At
Lil’ Angels Day Care, we will always strive to deliver the best early childhood
program experience possible for your family.
We will achieve our goals by including the following as necessary and
important components of our program.
Good
communication between the parent and the child’s day car provider is essential
to the child’s success in day care. We
will always listen to your questions, concerns and comments. The staff may be approached at any
time. We will also schedule conferences
during the year to discuss your child’s progress.
Parents
are always welcome at our childcare. We
have an open door policy and you may visit at any time during business
hours. Please feel free to join in the
fun!
Your
child will be provided with numerous activities and equipment to enhance
his/her natural development. He/she
will be encouraged to explore and discover the world in our safe,
child-orientated environment.
We
will provide a planned, theme-based curriculum to help the children develop
cognitively and prepare for school during the months of September through
May. The children will have opportunities
to explore letters, numbers, and math concepts, shapes, and colors. We will also explore physical and social
science concepts as we learn about the world around us. Additionally, the children will learn
American Sign Language and have an introduction to the French language.
Each
of our staff members will continue their education through early childhood
classes and conferences. We will keep
our parents and ourselves up to date on early childhood information.
I
feel that it is a privilege to be a part of your child’s early life. I take this responsibility very
seriously. It is my wish that your
family will be very happy being a part of our childcare family.
There
are several forms that I must have completed and in my possession before I can
assume the responsibility of caring for your child. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
This is to ensure that your child will get the very best care possible
from me. The forms are as follows:
Signed Contract and Rate Agreement
General Permission Slip
Child Information Card
Child in Care Statements/Receipts
You
are required to keep me informed of any change in addresses, telephone numbers,
and other pertinent information listed on any/all of the above forms. If you have any questions regarding the
completion of these forms, please feel free to ask.
The
following is a general schedule to give you an idea of your child’s day at day
care:
|
6:30
–
8:00
am |
Greet
children, free selection |
Children
explore various activities in each center (housekeeping, art, sand &
water, etc.). |
|
8:00
–
8:30
am |
Breakfast |
Children
are offered breakfast or they can do a quiet activity. |
|
8:30
–
8:45
am |
Circle
time, calendar activities, planning |
Children
learn about the theme of the day (letters, numbers, language) |
|
8:45
–
9:45
am |
Free
selection |
Children
explore various activities in each center (housekeeping, art, sand &
water, etc.). |
|
9:45
–
10:05
am |
Snack |
Children
sit at a child sized table and gain practice in eye-hand coordination and
self-help skills through drinking from cups and feeding self |
|
10:05
– 10:30 am |
Art
activity |
Children
gain practice in small motor skills such as using scissors and glue. |
|
10:30
– 11:15 am |
Outdoor
free play or active free play indoors |
Children
gain practice in large motor activities through running and climbing outside. |
|
11:15
– 11:45 am |
Music,
finger plays, sharing |
Children
gain practice in large motor skills through movement activities to a variety
of music. |
|
11:45
– 12:30 pm |
Lunch |
Children
sit at a child sized table and gain practice in eye-hand coordination and
self-help skills through drinking from cups and feeding self |
|
12:30
–
2:30
pm |
Rest
time |
Each
child has his/her own mat covered with his/her own sheet and blanket from
home |
|
2:30
–
3:15
pm |
Outdoor/indoor
active play |
Children
gain practice in large motor activities through running and climbing outside. |
|
3:15
–
3:30
pm |
Stories |
Story
is read. Children gain practice in
listening skills and increasing attention span. |
|
3:30
–
4:00
pm |
Snack |
Children
sit at a child sized table and gain practice in eye-hand coordination and
self-help skills through drinking from cups and feeding self |
|
4:00
–
4:30
pm |
Free
selection |
Children
explore various activities in each center (housekeeping, art, sand &
water, etc.). |
|
4:30
–
6:30
pm |
Get
ready for parents, table activities |
Children
are given quiet activities. Older
children may use the computer at this time. |
As
you can see by the above schedule our days are structured and full. Our schedule serves as a guideline of how
our day may go. We are very flexible
and let the children take the lead for many activities. We believe in providing the children with a
wide variety of activities and experiences.
Our art area is always accessible and well stocked with supplies. The children are read to frequently and
encouraged to read and write on their own.
We take many of our scheduled activities outdoors when weather permits. Infants abide by their own personal
schedule.
Lil’
Angels Day Care has been fully licensed by the State of Michigan since 2001
which means ii meets or exceeds all requirements for Family Day Care
Homes. All staff members of Lil’ Angels
Day Care Child Care are trained in CPR and first aid. The center is subject to inspection by state and city health,
fire, and licensing officials.
We
believe that success in the day care setting depends upon positive
communication between the parents and the day care staff. If a question or concern arises, please do
not hesitate to address any of the staff.
A log will be sent home daily with notes about your child’s meals and
activities. A parent bulletin board is
located in the living room.
Lil’
Angels Day Care will typically be open Monday through Friday 6:30 am – 6:30
pm. However, different hours can
usually be accommodated. Children are
considered full time if they attend five days per week, for at least five hours
per day.
There
will be a limited number of part-time openings available. Part-time children attend the center one to
four days per week, or less than five hours per day.
We
may close for one to two weeks per year for personal time off. Payment will not be expected if the daycare
closes for personal time off. Tuition
remains the same for all other weeks.
A trial period of two weeks is given for adjustment. During this time period, the parents or the provider may decide to terminate care without prior notice.
Lil’ Angels Day Care requests a two week’s notice when un-enrolling your child. Payment for two weeks will be accepted in lieu of notice. All final payments are to be paid at the time of notice.
The center reserves the right to unenroll a child when necessary. Occasionally, termination occurs when a parent or child’s needs cannot be met. Refusal or inability to follow policies and procedures may result in termination.
Drop off and pick up times can be stressful for some children. In the morning they may not want to say good-bye to you and at pick up time they may not want to go because they are involved with a fun activity. This is a natural occurrence. To ease the situation, I encourage the parent to take a minute to help the child feel comfortable and to adjust by offering positive statements. This is also a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (the parent and
the provider), and all the children will test to see if the rules still apply.
A parent who shows reluctance to depart only makes the transition harder for their child. The parent should never sneak out without saying "good-bye" to their child. A brief good-bye works best (no more than a couple of minutes). The longer you prolong the departure the harder it
gets. Crying will usually stop a few minutes after the parent departs. It is important that you establish a consistent routine and stick with it.
If your child will be absent, please notify me as soon as possible.
If
your child is ill, please notify me regarding the nature of the illness,
especially if it is contagious.
We
celebrate Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.
Your
child’s birthday is also a very special day that we would like to celebrate at
day care. Parents may send in treats if
they wish.
During early childhood, children are learning to trust others, as well as testing their boundaries and independence. As caregivers, Lil’ Angels Day Care is in a position to teach children to be safe in their play and how friends interact and respect each other. Children will be provided with clear and consistent age-appropriate limits and encourage to become more responsible for themselves.
Caregivers are present to give reminders and guidance to safer activities as needed. Guidance includes setting safe limits and redirecting undesirable behavior to a more desirable outcome, while teaching children how to respect themselves, their friends, and their caregivers.
Lil’ Angels Day Care does not permit or tolerate any abusive discipline methods by caregivers, including hitting, spanking, slapping, grabbing, shaking, yelling, withholding food, embarrassment, or ridicule.
It
is the policy of Lil’ Angels Day Care to review fees annually. All parents will receive one month’s written
notice of any tuition adjustments.
There
may be other costs incurred for special events and field trips.
At
the time of enrollment you will be required to pay tuition for the first and
last weeks of child care. As soon as
your child starts attending, you will be required to pay weekly. Your payment for the last week of childcare
will be forfeited if two weeks notice is not given upon termination.
Tuition payments will be due each Friday before the next week’s attendance. Any payments received after 10:00 a.m. Monday morning are considered late, and a late payment fee of $10 per day will be added to all accounts after that time. Any unpaid balances of more than two days will result in termination.
Payments may be made by check, money order, or cash. Cash payments must be exact, as there is generally no change available.
A returned check fee of $25 will be charged to your account for all insufficient funds checks. After the first returned check, payments must be made by money order or cash.
For
every five minutes a parent is late in picking up their child, a late charge of
$5 will be added to the account.
A discount will not be offered to families sending more than one child to Lil’ Angels Day Care.
Lil’ Angels Day Care will observe the following days as holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve. If one of the above named holidays falls on a Saturday, we will be closed the prior Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we will be closed the following Monday.
When
it is necessary for your child to receive medication (prescription and over the
counter) while attending day care, you will need to fill out a medication
permission form. The medication must be
stored in the original container with the child’s name, medication name,
instructions and proper dosage written on it.
We cannot administer the first dose of any medication that is new to
your child. All children must be on any
new medication for 24 hours before returning to day care. The center cannot administer medication that
is expired. If your child is exposed to
an illness while at day care you will notified.
Topical applications, such as diaper rash ointment, sunscreen, and insect repellent can be administered with the written consent and instruction of the parent that correspond to the manufacturer’s direction on the label. All bottles and jars should be clearly labeled with the child’s name.
Children
are not permitted to attend daycare while they are exhibiting any signs of or
are afflicted with any contagious illness.
They may return with a physician’s written permission. A child diagnosed with a bacterial infection
must be on antibiotic for 24 hours before returning.
Your
child may not attend daycare if he/she is or has in the last 24 hours exhibited
any of the following signs of illness:
If
your child becomes ill during the day, you will be notified immediately so that
you can come to pick him/her up. If you
cannot be reached, the emergency contact person listed on your emergency card
will be notified to pick up your child.
At
the time of enrollment, a copy of your child’s immunization record is
required. All children must be
receiving their immunizations in order to attend our day care. Validated proof of immunizations should be
submitted as your child receives new immunizations or booster shots.
We are required by law to report to the local Social Services Office of any suspected physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or neglect.
All children enrolled in the full time program are required to rest. They are expected to rest quietly on a cot. Children will need to bring a blanket with their name on it. This blanket will be sent home every Friday for cleaning.
We
participate in the USDA Food Program.
This is the same program that supervises public school lunches. A nutritionist visits four times per year. All our menus are sent in to the State, and
are approved monthly. We provide
breakfast, AM snack, lunch, and PM snack.
The children are served well-balanced meals of the following components:
Breakfast Snacks
Lunch
Bread Two
components from Protein
Fruit Different food groups Bread
Milk Fruit
Vegetable
Milk
For
your child to receive a meal or snack, he/she must be present at the time it is
served. Activities are planned to start
immediately following. Serving children
during group time would be difficult.
When it is time to introduce solids, we will work with each family to individually plan their baby’s menu.
In
the event of a serious injury or medical emergency, we will:
·
Attend
to the child
·
Call
911
·
Notify
the parents
·
Accompany
the child to the hospital
·
My
sister, Angel Gottschalk, will come to care for the children. If the emergency involves your child, you or
your emergency contact person will be notified immediately.
The
children will be taught basic safety rules.
Our childcare is “kid friendly” and childproof. We offer a smoke free environment. The children are supervised at all
times. We practice fire drills and
severe weather drills during the spring and summer.
Our
childcare is very clean. Toys are
washed and sanitized regularly. Infants
have their own supply of toys that are washed daily. Each child has his/her own personal crib, cot, and bedding. Our staff and the children wash their hands
often.
Parents
are required to sign their child in and out using the form located in the
entryway. If someone other than the
child’s custodial parent or legal guardian will be picking up the child, prior
authorization in writing must be made.
The parent or legal guardian is the only person that can authorize the
center to release the child to another individual. The parent or legal guardian should provide the names of at least
two other adults that have permission to pick up the child in case of an
emergency. This authorization is given
on the Child Information Card at the time of enrollment and should be updated
as needed.
Lil’
Angels Day Care will request photo identification before releasing a child to
someone other than his/her custodial parent or legal guardian. A court order is required to be a part of the child’s file if
either parent is prohibited from picking up the child. Under no circumstances will children be
allowed to leave the premises unsupervised for another location.
Lil’ Angels Day care is clean, safe, and well planned. Caregivers are responsible for upholding high standards of cleanliness, as well as safety. The learning centers in the classrooms offer block play, housekeeping, dramatic play; reading, science, art; and manipulatives for exploration and problem solving, music, and movement.
The program is designed to ensure flexibility and spontaneity to meet the needs of the children and to offer special activities as they present themselves. Daily activities are designed to offer a variety of opportunities for growth of each child in the following areas:
Ø Physical development:
Large and small motor skills
Ø Social development:
Communication and
relationships with others
Ø Emotional development:
Positive self-image
Independence as well as
interdependence
Ø Intellectual development:
Problem solving and cause and
effect
All clothing needs to be clearly marked with your child’s name. We cannot be responsible for unmarked clothing. Children should be dressed for play. Recommended are washable, comfortable clothes that are easy to move around in. Tennis shoes or other soft-soled shoes are the safest. Sandals, hard-heeled boots, and flop flops are discouraged. During the spring/summer months, children should arrive with sunscreen already on. More will be re-applied during the day as needed.
All children share the toys and educational materials at Lil’ Angels Day Care. There is plenty of equipment to be shared.
The center cannot be responsible for any possessions a child may bring from home and misplace. Children are encouraged to leave toys, food, money, gum, and candy at home. Please help your child understand why it is important to leave these items at home.
It is acceptable to bring a special blanket, soft toy, or stuffed animal for rest time. Please label these items with your child’s name.
(Ages 6 weeks to 18 months)
The infant program is designed to provide a warm, predictable, and responsive atmosphere where the baby’s needs are recognized and respected. Caregivers will work in cooperation with parents to provide a consistent, nurturing pattern of care.
Each day there will be opportunities for the infant to have individual time with his/her primary care giver, time to interact with other infants, and time for quiet observation of his/her environment. When awake, he infant will be held, rocked, or placed in a swing or bouncer chair on the floor. Infants are not kept in cribs during awake periods.
An infant’s schedule is by nature flexible, and feeding and sleeping patterns will be individualized. A daily record of each infant’s activities will be kept and will include diaper changes, feedings, naps, and antidotal records. Each child is assigned his/her own crib.
What to bring for your infant (please label
all items):
Bottles and food in sufficient quantity for each day. All food items must be labeled with the child’s name and date. Bottles must be prepared at home. We cannot mix formula. Open baby food may only be kept for 24 hours. Bottles will only be heated once and will be discarded if the child does not finish the contents within 2 hours.
Extra canned formula for emergency use
Diapers and wipes
Two or three complete changes of clothing, including socks and t-shirts
Appropriate outdoor clothing
Fitted crib sheet and nap blanket (these linens will be sent home every Friday for laundering)
(Ages 18 months to 2 ½ years)
The toddler program is designed to provide a comfortable and stimulating atmosphere where toddlers can develop their newly found sense of independence and curiosity about the world around them. Group and individual activities, as well as one- to –one with their caregivers, are planned each day. Children are encouraged to feed and dress themselves. Staff will work with parents in the toilet learning process.
What to bring for your infant (please label
all items):
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Diapers, pull ups, or training pants as needed
Two complete changes of clothing, including socks and undergarments
Appropriate outdoor clothing
Nap blanket (these linens will be sent home every Friday for laundering)
(Ages 2 ½ years to 5 years)
The pre-school program is designed to provide an environment in which children feel safe to expand their various physical, emotional, social, and intellectual skills at their own pace. Group times, teacher-directed activities, independent play, and child-directed activities provide ample opportunity for learning through play.
What to bring for your infant (please label all items):
Toothbrush and toothpaste
One complete change of clothing, including socks and undergarments (more if toilet learning has not been completed)
Appropriate outdoor clothing
Nap blanket (these linens will be sent home every Friday for laundering)
Spending time outdoors each day is important. Children who are well enough to attend are considered well enough to go outside. It is expected that children will have appropriate clothing to go outdoors. This includes boots, mittens, hates, and winter coats on cold days.
Children
will spend time outdoors twice a day, weather permitting. Children will not go outside when the
wind-chill temperature falls below 32° F.