Parent Handbook

Dear Parents/Guardians:

I am very thankful that you have entrusted your child to Children’s Nest Preschool. Teaching is one of the most complicated jobs today. It demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum, and standards; enthusiasm, a caring attitude, and a love ofleaming; knowledge of discipline and classroom managent techniques; and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people.

I have spent a large part of my life working in corporate America. I have managed a staff of 30+ employees, worked for a Special Operations Team that was in charge of high dollar (1 million credit limit), top secret accounts, such as the Department of Defense. In one of my positions I was called “the terminator”. . . I was one of the few that could fire an employee and walk out with them as My predominant role was in employee development. I would develop the team to become future leads, supervisors and possible managers. I loved the responsibility but honestly needed a change when I started seeing too many adults behaving worse than children… a comment I was known to often make was, “If I am working with adults who consistently behave like children why don’t I just work with real children who have a valid reason to behave as children!”

In 2003, I had my first opportunity to do just that! I took a position with Headstart. Within a few months, I knew what I wanted to do. I sincerely felt I had found my calling. Twelve years later, I am doing what I love to do but it has not been without sacrifices. My message to you parents is the same message that I give you when I meet you. I am the mother of four children who have never been in a preschool (exception Zechariah who did VPK at Children’s Nest.) My mother left her job to be able to look other my first born, Jereme now 22 (on February 20) because she knew that I would not be able to go to work and leave my child with strangers.

I have three basic goals with Children’s Nest:

• To be able to give you, the parents, the confidence and self-assurance that you are leaving your children with family.
• To ensure that your children have the self-esteem, resilience and knowledge that they can be whomever they want to be.
• To encourage professional and personal growth in my staff

What makes a great teacher? Study after study shows the single most important factor determining the quality of the education a child receives is the quality of his teacher. Here are the top 5 Qualities a Good Teacher Should Possess:

Inculcate…

Inculcate the thirst for knowledge! Children are playful, no matter which age group they belong to. Garnering thier attention is a herculean task. But a good teacher does that with ease. How?
Replace the concept “greed for marks” with “greed for knowledge”. Devise techniques to make your subject interesting. Children are passionate learners and pick up things instantly which intrigue them, interest them. If it is Math, involve them in some cool math, games or some puzzling riddles to help them rake their brains! Help the child with the concept. Make him feel the jOy of exploring solutions on his own.

Discover and Encourage…

Discover and rear hidden talents! Every child is unique. As a teacher, one must monitor not only the academic development of a child, but also the personal and extracurricular growth of a child. Who knows, your class might be having the best orator, or the best singer or the best rugby player! The real challenge for a teacher lies in his/her passion to transform a not so artful student into a clever one. A good teacher will discover such concealed but invincible talents and nurture
them, to make the student stand apart in the crowd!

Interact…

Interact as much as possible! A good teacher will interact more often with all his/her students! When teaching a concept, make sine to ask students a lot of questions. Children are kinesthetic learners and everything that children associate with, is a question like “why”, “how” and “what”, with a visual. perception.

Go Innovative…

Creativity is an aspect mastered by passion. And this is one ofthe most important qualities of a good teacher. When you teach a child, the important point is whether he retains what you have taught or not. Make your subjects interesting and you will have a class full of curious eyes and ears, absorbing everything you deliver.

Be the Role Model…

If you want your students to excel, it is you who has to excel first! Be a role model to your student. An. open mind is what a good teacher must have and at the same time, impart the same to the students. You may get a varied set of Students every year, of which, some students may be notorious, some may be introvert, some may be outstanding and yet some others may be indifferent. But remember, all those students, who are not able to achieve their target, need help and the one person who can give them that shade from their problems, is you and you alone! To be a role model to students, calmness, compassion, patience and perseverance are the key traits for the teacher. This will help in understanding the psychology of the children, in order to gauge the child development.

A preschool teacher should be endowed with extraordinary levels of patience and enthusiasm, with compassion and creativity factor attached to them. She is the One, who should always have an enticing smile dancing in her face! A smile is one of the best ways of initiating a sound relationship with a child. Besides, the teacher must be an excellent listener to the incessant chatter of the preschool kids. A teacher must understand the needs of the child and expectations of the parent and act accordingly. A sound educational background is a must, even if it is preschool.

But the one important quality which surpasses any qualification is passion, passion to teach! A passion driven teacher will surely produce the most intelligent and disciplined students.

Matthew 18:1-6

Imagine those powerful words… Something to think about!
On behalf of the Children’s Nest Staff, I would like to welcome all of you into our family!

Dear Children’s Nest Parents/Guardians,

The safety of children at preschool is important to all of us. The following are safety rules we ask all families to follow in order to have a fun, enriching and safe environment for children – where parents feel confident that all possible measures will be used to ensure Children’s Nest Preschool. will be a wonderful experience for them and their children. These rules keep us in compliance with the Department of Children dc Families, Early Learning Coalition (ELC), Fire Department, Health Department, and COTC and are designed to germs and protect everyone’s health and well-being as well as the preschools. THESE RULES ARE MANDATORY AND MUST BE FOLLOWED BY EVERYONE.

Sick Child Policy

If your child has been ill during the night, please notify us upon arrival at the Preschool. If your child is vomiting, has loose watery stools or has a temperature a of 100 degrees or more, we will request that you keep him/her at home.

In the event of an illness, please notify us as soon as possible of the child’s absence. It is also helpful for us if you explain the nature of the illness, so we can notify other parents in the event of exposure. If your child was absent from the center for more than three days due to sickness and you are an ELC parent, a doctor’s note is required to return to the center.

In order for a child to be able to return to school within 24hrs after being picked up due to an illness, he/she must have a doctor’s note that clears the child to come back to school. If not (vomiting, fever, rash, diarrhea, etc.), the child must have been symptom free for 24hrs in order to return to school.

MEDICINE POLICY:

If your child is required to take medication, it must be prescribed by his/her physician. A doctor’s notice must accompany the medication.
A “Medicine Authorization Form” must be filled out completely on a weekly basis and signed by the parent or guardian in order of the medicine to be administered.

Please make sure that prescription medication brought to Children’s Nest by the parents or guardians be in their original container with the name of the physician, child and medication directions (dosage amount and times to administer medication) written on the label.

Please make sure your child’s records are up to date on immunizations and emergency information. Please remember to note changes as they occur.

Please acquaint yourself with the location of the first aid kit (in Ms. Brandi’s classroom on top of her cubbies) and emergency evacuation procedures. All teachers, substitute teachers and instructors hold valid first aid/CPR cards.

Emergency procedures are as follows:

Children will in classroom unless there is a fire or earthquake. In the event the preschool is an unsafe structure because of these events, we will walk the children to a pie-specified location (the far northwest corner of the playground).

When we feel all children are safe and without injury, we will start contacting parents. All other children will remain at the emergency location until a parent or
authorized responsible party arrives.

The preschool needs to be notified in regards to any special concerns your child may have in the event of an emergency.

School Parking Lot safety

When teachers, students and parents practice proper school parldng lot safety, it makes it easier to keep everyone safe. Preschool parking lots can be incredibly busy places in the morning when. children arrive and in the afiemoon when it’s
dismissal time. Ensuring that no one gets hurt is a primary concern of the preschool staff, but it requires everyone’s participation, including parents.

Our parking lot is a very busy place with lots of families using it. Close supervision. is a must! Do not allow your child to exit the building without you. Parents should ask their children to look both ways in the parking lot while holding their child’s hands. Even though it might not be a street, cars and buses are coming and going, so looking lefi and right for traflic is important as well holding on that their little hands.

When parking, please adhere to all parking guidelines and regulations. Vehicles should not be parking by our preschool door. The preschool has ample parking
directly across from the preschool door and that is the designated location for all parents to park. Please watch your speed while in the Preschool/COTC parking lot. Speeding will not be allowed as this endangers children, parents and staff.

Children shall never be left in a vehicle without adult supervision. All occupants shall wear seat belts and/or other approved safety restraints.

Emergency procedures are as follows:

Children will remain in classroom. unless there is a fire or earthquake. In the event the preschool is an unsafe structure because of these events, we will walk the children to a pie-specified location (the far southeast corner of the playground).

When we feel all children are safe and without injury, we will release carpools. All other children will remain at the emergency location until a parent or authorized responsible party arrives.

The preschool needs to be notified in regards to any special concerns your child may have in the event of an emergency.

Accompaniment of Child to Door

It is mandatory that all children be accompanied to and through the door of our preschool by a parent or authorized adult. This is to ensure the safety of the children

Upon arrival at the Preschool, the States requires that you sign in your child on the “SIGN-IN SHEET” at the door and that the child is signed out upon leaving. We are required by law to keep this as a record of our attendance at all times throughout the day.

If you send your child with another adult, they, too, will be required to sign your child in and out. Furthermore, if you authorized someone to pick up your child from our preschool, and they are not on your approved emergency pick up list, we require you to send written notification of the name of the authorized person or call personnally to notify the staff. We do check identification of the person before releasing your child to them. A change on your actual emergency contact information can only be made by the enrolling parent/guardian. If a call is made authorizing your child to be picked up by someone other than those listed in your emergency contact form, we will need to verify two items of information from your emergency contact list and that call can ONLY be made by the enrolling parent.

It is important that you notify us of any change in information pertaining to your child (including address, telephone, etc.). This will enable us to contact you at any
time in the mat you are needed for your child.

• Under no circumstances wlll your child be released wlthout prior authorization.

NO PERSON IS PERMITTED TO TAKE A CHILD FROM OUR PREMISES WITHOUT THIS NOTIFICATION, AND VERIFICATION OF IDENTIFICATION.

These policies are for the protection of your children and are strictly enforced, so we ask for your full cooperation in these areas.

In order for the preschool to run smoothly, and to better assist our staff as well as ensuring that the preschool is not accruing any penalties, please adhere to the following requests:

• Bottle and cups should be clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name. This is a state regulation.
• In an effort not to distract and disrupt classrooms, please do not allow your child to bring any toys from home. Tays that children will use for nap time (teddy bear, etc.) are allowed but need to stay inside their schoolbag.

Make sure that your child is wearing closed toe shoes only. This is for their safety. Flip flops, orocs and sandals are not allowed.

• The School closes at 4:30 for infants and at 6pm for the rest of the preschool. Please make sure you are here a few minutes before then, to pick up your child. We understand emergencies occur and we take this into consideration however staff has families and activities to go to – There is a $1 per minute charge past 4:30pm or 6pm.

To avoid confusion and missing jackets, they should be labeled on the inside with the child’s first and last name.

• All backpacks, jackets, etc., should be dropped off in child’s classroom even when child is being dropped off in the community classroom.
• Every child must have a sheet to serve as a liner for their mat and a blanket to cover them up with. All mats must be 2 inches thick.
  We maintain the temperature low to reduce the spreading of germs which makes it very cold for a child napping without a blanket. (Please, do not forget their blanket. It is freezing at times!) Make sure your child dresses according to the
  weather. We see too many kids not dress appropriately for cold weather and with our Florida weather this is a big issue far all parents but when the weather is chilly in the morning, please have them at least bring in a sweater or jacket.
  *****I recommend water bottles for all children. We do have full use of several water fountains throughout the day*****

These are licensing regulations whlch leads to fines for the preschool If not followed. Please adhere to these policies!

Breakfast, Lunch & Snacks

Food Program Information

Through our participation in the Child Free Meal Program, we serve USDA-approved meals and snacks to all of our children at no additional charge. Nutrition experts select foods and plan menus that will not only meet your child’s nutritional needs, but also encourage children to try new foods and make healthy choices.

You will see:

Our posted menu listing breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack choices for a well-balanced diet all week long.

Our allergy list is noted in each classroom and is also included in our Kitchen binder for our server, one of many procedures in place to ensure your child is safe, secure, and well-loved while he is here.

Children’s Nest follows meal requirements established by USDA.

Breakfast is served between 7:15 and 8:30am. We closed our cafeteria doors promptly at 8:30am. This is a USDA regulation.

Lunch is served between 10:30 and 11:45am.

Snacks are served between 3:00 and 4:15pm.

Sample Meals:

(Menus change Weekly.)

Breakfast:
1 – Honey Graham Squares, Cereal, Pears, Milk
2 – Pancakes w/ Syrup, Pineapple Bits, Milk
3 – Cinnamon Toast on Whole Wheat”, Apple Slices, Milk

Lunch:
1 – Spaghetti with Meat Sauce*, Tiny Sweet Peas, Peaches, Milk
2 – Cheeseburger on Bun*, Tater Tots, Baked Beans, Milk
3 – Chicken Pot Pie*, Carrots, Apple Slices, Milk

Snacks:
1 – Tortilla Chips w/ Cheese Sauce**, 100% Juice Fruit Punch
2 – Orange Wedges, Pretzels, Water
3 – Oatmeal Cookies**, Grape Juice
*Child Nutrition Label/ Child Care Recipes from USDA’s CACFP
**Whole Grain Products

Our Curriculum Includes:

• Circle time
• Learning Centers
• Arts and Crafts
• Math and Science
• Handwriting Program
• Music and Movement
• Theme Units
• Outdoor Play
• Kindergarten Preparation
• Songs, Games, and fun
• Sensory activities
• Chapel services
• Parenting conferences for interested parents

Chapel is every Thursday at 10am in the sanctuary at COTC (2’s a Up)

Financial Information

Payments for preachool tuition are due by the first day of the work week. All accounts must be paid according to the terms of the tuition agreement agreed upon at the time of enrollment.

THERE WILL BE A $25.00 SERVICE CHARGE FOR ANY RETURNED CHECKS.
ANY RETURNED CHECK IS TO BE REPLACED WITH A CASH PAYMENT
ALONG WITH THE $25. 00 SERVICE CHARGE.

Keep in mind that payments past Monday are considered late. A $5 late fee will be added to the balance per day that tuition is late. Children are given two weeks’ vacation if they have been part of the Children’s Nest family for a year or more.
This is provided that your child is absent for the entire week (M-F). We do not waive tuition for illness. We do not pro-rate tuition under any circumstances
unless this is the week that your child has enrolled.

Furthermore, I understand emergencies do happen and if payments cannot be made on time due to illness, we will take this into consideration. However if you have a planned vacation but do not have the allotted vacation time, the payment must be made on time (prepayment will make more sense in this respect) or it will incur late fees. If you have, any questions regarding these policies please feel flee to contact me during our normal operating hours.

This letter also serves as a reminder to all parents to please ensure that their school fees are brought up to date. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

First Day of Preschool:

Welcome to Children’s Nest Preschool! The first day of school is an exciting milestone in your child’s life. Your child is embarking on journey that will lead them on many roads of discovery and learning. As wonderful as this new experience may be, it can also be quite stressful for the young child. New situations and change can, at times, be unsettling for all of us. For many children this may be their first experience of separation from parents or care givers at home. It is common for even the most outgoing child to be anxious the first day of school.

We have provided a few suggestions for assisting your child during this time. Remember the preschool staff will be available to provide support and assistance; making your child’s first school days happy days.

• Prepare your child for the new school experience by explaining what to expect. Answer all questions directly and honestly.
• Convey a positive attitude. Young children are aware of your feelings. Your enthusiasm will. assure the child that school can he a fun and exciting place.
• Establish a routine involving both the night before a school day as well as morning preparation. Rituals and routines will add. predictability and are comforting in unfamiliar situations.
• Bring something from home (not a toy). This is acceptable and often reassuring in helping the child with the initial adjustment to school. This item may be a treasured blanket or even a photo from home.
• Clearly state to your child where you will be and when you will return. It may also be helpful to discuss what will happen when, you are reunited.
• Maintain a clear good-bye routine. This may include warning the child you are leaving in, 3 minutes, a kiss and hug, or a wave from the window. Once you tell your child you are leaving, it is intponant to follow through. Extending the good-bye with, “ok just one more kiss, and then I really have to go” tends to heighten anxiety rather than relieve it. Avoid sneaking out, as this seems to encourage children to become less trusting and makes the second day of school even harder.

Again, please know we are here to help make the first day of school a happy transition and we look forward to an exciting and fun year. Welcome!

Sincerely,

The Children’s Nest Staff

Emergency Preparedness Plan

Executive Summary

Children’s Nest of Manatee is committed to providing quality service with an emphasis on Accountability and Ethics. Children’s Nest of Manatee’s mission is to provide efficient, effective, and rapid response that is mindful of parents as well as sensitive to our natural environment while achieving the Preschool’s vision. Florida law establishes the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan as the master operations document for the State of Florida and it is the framework through which Children’s Nest Preschool handles emergencies and disasters. To the extent possible, the Preschool mirrors the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) plans and Manatee County Public Schools to standardize procedures that set forth the Preschool’s role in organizing and carrying out Fire evacuations, Sheltering Operations, Emergency/Severe Weather warnings, and Communications Coordination.

Preparedness — A full range of deliberate, critical tasks and activities necessary to build, sustain, and enhance readiness and minimize impacts through pre-deployment of resources, establishing field operations, evacuation and sheltering,
Response — Activities that address the immediate and short-term actions to preserve life, property, the environment, and the social, economic, and political structure of our preschool community.
Recovery — Actions and implementation of programs needed to help individuals and communities return to functional and operational after an incident. These activities typically continue long after the incident has occurred and usually involve the repair of damaged public facilities (e.g., roads, bridges, schools, municipal buildings, hospitals, and qualified nonprofits); debris cleanup
Mitigation — Identifying potential threats and designing a long-term plan to prevent damages to individuals and property.

Fire/Evacuation

Everyone vacates the building through the nearest exit door and we meet up on the south side of the building right by the office that we used when our restrooms were not functioning (building on the southeast side of the church office).

As you are exiting, make sure that you take your attendance binder/roster and that you close the door behind you.

Once at the designated location, you need to take attendance to ensure no child has been left behind and all are accounted for. Children must be accounted for when gathered in a safe place at the designated location and upon return to the preschool.

That building becomes our shelter in place should we have an actual event that prevents us from returning to the preschool. Parents will be contacted as soon as possible to be updated of the situation.

Young Toddler Teacher must bring her emergency pack with her. Emergency pack contains diapers, wipes, bottles, and water for toddlers should the event be prolonged.

Severe weather conditions

We follow the Manatee County Public Schools Closure Guidelines for Natural Hazards such as hurricanes or tornadoes.

Unless Public schools are closed to prepare them to become temporary shelters. In such a case the preschool will be open; however, we are still mandated by the Department of Children & Family’s ratios. If ratios cannot be met due to staffing issues, there might still be a possibility of school closure.

In case severe weather hits us during work time, we will collect our attendance binders and meet in the cafeteria (it is the safest room in the building). Once in the cafeteria make sure you immediately take attendance.

Hurricane season is from June 1st through November 30th with much of the strongest hurricane activity in the Gulf during September and October. A storm threatening Manatee County could trigger the issuance of an evacuation order due to high winds; rain-induced flooding, storm surge, and tornadoes.

Manatee County has experienced several severe storms in the last twenty-nine (29) years: Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Hermine, and Tropical Storm Colin in 2016 and served as host community for evacuees from Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Isaac, and Tropical Storm Debby in 2012, Tropical Storm Bonnie in 2010, Tropical Storm Fay in 2008, Hurricanes Jeanne, Frances and Charley in 2004, Tropical Storm Gabrielle in 2001, and Hurricane Keith in 1988. The predictions for the next twenty–five (25) years are high for hurricane strikes against the peninsula of Florida and consequently heighten the probability of a hurricane in the Manatee County area. The barrier islands from Longboat Key to Tampa Bay Inlet are susceptible to the effects of storm surge created by tropical systems. Primary hazards from these events include: tornadoes, storm surge, and freshwater flooding from heavy rainfall and extensive wind damage. The combination of high tides and winds can create coastal flooding and saltwater inundation of the barrier islands and are considered significant risk factors

Hurricane Evacuation Maps: Hurricane evacuation maps are available on the Manatee County website (www.mymanatee.org) and through a variety of printed sources distributed to county and municipal facilities. Hurricane evacuation maps are updated when new information becomes available and in conjunction with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council hurricane evacuation study program. Manatee County. The digital version of the disaster planning guide is also available on the County website. Manatee County partners with local news media agencies to share the hurricane evacuation map with the Bradenton Herald and the Sarasota Herald Tribune newspapers. The newspapers print a special edition paper annually with critical hurricane preparedness information, including the full-color hurricane evacuation level map.

Lock Down

When we are in lockdown mode (if contacted by police), we will lock all external doors and windows and meet up in the cafeteria. There will be no outdoor activity until we have received a clearance from the police department or from the director.

Parents during a lockdown our preschool door will be locked so that no one has access to our building including parents till we get a clearance from law enforcement. In such a case, we will make every attempt to contact parents but the safety of our children will be top priority.

School Violence

The Manatee County School Board has had numerous incidents on their campuses or near their campuses the past couple of years.

In case of a lockdown due to a breach by a threatening individual or an unknown assailant trying to cause harm, teachers will barricade all external doors, closed/locked/cover all windows and position children considering all available options throughout the classroom. Law enforcement will be contacted immediately and we will remain in lockdown mode until the present danger has passed and we get full clearance from law enforcement.

Parents will be contacted when it is safe for staff to do so at the discretion of law enforcement or director.

PEARLS is the Coalition’s newest program – and stands for Preschool Emergency Alert Response Learning System.

The Coalition has partnered with local law enforcement (Palmetto Police, Bradenton Police, and Manatee County Sheriff’s Department) to develop a program on possible ways to handle emergency situations and full training is available to all childcare providers.

In addition to providing training and awareness of potential dangers, we have also established a notification system, which is the first of its kind in the state of Florida. Law Enforcement will notify the Coalition of significant police activity, and the Coalition will send out a phone notification to alert the childcare providers within approximately a 1 mile radius of that activity. 

It will be up to the center director’s discretion (or that of their assignee) to determine how to best handle the situation.  PEARLS encourages all childcare personnel to sign up for training and develop a plan of action for potential scenarios well in advance of any occurrence.  We also sincerely hope that there is no need for a notification call or implementation of a plan. However, we must Educate, Prepare and Protect so that we will be ready if a situation calls for action.

Training and Exercises

Training provides our staff and first responders and other personnel with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform key tasks required by specific capabilities. We complete Emergency Drills once a month as well as discussed emergency preparedness plan during our staff meetings to ensure that everyone has been properly trained for Children’s Nest Emergency Preparedness Plan.

Missing Child

Statement of Intent

Children’s Nest Preschool operates strict guidelines for the safety and security of all children and visitors to the setting. All children are signed in & out by their parents/guardians in our sign in/out binders and all visitors log in/out.

We operate a locked door policy at all times. All parents have an access code to gain access to our facility. We recommend parents do not give out their access code to anyone. Regular headcounts are performed by staff when transitioning children, both to minimize the risk of this happening, and to discover missing children in a timely manner.

If a child goes missing from the preschool setting:

• The person in charge will carry out a thorough search of the building and outside- play area.
• The register is checked to clarify that a child is missing and ensure no other child has gone astray.
• All doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security, whereby a child could wander out.
• The person in charge talks to all staff to establish what happened.
• If the child is not found the parent is contacted and the missing child is reported to the police.

UNAUTHORIZED OR INCAPACITATED PERSON

Children’s Nest of Manatee will not release any child to any person who is not authorized to pick up by the child’s parent(s). We will notify the child’s parents and will only release the child if it is verified. Children’s Nest will not release any child to any person we feel may be incapacitated in any way which could result in harm of a child. Parents or police will be notified of our decision and will be expected to pick up their child immediately. If parents cannot be reached, emergency contacts will be called and they will be expected to pick up the child immediately. We will deny the ability to pick up a child if we have a court order or documentation, stating this person cannot be around children. If we are unable to locate an authorized person to pick up the child, we will not hesitate to call the police to locate the parents or to take custody of the child.

Suspected Child Abuse

In accordance with section 415.504 (1)(e) of the Florida Statutes, all childcare personnel are required by law to report their suspicions of child abuse neglect or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

***** Child abuse or Neglect as defined by F.S. 415.503(3) is harm or threatened harm to a child’s mental or physical health or welfare by the acts or omission of a parent-adult household member, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare. *****

*******Report must be made immediately to the centralized Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873*******

All reports are confidential, Childcare personnel are mandated reporters and are required to give their name when making a report.

Categories of Abuse and Neglect

• Physical Abuse ————— bruises, burns, fear of adults
• Physical Neglect————–poor hygiene, abandonment, lack of supervision, etc.
• Sexual Abuse—————–Excessive crying, physical symptoms
• Emotional Abuse————–depression. Withdrawal, etc.
• Medical Neglect————— failure to provide needed medical services

Emergency care

Open wounds are based on severity and are to be determined by the teacher and director for 911 to be called.

Always contact parent/guardian when there is an open wound.

For serious injuries, 911 will be contacted.

Death of Child or Staff Member

When a death occurs, it is extremely important to verify the information (e.g., from family members or local authorities). Next, determine what information the family would like to have disclosed (or what information has already been released publicly from a reliable source). Once the death has been verified, notify the school staff and students as well as any other department that needs to be updated as to the events leading up to the death.

Notify Teachers and Staff First: Meet before school with school teachers and staff to discuss what is known about the death. This gives teachers an opportunity to ask any questions they wish and to prepare themselves before they see their students in class. If a teacher does not feel able to talk to his/her students about the death, a member of the management team should be available to step in or assist with the notification.

Updated October 9, 2018

Dress Code

Children should be dressed in comfortable, washable clothing. Creative activities and projects involving paints, chalk, ink is part of the center’s daily activities therefore keep in ind that clothing should be washable. Shoes should be closed-lode (no sandals).

Discipline

Children of new clients will be placed in the center on a four-week trial basis. This allows both parties to get acquainted with each other and see if any personality conflicts or disciplinary problems that may arise. During this time, both parties have the opportunity to terminated the agreement and seek the alternative childcare arrangements.

Children’s Nest of Manatee Inc.’s expectation of proper conduct and discipline for children, parents and staffs is as follows:

• Commitment to teal all children with respect
• Commitment to ensure the safety of all children
• Treat all Parents and co-workers with respect
• Maintain confidentiality between Parent and Teacher
• Consideration and courtesy between children, parents, coworkers, & management
• Adherence to The Attendance Policy
• Commitment to Quality Goal
• Commitment to the Corporation’s Mission and Vision Statement

Discipline for children by the staff will be accomplish through

• Re-directing offering options
• Explain to the child that the behavior is unacceptable
• Providing self help-skills
• Expressing feelings through words
• Developing self-control
• Ignore undesirable behavior
• Thank the child for cooperating
• Scheduling meetings with parents to discuss issues and develop a strategy

Federal regulations “No child shall be struck with the hand or with any type of instrument not shall that child be shaken by a staff member. No child shall be denied food as a means of punishment.”

Termination

Children’s Nest of Manatee, Inc., Reserves the right to terminate the agreement at any time for any sufficient reason, including but no limited to late payment, misbehavior or unruliness of the child. Children’s Nest will make every effort to give reasonable notice to allow parents time to obtain alternate childcare arrangements.

You, the parent, also have the right to withdraw child from Children’s Nest of Manatee, Inc., at any time for any reason. However, you must give the center a two weeks notice when canceling service. If the center is not given a two-week notice, you will lose your two-week deposit.

Parent/Teacher Communication

Good parent/teacher communication and partnership is an essential element in any early childhood education. We support all positive partnerships between the teacher and the parent. Please feel free to make an appointment if an depth discussion with your child’s teacher in needed to ensure that there is ample coverage for the classroom.

Categories of Abuse and Neglect

• Physical Abuse ————— bruises, burns, fear of adults
• Physical Neglect————–poor hygiene, abandonment, lact of supervision, etc.
• Sexual Abuse—————–Excessive crying, physical symptoms
• Emotional Abuse————–depression. Withdrawal, etc.
• Medical Neglect————— failure to provide needed medical services

Volunteers

All parents can serve as volunteers by helping in serveral ways:

• Support your child and the teacher
• Re-enforce lessons learn in the classroom at home
• Read to your child
• Follow all the rules and policies to make for a smooth transition for both teacher and child

Vacation

Upon 12 months of continued attendance, your child will be eligible to take one week of vacation. Please make sure to notify the Director in writing prior to taking vacation time.

Last Words

Please feel free to address any concerns and/or issues with your Director. Families play a significant between parent and teacher and to maintain an open communication for the development of the young child.