Early Preschool & |
Health Policy
Arrival & Dismissal
Supplies Needed
Meals
Ratios
Snow Closings
Video Monitoring
Parent Involvement
Absences & Vacation Credits
Babysitting Policy
Policy on the Release of Children
Toilet Training
Discipline Policy
Expulsion Policy
1. Upon entrance, and yearly thereafter, all children must present the Child’s Health Record Form, completed by the child’s physician. Children must have all immunizations appropriate to their age as mandated by the health department. They must be in good health and be able to participate in normal activities at the Center.
2. Les Enfants shall not permit a child who has any of the illnesses or symptoms of illness specified below to be admitted to the Center on a given day unless medical diagnosis from a licensed physician, which has been communicated to the Center in writing, or verbally with written follow-up, indicates that the child poses no serious health risk to himself or herself or to other children. Such illnesses shall include, but not be limited to any of the following:
a.) Severe pain and discomfort;
b.) Acute diarrhea, characterized as twice the child’s usual frequency of bowel movements with a change to a looser consistency within a period of 24 hours;
c.) Two or more episodes of acute vomiting within a period of 24 hours;
d.) Fever-Oral temperature above 101° F, rectal above 101° F, or axillary (armpit) above 100° F;
e.) Sore throat or severe/persistent cough;
f.) Yellow eyes or jaundiced skin;
g.) Red eyes with discharge;
h.) Infected, untreated skin patches;
i.) Difficult rapid breathing;
j.) Skin rashes, excluding diaper rash, lasting more than one day;
k.) Weeping or bleeding skin lesions that have not been treated by a physician or nurse;
l.) Swollen joints;
m.) Visibly enlarged lymph nodes;
n.) Stiff neck; or
o.) Blood in urine.
3.) Once the child is symptom-free, or a licensed physician indicates that the child poses no serious health risk to himself, herself, or to another child, the child may return to the Center.
4.) Medication will ONLY be dispensed if:
a.) Accompanied by a signed, written permission form from the parent with times medication should be administered.
b.) Prescribed for your child by a physician.
c.) In the original container showing the child’s full name and dosage instructions along with medication dropper.
5.) Non-prescription medicine WILL NOT be dispensed without a doctor’s authorization.
The doors open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 6:30 p.m. Children should arrive at the same time class begins. It is not necessary to arrive early. Please make sure you check your child in and out with a teacher. For children picked up late, there will be a late charge of $15.00 for every quarter hour, or part of, after 6:30 p.m. Three unexcused latenesses in one school year may result in termination of enrollment.
Preschoolers:
1. Seasonable change of clothes including underwear and socks. These should be brought to school and kept in a labeled plastic ziploc bag and replaced immediately upon use.
2. One small blanket if taking a nap. The blanket must be labeled and taken home weekly for laundering.
3. One plastic smock-for messy art projects.
Infants and Toddlers:
1. Bottles and Cups - One day’s supply of formula in labeled plastic bottles. When your child is ready, please send in a labeled training cup with top.
2. Baby food - One week’s supply in labeled jars.
3. Disposable diapers - Please check that your child has an ample supply for at least one week.
4. Bedding for infants - Your infant will have his/her own crib. You may personalize it as you wish with portable crib size sheets, bumpers, and blankets.
1. Morning and afternoon juice and snacks are provided as well as milk with breakfast and lunch.
2. Lunches may be purchased for preschoolers ONLY or may be brought from home. Refrigeration is provided for perishable foods. Hot lunches must be brought in a thermos, ready to eat. Only infant food will be heated and prepared.
3. Breakfast must be brought from home and is served to the children arriving before 8:15 a.m.
The Following staff/children ratios are required by the State of New Jersey . Les Enfants prides itself in keeping with a higher staff/child ratio whenever possible.
Age Staff/Child Ratio |
|
Under 18 months |
1 : 4 |
18 months up to 2 1/2 |
1 : 7 |
2 1/2 up to 4 Years |
1 : 10 |
4 Years |
1 : 12 |
5 Years |
1 : 15 |
6 up to 13 Years |
1 : 18 |
HALF and FULL day programs for all age groups will be canceled when Fort Lee and/or Palisades Park schools are closed. Parents may call the Center for a recorded message. We will try our best to keep at least one of the Centers open for Extended care families who work, but they should expect a delayed opening to allow for snow removal and staff arrivals. Please call the Center for a recorded message with instructions for the day after 6:30 am .
Surveillance cameras are located in each of the classrooms and hallways. Monitors are located in the office and recorded on a 24 hour basis. Parents are welcome to watch the monitors at any time during the day.
We at Les Enfants both invite and encourage parents to be active participants in classroom activities, fundraisers, class trips, etc. If you or someone in your family has a special trade, job, or hobby we would love for you to share it with us, so sign up today to join us in the fun! For those of you who can not join us as often as you would like, we also set aside an annual open house, back to school night and parent/teacher conferences.
Since Center expenses continue and space is reserved whether or not a child is in attendance, no refund of money will be made for absence. Vacations WILL NOT be credited during the school year. Extended Care families can receive up to four weeks of vacation credit during the summer months only.
It is Somebody’s Childish Inc.’s company policy that employees do not take care of children enrolled in our program outside the Center at any time. Employees are also not permitted to take children to and from the Center for any reason.
Somebody's Childish, Inc.’s insurance does not cover staff off our premises. Furthermore, the job demands are high and we feel that professional stance is to avoid this conflict. Violation of these policies may be cause for termination.
Policy on the Release of Children
1. Each child may be released only to the child’s custodial parent(s) or person(s), to take the child from the Center and to assume responsibility for the child in an emergency if the custodial parent(s) cannot be reached. A child shall not be visited by or released to a non-custodial parent unless the custodial parent specifically authorizes the Center to allow such a visit or release in writing. This written authorization, including name, address, and telephone number shall be maintained in the file. Identification will be required in order to verify identity. If a non-custodial parent has been denied access to a child by court order, the Center must be provided with documentation.
2. In the event that the parent(s) or the other authorized person(s) fails to pick up, or are late in picking up a child at the time of the Center’s daily closing, the following procedure will be followed:
A. The child will be supervised at all times by at least one Center staff member;
B. Staff member(s) will make every effort to contact the custodial parent(s) and/or persons listed on the child’s information sheet, and authorized by the custodial parent(s) to be called in case of emergency, and/or other person(s) authorized to care for the child.
3. In case the custodial parent(s) and/or other persons authorized by the custodial
parent(s) fails to pick up their child one hour or more after closing time, and provided that the Center’s staff has been unable to make other arrangements for returning the child to his/her custodial parent(s), a Center staff member shall call the Division of Youth and Family Services’ 24 hour Child Abuse hotline:1-800-792-8610 to seek assistance in caring for the child until his/her custodial parent(s) or other person(s) authorized by the custodial parent(s) is available to care for the child.
4. If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s), appear to be physically and/or emotionally impaired to the extent that, in the judgment of the director and/or staff member, the child would be placed at risk or harm if released to such an individual, the procedure shall be:
A. The child may not be released to such and impaired individual;
B. Staff members will attempt to contact the child’s other parent or alternate person authorized by the parent; and
C. If the Center is unable to make alternative arrangements, the Division’s 24 hour Child Abuse hotline will be called in order to seek assistance in caring for the child.
5. No child shall be released from the program unsupervised.
Most children do not have the physical ability to control their bladder and bowels before the age of about eighteen months. Beginning toilet training early simply causes frustration for the caregiver and puts unnecessary pressure on a young toddler. Our policy should adhere to the following rules:
1. No child shall ever be forced to go on the toilet if he/she shows any sign of fear;
2. We shall follow parents’ toilet training procedures to the best of our ability and in the best interest of the child;
3. We can encourage a child to go on the toilet if they exhibit any signs indicating that they are getting ready to go on the toilet;
4. No child will ever be punished or harassed by a staff member if they are not ready to be toilet trained;
5. We can use positive reinforcements or rewards for children who are in the process of toilet training, but under no circumstances can negative reinforcement be used;
6. No child shall ever be embarrassed or have anger shown to them by a staff member if they should have an accident, whether they are in the toilet training process or are completely trained;
7. Parents will be kept informed of their child’s progress.
Although biting is a “normal” part of behavior, in that one out of ten toddlers and two year olds bite, it is a disturbing and potentially harmful behavior that parents and educators must discourage from the very first episode. If your child is experiencing difficulty in this area or is involved in a situation with a child who is experiencing difficulty, the staff of Les Enfants will follow guidelines as set forth by the National Association for the Education for Young Children. We are happy to speak with and discuss these guidelines with parents. When a biting incident occurs, parents of all children involved will be notified. We have found that it is in the best interest of the children not to reveal the identity of the child who is having the biting problem. If the behavior continues after a reasonable amount of time, and every effort has been exercised in preventing a child from biting, withdrawal from the center may be necessary.
Young children may bite for different reasons, and not all will respond to the same types of intervention. The key is cooperation and understanding for adults and children alike. Together, we can usually guide a child toward self-control and away from biting.
Discipline at Les Enfants does not allow hitting, shaking, corporal punishment, abusive language, frightening treatment, withholding of food or emotional response, or making a child stay silent for long periods of time.
There are no bad children, just bad behavior: Never call a child “bad boy” or “bad girl”. Children need to know that we love them unconditionally, even if their behavior is unacceptable at times.
Some of the techniques we use to foster self-discipline are:
1. Focus on the positive - If a child’s behavior is unacceptable, suggest appropriate alternatives rather than focus on the negative attention or inappropriate behavior.
2. Model good behavior - Say “please” to children if you want them to say “please” to you or to other children-DON’T SHOUT “BE QUIET!!!!!”
3. Clarify consequences - Help children analyze the consequences of the actions by thinking about their behavior’s impact; develop children’s understanding of cause and effect relationships.
4. Limit options - Do not overload children with choices-of time, space, material, or activities.
5. Redirect - When unacceptable behaviors are specific to certain situations, divert the child to another activity.
6. Reinforce appropriate behavior and ignore inappropriate whenever possible.
7. Cue behavior - A flick of a light switch, or an upraised hand can signal fairly regular events such as transition periods and can give a child sense of order in their lives.
8. Monitor behavior - Physical proximity-placing a hand on a child’s shoulder, standing quietly in a potential problem area can say “I am here if you need support”.
9. Give a “time out” - Occasionally it is necessary to remove a child from a provoking situation. The removal or “time out” is an adult supervised, neutralizing, temporary event that is ended when the child indicates that he/she has the desire and control needed to re-enter the group. Giving a “time out” is NOT punishing a child, placing him in a dark or frightening situation, or demeaning him; it is providing him with an unprovoking alternative activity which he pursues by himself.
10. Restrain behavior - When children are angry enough to make their actions potentially dangerous to themselves or others, restraint may be the only workable approach:
A. Verbal restraint-simple, non-judgmental statements that say, in effect, “I can’t let you harm yourself or others. You are angry now, but once you are calm, you will be better able to handle the situation”.
B. Physical restraint-may be necessary to accompany verbalization-this should never be a punitive or aggressive response. It is NOT hitting, shaking, pushing, or any type of corporal punishment. Instead the child is calmly but firmly held in a neutral way until regaining self control.
C. Removal of the child from the classroom-When all else fails, the child can be brought to the office for his/her own good and the good of others. When a child is brought to the office by his teacher, the office staff is told why the child is there, and when he can return to his class. The child is supervised at all times.
D. Removal of the child from the program-The minor day-to-day problems are best handled on the spot by the teacher who know and cares for the child. When behavioral problems cannot be solved, the child’s parent(s) shall be consulted in order to plan for the child’s development of inner control. It is our intention to promote respect and confidence in children, for themselves and others. However, should a child’s behavior continue to jeopardize the well being of other children, after steps have been taken to work with the parent(s) and child, withdrawal from the program may be necessary (Please see expulsion policy for further clarification).
Unfortunately, there are sometimes reasons we have to expel a child from our program, either on a short term or permanent basis. We want you to know we will do everything possible to work with the family of the child in order to prevent this policy from being enforced.
Parental Actions for a Child's Expulsion:
Failure of parent to pay or habitual lateness in payments.
Failure to complete required forms or providing copy of child’s immunization records.
Habitual tardiness in picking up child.
Physical or verbal abuse or inappropriate behavior or language with staff or children.
Failure to obtain or follow up on recommendations for professional intervention for child.
Child's Actions for Expulsion:
Failure of child to adjust after a reasonable amount of time.
Uncontrollable tantrums or angry outbursts.
Ongoing physical or verbal abuse or inappropriate behavior or language with staff or children.
Behavior or learning disabilities which require professional intervention not provided at the center.
Excessive biting.
Proactive actions that will be taken in order not to expel a child:
Staff will try to redirect child from negative behavior.
Staff will reassess classroom environment, appropriateness of activities, and supervision.
Staff will use positive methods and language while disciplining children.
Staff will praise appropriate behaviors.
Staff will apply consequences for behavior consistently.
Child’s disruptive behavior will be documented and maintained in confidentiality.
Child will be given verbal warnings.
A brief time-out may be given, if appropriate to age, so child can gain control.
Child may lose some special classroom privileges if appropriate to age.
Staff will verbally describe to parent or send home notes describing behaviors in detail.
Literature regarding behavior will be offered to parent if available.
Parent conference will be required, if judged to be necessary, by teacher or director.
Written parent and/or center action plan may be developed.
Parent may be required to schedule an evaluation by a professional or local school child study team.
Parent may be required to immediately pick up child if staff cannot handle child’s behavior.
Schedule of Expulsion:
If after remedial actions as described above have not worked, the child’s parent/guardian will be advised verbally and/or in writing about the child’s or parent’s behavior warranting expulsion. An expulsion action is meant to be a period of time so that the parent/guardian may work on the child’s behavior or come to an agreement with the center. The parent/guardian will be informed regarding:
a. The length of the expulsion period.
b. Expected behavioral changes required in order for the child to return to the center.
c. A specific expulsion date that allows the parent a reasonable amount of time to seek alternate child care will be given if possible,(approximately one to two weeks), depending on the safety of other children or severity of the problem with the child or parent, as judged by center director.
d. Failure of the child/parent to satisfy the terms discussed and/or the severity of the problem as judged by the center director may result in permanent expulsion from the center.
Reasons for which a child will not be expelled:
A parent made a legitimate complaint to the Office of Licensing regarding the center’s alleged violation(s) of licensing requirements (1-877-667-9845).
A parent made a legitimate report of abuse or neglect occurring at the center (1-800-215-6853 or 1-800-792-8610 after 5 pm).
A parent questioned the center’s policies and/or procedures.
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