Section 1 – School Guidelines:   B – Field Trips / Special Guests

Field Trips notices will be given to every parent and must be received by staff in order for the child to attend.  Transportation to the destination will be provided by the parents.  If parents cannot bring their own child because of work then a car pool will be arranged by letting staff know.

Special guests will be asked to come into the school to help children understand their job/concept/skill.  All parents are welcome to attend field trips and special guest presentations.  All information will be included on the monthly calendar and on special notices providing location, any time change and necessary clothing/snacks.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   C – Registration

Bright Minds Kindergarten registration is first come first serve.  Each child will be added to the registration list until the class is filled according to ratio(1:12).  After the registration list is filled additional children will be placed on the waitlist and moved onto the registration list as soon as a vacancy comes up.  No child will be removed from the registration or wait list unless at parents request or a failure to submit deposit.

A $10.00 deposit fee will be collected to maintain each child position on the registration list.  A receipt will be given to the parent when the holding fee is submitted.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:    D – Medical     1 – Emergency Treatment

Any medical emergency will be dealt with in an immediate and efficient manner.  If immediate medical attention is required then a paramedic will be called.  Staff will notify parents immediately and give them all details of the emergency.

Staff will have a full written report placed in the child’s file of the incident and all first aid preformed within three days.  Staff will have parents sign the written report before placing in the child’s file.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   D – Medical   2 – Child Sickness

Staff will notify each parent by phone if school has to be cancelled because of staff illness.

Staff will post notices of any communicable disease confirmed in the school in plain sight for all parents to read.  Staff will have information on hand about the communicable disease.

Staff will notify parents if their child is to sick to remain for the complete program.  If the child is vomiting, has diarrhea, a high fever or not functioning immediate removal is necessary for the health of the staff and remaining students.

Staff is responsible for sanitizing all toys and touchable surfaces once a week or more often if sickness is common.

All medications will only be given to a child if the parent fills out a permission form that includes the dose and times.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   D – Medical   4 – Accidents during Class

Any accident occurring during class time will be administered first aid if necessary.  Staff will fill out an accident report form to be read and signed by both staff and parents by the end of the day.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   E – School Closures

All school closures will be marked on the monthly calendar. 

School will be closed because of bad weather when the Halifax regional school board declares it too dangerous to drive.

Any other school closures, power outages etc, staff will notify parents by phone call as soon as possible.

During March break classes will not be held.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   F - Behavior Management

Bright Minds Kindergarten wants to create a positive environment for all children to encourage the use of appropriate words and learn the foundations of solving problems with their peers.

Teachers will encourage each child to explain themselves and act as an unbiased party. Teachers will try to be proactive verses reactive to potential situations and physical arrangements that may encourage inappropriate behavior.

Bright Minds Kindergarten uses the following strategies to help encourage positive interactions and experiences among all the children:

·         Consistency – Our rules are clear and always remain the same.

·         Positive guidance – We reinforce all positive interactions, even attempts that did were not followed through properly. Helping children find the right words when they are having difficulty or providing a few ideas for the children to choose as a solution.

·         Realistic expectations – Skills, language and cognitive will be taken into consideration and based individually per child and for each situation.

·         Setting limits – Children need to understand that there are limits in order to keep them and other safe.

·         Behavior role Models – Teachers will be role models in all situations they find them selves in while conversing with parents to other children and will always be a positive model of appropriate behavior.

Bright Minds Kindergarten will work with parents to develop strategies for at home and school to encourage appropriate behavior to replace consistently inappropriate behavior.

No Child at Bright Minds Kindergarten will ever made feel frightened, ashamed, embarrassed, insecure or isolated. An emphasis on the behavior as inappropriate not the child will be made.

Section 1 – School Guidelines:   G - Procedure for reporting child abuse

Staff must report any suspected child abuse to the Department of Community Services at 435-7472 or Children’s Aid Society of Halifax at 425-5420.

"abuse" defined

62 In Sections 63 to 66, "abuse" of a child by the person means that the child

(a) has suffered physical harm, inflicted by the person or caused by the person's failure to supervise and protect the child adequately;

(b) has been sexually abused by the person or by another person where the person, having the care of the child, knows or should know of the possibility of sexual abuse and fails to protect the child; or

(c) has suffered serious emotional harm, demonstrated by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or self-destructive or aggressive behaviour, caused by the intentional conduct of the person. 1990, c. 5, s. 62.  As defined by the Children and Family Services Act 1990.

 A full written report will be written by the staff whom reported the abuse and a copy will be given to the representative from Community Services or Children’s Aid.  The other copy will be placed in the child’s file.

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:

Parents are responsible for ensuring safe transportation for their child to and from Kindergarten.  All children need to be toilet trained in order to attend any program at Bright Minds Kindergarten.  Parent have the responsibility to make are their child is ready for kindergarten in regards to toilet trained. 

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:   D – Early Removal

Parents who need to remove their child from the school are asked to give staff at least one weeks notice.  This notice allows staff to collect all of the child’s work to be taken home.  No extra fee is required.  The last month the child is in attendance is the last month paid.  If the reason for leaving the school is directly related to the schools practices please feel free to notify the staff of your concern(s) is writing or verbally.  All efforts will be taken to solve the issue(s) to allow your child to remain in the school.

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:   A – Tuition

Parents are responsible for submitting to staff the tuition fee each month between the 1^st and the 5^th of each month from September to June for each child they have registered. The tuition for each class is:

A.  $130.00 for the three day program

B.   $90.00 for the two day program

Tuition can be submitted by form of check (postdated or current) or cash. A receipt will be given the next day for the tuition received.

Post dated checks for the entire school year can be given to the staff at the beginning of the school year. A receipt will be written for the check in the month it is cashed.

An additional fee of 10.00 will be charged in the event of a NSF Check or the late payment of tuition.

Returned NSF checks are to be replaced immediately with a certified check or cash.  This amount will include any extra processing fees added by the bank in addition to the tuition fee.

Families not submitting tuition for two consecutive months will receive a letter notifying them that if immediate payment is not received their child will have to leave the program.

Staff will work with any family who needs special circumstances regarding tuition on an individual basis

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:  B – Drop off and pick up:  

Class is scheduled from 9-11:30am.  The door will open ten minutes prior at 8:50am for drop off.  No child will be dropped off before this time unless arrangements have been made with the staff before hand. Children are required to be picked up no later then 11:40 AM.

 A late fee of 10.00 will be issued to the party that is late to pick up the child.  One written warning will be given on first offence before a late fee is charged.

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:  C – Registration Deposit and Forms

Parents are responsible to submit a 10.00 deposit when registering their child for a program.  This fee will ensure their child a place for the upcoming year.  Children in the two day program will be given the opportunity to register for the three day class before registration is opened to the public.  If a deposit fee is no received and a wait list starts parents will be contacted to submit this fee.  If parent does not submit fee after three attempts of the staff to contact them, their child will be removed to the wait list and the spot will be filled.  This process will help us achieve a full class to help with the social aspect of our curriculum.

Registration forms will be given to all parents on the first day of class.  It is extremely important to fill these forms in accurately and given back to the school.  If there is any information missing, staff will notify parents as soon as possible.

Section 2 – Parent Responsibilities:   E - Sickness

A child must been in good health in order to learn.  The following guidelines are presented and requested to be followed to maintain a healthy environment for all children and staff. A good indication of a child who should not attend class is one that you have to give medication for any of the following:

Vomiting/Diarrhea:

A child may not attend class until it has been 24hours from their last episode. If they have an episode during class parents will be contact to take them home immediately.

Fever:

A child must be of normal temperature to attend class.  If a child develops a fever during class they will be kept comfortable until a parent arrives to take them home. A fever of 100 or more required the child to miss class.

Skin Rash:

A child will have to miss class if they have a rash with no explanation until a doctor confirms it is not a communicable disease.

Parasitic Infection

Any child with lice or scabies may not attend class until it has cleared.

Pink Eye

A child may attend class after 24 hours after starting medication from the doctor.

Chicken Pox

A child must have all blisters dried and formed scabs, approximately 6 days after beginning of rash, before they can attend class again.

All other Communicable Diseases:

If your child has a communicable disease they are required to stay home until the period of contagiousness has passed and a doctor has seen them and approved them to return to class.