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Parent Manual
PHILOSOPHYThe Nursery specializes in infant and toddler care and cultivating healthy development for pre-schoolers. Everything we do is designed with the express interest of nurturing your child when you are not available. Our program is designed to meet the developmental needs of young children. We provide experiences that challenge and support each child's cognitive, language, social, emotional, physical and creative development. During the course of the day at Nursery each child has opportunities to create, explore the environment, develop personal interaction skills and learn problem solving skills and concepts through first hand experience. We encourage exploration and involvement. Staff members are positive role models. They are supportive, nurturing, warm and responsive to each child. We respect the parent as the primary and most important person in the child's life. We try to complement your role by allowing the children to feel secure and enjoy themselves when they are in our care. DAILY PROGRAMThe infant rooms have a very flexible routine. Because each child's schedule is so different at this age, it is not in their best interest to have any specific routine as a group. There are a variety of toys available for infant stimulation and development. We also read stories, play music, and sing and dance daily when the teachers feel the time is right. The children are taken outside every day, weather permitting. Nursery has student interns from various early childhood training programs. Extra staff is usually placed in the infant and toddler rooms first. In the toddler room we have a basic routine throughout the day but it is loose. Children are not required to participate in any activity (except meal time, nap time and going outside) if they do not want to. Both individual and group play are beneficial to your child. We do encourage participation but we do not force it. During individual play children can use any of the supplies in the classroom and may play with each other if they choose. Group play includes: stories, dance, music, art, etc. Children eat their meals and snacks together and must be seated at the table. We encourage children to put toys away when they are finished with them. We go outside every morning, weather permitting. MOVING TO THE NEXT ROOMChildren move to the next room based on development, not age. Changes will be discussed with the parents. However, to manage Nursery in everyone's best interest we will consider all the classrooms and which other children are moving, leaving or waiting to enter. Children will spend a few hours a day in the new room the week prior to their move. BEDDING, CLOTHING and GROOMINGChildren should arrive in clean clothes. Clothing should be easy to change without an excess of buttons, suspenders, or other features that will prolong changing and toileting. We change many children at a time. Simple clothing helps. Children must dress appropriately for the weather. Clothing should fit properly and allow for easy and full participation in all activities. Please include hats, mittens, and scarves in cold weather. We go outside daily, except in cases of very severe weather. Children must have a complete set of spare clothing left at the center. We do not have extras. Please label all clothes with your child's name. We have a permanent marker if you need it. When you pick up your child please check his cubby, remove any soiled clothes, and replace them the next day with clean clothing. Jewelry is strongly discouraged at the center. We are not responsible for lost or damaged jewelry. Each child needs a crib-sized sheet and a small blanket for nap time. Infants should have an extra sheet in their cubby. Pillows are not allowed by the New York City Department of Health. All bedding should be taken home on Fridays to be washed, and returned on Mondays. ITEMS FROM HOMEWe prefer that you do not bring toys from home, so that the children learn that all items are community property as they learn to share. You may bring comfort items that children use for nap time and other times as needed. The staff and center will not be responsible for items lost or damaged. All such items should have your child's name on them. If your child has a toy that you would recommend we buy, feel free to suggest it to us. TOILET LEARNINGTeachers will work with parents and children on toilet training when they have observed readiness signs in school. Readiness signs will be the child's ability to tell the teacher about a soiled diaper, showing signs of discomfort while in a soiled diaper, and expressing an interest in using the toilet. A child is likely to exhibit these signals at home and not at school. We recognize the following skills as indications that a child is ready to manage toileting:
Parents need to tell teachers what words they are using with their child while toilet training. Children who are toilet training require a supply of diapers and training pants as well as three sets of extra clothing and an extra sheet. Pull-ups are not recommended. If a child has three toileting accidents a day, we may need to return him to diapers at school. DIAPERS AND WIPESParents are responsible for checking to see that your child's diapers, wipes, and creams are sufficient. We do not keep extras at the center. Diapers are not borrowed from other children. Large packages of diapers may be left at the center provided we have space. DISCIPLINE POLICYThe best way to teach young children good behavior is by practicing it ourselves by being role models. When a child does something that is not safe or beneficial for him or others, we redirect the behavior by gently guiding him toward positive alternatives. If there is a situation in the toddler or pre-school rooms that requires action we explain to the child why the behavior is unacceptable and give him a minimum amount of time-out. We never raise our voices to the children or spank them. DROPPING OFF and PICKING UP YOUR CHILDWhen you bring your children in you should bring them to their classroom and help to get them settled. This includes taking off their outer clothing, putting their supplies in their cubby and food in the fridge. This transition period can be stressful for children, therefore it is important for you to leave time and not be rushed. It is helpful for you to touch base with the teachers about anything that may be going on for your child, for example: how last night's sleep was, how breakfast was, any major family changes, etc. When children arrive late it can disrupt the morning routine. Sometimes the children may be already on their morning outing. Therefore all children should arrive at Nursery no later than 10:30 am. When you pick-up and drop off your child please sign him in and out respectively. Children will be released to parents only, unless written permission is on file for another individual. Persons unknown to staff, but who are authorized to pick up a child at the center will be asked for photo identification before a child is released. Please make sure they know this. If there is a mix-up in who will be picking up a child, we will not release the child until the mix-up has been resolved and appropriate people contacted. NOTE: To keep Nursery as clean as possible, when you enter the building please use door mats to wipe your feet. Roll your stroller back and forth a few times to bring a minimum amount of dirt into the center. Please fold your stroller and put it away. PARENT COMMUNICATIONParents should take the time when they are at the center to chat with the teachers in the classroom. This casual communication is often the best way to keep abreast of how your child is doing. Sometimes many parents are here at the same time and teachers cannot have extensive conversations with everyone at once. Please keep this in mind and do not monopolize the teacher's time. If you feel a need to have additional time with the teacher we will try to schedule a specific time for you. Please call the center each day your child is going to be absent. Parents are responsible for reading posted information at the center. Important notices are posted inside the front door. Parents are welcome to visit the center at any time. If you want to see how your child is doing please call during nap-time (1-3 pm) when the teachers are available to speak to you. We may call you during the day to ask a question or mention something to you. Please do not get alarmed when you receive a call from us. If it becomes necessary to close the center due to inclement weather it will be announced on FOX 5 TV. FOODParents are responsible for bringing lunch. Children should have breakfast at home. Food is not used as a reward or punishment for behavior at the center. Please also send 1-2 bibs depending on your child's needs. LUNCH: Teachers will microwave a meal if it has been properly placed in a microwavable container. Teachers will not open cans, cook, or in any way prepare food. Food should be cut into bite size pieces for your child's needs. You should include a beverage to have with lunch. Children will be given tap water upon request unless you tell the teachers not to. Baby bottles, food containers (tops and bottoms), and lunch boxes must be labeled with your child's name on each part. Do not send glass. Food may not be left at the center. Food not taken home at the end of each day will be discarded. Lunch boxes and dishes are not washed or sanitized at the center. Parents must wash them daily. Do not send the following foods (or only in specific forms) for safety reasons. We prefer to err on the side of caution. (Recommendations by the NYC Bureau of Day Care)
TUITION and FEESMany centers do not provide care for infants and toddlers because of the required high staff to child ratio and therefore high cost of care. Nursery operates on a tight budget based on full enrollment. That is why some of the policies may appear to be rigid. The tuition is for a 52 week year without reduction or credit for vacation, absence, illness, holidays, or failure of parents to comply with the Department of Health regulations. Monthly tuition is due by the last day of each month for the next month An application fee of $40.00 is payable at the time of enrollment. It is non-refundable. For each student you must submit a security deposit equal to one month of tuition. Written withdrawal notification is required from parents one month in advance of the anticipated withdrawal date. The security deposit will be returned if one month written notification has been received, and all tuition and fees are paid. You will be charged additional fees (as per your contract) for picking up your child later than the scheduled time. This policy is to discourage you from being late and to cover the costs of the center remaining open. Parents picking up children after 6:00 P.M. will be charged $5.00 for each 5 minutes. Morning children will be charged $5.00 for every 10 minutes as of 1:10. Nursery CLOSES at 6:00 PM. You should be here in time to dress your child and gather his things together so that you leave by 6:00 PM. Part time children may attend extra hours or days provided there is space available, at a rate of $6.00 per hour. Payment for this arrangement is due at the time you drop off your child. HEALTH POLICIESThese policies are mandated by the City of New York and are written to insure a healthy environment for all children. Failure to comply with them jeopardizes other children and our license to operate. Therefore children not complying with the Department of Health regulations will not be allowed to attend Nursery. We do everything in our power to keep your children safe when they are in our care. During the course of play it is normal for children at this age to get some bumps and bruises. We will call you if your child has an accident so you are not taken by surprise when you pick him up. Please do not get alarmed when we call. Ninety-nine per cent of the time it is minor. Nursery has liability insurance in case of emergency. However, we expect that you will use your family health insurance first in the case of injury. All children are required to have mandatory medical examinations in a timely manner. A chart indicating required immunizations, screening tests, and exams is available from the office. All immunizations must be up to date. If there is a delay, a letter from the doctor must be on file at the center stating the reason and when the child is expected to be immunized. The Department of Health will not accept medical examination forms signed by the child's parent even though that parent may be a physician, nurse practitioner or physicians's assistant. All children in attendance at the center will be considered healthy enough to participate in all activities. This includes water play and outdoor activities year round. The children use local parks when the weather permits and take neighborhood walks. Nursery North will have its own backyard in the future. If your child becomes ill during the course of the day we will contact you. In that event you must pick up your child as soon as possible. We cannot give a sick child the additional care he needs and still give optimal care to the rest of the group. The presence of a sick child puts all the other children at risk. NOTE: If you are not going to be able to be reached at your regular phone numbers remember to leave an alternate number with us. Children with a fever of 101 or more will be sent home. This child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to the center. Children with a fever of 101 whose parents (or emergency contact person) cannot be reached within 30 minutes may have to be taken to the Hospital emergency room. We expect you to arrange for your child to be picked up immediately. Children with three bouts of diarrhea, which is highly contagious, in one day will be sent home. Because of the danger of contagion, all instances of communicable disease must be reported immediately to the director, as well as the New York Department of Health, so that center parents can be notified. COMMUNICABLE DISEASEs
MEDICATIONSBy state regulation day care centers are no longer allowed to dispense any kind of medication even Tylenol for teething or on-going medications such as asthma medication or antibiotics. We are sorry for this inconvenience. MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS for RELIGIOUS or PHYSICAL REASONSParents who choose not to follow the Department of Health required immunizations schedule for religious reasons may do so by completing the proper Department of Health form. In accordance with the Department of Health regulations, these children will be excluded from attendance whenever anyone at the center contracts a contagious disease. The period of exclusion will be the incubation period for the specific disease. Children who, for physical reasons, have not been able to follow the required immunizations schedule, must have written proof from a physician on file at the center. DISCONTINUANCE of SERVICESIt is our goal to work cooperatively and constructively with each family. However, sometimes problems arise that cannot be resolved. If this occurs the director shall reserve the right to discontinue child care service where:
LIBRARY (Videos, Books, Magazines, Articles)Our library is available for you to borrow from on a first come first serve basis. Items may be taken out for one week. If you finish with it sooner, please bring it back right away so that it is available for other people. If you do not return an item you will be charged for it. To borrow an item you just have to sign it out. Please donate any old books to the library so we may circulate them. If you read an article that you think is of interest to us please clip it (if you do not plan to donate the periodical) as we will keep individual articles in the Library. DONATIONSThe Nursery accepts donations of any items that we could use. This ranges from items that could be used in the Parent Library, kitchen, classrooms, toys or furniture. If you got a gift or have an item that you don't need, please think of us. This allows us to share resources and maintain variety. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATIONBIRTHDAY PARTIES may be held for the children. We ask that you supply a snack for all the children in the class. You are welcome to attend. NO SMOKING: There is no smoking allowed in the center. This includes child care providers, parents, and visitors who are dropping off, visiting, lunching, or picking up children. Nursery admits children of any race, color, national or ethnic origin. HOLIDAY CLOSINGSWe are closed on national holidays. On some occasions, depending on when a holiday falls we may close an extra day. Nursery will be closed the first week every year in August. We hope that this is a convenient time for your family vacation. Unfortunately, we cannot reduce the tuition when we close because we have to meet monthly costs and pay staff for holidays. These closings are figured into the annual tuition costs. Teachers need their holidays to avoid burn-out and be at their best when they are working with your child. To allow for staff to fully enjoy their December holidays we will attempt to close early on Christmas and New Year's Eves. We will inquire about your holiday schedule so that the staff may plan accordingly. If you do require our services for the full day we may combine classrooms so that we can have a limited staff. We will be closed on the following days: Holidays
ADVISORY BOARDThe Nursery has an advisory board whose members were selected for their expertise and personal interest in our success. They have contributed their ideas to many aspects in the formation of Nursery. They will continue to consult with the directors as needed. Their names, relevant background, and/or interest in Nursery are:
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All rights reserved. © Copyright 2005 by The Nursery Infant Toddler Center, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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