GREAT BEGINNINGS EARLY LEARNING CENTER POLICIES

Program

At Great Beginnings Early Learning Center your child’s individual talents, skills and abilities will be nurtured in a loving and compassionate environment.  Learning is encouraged through art, science, language, math, recreational play, individual and group dynamics and in the active engagement of the mind, fine motor skills and creativity of your early learner. Great Beginnings operates under a GROUP CARE model and is comprised of qualified staff with a passion to support the development, educational, recreational and psychological growth of young children ages 6 weeks to 5 years of age. We are a privately owned and operated Christian Center working with a Christian Curriculum designed to encourage the healthy adjustment of children as they enter into the community of learning; with a focus on providing tools for them to learn sharing, compassion, patience, honesty, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We develop children’s educational capacities along with their abilities to grow, learn, play and explore the world around them. 

 
Hours of Operation
Great Beginnings Early Learning center is open from the hours of 7:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time from Monday to Friday except on Holidays, Staff Development Days and due to inclement weather when the City of Alexandria school system is closed.

Teachers
Our teachers are specially chosen for their dedication to meeting the educational and developmental needs of children.  Each member of our staff meets or exceeds the qualifications set by state law.  Also, our teachers participate in continuing education programs and training sessions designed to further improve their teaching skills.

Infants
We provide a nurturing atmosphere to encourage physical and emotional growth and development.  Developing a feeling of security and positive attachment in an infant is our most important task.  Parents will be responsible for providing diapers, bottles, formula and baby food. Each infant’s clothing, blankets, crib sheets, bottles, and personal effects must be labeled with the infant’s name.  Your child must have an extra pair of clothing, bibs, blankets and crib sheets at the center each day.  All items will be sent home for cleaning at the end of each week.  A new set of extras must be provided the following school day.

Pre-school Curriculum
The A Beka Christian curriculum is carefully designed to meet each child's individual needs.  We involve all our children in the learning process.  We believe that no child is too young to learn with developmentally appropriate activities.  The content and experience offered vary according to the age of the children.  Each day children at our center complete a bible-based activity during their day. Staff also incorporate techniques into the program as a supplement to the curriculum.

A broad lesson plan is emailed and posted at the start of the school week for parents to keep informed of their child's class activities.  Lessons should include activities to enhance skills in:
• Pre-and Beginning Reading                          • Pre-and Beginning Math
• Nature  & Science                                                 • Arts & Crafts
• Fine and Gross Motor Skills                         • Music & Dance
• Social Skills & Recreational Play
Please check the lesson plan for your child's class so that you can be aware of their learning and can supplement your child's experiences each week.

Solicitation

Great Beginnings Early Learning center strictly prohibits any form of solicitation for childcare services between its staff and its parents without express consent from the Center Owner or Center Director. Any such solicitation which occurs without express consent from GBELC may result in our terminating care for the erring family.

Termination of care

Great Beginnings Early Learning center reserves the right to remove a child from our program for any good cause reason, especially if we have concerns that he/she may hurt themselves or others, or if we feel we are not capable of providing the appropriate care for their needs.

Art
Here at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, Art activities are a very important part of fostering and expressing creativity in your early learner.  This may take the form of free expression with crayons or paint or may be a teacher-directed craft.  Emphasis is always on the process, not the finished product.  It is most important that the child create his own work of art. 

Music & Dance
Children are given many opportunities to express themselves through music and dance.  The children sing, dance and participate in creative movement exercises that provide opportunities for rhythm, listening and self-expression.  In the classroom the children may sing and move to tapes and CD’s or participate in other activities using various forms of music.  Classical music is played daily during periods of rest. 

Field Trips and Special Activities
At this time we don’t conduct field trips in our classes under 3 years of age. When we do, the following will apply:
Field Trips are activities that are planned off of the center premises.  Field trips are both fun and educational.  All field trips are posted.  A signed permission slip will be required before any child may participate in a field trip and any money due for the field trip is to be paid in advance.  Parents are welcome to accompany their children on field trips when possible.  Parents must provide their own transportation.  Some children may not be allowed to attend field trips if their behavior threatens the security of the child or the group.  Parents will be informed if their child does not attend a scheduled field trip for which they gave permission.
Special Activities are activities in addition to our regular program but occur on center premises, i.e. ballet, gymnastics, etc.  We feel children benefit from real-life and hands-on experiences.  Therefore, special activities are provided.  Any money due for the special activities is to be paid in advance.  Some children may not be allowed to participate in special activities if their behavior threatens the participation/enjoyment of the group.

Rest Time
After lunch, a rest period is provided for preschool children.  To protect your child’s health we provide a sanitized cot.  Parents will need to furnish a small blanket and sheet with the child’s name clearly marked on it.  Blankets and sheets should be taken home weekly for laundering.  Rest time is a requirement of the state regulations but as long as children do not disturb other children they are not required to go to sleep.

Food
GBELC provides a catered lunch for children in the Toddler class up to graduation (these are children who are able to eat table foods). Our catering comes through Fairfax Food Service. Parents whose children must have a lunch provided from home due to dietary or religious reasons will not be reimbursed for the cost of meals.  Meals must be provided in a temperature-controlled container labeled with the child’s name and the date.  All uneaten portions will be disposed of at the end of each day.  If the parent provides home based meals, Great Beginnings Early Learning Center is not responsible for its nutritional value or meeting child’s daily food needs. 

Please check with the center Director before bringing food items to be shared with the other children at the center.  Due to Health Department Regulations, all food items brought into the center must be from a commercial source i.e.  all baked goods must be brought from the bakery.  Arrangements can be made with the Director if you would like to provide a snack for a birthday party or special event.  Birthdays may be celebrated at the Center, but presents are not to be exchanged.  Please notify the teacher in advance if you wish to bring “goodies” for a birthday party.

Clothing
Children are permitted to wear any comfortable, safe shoe in any color, style or design of their choosing.  Label all clothing and personal articles.  Please bring an extra set of clothing to be kept at the center.  Soiled clothing should be taken home and replaced with a fresh set the next day.  Even older children occasionally spill their drinks or get paint on their clothes!

Discipline
We believe that your child should have a healthy self-esteem.  A healthy self-image comes from positive experiences like being praised for good behavior and repeatedly experiencing success.
Our Guidelines for discipline are fair, consistent and encourage children to make wise decisions.  At Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, discipline consists of positive reinforcement, redirection or “sit and watch”.  The use of physical punishment is against the policy of the center.   

Enrollment Requirements/Enrollment Forms
For your child’s safety and to comply with state regulations, all enrollment papers must be completed, and on file in the Center BEFORE your child attends Great Beginnings Early Learning Center. These forms include an enrollment application, parent agreement form and a notarized custody declaration (if applicable), we must view a Birth Certificate or other form of identification for your child; Medical forms include up-to-date immunization records, physician’s statement, necessary emergency medical contact information and emergency medical authorization. Your child may not receive care until all of these forms are updated annually or bi-annually as required by law.

Tuition and Enrollment Fees
An enrollment fee is due upon successful enrollment of your child into the program.  A re-enrollment fee will be due each September 1.  The enrollment and re-enrollment fees cover supplemental insurance, administrative costs and supplies.  (An extra fee may be charged for additional educational materials.) Enrollment fees are not refundable.  If you should withdraw your child during the year and return later, a new enrollment fee will be charged. Full tuition is due to the center on the 1^st and the 15^th or on the 1^st monthly.  Great Beginnings Early Learning Center does not have part-time student enrollment.  Holidays are counted as a day present.

Methods of Payment
All tuition fees are due and payable in advance of the week(s) that care is provided or on your child’s first program day.  A bookkeeping fee will be charged on the unpaid balance if fees are not paid by the 3^rd business day after your contracted tuition is due.  Your child will not be admitted to Great Beginnings Early Learning Center until full payment is made. Cash or credit card payments will NOT be authorized.  All payments, except for the security deposit and enrollment fee, must be made by ACH Debit or by Certified Funds (Money Order or Certified Check).  A $35 fee will be charged for all returned payments. Failure to make payments as scheduled may lead to suspension or termination of enrollment. Please always ask for a Great Beginnings Early Learning Center printed receipt.

Vacation for Students
You may remove your child from the center for vacation, however a two-week notice is appreciated.  Full tuition is still required in order to maintain your child’s enrollment at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center. For this reason there will be NO REDUCTION IN YOUR TUITION for absenteeism or vacation.

Holidays
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center observes all federal holidays including: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.  Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  In addition to these, the center is also closed on Good Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas. The center also closes early at 2:00pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and may close on three (3) staff development days with a 30 day notice.  If a holiday falls on a non-work day, please follow the federal governments closing schedule for that holiday.  An annual holiday schedule will be provided to you. Due to fixed costs, averaged over a calendar year, there is NO reduction in tuition for these holidays.  Tuition charges for these holidays will be calculated as though the child was present, if it is the child’s regularly scheduled day of attendance.  When one of these holidays falls on a weekend, the Holiday may be taken on Friday or Monday.  The center will post which day.

Late Pick Up Charge
Parents who pick up their children after the regular closing time and grace period of 6:00pm and 6:05 respectively, will be charged a late fee of one dollar per minute. This charge must be paid to the Director in the morning of the next school day.  If there has been no communication from parents, legal authorities will be contacted as required by law for children left at the center one hour after the closing time of the center.

Attendance
In an effort to maintain a quality program and proper staffing, please notify your Director if your child will be absent on a scheduled day of attendance. Parents have a legal right to enter the center at any time during operating hours to visit with their children.

Arrival and Departure
Upon arrival, parents are required, by state law, to leave the child in the care of a staff member.  Both the parent and the staff member are responsible for the care of the child and must sign each child in and out daily.  Great Beginnings Early Learning Center will not release your child to anyone, other than those authorized on your child’s enrollment form, without written authorization from the parent. Parents have a legal right to enter the center at any time during operating hours to visit with their children. Identification (valid state ID) will be checked on ANY person we do not recognize on sight.  Children will not be released to other children, i.e. older brothers and sisters, unless that sibling is at least 16 years old and specifically listed on the enrollment form or approved in advance by the Director.  Please do not allow your child to leave the building ahead of you.  Your cooperation will help ensure the safety of your child.

Inclement Weather Policy
If Alexandria Schools are closed, Great Beginnings Early Learning Center is closed.

If Alexandria Schools open one or two hours late, Great Beginnings Early Learning Centers will open one or two hours late. If Alexandria Schools close early, we will close early. Please always call our main number (703-224-2599) to verify our opening and closing status.

Bringing Things from Home
Toys are not to be brought from home unless specifically requested for “show and tell” by the teacher or are used by the child at rest time to make him/her feel more secure.  We strongly advise against sending your child’s special bedtime item.  Other toys can be easily lost or broken and can become sources of conflict between children.  Great Beginnings Early Learning Center will not be responsible for toys brought to the center.

Lost articles
We cannot replace lost articles.  If your child brings money or something valuable to Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, it is important that the teacher or Director be informed.
Please check in lost and found if an item is missing.  Lost and found items will be cleaned out periodically and donated to a charitable organization.

Illness
Parents must notify the Center immediately, within 24 hours or on the next business day if a child or anyone in your household has been exposed to or has contracted a communicable disease outside the Center. Children must remain away from the center until 24 hours after they and/or the household is symptom free) as defined by the State Board of Health, except of the case of life threatening diseases that must be reported immediately. Policies and guidelines related to outbreaks of communicable diseases and illnesses in this facility have been developed with the help of the local health department and local pediatricians in order to protect the group as a whole as well as the health of your own child. Your child should be kept at home if he shows any sign of illness.  If they have or have experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours they must to be kept at home and away from this facility:

Ø         A fever of 100* orally or 99 under the arm.

Ø         Signs of a newly developed cough or a severe cough.

Ø         Diarrhea, vomiting, or an upset stomach.

Ø         Unusual or unexplained loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, or headache.

Ø         Any discharge or drainage from the eyes, nose, ears, or open sores.

Children who show signs or symptoms listed above will be asked to be picked up ASAP.

I appreciate your cooperation with this policy. If you have any questions concerning this policy and whether your child should attend, please call the center at 703-224-2599.

If a child becomes ill at the center, parents will be notified and asked to pick the child up within one hour.  A child must be free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to the Center.

The Center has permission to take such reasonable measures as are, in the judgment of the Center, necessary for the welfare and safety of the child.  In the case of emergency medical care,

all medical bills are to be sent directly to the parent or guardian.  In case of illness or accident, when a parent cannot be contacted by the Center, if in the judgment of the Center, a physician is required; one may be called or a child may be transported by emergency personal at the parent’s expense.   

Medication Policy
No medication will be given out by Great Beginnings Early Learning Center.

Injuries
The staff at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center make every effort to ensure the safety of your child.  Unfortunately, accidents may occur.  In caring for your child, we realize that you will want to be aware of your child’s injuries or illnesses that occur at the center.  In case of a minor accidental injury, we will administer first-aid including cleaning wounds with mild soap and water.  In case of a serious accidental injury, we will make every attempt to contact you for instructions and will call 911.  If we cannot reach you, we will call the person you have indicated on the enrollment form to make medical emergency decisions about your child.  Please keep these numbers updated on all enrollment forms.  Your signed emergency medical release will also assist us in getting prompt medical attention in case a parent/guardian cannot be reached.

Great Beginnings Early Learning Center’s main concern has been and will always be the health and safety of your child.

Release
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center reserves the right to use pictures, images and expressions of students in publications, informational brochures, on our website or flyers and other communications.  By signing/enrolling your child with Great Beginnings Early Learning Center you give expressed permission and consent for Great Beginnings Early Learning Center to use students images or pictures and expressions in publications, informational brochures, flyers, communications or Great Beginnings materials without compensation to the child or family. 

Parent Comments
We are always interested in your comments, both positive and negative, regarding the care and education that your child receives at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center.  Your child's teacher and center Director should be the first contacts for a parent's constructive criticism.

We also provide a means for parents to leave an anonymous comment in the Director’s Comment box at the entryway of the center.

Building and Site Evacuation

Building Evacuation: The Head Teacher in each class will make a quick assessment of the situation in the classroom and of any injuries to the children or adults. The teacher will perform a head count to ensure that all children are present. The Director or Designee will evaluate the evacuation route to be sure that it appears clear of obstructions. The Director or Designee will give instructions to evacuate via the walkie-talkies or verbally. If possible and time allows, the teachers and aides in each class will have children take their jackets and coats.

The Director or Designee will gather all pertinent information, health care supplies, and essential documents and take the following items:

·           disaster supplies which are stored in the supply closet

·           class/staff attendance sheets and visitor sign-in sheets

·           children’s emergency and medical information/supplies

·           Director’s cell phone and a walkie talkie

·           emergency evacuation bag

Staff should assemble children 2 by 2 to evacuate the building (preferably one teacher leading the children and one teacher following behind). Young toddlers will be evacuated by adults carrying them out of the building or walking with them hand in hand and infants in the evacuation cribs. The Director or Designee will call 911.

The teacher for each class will perform a head count and take attendance and report it to the Director or Designee. The teacher will have children sit down if possible. If safe to do so, the Director or Designee will search the building for anyone missing.

If there is a gas leak or other incident that requires individuals be located further away from the child care, the Director or Designee will have teachers move children to the predestinated emergency evaluation area (700 N. Washington Street) or no less than one block from the child care center.

The Director or Designee will evaluate the situation with the help of responding agencies (fire, police, etc.) and determine if it is safe to enter building. If not, a determination will be made for if it is necessary to move to the alternate site location (700 N. Washington Street), or to stay put until it is safe to re-enter the building.

The Director or Designee will notify parents immediately if evacuation looks to be long term or if children are moved to our alternate site location. The Director or Designee will report the incident to DSS and the licensing inspector. The Director or Designee will complete a written incident report at the earliest opportunity. All parents will be notified of incident(s) as soon as possible.

Site Evacuation:

If it is determined that staff and children will be moved to the alternate emergency location, 700 N. Washington Street, the teachers for each class will pair children together with a designated teacher or aide and will perform a head count before and after meeting at the emergency evaluation location. The Director or Designee will call the appropriate agencies (fire, 911, paramedics), gather all pertinent information, health care supplies, essential documents and the Director or Designee should bring the following items to the alternate sites:

·           disaster supplies which are stored in the supply closet

·           class/staff attendance sheets and visitor sign-in sheets

·           children’s emergency and medical information/supplies

·           Director’s cell phone and a walkie talkie

·           evacuation bag

Children will walk with the teachers to the alternate site location. (If they are un-able to walk they will be carried or pushed in the evacuation crib.)

Once at the alternate site location, the teacher will take head counts and attendance again and report it to the Director or Designee. Teachers must remain with their group of children until the children are picked up by parents or emergency contacts. The Director or Designee will continue to communicate with parents and coordinate pick-up of children. The Director or Designee will report the incident to DSS and the licensing inspector. The Director or Designee will complete an incident report at the earliest opportunity.

Child Abuse
Child abuse and neglect are against the law in Virginia, and so is failure to report suspected cases of child abuse.  If we/you suspect a child has been abused or neglected, the law requires that we/you make a report immediately without consulting the parent.  Persons making reports in good faith are protected by law from liability, and their identities are kept confidential.  Persons making false and malicious reports are open to the scrutiny of the criminal justice system.