Parent Packet (2)
NEWSLETTERS
You will receive an OTR Newsletter at the end of each month relating to the following month. The newsletter includes our curriculum, pertinent dates, notices, birthday announcements, etc. Please look for our newsletter in your email box the last week of each month.
Confirmation Forms
Confirmation Forms for our Summer Program and for the following school year will be included in the January Newsletter with a February due date.
Brightwheels
Brightwheels is a user-friendly app that we use at OTR and we LOVE it! You will receive pictures, menus, messages, announcements and updates during the day through Bright Wheels. You will also receive invoices and will pay your tuition online through their secure payment and billing feature. Bright Wheels is our primary form of communication and is the preferred method for correspondence.
Payment Schedule
Invoices are sent out via Bright Wheels on Monday for the following week of care. The invoices are payable on or before Thursday of that same week. A $10.00 per day late fee will be assessed if payments are received after 4:30 PM on the due date on the invoice.
Late Pick-UP
We close at 4:30. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are going to be late.
If you arrive after 4:30 there is a $10.00 fee for every 10 minutes beyond 4:30.
Illness
“When is my child too sick for daycare?”
Great question!!!
Your child is too sick to attend daycare when one or all of the following apply:
-Temperature is over 100 degrees.
-Child has diarrhea or has been vomiting.
-Child has a contagious virus of ANY kind. Examples: chicken pox. Roseola, fifth disease, an undiagnosed rash, respiratory infection and impetigo. Children with a viral infection cannot return to care until all symptoms have subsided.
-Child has a bacterial infection, such as, strep throat, bronchitis or pneumonia. Children with a bacterial infection may return to care after being on an antibiotic for at least 36 hours. Children must also feel well enough to be in care. Although conjunctivitis can be a viral infection, children may return to care after they have been on an antibiotic cream for at least 36 hours and secretions have stopped.
Exceptions: Children with a persistent cough or a thick discolored runny nose may need a day or two at home in order to keep the cough and cold from spreading and infecting others. Children with ear infections may also attend if they are comfortable and can fully participate in program. The 36-hour antibiotic clause does not apply because ear infections are not contagious. However, children with ear infections or other non-contagious bacterial infections must also be fever free for at least 36 hours without a fever reducing medication.
FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OFF ALL THOSE INVOLVED, I MUST RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE CARE TO ANY CHILD WHO I DEEM TOO SICK TO ATTEND.
Severe colds and persistent coughs would fall under this category. There is also a 36-hour MANDATORY “clear” policy. This means your child must be free from any signs of illness for at least 36 hours before returning to care. In accordance with this policy, a child who is sent home ill will not be expected to arrive back the next morning for care.
If a child is seen by a health care professional, please provide a note with any diagnosis from that visit. A doctors return to care note DOES NOT override our sick policy.
Absenteeism
Payment is required for any days your child is absent. This includes but is not limited to vacations, sick days (whether sent home or kept home), snow days, loss of power, bereavement, personal days and holidays. Please message me through Bright Wheels to inform me if your child will be late or absent. (See Safe Arrival Policy.)
Provider and Staff Sick/Personal Time
I will inform parents as soon as possible if I need to close due to staff illness or personal reasons.
We receive 7 paid sick/personal days per year and 3 bereavement days.. My contracted year runs from September 1st through August 31st.
If these days are not used within the contracted year, they ARE NOT carried over to the next year.
I have a large pool of approved assistants to draw from, and closing has been almost non-existent. I take pride in our history of dependable care.
Vacation Time
We are closed for four weeks vacation during the year. Two of these weeks will be taken during the summer months. We are also closed during April school vacation as determined by the Georgetown School System and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Payment is required for these four weeks.
Summer vacation weeks are posted in the January Newsletter.
If your hours decrease for the summer, vacation pay is based on the amount of care provided during the school year.
If your child attended OTR during the school year but will not be attending our Summer Program, payment is still required for the two vacation weeks taken during the summer whether or not your child(ren) will be returning in September.
If your child attended OTR for part of the school year, you will still be responsible for our Summer Vacation weeks. You will receive an pro-rated invoice for those Summer Vacation Weeks reflecting that time that your child was in care.
This policy is in effect as vacation time was being accrued while you child was in care during the school year.
Bad Weather/Power Outage
If Georgetown School System is closed due to inclement weather, we will also be closed.
In the event of a delayed opening, we will also be delayed the same amount of time to allow for driveways and sidewalks to be cleared. For example, if Georgetown Public Schools announce a 2-hour delay, we typically open at 8:00am but will be opening at 10:00am. If the schools have an early release due to inclement weather, we will also be closing early to allow for a safe pick up of the children and so our staff can safely travel home.
If there is a storm during any of the school vacation weeks, I reserve the right to call a Snow Day if I deem it unsafe.
Per EEC Regulations, if there is a power outage we will be closed. If the outage occurs during operating hours, we will be calling parents to pick up their child(ren).
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN
Each family will receive an Emergency Preparedness Plan that explains how emergency events will be handled.