TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY

?TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOLEDUCARE PROGRAMFamily HandbookAddress: 2315 N. CedarSpokane WA 99205Office: 509-327-9159Cell: 509-319-6608TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL PHILOSOPHYStudents, guardians, teachers and staff work together to create an environment where individuals are respected, have the opportunity to achieve, accept responsibility and interact peacefully.We believe Trinity Educare and Extended Care center to be a community of children, guardians, teachers and staff working together to create a structured, yet free learning atmosphere where individual differences are respected, the dignity in the individual is maintained, and a positive self-concept is developed and fostered. We believe each child needs:to belong regardless of age, race and creed;to achieve—according to his/her own ability; to respect all people; to assume responsibilities as able; to discover thewonders of the world; and most of all, to love and be loved.These things are necessary if the child is to establish a good self-image; grow physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and to develop into the whole person.POLICIES AND PROGRAMSChildren from all races, creeds and religions are welcome to register. Harsh or threatening methods of discipline do not comply with our belief in teaching positive self-concepts. We make every effort to keep guardians informed through daily communication between guardians and teachers, notes to guardians, and guardians' conferences. If at any time you feel your needs, or the needs of your child are not being met, please inform us. We want your child’s stay with us to be a happy and pleasant learning experience.Religious activities include prayer at the beginning of meals, Bible character stories and observation of the traditional religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. We celebrate Halloween by having a party in classrooms along with a costume parade for the school. We also celebrate Valentine’s day with a party and passing out valentines' cards. ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURESWe encourage you to visit the center with your child for a pre-admission conference with the Educare Director. There is a packet of registration forms to be completed by guardians. The Educare program requires a $75 non-refundable deposit for families currently enrolled in the program (If you qualify for DSHS this fee is paid by them). New enrollees pay the first month in advance as well as the registration fee. Fees are due at the time of registration and secure a space for your child. All fees are non-refundable.The center is open to all children without regard to race, religion or sex. Each child admitted is subject to a one-month probationary period.We offer an open enrollment program where a child may be registered at any time during the year. We do, however, require separate enrollment for our summer program and a new annual enrollment for the fall. During Spring/Winter break we will be asking families if they will be attending to ensure proper staffing. Kindergarten families, our Educare Kindergarten is from 11:45-3:00pm. If you will be needing our services after 3:00pm please inform the Educare Director so they can be counted in out afterschool care. School-Age families, we can only accept 30 Before and After school children each day. It is required to have set days that you will be using Before and After Educare. If you would like your child to use Educare as a drop-in basis, it is required for you to call the Educare office (509-327-9159) in advance to see if we have room. Unfortunately, this is not a guarantee. HOURS OF OPERATIONMonday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.PLEASE NOTE: The Center will be closed on the following holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and the day before or the day after Christmas, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Easter Monday, Memorial Day and July 4th, additional days off may include two training days throughout the year. This is at the Director’s and/or Principal’s discretion.Extended care will be available to school-aged children for any day school is not in session and Educare is open. Pre-registration is required. Any child not pre-registered may not be permitted into the program due to staffing regulations.ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE It is required by law for guardians to clock their child(ren) in/out through our system. The guardian will receive a key chain QR code to clock their child(ren) in/out along with access to a QR code through the SmartCare app. If you have someone on your pick up list that will be picking up your child(ren) on a regular basis we can assign them a QR code for convenience. If someone on your pick up list is picking up your child(ren) and it’s a one-time event, you can send a QR code through the SmartCare app. Please remember if you fail to clock your child(ren) in/out, you will be charged $5.00 per child per day. If a guardian picking up a child demonstrates behavior that is of concern (appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, exhibits threatening behavior or does not have a car seat in their vehicle), staff must try to talk to the guardians about making other arrangements, but may not refuse to release the child to legal guardian. They must inform the person that they will immediately call the police because the child is at risk. If the person with questionable behavior is NOT the guardian, staff must immediately call the police and notify the guardian of the concern.DROPPING OFF YOUR CHILDGuardians are required to accompany their child into the center and into their child’s classroom. Guardians should also speak with the teacher in the classroom, if only briefly to let the teacher know your child is there. We require guardians to communicate with their child’s teachers about their child’s temperaments that particular day, how they slept the night before, whether they have eaten that morning, etc. Most children go through periods of difficulty with separating from their guardians. This is common and developmentally appropriate. Try these tips for a successful drop-off:Establish a regular and predictable routine. Whether you have a kiss and a hug and go, or help your child put their things in their cubby first, do it the same way every day. What often makes separating stressful for children is the uncertainty. If your child can predict what will happen, the separation won't be as difficult.Separate once. If you come back into the classroom again and again, it will increase your child’s stress. Remember the moment of separation is the worst part for your child, so doing it more than once makes it more stressful for your child.PARKING, DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UPWe have a small area in front of the school that is marked in yellow on the sidewalk for quick dropping or picking up your child(ren). We ask that you keep this time to no longer than 10 min to keep it available for other families. Please do not block the alleys, this needs to stay clear for other traffic going through the alley. If you are interested in learning more about city parking regulations, we have information available per your request.If you know your stay will last longer than 10 minutes, we ask that you find an appropriate parking spot on the street or we have a parking lot that you can use that’s across the street next to the church. ATTENDANCE POLICYIf your child will not be attending on their scheduled day, we ask that you call to inform us as soon as you know your child will not be attending. This way we can accept drop-in children as needed. It is important that your child arrives on time and attends every day that they are scheduled. In order for your child to benefit from the services and instruction we offer, regular and prompt attendance is beneficial. Children respond well to the daily structure and routine and this expectancy allows them to perform at their optimal level. If there is an interruption in the child's daily schedule, they may have a difficult time responding to the daily activities and routines that are provided in the classroom. Please make sure that your child receives a good night's sleep before attending school. Children that are tired do not respond well to our daily activities and routines and do not receive the benefits from the instruction provided. BILLING PROCEDUREAll families attending Trinity Educare Center or being cared for in the Trinity Extended Care program are responsible for paying their full monthly commitment. You can access your billing information online.Rates are based on which the classroom your child is in, not by their age. PAYING YOUR BILL: Each month we ask that you make your monthly payment either online (with the SmartCare app) or to the Educare office (we except check, cash or card). If the office is closed, you can drop off a payment in the lock box located by the Educare sign in/out. All bills will be posted on the 7th of every month and payments are due no later than the 15th of each month. If payment has not been received by the 15th of the month your account will be charged a $35.00 late fee. REGISTRATION FEES: Registration fees will need to be paid one time per year with the yearly renewal date at the start of the school year.OVERAGES: Overage (Educare usage in excess of what was registered for) will be charged on an hourly basis and will be billed separately.LATE PICKUPS: Children picked up after 6:00 p.m. will be charged $5.00 per minute, per child. Please be aware that if we are unable to reach a guardian or emergency contact once we are closed or if late pick-ups become a regular occurrence, Trinity is required to contact CPS and your child’s care may be terminated. VACATION TIME: Because our program and licensing regulations require us to staff based on the number of children enrolled, tuition refunds for sick days or holidays are not given. Each family is allowed up to three weeks of vacation time per year for which no fee will be charged. These three weeks must be taken in increments of one, two or three weeks at a time as opposed to a single day at a time. You are paying for your child’s spot in our center, not the amount of days attended. Guardians must notify the Director or Assistant Director when they want to use their vacation weeks in order to not be charged. SPECIAL MONTHS: December and April will be billed at your regular monthly fee. Vacation time can be taken if you do not want to use Educare during Christmas or Spring break. The Educare Director must be informed in advance if you wish to do this. June billing will be divided into two portions: The first half of the month will be at your school-rate price and the second half of the month will be based on summer rates (if applicable). COLLECTIONSTrinity is partnered with Valley Empire Collections in order to obtain payments from those who choose to leave our center with an outstanding balance. Trinity will attempt to create a payment plan with families before sending their information to Empire Collections. SCHOOL INSERVICE HALF AND FULL DAYS / INDIVIDUAL HOLIDAYS / CHRISTMAS & SPRING BREAKThe following policy applies:FULL DAY INSERVICE, HOLIDAY OR CHRISTMAS & SPRING BREAK: Currently registered for Educare (You have a monthly billing) Infant-PreK children no additional fee Kindergarten children add $15 Children ages 6-12 add $20Not currently registered for Educare (Drop-in or just for in-service or breaks) Full-Days (5 hours or more): $40.00 per day Half-Days (5 hours or less): $31.00 per dayHALF DAY INSERVICE:Currently registered for Educare (You have a monthly billing) Infant-PreK children no additional fee Kindergarten children no additional fee Children ages 6-12 add $15.00Not currently registered for Educare (Drop-in or just for in-service or breaks) Full-Days (5 hours or more): $40.00 per day Half-Days (5 hours or less): $31.00 per dayENROLLMENT AND DISENROLLMENTHere at Trinity Educare Center it is important to keep your child's information current and confidential. To ensure that all student information is up to date and current we request an annual summer and fall registration. If paperwork is not filled out properly and returned within a proper time frame, your child(ren) spot can’t be guaranteed. All legal guardians have access to their child's file upon request.We hope all families continue their services here at Trinity Educare until your child(ren) age out and are no longer able to attend here at Trinity Educare. If for any reason you no longer need our services, please inform the Educare Director or Assistant Director within a 2 weeks period by e-mail, letter, or verbal notice. STAFF TO CHILD RATIOSInfant (birth-11 months) (Infant classroom) Maximum group size of eight children with a ratio of one staff to four children (1:4)Toddlers (12 months-29 months) (Waddler/Toddler classroom) Maximum group size of 14 children with a ratio of one staff to seven children (1:7)Preschool (30 months-6 years of age who are not attending kindergarten or elementary school) (Preschool/PreK classroom)Maximum group size of 20 children with a ratio of one staff to ten children (1:10)School-age (5-12 years of age who are enrolled in or attending kindergarten or elementary school) (School age/multipurpose room) Maximum group size of 30 children with a ratio of one staff to 15 children (1:15)The center may combine children of different age groups for a period of no more than the first two hours of the day or the last two hours of the day, not to exceed two hours in any given day, provided the staff-to-child ratio and group size designated for the youngest child in the mixed group is maintained.POLICY REGARDING MIXED AGE GROUPSInfant-36 months old:Maximum group size of 8 children with 2 staff present12 months–36 months old:Maximum group size of 14 children with 2 staff present36 months old–KindergartenMaximum group size 20 children with 2 staff present4 ? - 9 years old:Maximum group size of 20 children with 2 staff presentCURRICULUM Trinity Educare Center uses the Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum.Philosophy:“The philosophy behind Creative Curriculum is that young children learn best by doing. Learning isn’t just repeating what someone else says; it requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in. In their early years, children explore the world around them by using all their senses (touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and looking). In using real materials such as blocks and trying out their ideas, children learn about sizes, shapes, and colors, and they notice relationships between things. In time, they learn to use one object to stand for another. This is the beginning of symbolic thinking. Gradually children become more and more able to use abstract symbols like words to describe their thoughts and feelings. They learn to “read” pictures which are symbols of real people, places and things. This exciting development in symbolic thinking takes place during the pre-school years as children play. The activities planned for children, the way the environment is organized, the selection of toys and materials, the daily schedule, and how we talk with children, are all designed to accomplish the goals of the curriculum and give your child a successful start in school.”Creative Curriculum identifies goals in all areas of development:Social: To help children feel comfortable in school, trust their environment, make friends, and feel they are a part of the group.Emotional: To help children experience pride and self- confidence, develop independence and self-control, and have a positive attitude toward life.Cognitive: Assists children to become confident learners by letting them try out their own ideas and experience success, and by helping them acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions, and use words to describe their ideas, observations, and feelings.Physical: Helps children increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do.Curriculum TrainingStaff is trained on the program's curriculumCurriculum development and activitiesLead teachers are given an hour a week of scheduled time to plan and develop curriculum and activities.Teacher Child InteractionsWhen communicating or interacting with children staff must: Use a warm, calm, and respectful tone of voice Use positive language to explain what children can do and give descriptive feedback Have relaxed conversations with children by listening and responding to what they say. Adult conversations must not dominate the overall sound of the group Warmly greet children upon arrival and departure at the early learning program Make eye contact and facial expressions such as smiling, laughing, and enthusiasm to match a child’s moodValidate children’s feelings and show tolerance for mistakes Be responsive and listen to children’s requests and questions, encouraging children to share experiences, ideas, and feelings Use scaffolding methods to gradually move children toward stronger understanding and greater independence in the learning processModel and teach emotional skills such as recognizing feelings, expressing them appropriately, accepting others’ feelings, and controlling impulses to act out feelingsDAILY SCHEDULEDaily schedules as well as the yearly curriculum are listed in classrooms. Each class has its own individual schedule. All include recess, free play, prayer/religion, breakfast and lunch and snack. Some classrooms also have circle time, art projects, activities, and the reading program. Please see the Director if you would like a copy of any classroom schedules or curriculum.As a part of our program we provide school-aged children with afterschool care. They follow a similar schedule, but are given a one-hour homework time that can change periodically. During this time, they are required to work on homework or read quietly. We would ask you, as guardians, to encourage your child to do his/her homework at this time. EARLY ACHIEVERSOur facility participates in the Early Achievers program. This program gives early learning professionals access to coaching and resources to provide high-quality care. Guardians are required to fill out a consent form allowing or not allowing Early Achievers to review your child’s file. ASSESSMENTSThe first five years of a child’s life are fundamentally important. This is why it is so important that we, as early learning professionals, ensure that everything possible is done for your child to have that strong foundation. Part of this is assessing each child in our program before enrollment by requiring the guardian to fill out the “Act Early” assessment and create a goal for their child(ren). This helps the teachers to understand where your child(ren) is developmentally and what you would like them to help your child(ren) work on. Also 3 times during the school year (September, January, and May) teachers will be assessing the children. All assessment results will be shared with families within 30 days. Guardians and teachers will meet after each assessment to create a goal for each child. Teachers will also collect informal assessment data which will be gathered together in each child’s individual portfolio. Collecting information is necessary to help teachers make important decisions about each child's development and educational needs.For children we suspect might need some extra developmental services our Director will inform families as soon as possible. Child Find is contacted with guardian permission and a referral is made. Toddlers and younger are referred to the Infant Toddler Network.Child Find: 354-7947 childfind@Infant Toddler Network: 324-1651Children attending Trinity Catholic school for kindergarten will have their final assessment given to our kindergarten teacher. PreK children not attending Trinity Catholic school will receive an envelope with (To: Kindergarten Teacher) written on it for their family. Inside will contain an extra copy of their child's assessment, which guardians give to their child's kindergarten teacher.INFANT/TODDLER CAREHere at Trinity Educare Center we take the utmost pride in our infant and toddler care. To ensure this all staff are required to obtain the safe sleep training annually. We have a contracted health nurse consultant that provides monthly support to staff. Our nurse consultant updates our health care plan annually. Infants may not use blankets, stuffed animals or bottles while in a crib. Pacifiers are okay as long as they don’t have a stuffed animal attached.DIAPERS AND WIPESAll guardians are responsible for bringing diapers as needed for each child. Staff will log the amount of diapers and wipes they receive. All diapers will be labeled with your child's initials to ensure your child receives their diaper. Staff will notify you when your child’s supply runs low. Once you have been notified that your child is out of diapers, we will call you to request to have diapers dropped off or ask that you come pick up your child within an hour.Infant and Waddlers:2 packs of wipes per monthToddlers:1 pack of wipes per monthDIAPER CREAMAn annual form needs to be filled out properly for us to apply diaper cream. We must follow the directions that the manufacturer states on the container. Most diaper creams state they can only be applied for 7 days at a time, after theses 7 days a doctor visit is recommended. With this we can only apply diaper cream to a child for 7 days. If you are requesting us to apply cream longer than 7 days then we will need a doctor's note to do so. DIAPER CHANGING / TOLIET TRAININGDiaper Changing:Children will be changed on the changing table in their classroom. Guardians will provide diapers or pull-ups, wipes and extra clothes. Diaper creams will be provided by the guardian as needed. Guardian must fill out and sign a medication form for diaper cream to be administered. Teachers encourage toddlers to use the toilet at diaper changing time. Toilet Training:We understand that toilet training can be a stressful time and we are happy to help with this developmental process. Toilet training is a developmental process; children are ready to learn when they are healthy, well nourished, and not pressured to achieve at a level above their capability. Guardians are requested to partner with teachers by providing lots of extra underwear and change of clothes as well as having the child come to school ready for the day in underwear.It is required for all students to be potty trained by age three. This requirement is for our preschool program. Once your child turns three and they are not potty-trained Trinity Educare Center will not guarantee your child a spot. A potty-trained child is a child who can:Communicate to the teacher that they need to go to the bathroom before they have an accident.Gives themselves time to stop what they are doing to use the bathroomCan pull down their clothes and pull them back up without assistanceGet on and off the toilet themselvesCan wipe their self after using the toilet (staff are not allowed to wipe your child after toileting) Can wash and dry handsCan wait their turn when someone else is using the bathroomPACIFIERSPacifiers may be brought in for an individual child's use only. Please ensure your pacifiers contains a device or container that prevent contamination. At the end of each day your child's pacifier will be sent home to be cleaned and sanitized for the next day. To prevent cross contamination the pacifier must be in use or will be put away until needed. Children may not have a pacifier clipped on them all day due to cross contamination. BOTTLE PREP AND TRANSITIONING INTO FOODBottle prep:We currently follow all the WAC rules and guidelines.Before a bottle is ever given to a child, it is checked to ensure the temperature of bottle doesn’t exceed 98.6-degree Fahrenheit to avoid scalding or burning the child’s mouth. Breast Milk:We can keep frozen breast milk for no more than 30 days upon receipt and return unused frozen breast milk to the guardian after 30 days. Frozen breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after thawed. Any breast milk that has not been used will be returned to the guardian. Frozen breast milk will be thawed either in the refrigerator or under running warm water. We here at Trinity Educare Center support the needs of breastfeeding guardians by providing an atmosphere that welcomes breastfeeding families. We support families who continue to breastfeed their babies/children as they return and continue to work. We have a private, designated space for families to breastfeed their children or express milk. The space that we provide is our staff break room. We ensure your privacy by providing a sign on the door for staff to not disturb during this time.Transitioning into food:Before we start introducing food into infants' diet, we consult with guardian and implement a feeding plan. At four months we can start introducing baby food based on infant's ability to sit with support, hold their head steady, closing their lips over a spoon, and show signs of hunger and being full. We can start introducing solid foods at the age of six months. Food will be cut into pieces one quarter inch or smaller to prevent choking. We provide developmentally approved utensils during all feeding times. NUTRITIONTrinity Educare Center will meet the child’s nutritional needs for the part of the day which the child spends in the center. Breakfast, lunch and, afternoon snack is provided. Breakfast and lunch are prepared through the Federal School Lunch Program and afternoon snack meets nutritional requirements. Menus for the week are posted on the Guardian Information Board located near the Director’s office and in each class on their guardian boards. If your child has special nutritional needs, please contact the Director and make any necessary arrangements. Occasionally, the center may provide “non-nutritional” party foods (Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Birthdays).If you decide to bring a lunch for your child, we ask that you follow the USDA CACFP requirements for their lunch. To follow these requirements your child(ren) should have in their lunch a fruit, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. If you are unable to accommodate these requirements staff will supplement the child’s meal if necessary. REST PERIODEach child will be assigned their own crib or mat. Guardians are expected to provide child(ren) with blankets (well-marked with the child’s name). We sanitize the cribs, cots, and launder sheets and blankets weekly. Additionally, if your child has a special stuffed animal, it may be brought out during nap time only, otherwise it will be stored in your child’s cubby.Infant:Infant rest time is based upon each child's individual needs.Waddler, Toddler, and Preschool: Nap time is between 12:00 and 2:00pm. PreK:Nap time is between 1:00 and 2:00pm.Studies have shown that children still benefit from a quiet/rest time even at the age of four and five. Here at Trinity Educare Center we notice the importance of this and give the opportunity for our students to have a period of quiet/rest time. We require our students to stay on their mat quietly for at least 30 minuets. If the child is rested after the 30 minutes they are allowed to get up and participate in a teacher approved quiet activity for 30 more minutes while the remanding children continue their rest.BIRTHDAYSBirthdays are a special time for your children. You may send a treat on this day. If treats are brought to school, they must be purchased from the store and with a list of all ingredients labeled on them. Homemade items are not allowed due to allergies. Please check for the correct number of children present so that all children will receive a treat. To prevent exclusion of some children, birthday party invitations need to be placed in guardian mailboxes, not distributed to children’s cubbies.CLOTHINGPlease have your child dress in comfortable clothing suitable for the weather and active play. Label all items. Each child must always have a change of clothes stored in their cubby. If they need to use their spare clothes, please take home the dirty clothes and bring new ones the next day. If it becomes an issue where your child doesn’t have extra clothes on hand you may be called to bring them clothes or possibly pick up your child. Please check the lost and found frequently and work with your child to keep these items either on his/her person or in his/her cubby. Trinity Educare is not responsible for lost or stolen item. Remember to label all your children clothing with first and last name to help better identify them. TOYSOur toys and equipment have been specifically selected to be stimulating and educational as well as fun for children. We ask that you do not allow your child to bring toys from home unless it is for “show and tell” time. If toys are brought from home, the toy will be kept in their cubby or on a shelf until the child goes home. All toys brought are at the guardian’s risk. Trinity Educare center has a NO GUNS policy. If your child has something special, he/she would like to bring for show and tell, please let his/her teacher know and special arrangements may be made to keep the item in a safe place.OUTDOOR PLAYAll children will have regularly scheduled outdoor playtime (weather permitting). Exceptions will be made only on the basis of a doctor’s signed note providing the necessary information. Please send appropriate clothing with your child’s name on it. Boots are necessary for snow and mud. The school gym and playground are available with permission slip that needs to be signed annually to walk across the street. FIELD TRIPS/TRANSPORTATIONPeriodically during the year, we will take the children on field trips. These ventures are an important part of a child’s leaning experience. You will be fully informed prior to each trip. In order for your child to participate, you must return a signed permission slip. All field trips are scheduled with a school bus or through STA. Staff will never be permitted to transport a child to or from a field trip.HEALTH POLICYOur staff must observe all children for signs of illness when they arrive at Trinity Educare Center and throughout the day. Guardians will be notified, as soon as possible, if a child develops signs or symptoms of illness. When a child becomes ill the guardians will be notified to pick up their child within the hour to prevent contact between the ill child and the healthy children. If a child is sent home due to an illness, they are required to be away from the center for at least 24 hours.Here are some examples or reasons we will call to have your child picked up within the hour;Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit for children over two monthsVomiting two or more times in the previous 24 hoursDiarrhea where stool frequency exceeds 2 stools above normal per 24 hours or whose stool contains more than a drop of blood or mucus.A rash not associated with heat, diapering, or allergic reaction (the first sign of these we will ask you to get seen by the doctor to determine that’s what it is). In order to return you must have a doctor's note ensuring the rash isn't contagious.Open soars or wounds discharging bodily fluids that cannot be adequately covered with a water proof dressing or mouth sores with drooling.Children with ringworm or scabies must be excluded from the childcare premises until first treatment and a doctor's note.A child who appears severely ill, which may include being lethargic, persistent crying, difficulty breathing, or a significant change in behavior or activity level indicating illness.If your child is diagnosed with a contagious illness please inform Trinity Educare Center so we can inform other families. Your confidentiality is our number one priority so no name of child or family will be released. For your child to return from having a contagious illness they must have a doctor's note stating when your child can return back to our center.HEAD LICE POLICYHead Lice guidelines at Trinity and the Catholic Diocese of Spokane are as follows:If the child is found to have live bugs in his/her hair by school personnel, he/she is to be removed from the school by the guardian and treatment must be started.If the child is found to have nits in the hair by school personnel, he/she is to be removed from school by the guardian and treatment must be started.In order for the child to return to school, the hair must be nit-free.Head lice are considered a communicable disease and, like many other communicable diseases, are easily spread among children. A child does not get head lice from school, he gets it from close contact with other human beings at school.This problem has absolutely nothing to do with the kind of guardians that a child has. It has nothing to do with cleanliness; in fact, head lice prefer a clean, healthy head to a dirty one. Anyone, adult or child, can get head lice. Almost every school in this country deals with head lice at some time or another.If you are called to come and get your child, please cooperate with us and follow the treatment and guidelines. We have a responsibility, not only to our regular classroom situations but to our Educare and extended care program as well, to be diligent about halting the spread of lice. We will work with you and assist you in any way we can.If you should discover that your child has head lice, please notify the office as soon as possible as the classroom will need to be treated and other students will need to be checked.MEDICAL CARE PLANTrinity Educare shall have on file a care plan for all students who suffer from asthma, diabetes, acute allergic reactions, and other life-threatening illnesses. This plan must be developed and signed by the guardians in collaboration with their physician and must be acceptable to the center.MEDICATIONSAll staff are required to take the medication training annually. Medication may only be given to a child with a written and signed medication consent form from a guardian. Prescription medication must only be given to the child who name is on the prescription. Prescription medication must be prescribed by a health care professional with prescriptive authority for a specific child. Prescription medication must be accompanied with a medication authorization form that has the medical need and the possible side effect of the medication. Prescription medication must be labeled with:A child's first and last nameThe date the prescription was filledThe name and contact information of the prescribing health professionalExpiration date, dosage amount, and length of time to give the medicationInstructions for administration and storageNonprescription oral medication (over the counter) must be brought in the original packaging. Medication needs to be labeled with the child's first and last name and accompanied with medication authorization form that has the expiration date, medical need, dosage amount, age, and length of time to give the medication. Staff must follow the instructions on the label or the guardian must provide a medical professional note.Nonmedical items a guardian must annually authorize staff to administer the following nonmedical items:Diaper ointment (use as needed and according to manufacturing instructions)SunscreenLip balm and lotionFluoride toothpaste for children 2years or olderDISCIPLINE POLICYTeaching children to respect themselves, others, and materials is our goal. There are many ways to help children learn for themselves these important human skills. This learning will occur when adults show respect for each other and for children. We, as a staff, will;Acknowledge each child’s goodness even at times when mistakes are made.Never use corporal punishment.Never do for a child what he/she can do by themselves.Use I messages to communicate such as “I like it when you…” instead of “You shouldn’t…”Recognize the child’s appropriate behavior and then encourage that behavior.Be specific and honest when complimenting in an appropriate child behavior (I like the way you are sharing with your friends).Recognize the effort and process more than the product.Take time to train specific behaviors (how to clean up, how to get ready for lunch, etc.)Be clear and reasonable in expectations.Remember that children have thoughts and feelings.Teach conflict resolution, not by taking sides, but by guiding to resolution and reconciliation.Give gentle reminders to state rules or suggest acceptable behavior.Use a break time when a child’s behavior is out of control. The teacher will state the unacceptable behavior, remind the child that it is his/her choice to take a break, and invite the child to return to the activity as soon as control is regained and the child has a plan for making acceptable choices.Children not adjusting to our specific discipline policy will be removed if guardians and teachers, after conferencing, determine this to be the best interest of the child and/or center.NON – RESTRAINT POLICYTrinity Educare Center does not restrain a child. If a child behavior become unable to manage a guardian will be notified and is required to pick up their child within the hour. Some examples (not prohibited to) of unmanageable behavior consist of:Self-harmHarm to staff or other studentsVerbal abuseDestruction of Trinity Educare propertyEXPULSION POLICYIt is our goal to work closely with guardians in all situations to make sure that an expulsion does not occur. Unfortunately, there are situations that we have to ask that a child be removed from our program either on short term or permanent basis. We want you to know that we will do everything possible to work with the family of the child(ren) in order to prevent this policy from being enforced. When a child is having challenges in the classroom:Staff will try to redirect the child from negative behavior.Staff will reassess classroom environment, activities and supervision.Staff will always use positive methods and language. Staff will praise appropriate behaviors.Children will be given verbal warnings.Children will be given time to regain control.Challenging behavior will be documented and kept confidential.Guardian will be notified verbally. Guardian will be given written copies of challenging behavior that may lead to expulsion.The Director, lead teacher and guardian will have a conference(s) to discuss behavior.Recommendation for evaluation by professional If after the actions above have not helped the child. Guardians will be told in person and in writing about the child's behavior warranting expulsion.Examples of child behaviors that could lead to expulsion (but not limited to):Uncontrollable tantrums/angry outburstOngoing physical or verbal abuse to staff or childrenExcessive bitingTRANSITION PLANThere are a number of transitions that children will encounter within their early years. Change and transitions can be unsettling and upsetting to children when in unfamiliar surroundings, introduced to new caregivers or routines. As children develop from birth throughout childhood they move, or transition, from one learning environment or setting to another. At Trinity Educare center we recognize children learn best when they feel safe, nurtured, and have positive experiences with their caregivers and peers. Your child is assigned a Primary Teacher, and we aim to develop a caring, professional, and respectful relationship with our children and families. We feel transitioning takes time, preparation, planning and patience. Adults can help a child by supporting them before, during and after transitions occur. These transitions occur when starting at a new environment, every day transitions from home to daycare setting, transitioning into a new age group and classroom, with a new provider, and transitioning to school. We are committed to assisting our families and children in making these transitions as seamless and comfortable as possible. New to the CenterWe realize that this can often be a difficult period for families as everyone adjusts to new routines and new people. Guardians and teachers need to work together, share information they have about the child and what support he or she needs. Additionally, days may need to be shorter to begin with, to allow children to have a positive experience, and to have as little stress placed upon them as possible. We ask that guardians have some ?exibility during these ?rst days of transition and attendance. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give them information about their child joining our program.Infant to Waddler Transition Children will graduate to the Waddler class when they turn 12 months old. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give them information about their child moving up.Daily activities and lesson plans will be posted within the room and available for guardians to review.Availability in the Waddler classroom is also taken into consideration. On occasion we will move a 11-month-old child from the Infant class to the Waddler class prior to them turning 12 months if the child is developmentally ready to move up and with guardian's permission. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give them information about their child moving up.Waddler to Toddler Transition Children will graduate to Toddler class in September along with the new school year.Daily activities and lesson plans will be posted within the room and available for guardians to review.Availability in the Toddler classroom is also taken into consideration. On occasion we will move a child from the Waddler room into the Toddler room prior to the start of the new school year if the child is developmentally ready to move up and there is space. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give them information about their child moving up.Toddler to Preschool TransitionCHILDREN MUST BE FULLY POTTY TRAINED TO MOVE INTO PRESCHOOL.Children will graduate to Preschool once the child turns 3 years old (remember a child must be fully potty trained). Your child will have time to become familiar with new rules and procedures and a more structured learning environment.Daily activities and lesson plans will be posted within the room and available for guardians to review.Availability in the Preschool classroom is also taken into consideration. On occasion we will move a child from the Toddler room into the Waddler room prior to the start of the new school year if the child is developmentally ready to move up and there is space. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give information about the child moving up.Preschool to Pre-K TransitionChildren will graduate to Pre-K in September. Your child will have time to become familiar with new rules and procedures and an even more school-like, structured learning environment.Daily activities and lesson plans will be posted within the room and available for guardians to review.Availability in the Pre-K classroom is also taken into consideration. On occasion, we will move a child from the Preschool room into Pre-K prior to the start of the new school year if the child is developmentally ready to move up. Guardians will receive a transition letter which helps give them information about the child moving up.Pre-K to School-Age TransitionOnce your child is 5 years old and enrolled in Kindergarten, they are considered a part of the school age ratio and will be moved into the appropriate classroom. Trinity holds a Kindergarten Round-Up every February for those Pre-K students whose guardians are interested in keeping them with us for Kindergarten and possible elementary school.Our Family Resource Binder includes information on local area schools as well as our own. Trinity Educare center provides this information because we feel it is important for guardians to be prepared regardless of where they choose to send their children to school.Transition out of the programThe same patience, planning, and care needs to be implemented for transitioning children out of the program. The teacher will gather all of the child’s portfolio work, any personal items and have them ready for the families. We will also discuss/document with families any information/concerns that we believe would be beneficial for the child in their next program. We encourage families to talk to their child about their transition process to ensure less stress on the whole family. KINDERGARTEN TRANSITION PLANIn our Pre-k classroom, we do assessment on children three times a year that are geared towards Kindergarten readiness. Throughout the year we also keep projects, and assignments in their file that the families take home on their last day in our Pre-k classroom. These assessments, projects and assignments are great tools for your child’s future Kindergarten teacher. Also located in front on the Educare Director office is a guardian resource binder to help families with Kindergarten readiness if needed. KINDERGARTEN READINESS/REGISTRATIONKindergarten ReadinessFamilies who are looking for information about kindergarten readiness may find information we have provided in our family resource binder which is located outside the Director's office. Provided in our binder we have getting school ready, kindergarten readiness tips for Washington families, kindergarten readiness guidelines, characteristics of children entering kindergarten, Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills and GOLD objectives and dimensions. We update the binder when we get new information. Families may ask for a copy of anything in the guardian resource binder and we will provide it to them.Kindergarten RegistrationLocated in our Family resource binder (located outside the Director’s office) families can find registration forms and kindergarten information for Trinity Catholic School and for Spokane Public schools.STAFFThe center employs full and part-time persons. All employees in the program must be screened by the Washington State Patrol, Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Early Learning. In addition, staff must complete the Diocesan Code of Conduct Training, Pediatric First Aid/CPR, Blood borne Pathogens and AIDS training, sleep safe training, a current Food Handlers permit, and 30 hours of Basic STARS with 10 hours of annually training. All leads, Assistants, and aides are required to have at least their initial ECE certificate. All leads are required to have at least a short ECE certification and the Director and Assistant Director to have at least an ECE certification. DEL background checks are also required before any staff can be alone with children. Trinity is an equal opportunity employer.SUPERVISION OF CHILDRENConstant supervision by staff is essential to ensure the safety of the children. Staff should avoid engaging in personal conversations or other distractions while supervising groups of children in the classroom and on the playground, staff should be spaced around the room or play area to ensure all children are visible and well supervised. Staff must be aware of what the children are doing at all times and be available and able to promptly assist or redirect activities when necessary. If one staff member is engaged in an activity with a child or a group of children, other staff should be supervising any children that are not participating in the activity. When only one staff member is supervising a group of children, that staff member is responsible to provide continuous supervision of all the children in the group and should plan accordingly. Staff maintain supervision at all time to prevent children access to unlicensed spaces.If a staff member must leave the classroom or playground, such as to take a child to the restroom, there must be adequate staff available in the classroom or on the playground to maintain required staff ratios. If relief staff is not available, then the staff member must take enough children with them to maintain adequate staff ratios in the classroom or on the playground. Staff must supervise children in care by:Scanning the environment looking and listening for both verbal and nonverbal cues to anticipate problems and plan accordingly;Visibly checking children on many occasions with little time in between;Positioning themselves to supervise all areas accessible to children;Attending to children and being aware of what children are doing at all times;Being available and able to promptly assist or redirect a child as necessary.Ensure no child is left unattended during:Diapering Bottle feedingTummy timeEMERGENCY PROCEDURESIn the event of an emergency or accident, the center will contact the guardian immediately. If guardians cannot be contacted, a call will be placed to the emergency resource person listed on the emergency contacts. If they are also unavailable, the services of the paramedics or nearest hospital emergency room will be enlisted depending on the recommendation of medical professionals and the discretion of the staff.CHILD ABUSE REPORTING LAW REQUIREMENTSAll staff members are required by Washington State Law and by licensing requirements to report immediately to the police or Child Protective Services any instance when there is reason to suspect the occurrence of physical, sexual, or emotional child abuse, or child neglect or exploitation. Also, staff members are not able to notify guardians when the police or Child Protective Services are called about possible abuse, neglect, or exploitation.EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANEach staff member has available a Trinity Catholic School and Educare Disaster Preparedness Plan. This book covers the following topics: Crisis team members and assigned duties, reporting information, emergency locations, internal communication plan, school shelter area, secured classrooms, evacuation of building, accidents, bomb threats, hostage / sniper, intruder on campus / dangerous person, fire, medical emergencies, child abuse, earthquake, lost child / kidnapping, hazardous materials, suicide or death, weapons and explosives, assault, poisoning, drugs and alcohol. This book is available to preview upon request.Should the school be evacuated, children will be taken to Head Start/Adult Education Center at 2310 N. Monroe. Guardians will then be called to pick up their children.GUARDIAN INVOLVEMENTIt is our wish that you and your child become familiar with Trinity Educare center before you leave your child with us for the first time. We recommend that you observe your child playing in our center prior to enrolling him or her. We want to afford you the opportunity to ask questions and review our policies. We want your child to feel safe as well as motivated to learn. We would ask that if you have some specific concerns or suggestions you would like to discuss with any staff, please make an appointment. It is imperative that the staff attend to the children first and not be pulled away from the group for which they are responsible. We recognize and welcome our diverse community and invite families to come into our program to share elements of their culture with our children and staff.FAMILY RESOURCESOur Family resource binder is located outside of the Director's office. This binder contains resources that are for guardians to use at any time. Please feel free to look at the information or request copies from the Director. Provided in the binder:Trinity Educare Center staffTrinity Educare Center’s Family HandbookSpokane Area ResourcesSpecial needs and Referrals Trinity Catholic SchoolSpokane Public SchoolsKindergarten ReadinessWe also have provided an abundance of information in our brochure holder. This is hanging next to the clock-in tablet. These resources are for guardians to take anytime.Please ask the Director if you have any questions or would like to request additional materials.GUARDIANS MAY REVIEWHealth Care policyConsistent Care policyMenus Liability InsuranceInspection ReportsNurse notesTERMINATION OF POLICY AND SERVICESUnfortunately, there are sometimes reasons that Trinity Educare Center will have to ask families to be removed from our program. We want you to know we will do everything possible to work with your family to prevent this policy from being enforced.Examples for termination are (but not limited to):Failure to pay/habitual lateness in paymentFailure to complete required forms for child's file Verbal abuse to staff Guardian threatens physical or intimidating actions toward staff membersChild unable to be potty trained by three years of ageFailure to follow any policies or procedures in our family handbook. PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH OR VIDEOTAPEHere at Trinity Educare Center it is important for us to a obtain a consent form for taking images/video of children. This will be provided in the enrollment packet and all teachers will have a listing of children who have been declined permission to be photographed or videotaped.DRUG/ALCOHOL FREE ZONETrinity Educare center is a drug and alcohol free zone. Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and illegal drugs are not allowed on the school premises. IMPORTANT INFORMATIONEach child will be assigned a clothes hook for coats and boots and a cubby for personal belongings. It is the guardian's responsibility to remove all items that need to go home at the end of the day. Please remember that your child’s art project may be a very special expression of self and may be very important to your child.For Preschool and Pre-K pacifiers, stuffed animals or blankets are not used during a child’s stay at Trinity except at nap time.Infants may not use blankets, stuffed animals or bottles while in a crib. Pacifiers are okay as long as they don’t have a stuffed animal attached. All guardians are required to sign their children in and out of the center on the tablet located by the front doors.If your child is going to eat lunch at the center, he/she must be in attendance by 10:00 a.m. that day. If your child will arrive later, please plan on bringing a lunch from home or call to ask us to save them a lunch.Drop-in service is available with 24 hours notice on a space available basis.Nap time for most children will begin at 12:00 p.m. Please arrange to pick up your child prior to or after this time. If you must pick up your child during the nap time, we would appreciate your cooperation in maintaining quiet.Guardians are welcome at the center any time. We would prefer for guardians to observe before enrollment. This way they feel comfortable with the staff and center as a whole.NO NECKLACE POICYTrinity Educare has a NO NECLACE policy. This is due to the possible choking and/or strangulation of a child. ONE FINAL NOTETrinity Educare and Extended Care is a part of Trinity Catholic School. The Educare has a Director who is responsible for the implementation of all programs, staff training, and student registration. The Director is supervised by the Principal; if necessary, the Principal stands in as the Director. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to contact the Director at 327-9159 or the Principal at 327-9369. ................
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