Chickadees

Childcare’s

Parent
Handbook

PARENT HANDBOOK
WELCOME ………………………………………………………. 3

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT …………………………………… 4

CURRICULUM STATEMENT ………………………………….. 4

TUITION …………………………………………………………. 6

ENROLLMENT AND WITHDRAWAL …………………………7

ATTENDANCE ………………………………………………….. 7

EMPLOYEES ……………………………………………………. 9

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ………………………………... 10

CONFIDENTIALITY ……………………………………………. 14

TRANSITION FROM ONE CLASSROOM TO ANOTHER …… 14

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HANDBOOK ……………………... 15

PHOTOGRAPH PERMISSION …………………………………. 16

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY ….. 17

Welcome!

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 We are so happy to have you become part of our Chickadees Childcare family! We are a

small childcare center located in the village of Almont with many wonderful children. Our hours

of operation are Monday- Friday from 6am-6pm. We pride ourselves on our amazing staff

connections with all of the children and their families in our care. Our staff is what keeps our

center going! At Chickadees Childcare, we work to establish relationships and give supports to

all of our students and their families. We work to meet the needs of all children of all abilities.

This handbook offers our center’s policies as well as guidelines for the families at our

center. We work to keep all families well informed. We pride ourselves on our abilities to meet

all standards to ensure quality care for all our families. We hope that you look over this

handbook and if you find yourselves with any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We are happy to welcome your family at Chickadees Childcare. We are excited to get to

know you and your child. We can’t wait to watch your child grow and learn at our center. We are

so happy to have you and your family join us!

Sincerely,

Chickadees Childcare Management and Owner

Philosophy Statement

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 In our center, we hope to shape the minds of the future by giving them the opportunities

to grow and learn. We believe that this can be done through play and exploration. It is important

to give children these hands on experiences to allow for them to learn and develop at their own

pace. We believe that all children can learn. Each child can learn no matter what their abilities

are. Those abilities do not limit or define them. We also believe that all children should know

that they are cared for. Our staff will care for and ensure the safety for all the children in our

center. The development and the needs of all the children in our care is our main priority.

Curriculum Statement
At Chickadees Childcare, we use a play- based curriculum. We believe that children learn

best through hands on experiences. With these experiences given, children will learn and develop

at their own time and pace. We believed when designing this curriculum, the child will take

charge of their learning and celebrate their successes. Our goal is to help your child gain those

crucial social interactions, so that they may develop into well- rounded individuals. Our

curriculum can be differentiated amongst the different abilities that each child may bring to our

center.

Parent Involvement:

We are an inclusive center and are welcoming to all children and families. Our goal is to

help your child to be the best that they can be. At Chickadees Childcare, we encourage

collaboration with adults and other caregivers in the child’s life. We believe that learning takes

place not only at our center but also at home. We want to extend our resources and learning

opportunities to the families of our children to ensure learning in all aspects of their lives. At our

center, we do encourage volunteers for events and special occasions. Please contact your child’s

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lead teacher for information on volunteering. We also believe that communication between the

families and the teachers is very important, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if needed.

Materials:

Our center contains materials that are developmentally appropriate to the children’s ages

and needs. Safety is our main priority when selecting materials for each classroom. There are a

variety of materials for children to explore that align with our program’s curriculum.

Routines:

At our center, we understand that each child has their own individual needs and routines.

We will work to accommodate these needs and take note on specific daily schedules. We want to

make your child feel as comfortable as possible and help them maintain consistency. Our

teachers will do their best to follow your child’s schedule and provide them with the materials

they need in order to be succeed.

Tuition

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 At our center, we work towards providing a tuition that is affordable for all families. We

have applied for many grants and scholarships that has helped us to be able to make the tuition

we offer as affordable as we can. Below are the prices that we offer at our center for each

program.

Tuition is $130 per week per toddler

$100 per week per preschooler
$300 per month per kindergarten child who comes for ½ day preschool

With the money for tuition, we will provide the children with breakfast, snacks, and

lunch. The money from tuition will also be put towards classroom supplies such as toys, tissues,

soap, hand sanitizer, diapers, and wipes. It will also be put towards napkins, silverware, cups,

and plates.

Late Fees:

Tuition is due every Tuesday each week. If a family is late on their payment they will

receive a warning. With that warning comes a $25 late fee. If a payment is more than a week late

and tends to happen each week, then the director will get in touch with the family and require a

specific payment plan. This payment plan could mean that the family is required to pay a certain

number of weeks ahead of time to ensure no late payments. If payments continue to not be

payed, then the family will be put on a suspension of their child attending until payment is

received.

Enrollment and Withdrawal Procedures

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 You may be placed on a waiting list depending on our number of Enrollment will involve

the first two weeks of tuition paid and the submission of all forms. These forms will include the

acknowledgment of this handbook and permission forms that are at the end of this handbook. We

also require an emergency contact for and medical form to be submitted as well. As far as

withdrawal for our center, we will need a two week notice.

Attendance
Absence Policy:

Since the tuition for our center is paid weekly, we are flexible when it comes to future

vacation plans. If a family decides to take a week off to go on vacation, the family will not have

to pay for the absence as long as the center is given a two week notice. But a child is sick during

a paid week, the family we not be refunded for that particular amount of days. We will also be

closed for the 7 major holidays each year. These holidays include; Christmas Day and Eve,

Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve and Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

Late and Early Drop Off:

Our hours of operation include Monday through Friday from 6am- 6pm. If for some

reason you are in need of an earlier drop off time, there will be a charge and it needs to be

arranged with the director. Our opening staff come in no earlier than 5:45am. There must be a

valid reason and prearrangements made. If you are late to pick up your child, there will also be a

charge. For every 5 minutes late, there will be a $5 charge. Also, if you are running late and will

not make the pickup time of 6pm a call is greatly appreciated. We understand that emergencies

come up.

Arrival and Departure:

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 We ask that you bring you children into the classroom each morning. You will be asked

to ring the doorbell at the front door that has a video camera. You will then be let in by our

secretary and have to sign your child in at the front desk before heading to their classroom. In the

classroom, you and your child will be warmly greeted by the staff in the room. At the arrival

time, you will be able to inform the teacher in the classroom of any important information they

need to know about your child. We work to provide your child with a smooth transition during

drop off to help them have a good day.

We are not allowed to let any child leave our center with anyone that is not on their

emergency contact form. An ID have to be seen if a contact picks up your child that the staff in

the room are not familiar with. The child will need to take their backpack belongings home with

them, emptying their mailboxes each day. Nap stuff will be sent home every Friday. Dirty

clothes will also be sent home upon use. The child will need to be signed out at the front desk

before exiting the center each day.

Employees
At our center we have specific qualifications for each type of staff member in our center.

At our center we have a director, lead teachers, and assistant teachers. The director position

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requires that the individual has obtained a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in early

childhood education. This person may also be in the process of working towards a master’s

degree in early childhood education upon hiring. This position also requires the individual to

have at least 5 or more years of experience in the early childhood education field. Lead teachers

must obtain a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Assistant teachers must obtain an

associate’s degree in early childhood education or a CDA.

All Employees must:

 Be able to meet the needs of all children at all times anywhere in the center.
 Have no lifting restrictions over 25 pounds.
 Be able to meet the level of the child.
 Be able to communicate with parents verbally and written about children.
 Be able to handle any challenges and situations that come with being in the classroom.
 Be able to work alongside coworkers to benefit the children.
 Have respect and give support to families of all types.
 Be able to display professional demeanor while in the classroom and dealing with situations.
 Be able to follow the Michigan Childcare Licensing Requirements.
 Be able to follow the Michigan State Standards of Quality for Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschoolers.
 Be able to follow the NAEYC Requirements.

Policies and Procedures

Conferences and Home Visits:

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 Parent Teacher Conferences will be done three times a year. The meetings will be

scheduled and held with the lead teacher along with the assistant teachers. This will allow the

teachers to talk about the child and their development in the classroom. This also gives the

parents a chance to see any progress in their child’s work. Other meetings can be made for the

parents and teachers if needed. Chickadees Childcare will not require home visits.

Clothing and Toys from Home Policy:

All families are asked to send their child in with extra clothes. We also ask that you make

sure your child’s clothes are labeled. They will also be able required to send in their child

appropriate clothing based on the weather conditions. We will have extra clothes that were

donated to the classroom that the children can use, but we ask that the parents wash and send the

center’s clothes back. Children will have to have their own sunscreen provided too by families

during the summer.

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse:

All of our employees at Chickadees Childcare are mandated child abuse reporters. All of

the employees have done mandatory training and are up to date on all steps in the process of

handling child abuse reporting. The teachers are all aware of what signs are of child abuse and

neglect. If steps in reporting are taken, then confidentiality is kept.

Safety Policy:

All safety procedures will occur throughout each year at our center. We will give our

families a notice before we conduct any of the drills at our site.

Fire Drills- We will conduct a fire drill every 2 months. In each classroom, there is a poster in

each classroom for where the class needs to be during the drill and in case of an actual

emergency.

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Tornado Procedures- The drill will be conducted by having the children will be taken into the

hallways in a safe area where they will sit. The teachers in the classroom will model and

help the children cover their heads during the drill. These drills will occur twice a year.

There is also a written plan displayed in each classroom.

Lockdown Procedures- We will conduct a lockdown drill 4 times a year

Weather Related Emergencies- If there is a weather related emergency, parents will be called and

proper precautions will be taken. Parents may be asked to come pick their children up

early or we may have to close due to the weather.

Outside Play- We will check the weather each day to make sure that it is appropriate for children

to go outside. We will also make sure that the children are dressed appropriately for the

weather conditions.

Food Allergies/ Dietary Restrictions:

Families are to submit a medical form stating any allergies or dietary restrictions prior to

their child’s attendance. This is required so that we can make any changes to the menu or

accommodate the child in any way that they need to fulfill the restrictions. We hope to create a

safe place for all of our children. By becoming aware of any allergies, we will be able to make

necessary arrangements to ensure that the child will not be around or near the food that they are

allergic to. If any medications are needed, we will need a doctor’s note along with administering

instructions, so that the child can be given what they need.

Toilet Training:

Toilet Training will be decided by the family. Depending on the age of the student,

teachers may make recommendations, but ultimately it is up to the parents. When families decide

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to start toilet training for their child, we ask that you begin communicating with your child’s

teacher so that they can integrate the child’s schedule into their daily routines. It is our goal to

work in the child’s toilet training schedule used at home at school and to our best ability. We do

ask that during this time, you make sure that your child is dressed in comfortable clothes. It

would also recommend to send extra clothes in case of accidents.

Volunteering:

We encourage volunteers in our center. We will have small celebrations in the classroom

that always need parent volunteers for help. All volunteers need to fill out our center’s volunteer

form that can be found at the front desk of our center. This form will need to be approved by the

director but once approval is given, volunteering in the future will be fine.

Grievance Policy:

At our center, we think that the staff should make reasonable attempts to resolve any

complaints or issues going on with an individual within reason. If matters become too difficult or

are not becoming resolved, the staff member is to get the director involved. The director will

help the staff member come up with a solution and or step in to speak with the other individual

about the complaint or conflict. If problems continue and work is being affected, then other

actions may take place.

Discipline Procedures:

At our site we have a 3 step disciplinary policy. Teachers in each room will use their own

digression to see when they will need to use the disciplinary steps. This policy will take action

for any child that exhibits continual disruptive behavior and or disturbs the well-being of other

children in his/her classroom.

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STEP 1: Continual behavior and disruption of other students will result in a call home to the

parent by the lead teacher. The lead teacher will have a meeting with the parents about

the behavior and will come up with a plan to correct the behavior.

STEP 2: If the behavior persists and the meeting with the lead teacher and parents did not help,

then there will be a conference with the director. The director will sit in on the meeting

and offer their opinion and help the lead teacher and parents come up with a new plan for

the behavior.

STEP 3: If the first two previous steps fail to correct the misbehavior, then it may cause for a

suspension or expulsion from the program.

Guidance Tips:

Below are a few tips that we think are important to have teachers remember in the classroom.

 Make the environment positive and inviting for the children.

 Model positive behavior.
 Make sure rules and consistent routines are established.
 Make sure your room follows licensing regulations.
 Make sure that the environment offers many opportunities for learning.

Care for Special Needs Children:

We care for all the children in our care no matter what their ability is. We work with our

local ISD to provide the children in our center with any services they may need. We also be able

to offer parents resources and supports for children with special needs. Chickadees Childcare

prides its self on inclusion, so we will provide the best possible support and differentiation we

can for our students of all abilities.

Confidentiality

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 We have a strict confidentiality policy here at Chickadees Childcare. We want all of our

children and families to have their information kept private. You are not prohibited to share any

information about students with anyone outside of our center. Confidentiality is also to be

maintained when complaints and grievances occur. We are to keep all information about students

to ourselves and other staff members. Disciplinary actions may take place if any staff members

violate our confidentiality policy. We also ask that our confidentiality policy be maintained by

families as well.

Transitioning from One Classroom to Another

Transitions from one classroom to another are based on age. At our site we have 4 rooms.

One room of toddlers, two preschool rooms, and a kindergarten room. Our toddler room works

with walking toddlers ages 1.5 years- 2.5years old. Both our preschool rooms have students ages

3 years- 5 years old. The kindergarten room works with children ages 5 years and 6 years old.

We work to make the transition as smooth as possible from classroom to classroom. We work

with the children in preparing them and talking to them about moving. They will be able to meet

the teachers and tour the classroom before transitioning as well.

Acknowledgment of Handbook

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I ______________________________________ (print name) have read the parent handbook. I

understand the policies and what are required of myself at the Chickadees Childcare Center. I

will abide by the rules and know that this handbook could be subjected to change.

Signature: ___________________________________ Date:__________________

Photograph Permission

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________ I give Chickadees Childcare permission to take pictures of my child to use on their

website and or Facebook page.

________ I do not give Chickadees Childcare permission to take pictures of my child to use on

their website and or Facebook page.

Signature: _____________________________________ Date: _____________

Acknowledgment of Confidentiality Policy

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I __________________________________ (print name) have read and will abide by Chickadees

Childcare’s confidentiality policy.

Signature: _______________________________ Date: ___________________

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