at all possible.  

Pandemic:

Any days closed due to a pandemic will be paid days. Any days your child is not in attendance during a pandemic are also paid days. We are paid based on enrollment not attendance. 

Days that my family or we are sick due to a pandemic are also paid and we will follow all guidance from MDH as to quarantine periods. A child or family exposed will be required to self quarantine for the recommended period of time. 

If the governor/president or other officials issue a shelter in place order/state of emergency, daycare may close and/or reduce hours and/or days of operation.  All tuition continues to be due during this time. 

During a shelter in place order, children may only attend if both parents are at work and only for the very lowest amount of hours possible. Hours and/days of operation will be reduced. 

 If we are ordered to only care for emergency or other restricted personnel then all other families will be excluded from care, and only children with both parents working in the designated categories will be allowed in care. Tuition will still be due. 

Maternity leave for the provider:

          In the unlikely case that Heidi Highet should become pregnant, 6 to 8 weeks of unpaid maternity leave is allowed after the baby is born, in addition to any unpaid medical leave that is necessary before giving birth.  we may use personal/vacation days for a part of this time for which tuition would be due.  You will be responsible for making alternate arrangements for child care.  

Transportation:

           We may transport day care children, if the need arises.  Proper car seats, booster seats and/or seat belts will be used.  We may ask that you leave your car seat for that day.  We do not provide transportation to or from school.  By signing this policy, you give us permission to transport your child as outlined here.

Two Provider Program:

When we are operating as a C3 licensed program we will have 2 providers working daily  During the day, as the number of children fluctuates, we may only need one person to be working. When a day occurs that we need 2 providers but one of the regular providers is ill or otherwise unavailable we will try to arrange for a substitute provider to come in.  We have 2 that are currently available for us.  If we are unable to secure a substitute we will have families take turns keeping their children out to keep within legal licensing ratios.  This typically will require that a child under 2 remain out since that is where the ratios change the most from 2 providers to 1 provider.  But could apply to any age group depending on the ages of children in care. If this should occur the listed policies in this contract would apply to determine if payment is due. 

Two Week Trial Period:

           The first two weeks of child care is considered a trial period.  During this period of time, the parent or provider may terminate care at any time without further notice.  After completion of the trial period, parents must give two weeks written notice before termination.

 Payment Policy:

           Payment is due at drop off on Monday. We accept cash or checks.  You may also use online bill pay through your bank to arrange for the payments.  This makes it easier for you to make your daycare payments weekly without having to take the time to write a check each week.  You can set it up so it is automatically sent to us by your bank. It is actually a very easy process and we have a few families using it and they really like it.   If you need assistance with this just ask.

You will receive an emailed invoice from our accounting program each weekend. After payment is recorded you will receive another email showing that. 

Payment is due regardless of your child’s attendance at daycare.  Vacations require post dated checks on the last day of attendance.  If your child is absent on their first day of the week payment needs to be dropped off. Tuition for our vacation weeks need to be paid on the last day we are open prior.

Extra Fees:

           There will be a $10.00 late charge for each day your payment is late. 

           Late pickup: $1 per minute per child. at pickup. Repeated late pick ups add an additonal $1/minute/time

           Sick Care Fee:  $50.00 if not picked up within 1  hour of call.

           Supplies:  If supplies are requested and parents fail to bring them, we will purchase them and add them to your bill in addition to a $20 service charge for acquiring them.   

Holding fee:

If you require us to hold a spot for your child longer than 2 weeks before starting (the standard notice to a previous daycare), a holding fee will apply. This is ½ of the weekly tuition, due every Monday, up to a maximum of 2 additional weeks.  After these combined 4 weeks, tuition is due in full weekly.   These holding fees continue until your child is physically in attendance.  Holding fees are non-refundable and do not count towards tuition in any way.

Infant spots have their own holding fees. If we are holding a future spot for your infant and the spot is not currently open, you are responsible for a payment of $100/month until the spot opens. Once our infant spot is open, you are then responsible for full tuition payments regardless of attendance, unless we are able to fill the spot temporarily. No holding fee will apply to any future care and all holding fees are non refundable. 

NSF Checks:

           Checks are always an acceptable form of payment until you present us with a bad check.  You are responsible for all charges we may incur from our bank as a result of your bad check.  Child care will be immediately halted until you reimburse us for the amount of the check and all expenses that have been incurred.  You will continue to be charged for all contracted days.  Reimbursement will be in cash only.  Future payments will be required to be made in cash.  There is a $30.00 NSF fee.

Termination Policy:

           We reserve the right to terminate care for the following reasons (but not limited to)

                       1. Failure of parent to pay/ habitual late payments.

                       2. Failure to complete requested forms.

                       3.  Habitual tardiness when picking up your child.

                       4.  Failure for the child to adjust to childcare after a reasonable amount of time.

                       5.  Continuous disruptiveness, disrespect or harmfulness of the child.

                       6.  Serious illness or injury of the child, provider or provider’s immediate family.

                       7. False information of the parents, written or verbal including illness of the child. (giving fever reducers before care to mask an illness included)

                       8.  Lack of parental cooperation- lack of open discussion. 

                       9.  Physical or verbal abuse of any person.

  10. Best fit for the daycare group and families. 

Parents are required to give at least two weeks written notice when they are planning to terminate care.  The last two weeks must be paid in full at notice of termination of care regardless of whether or not the child will be in attendance.  We will give two weeks written or verbal notice of termination for which full payment is due, whether or not the child is in attendance.  The provider reserves the right to give written or verbal notice of immediate termination when there are extreme circumstances that affect the well-being of the provider, ongoing argumentative behavior or non-cooperative behavior, or if the behavior could or does affect the children in attendance.  In this situation, the two weeks payment is still required. 

If payment is not made by 5pm of the first day of termination notice, a $10 fee per day will be applied until payment is made.

           Failure by the provider to enforce one or more terms of the contract does not waive the right of the provider to enforce any other terms of the contract.

In addition to the above fee, if a parent does not pay for the final two weeks, we may resort to legal action.  If we do, we will request that the court order the parent to reimburse us for any and all legal costs or any other court or substitute provider related costs we encountered to resolve the matter. 

Changes in Contract and Rates:

         The contract, handbook, and or rates may be changed at any time by the provider giving all parents a two week notice to sign the new contract and/or handbook.Failure to sign and return the new contract will be an automatic termination of care.