- Enrollment is open to all children, aged three to twelve years, regardless of race, creed, national origin or gender.
- Prior to admission, each child must submit the report by his/her own physician of a physical examination performed within three months prior to entry into the program.
- All other licensing and administrative forms must be completed before the child begins his/her first day at the Center.
- Each child must be toilet trained, except in the young 3’s class.
- The Center Director reserves the right to place a child in a classroom deemed appropriate to his/her age and stage of development.
- Each child is accepted on a ninety-day probation period. The child's progress will be shared with the parent during the first ninety days.
- Prior to a child's enrollment, a registration form, signed by parent/guardian, is required.
- A two-week written notice is required if the child is withdrawn from the program. Tuition is due for this two-week period.
- Vacancies that occur during the school year are filled based on the waiting list and then on a first-come, first-served basis.
- A schedule of fees for various programs is available from the Center office.
- There is a reduced registration fee for children enrolling after February 1.
- There is a separate registration fee for children enrolling for the summer program.
- When no openings are immediately available, the child's name will be placed on a waiting list upon payment of a non-refundable pre-registration fee.
- Children will be accepted according to their place on the waiting list as openings occur. Catonsville Presbyterian Church members and siblings of children enrolled at the Center or previously enrolled at the Center will have priority.
- This pre-registration fee will be credited to the regular registration fee upon the child's acceptance into the program.
- Monthly tuition payments are due in advance and are payable the first of every month for the care rendered during that month. Additional charges occurring during a month shall be added to the payment due the first of the next month.
- There is a 10% discount for siblings enrolled in the Center, on the lesser tuition fee
- All tuition must be paid by check or money order only.
- Returned checks will be assessed a $25.00 processing fee. If a second check is returned within a 12 month period, payment will then be required by money order or certified check.
- Checks are to be made payable to Catonsville Presbyterian Church Family Child Care Center (CPCFCCC).
- Tuition payments are to be deposited in the designated box on the right hand wall inside the Center's main entrance. Our staff is instructed not to accept tuition payments.
- Late payment charge of $20.00 will be applied to any account not paid by the 10th of the month.
- Any account with an unpaid balance by the 10th of the month, will receive a written notice advising that if alternative arrangements have not been made or payment not received, the child care will not be extended beyond the end of the month. Your balance must be paid in full, and maintained as such in order to ensure your continuance in our child care program.
- All balances must be current in order to re-enroll for the following session.
- Payments are first applied to the current late payment charge, then to the current month's tuition, then to other outstanding amounts in reverse chronological order, beginning with past due late payment charges.
- We understand that payments cannot always be made on a timely basis due to special circumstances. When these circumstances arise, please discuss them with either the Director or Bookkeeper so other arrangements can be made on a confidential basis.
- Click for current tuition rates.
Registration includes an entire program; either the school year or the summer. The Child Care Center plans for attendance at the level indicated by this registration process. We understand that during the school year changes may occur within a family, which may affect the need for child care. These changes in our program enrollment may then have an impact on the care we provide to the other children. To assist in meeting our objectives as a child care center, the Child Care Center Director will be responsible for approving any changes to a child's enrollment after the program has begun. These decisions will be made on an individual basis. Due to our high volume of enrollment, one change only is permitted during each program (fall or summer). If you find a need to adjust your child's attendance days at the Center, please obtain a Program Change Form from the Center office.
Children must be brought into the classroom and received by the teacher or assistant teacher. No child may be left at the door. Children must be signed in and out daily on the classroom forms. When leaving the Center, the children must be dismissed by one of the staff members. Children are actively supervised until they are dismissed to an authorized adult and then become the responsibility of the adult.
Preschool Program:
·Please arrive at the designated time that your child's program is to begin: 9:00 a.m. - morning preschool
·Please pick up your child at the designated time that the program ends:
12:00 p.m. - morning preschool
·Failure to pick up your child at dismissal can cause stress and anxiety in your child. Time between sessions is needed for clean-up, lunch and set-up for the next class.
·We charge an additional $15.00 late fee beginning at 12:01 p.m., each time your child is picked up late. This extra fee will be added to your monthly tuition.
Child Care Center:
·If your child will be absent or late, please call the Center at
410-747-4581.
·Please notify the Center if you plan on picking up your child early
·The Child Care Center closes at 6 p.m. If a child is picked up after this time, there will be an additional charge of $15.00 beginning at 6:01 p.m. An additional charge of $15.00 will begin at 6:11 p.m. These charges will continue to accrue until the parent arrives. These charges will be added to the child's bill. The Center's lateness policy is to be used in emergencies only. It is not designed to be a service. After the 3rd lateness the charges will be doubled. Repeated late pick ups will result in the child's dismissal from the program.If parents have not contacted the Center by 6:01 p.m., a staff member will begin to telephone emergency numbers in order to have the child picked up as soon as possible.
As always, the safety of the children while attending the Center is of utmost importance. With this in mind, the following emergency pick-up procedures are in place at the Center. Each parent is asked to do the following:
·Please make sure to list on the emergency card the names of individuals who you may need to pick up your child(ren). As described below, a "code word" should be written on the emergency card in the top left hand corner.
·Whenever possible, please inform the morning staff in writing that someone different will be picking up your child(ren). Please provide the person's name for identification purposes.
·If for some reason during the day you decide to have someone different pick up your child(ren), please call the Center to let us know his/her name. If the person's name is already on the emergency card, we will honor your request.
·If you call and request that someone pick up your child(ren) whose name is not on the emergency card, you must supply a "code word." If the caller is unable to supply the correct code word, we will not be able to honor the request!
·Please inform anyone picking up your child(ren) that he/she will be asked to provide a picture identification with his/her name on it before being allowed to take your child(ren) from the Center.
Parents are required to keep the Center informed of current telephone numbers and locations where they can be reached during the hours their child is in the Center. Emergency cards are to be updated and initialed by the parents/guardians twice a year. Emergency contact persons and their telephone numbers must be current.
-
Any staff member or administrator employed by Catonsville Presbyterian
Church Family Child Care Center (the Center) who cares for a child currently
enrolled at the Center outside of work hours (for example, babysitting
after school hours or on weekends) must insure that the parents/guardians
of the child/children have submitted to the Director or Assistant Director
of the Center a properly completed "Babysitting Release" form. The forms
are available in the Center offices, or they may be photocopied from
the Parent Handbook (Appendix A) or the Staff
Handbook (Appendix A). It is the responsibility of the Center employee
providing the babysitting service to insure that the form has been submitted
in advance. The form shall remain in effect from the date it is submitted
until the beginning of the next program year.
- It
is prohibited for any Center employee to provide private babysitting
on the property of Catonsville Presbyterian Church.
- If a Center employee has been engaged by the parent/guardian to leave the Center with the child at the end of any day, written notification of that permission must be given in advance by the parent, or, alternatively, the Center employee must be listed on the child's Emergency card.
-
The Center is not equipped or licensed to accept and care for sick children.
Staff members may not permit children who are ill to attend the daily
session. As soon as it becomes evident that a child may be ill, the
staff will evaluate the problem. If the child is to be sent home, we
will call the parent and request that the child be picked up from the
Center. The Center requires that your child must be fever and symptom
free for 24 hours (without the use of tylenol) after an illness in order
to return to care.
- The
Child Care Administration requires that the parent provide a doctor's
statement, verifying that the child is able to return to the Center
after an absence of three consecutive days or more.
- Your
child's allergies and history of any previous/existing medical condition
requiring medical treatment must be noted on the health form and is
to be reported to your child's teacher. This knowledge is essential
to providing the best possible care for your child while he/she is in
the Center's care. (See Allergies)
- It
is a Child Care Administration regulation that each child must go outside
to play each day (weather permitting). A child may not be left alone
inside the Center. Therefore, if a child is not well enough to go outdoors,
he/she is not well enough to be in the Center.
- Please let the Director, Assistant Director or classroom teacher know of anything your child experiences physically or emotionally which may affect his/her behavior at school.
Policy on Children With Allergies
-
Reasonable accommodation will be provided for all enrolled children
with allergies, including children with life-threatening allergies.
Parents/guardians of children who have allergies are responsible for
notifying the child's teacher of the existence of the allergies. The
Center Director must be notified of the existence of any life-threatening
allergy prior to the child's first day of attendance at the Center.
The Center Director, teachers of the child, and parent/guardians will
work together to ensure that the child will have a safe, nurturing environment
he/she can thrive in. Reasonable classroom and curriculum modifications
will be made.
- Any
emergency medication necessary will be supplied by the parents/guardians.
Any first aid requirements must be identified to the Center Director
prior to the child's attendance so that instruction can be obtained
if necessary.
- The Center Director shall consult with the Child Care Center Council regarding any requirements he/she considers to be unreasonable.
If your child needs to be given medication while at the Center, please follow these guidelines:
·A medication form must be completed in full, signed and dated by the parent. A doctor's signature is not required on this form.
·Prescription medication must be received by the Center in the original prescription bottle labeled by the pharmacy or doctor with your child's name on it and an expiration date that indicates that the medication is still usable. The dosage on the bottle and the dosage on the medication form must be the same.
·Over-the-counter medication must be in the labeled bottle in which it was purchased. Again, the dosage on the bottle label and the dosage on the medication form must be the same.
·Except for acetaminophen and topical medications, only one dose of a nonprescription medication may be administered by the Center. Should your child need more than one dose of a nonprescription medicine a licensed health practitioner must approve, in writing, the administration of the nonprescription medication and the dosage.
·Medication received in any container other than the original container will not be administered by Center staff.
-
In the event of an accident, appropriate first aid procedures will be
administered. If necessary, emergency medical services will be called,
and if deemed necessary, the child will be transported to the hospital
by ambulance. The parent will be notified as soon as possible.
- When
an ambulance is called to the Center to transport a child as a result
of an injury or illness, the patient becomes the responsibility of the
paramedics with the ambulance service upon their arrival at the scene.
All members of the ambulance service of the Fire Department of Baltimore
County have received Emergency Medical Technician Training and will
have a plastic identification card. The Director or designate may assist
the technician for the comfort of the patient. However, the Director
or designate is no longer responsible for decision making or care of
the patient.
- If
the Director or designate believes that a member of the Center staff
should accompany the ambulance and be present at the hospital, such
a request will be honored by the ambulance personnel.
- In
all cases the parent will be notified that the child is being taken
to the hospital; if the parent cannot be reached at the time, a child
needing attention in an emergency situation will be sent to the hospital
and the parent reached as soon as possible.
- Ambulance
procedure is to transport the person to the nearest or most appropriate
hospital. The particular unit is the decision of ambulance personnel.
However, if a private physician desires a child to be taken to a specific
hospital, the physician is responsible for calling the Fire Department.
The ambulance will then be directed by radio.
Note: Special Units
Shock Trauma Center - University Hospital
Pediatric Trauma Center - Johns Hopkins Hospital
Hand Trauma Center - Union Memorial Hospital
Burn Center - Francis Scott Key Medical Center
Eye Center - Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Johns Hopkins
-
All Center programs will be closed for the following holidays:
| New Year's Day | Day after Thanksgiving |
| Good Friday | Christmas Eve Day |
| Memorial Day | Christmas Day |
| Independence Day | Day after Christmas |
| Labor Day | New Year's Eve Day |
| Thanksgiving |
- When a holiday falls on a weekend, the Center will closed on the nearest weekday. These holiday closing dates are announced well in advance on the registration forms.
Inclement Weather Closing, Delayed Opening and Early Dismissal
- Every effort will be made to maintain the regular schedule of operation of the Child Care Center. In the event of severe weather conditions resulting in loss of power, loss of water, unsafe building conditions beyond our control, or "State of Emergency" being declared by the Governor, the decision for the delayed opening or closing of the Center will be ready for announcement on the Center's recorded telephone message, (410) 747-4581, and WBAL radio (1090 AM) by 6:15 a.m. on the morning of the delayed opening or closing. We are unable to grant tuition credits on any of these days.
- In the event of a delayed opening, the Center will make its best effort to open no later than 10:00 a.m. The actual time of opening will be stated in the morning announcement. If there is a need to close the Center early due to changing weather conditions and the development of hazardous road conditions, loss of power, loss of water or unsafe building conditions during the day, parents will be notified of the time of closing by phone as soon as possible. An announcement will be made also on WBAL radio (1090 AM) and on the Center's recorded telephone message. Every effort will be made to contact parents in sufficient time for them to arrange for the departure of their child(ren) from the Center prior to time of closing.
- It is strongly recommended
that parents make contingency plans for child care. This prior planning
will facilitate securing alternate child care promptly when it is necessary
to close the Center, delay its opening, or have an early dismissal for
the day.
- For
our School Age Children-
*BCPS delayed opening and/or unscheduled closing- Every attempt will be made to open the center on time. Care will be provided if BCPS delay opening or close early. In the event of an unscheduled closing of BCPS, CPCFCCC staff will pick the children up when school closes. There will be a tuition charge for school children that attend the Center on days/times when the Center is open and public schools are closed.
- Our Half Day Preschool
Program follows the Baltimore County Public Schools snow closing
or delayed opening schedule:
·When Baltimore County schools are closed due to snow, the morning and afternoon Half Day Preschool Programs will be closed.
·When Baltimore County schools open one hour late, morning Half Day Preschool will open one hour late.
·When Baltimore County schools open more than one hour late, Morning Half Day Preschool will be canceled. Afternoon Half Day Preschool will be open.
- Parking is available in the large lot located between the church and Hillcrest School. No one is allowed to use the private driveway on the north side of the Center.
- Drive slowly and carefully and watch for children at all times.
- Display
your CPCFCCC parking permit in a visible location when parked in the
Center lot.
-
Spaces 1-24 are reserved parking for Center staff members,
parent/guardians and/or family members visiting the Center during its
program hours, and church members attending daytime programs only. This
area is intended for parking at times other than arrivals and departures
from the Center.
- Spaces 49-64 (along the chain link fence at the back of the playground) are reserved 15 minute parking for arrivals to and departures from the Center. Please use these spaces only when arriving and departing to avoid crossing the parking lot, and to stay out of the way of moving cars.
Our buildings meet all fire and safety requirements. Smoking is forbidden in any area of the building. Fire drills are practiced monthly under the supervision of the Center's Director.
Children are not permitted to bring toys from home. The Center cannot be responsible for loss or breakage. Children should not bring money, candy or chewing gum to the Center. Books, records or tapes, clearly labeled with the child's name, may be brought to share with the group with prior permission from the teacher. Each teacher will advise parents of the class Show and Tell policy. A soft "lovey", stuffed animal, is appropriate for rest time.
Birthdays may be celebrated at the Center. Plans to celebrate this occasion must be approved by the teacher several weeks in advance.
Children are encouraged to dress themselves, so their clothing should be manageable. They should be dressed appropriately for daily outdoor play according to the weather (i.e. hats, mittens, boots, snow gear). Fancy clothing should be avoided. For the childrens safety flip flops and sandals are not allowed. Tennis shoes or closed rubber soled shoes are best for active play in the gym or on the playground.
Parent and/or Guardian Communication
There are bulletin boards which contain current Center and classroom news. A Center-wide bulletin board and information table is located at the main entrance. A parent board for each classroom is located outside each classroom near the sign in and sign out sheets. Check these boards daily.
All requests from a parent or guardian of a child enrolled at the Center for a Center teacher to attend a conference/consultation concerning that child outside of the Center shall be submitted to the Director. The Director shall represent the Center at any such conferences which he/she deems appropriate.
Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect Procedures
State law requires staff members to report any suspected child abuse to Protective Services. We would be held liable under the law if we did not report any such incidence. Failure to report such an incident is against the law.
The Preschool and Child Care Center curriculum and schedule are available for parents to peruse. Children's work projects reflect the Center's activities and your child's creativity. The parents are encouraged to take these projects home on a regular basis and share them with the rest of the child's family.
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Parent or Guardian/Teacher conferences will be held twice a year, or
upon request of either party. The teacher or Director will notify parents
of the date, time and place of the conference.
- Parent
or Guardian/Council conferences are available. Parents may request,
in writing, to meet with the Council to express and discuss concerns
after a discussion with the Director has occurred.
- Emergency Conferences-Staff members are urged to discuss any problems concerning a child with the Director as soon as problems arise. If deemed necessary, parents will be invited to discuss the problem with the teacher and Director. If resolution of the problem is not reached, formal dismissal would occur only after a parent conference with the Director, teacher and/or other appropriate support personnel.
Half Day Preschool Program:
·Each Preschool class will be served a nutritious snack with milk or juice daily.
Full Day Child Care Center Programs:
·Each child brings his/her lunch. Lunches will be refrigerated. This is a requirement of Child Care Licensing. Milk will be provided by the Center.
·Due to the number of children in attendance, we are not able to heat up lunch items.
·Nutritious snacks will be served twice daily, in the morning and afternoon. Snack menus are posted on the Center's bulletin board.
All off-site field trips are approved by the Director and require signed parent permission. For safety children are encouraged to wear CPCFCCC T-shirts or sweatshirts on all field trips. Field trips are especially exciting when parents can share these experiences with their child. Bus seating will be on a first-come basis. If bus seating is limited, additional parents can drive their own child(ren). Since this is a special time for you and your child to share and CPCFCCC policy, it is not possible for siblings to join us on field trips.
New situations often create anxiety. We therefore request your help in the following ways:
·If you have a family snapshot that your child could bring to class and have as a reference, it would be a helpful reassurance.
·An affectionate, but brief, farewell is easier on the child than a protracted parting.
·A favorite stuffed toy may be helpful. We discourage toys from home, but we certainly do let them hold on to their soft "loveys" if they are experiencing stress in adjusting to new surroundings.
·There is nothing as reassuring as being picked up promptly. Your promptness makes it easier for your child to come again the next time.Appendix A
Babysitting Release Form1. Name(s) of child(ren) currently enrolled at Catonsville Presbyterian Church Family Child Care Center:
2. Name and address of parents/guardians:
3. Name(s) of Catonsville Presbyterian Church Family Child Care Center employee(s) providing private, off-site child care:
Date: __________________________________
This release is valid from the above date until the beginning of the next program year. A new form is required each program year and whenever a change is necessary to any item on it.
Please read the following release and sign below:
I/we understand that I/we am/are entering in to a private agreement/independent contract with the person(s) named in item 3 above to care for the child/children named in item 1 above. This child care is independent of and separate and distinct from the care provided by Catonsville Presbyterian Church and Catonsville Presbyterian Church Family Child Care Center. I/we release and discharge the Catonsville Presbyterian Church and Catonsville Presbyterian Church Family Child Care Center and their respective directors, officers, agents, representatives, employees (acting in their capacity as employees), successors and assigns from any and all claims and damages that I/we may have or claim to have against either entity at the present time or in the future based upon or arising out of such child/children being in the care of the person(s) listed in item 3 above and while that person(s) is/are acting in such private, independent capacity.
Signature _____________________ Date __________
Signature _____________________ Date __________
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