Policy Statement
After school care is available to siblings of enrolled preschool children. School age care is available to those children that were graduates of our preschool program
Age of Children:
0-5 years
After school care is available to siblings of enrolled preschool children School age care is available to those children that were graduates of our preschool program.
Days of Care:
Monday-Friday
Saturday & Sunday care is available upon appointment.
Hours of Care: 6:00am-6:00pm
Extended hours are available by appointment.
Drop in Care:
Care is available only after hours and on Saturday & Sunday.
A deposit of one-week childcare fees will be required with signed contract before starting your child. This deposit will be held and credited back to you for the last week of your child's care when proper written notice is given.
Full payment is due in the beginning of each week. This includes holidays, or days your child is absent from day care. Payments can be made weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Payments will be considered late if not paid by closing time on Tuesday of the week in care.
This is also known as the Voucher Program or Title Twenty. The program is administrated by Pasco Hernando Early Learning Coalition (PHELC). Parents are subsidized for child care, but are required to pay a “Parent fee” determined by PHELC. The subsidized payment rate, and Parent fees may not cover the full tuition. Therefore the parents/guardians are responsible for any and all deficiencies in the tuition. Parents will also be responsible for any days that are not covered by the Coalition.
A late payment charge of 10% (ten percent) will be applied to your current balance if payment is not made before the end of the week in which you owe. Your child's enrollment will be terminated if your account is two weeks past due and there is an existing balance of late fees and other charges still remaining on your account.
Carol’s Smart Start
Age of children in care: 0-5 years
DEPOSIT/REGISTRATION
A one-time nonrefundable fee of $130.00
TUITION FEES
Effective January 1, 2018
Weekly rates
Young Infants (birth-12 months) $130.00
Mobile infants &Toddlers (12-36 months) $130.00
Preschoolers (3-5 years) $120.00
VPK Wrap around (3-4 year olds) $ 85.00
School age (5-10 years) $110.00
School age (part time) $ 95.00
Dailey rates
Infant or Toddlers (all day) $ 45.00
Preschool (all day) $ 40.00
School age (all day) $ 35.00
Hourly and Overtime Charge
Hourly, Late pick up or Early drop off $ 5.00
Overnight care (6:00 pm-8:00 am) $ 45.00
Days of care: Monday-Friday
Saturday & Sunday care is available upon appointment.
Hours of Care: 6:00am-6:00pm. Extended hours are available by appointment until midnight.
Drop in car
e is available only after 6:00pm on Monday- Friday and on Saturday & Sunday.
Prices apply only during 6:00am-6:00pm additional hourly fee may apply for extended hours. A week is three days of care during the week. The weekly charge will apply. Special and extended fees are based on an hourly rate of $5.00 per hour. Reduced rates may apply on an individual basis.
Terminating of Contract: Both parties may terminate this contract if proper written notice given. Contract: Written Notice of when your child will no longer be attending my child care for any reason. I require a two-week written notice along with the one week payment. I will apply the deposit for the second week. Payments for those two weeks are required even if your child will not be attending for the two weeks. As your child's provider I reserve the right to terminate this contract for any of the following reasons but not limited to:
I will give proper written notice of termination of two weeks' notice to you and payments will be due for those two weeks even if your child doesn't attend daycare for those two weeks.
Contract Revisions: I (child care provider) reserve the right to revise this contract when changes in the laws and regulations governing child care facilities or changes in mine or the child's situation changes become necessary such as:
When handbook has been revised parents will be given 30 days notice before any changes that have been made to handbook are enforced.
Holding a space open for two weeks will require one week child care Space: payments for those two weeks are required even if your child will not be attending for the two weeks. Payment and the deposit must be paid with the signed contract. If more than two weeks than ½ rate of day care payments will be required and will not be applied to any weeks after child has started. This will be a form of payment to hold this space for your child. I cannot hold a space for your child for several weeks without this. When the contract is signed, dated, deposit and the one-week day care payment are made then I consider that day care space filled. The week's childcare payment will be applied to your child's first week of care. The deposit of one week childcare payment will be applied to last week of the 2 weeks' notice when give. If for any reason after the contract has been signed, deposit and payment has been made and you choose not to start your child in my day care, deposit and payment are non- refundable. This will be considered payment for lost income while holding this space for your child.
End of the year statements will be given at the end of the year.
Checks returned to me unpaid by my bank will be charged an additional fee of $35.00 and you will have 24 hours after I notify you that your check has been returned to me as unpaid by your bank. This payment must be paid in cash only. There could also be a late payment fee added to this, as your payment will be considered late. Two returned checks and further payments must be made by cash or money order.
Illness: Children that became ill during our care will be given first aid. The parents will be notified using the numbers furnished on their enrollment. If parents can not be reached we will notify all persons indicated on the enrollment that are permitted to pick up the child. If their condition is contagious they will be isolated from the other children. Parents must pick up their child immediately if:
- Their child has a fever 101 degrees or higher.
- Their child has diarrhea.
- Their child vomit.
Dispensing medicine:
Parents must completely fill out Medical Authorization form. Medicine must be in its original container with the child's name the name of the medicine and the directions and dosage clearly printed on the label. We will not give any medicine that has been expired.
Serious injuries:
If a child is injured which may threat their permanent health. We will call 911 immediately and the child will be transported to the nearest hospital. All parents must sign a medical release form which will accompany the child which will allow the child to receive medical treatment. There will always be a substitute to care for the remaining children while care is given to the injured child.
Potty Training:
I will assist you and your child in the process of Potty Training. This is process that has no set age or time. It depends on totally your child's own personal attitude and temperament. The only tools are patents, consistency and an awareness of your child's biological clock. Young children may still have accidents during the day. Diapers and Pull ups may still be required at nap time and bed time and must be brought by the parent.
Bottle Weaning:
Like potty training there is no set time or age that a child MUST be wean from a bottle. A couple of good signs is when the child's teeth come in enough so they can chew "baby food" or when the child is mature enough to ask verbally for a bottle. I work with my parents when their child reaches one year of age. It will take time and patience. It really depends on the child's individual growth and development.
Parents need to bring appropriate clothing suitable for the current weather. Children will not be permitted outside with out a heavy jacket if the temperature is below 65 degrees. It is highly recommended that your child bring an extra set of clothing regardless of their age. If an accident does happen which requires them to change their clothes and none is available you will be contacted and you must either pick your child up or bring them appropriate extra clothes.
We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and two snacks during each week day. The menu is posted on a weekly basis for the parent's inspection. If a child can not eat the food for health or religious reasons the parent may bring his/her own meal and snack. Parents are asked not to bring in candy, chips or any other low nutritionally valued food. We discourage children form bringing in food or drinks from home because this may encourage trading or encourage food that have a low nutritional value. On special occasions such as birthdays and holidays parents are invited to bring in special food items such as birthday cake, Easter and valentine treats for all our children to share.
All preschool children will be required to rest on a mat or in a crib for a period of 2-2 1/2 hours per day. All children who attend our extended hours have a required bed time of 8:00 pm. If the child's parent disagrees with this bed time the child will not be allowed to attend during this period.
Children are discouraged from bring items from home. Stuff animals carry lice; toys could be lost or broken. Sharing the toys or items may cause friction and bad feelings from the other children. We supply all cups and utensils for the children and ask their parents to be diligent in picking up their cups and other containers that the children may bring in with them.
Becoming attached to an item such as a blanket or stuff animal is a normal part of a child's development. I will work with the parent so their child will no longer need the item to feel secure and happy in their environment without becoming anxious or upset. I reiterate these items are a health issue, such as carriers of lice and, other parasites and viruses.
What to bring from home:
Parents of children who need diapers, Baby food, baby formula, and wipes need to supply these items for their child on a weekly basis. Parents need To bring in a change of clothes and bathing suits, jackets, shoes and shocks for their child
No smoking policy:
No smoking is permitted on the premises regardless whether children are in attendance. Please, do not throw your tobacco products or other trash on my property.
Fire drills:
Fire drills will be conducted once a month... Fire and evacuation plan is posted at the evacuation door and bulletin board.
6:00am-7:00am Table Activities - Puzzles, lacing beads & cards, Links, Patterns blocks, etc.
7:00am-8:30am Breakfast (Children washes their hands)
Free play for children not eating breakfast
8:30am-9:00am Science Activites or Games - Feed water pets and plants
9:00am-9:15am Snacks
9:15am-9:45am Music - Children sing, dance and play musical instruments
9:45am-10:15am Arts & Crafts - Children make & take activities, work with play-doh
10:15am-11:15am Outside Play
(if weather permits) or inside activites
11:15am-11:30am Circle Time - Children listen and interact to stories and stories' activates
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch (wash hands)
12:30pm-2:30pm Nap/Quiet Time with quiet background music
(chilren brush teeth & wash up before nap)
2:30pm-2:45pm Snacks
2:45pm-3:00pm Table Activities
3:00pm-3:40pm Outside Play
3:40pm-4:30pm Circle Time (Wash up from outside)
4:30pm-5:00pm Music
5:00pm-5:15pm Science Activites or Games
5:15pm-5:45pm Free Play
5:45pm-6:00pm Clean up for Dinner
6:00pm-6:30pm Dinner
6:30pm-7:00pm Quiet Time
8:00pm Bedtime - with story or tape
Discipline Policy:
I believe the best way to handle problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Therefore, the physical environment and my program are set up so that as few problems will take place as possible. The room and toys are arranged so children can handle things mostly by themselves. Children are not expected to perform beyond their abilities. Activities are age appropriate. In addition, because of size of my group, I have a great deal of interaction with my children consequently less inappropriate demand for attention and opportunities for problems to develop.
I do believe that rules and consequences are a reality of everyday life, and children need to learn how to understand these difficult concepts. Part of natural child development includes "testing" rules and boundaries. Basic procedure is: I will move toward the child and assess the situation. Then stop hurtful physical or verbal behavior. I will set a limit or state a rule. I may redirect a child's behavior asking them to choose a different activity, guiding them toward positive behavior. If necessary I may have the child sit in a "time-out," asking a child to sit in a designated chair to sit and observe. The behavior will be discussed with the child before he is released from the time-out making sure the child understands the reason for the time-out. Behavior which is considered severe or continues after the above measures will warrant a parent conference. If the child's behavior issues are not resolve the parent is not cooperate or objects to my rules and boundaries that I set for their child. I will terminate his/her enrollment.