All immunizations must be up to date or a written letter from the doctor stating the reason for delay and when the child is expected to be immunized must be on file at the Center.
The Department of Health will not accept medical examination forms signed by the child's parent, even though that parent may be a physician, nurse practitioner or PA.
For children two months to two years, health forms are required every three months,
Two to three years, health forms are required every six months;
Three years and over, health forms are required annually.
Children not complying with The Department of Health regulations will be EXCLUDED from child care until they present proof of compliance.
All children in attendance at the Center are considered healthy enough to participate in ALL activities.
Children with a fever of 101 or more will be sent home. This child must be FEVER FREE 24 hours before returning to the Center.
Children with a fever of 101, whose parents cannot be reached, or whose parents cannot pick up within 30 minutes of notification, will be taken to PH Pediatric Emergency.
Children with 3 bouts of diarrhea in one day or 3 bouts of vomiting will be sent home.
Because
of the danger of contagion, all instances of communicable disease must be
reported immediately to the Director so that Center parents can be notified
as well as The Presbyterian Hospital Department of Epidemiology and The New
York Department of Health. Parents are requested to be sure their child has a reasonable bedtime. Overly tired children find it difficult to negotiate the demands of the daycare program.
We are unable to keep medication at the Center.
For the safety of all children, medication may not be placed in baby bottles or any other type of food. Parents attempting to medicate their child in this manner will be discharged from the Center.
Parents may administer medication or, with written permission only, authorize another adult (other than a staff member) to administer medication. The parent assumes full responsibility for such permission.
Temperatures will be taken under the arm with a conventional thermometer or with a Thermoscan.
During the summer months, we suggest parents who wish their children to have sun screen lotion, to use an all-day sun screen which the parent can apply before leaving the child.
Medical exemptions for Religious or Physical Reasons
Parents who choose not to follow the Department of Health required immunizations schedule for religious reasons, may do so by completing the proper Department of Health Form. In accordance with the Department of Health regulations, these children will be excluded from attendance whenever anyone at the Center contacts a contagious disease. The period of exclusion will be tee incubation period of the specific disease.
Children, who for physical reasons have not been able to follow the required immunizations schedule, must have written proof from a physician on file at the Center.
PARENTS PROVIDE:
Breakfast. If your child has had breakfast at home you should send a beverage and crackers or fruit. We discourage cookies for breakfast. Breakfast is finished at 9:00 AM. If you arrive after 9:00 AM you should remain with your child while (s)he has breakfast.
Lunch: Lunch is served at 11:45 AM. It should consist of a main course, dessert, and beverage. Teachers will microwave a meal if it has been properly placed in a microwave container. Teachers are not allowed to open cans, cook food, or in any way prepare food.
PM Snack: Parents are encouraged to send in fruit or cheese , and juice for the PM snack.
If you forget your child's lunch, you may purchase it outside and get it to the Center before lunch or you may purchase a microwave meal at a cost of $2.00.
Teachers are unlicensed in food preparation. Therefore they may not prepare food, bottles, formula, or training cups. Food may not be left at the Center or in the cubbies. Due to Department of Health regulations, once food has been served, it may not be saved. Food not taken home at the end of each day will be discarded in order to keep the refrigerators clean.
Baby bottles, nipple covers, pacifiers, and lunch containers need to be labeled (top and bottom) with your child's full name.
Baby bottles are not used during the school day in the Preschool Rooms. However, parents may fill a bottle at the end of the day if they so desire for the trip home. Because of possible breakage, glass baby bottles may not be sent to the Center.
We do not have the facilities to rinse, wash or sanitize lunch boxes or containers at the Center. Parents should send a sufficient amount of appropriate food for their child.
Because the following foods are known to frequently cause choking accidents in very young children, they are NOT SERVED or are served only in specific forms at the Center.
NUTS of any kind. This includes nuts in peanut butter chunky style, cereal, or baked goods.
CARROTS, CUCUMBERS, PICKLES that are cut in circles. They will be served only if diced.
MEAT, FISH, POULTRY must be de-boned.
POPCORN, CHIPS, SODA, CANDY, GUM, PRETZELS are never served. If you send these items to school we will assume this is for an after school snack.
GRAPES and CHERRIES are never served. If you send Fruit Cocktail you must remove the grapes and cherries.
HARD BOILED EGGS are served if they are peeled and cut into
quarters.
FRESH FRUIT must be peeled, pitted and cut. One exception is the banana. Melon balls are not served.
CHERRY TOMATOES will be served if they are quartered.
OLIVES will be served if pitted and halved.
MINI-COOKIES such as bite-sized Oreos will not be served.
Plastic bags and children do not mix. Do not send your child's food in large plastic bags. Each child will need to have a proper lunch bag. All food placed in the refrigerator must be properly covered.
Hair needs to be regularly shampooed and combed daily. Do not be surprised if the teacher asks you to comb your child's hair before you leave in the morning. This means boys and girls. Combs or brushes may not be left at the Center. Staff may not comb or style children's hair.
Please dress children appropriately for the weather. Cold weather will require hats, mittens, and scarves. Hot weather will require hats for sun protection.
Children will need two complete sets of spare clothing to be left at the Center. A spare pair of shoes is desirable. We are unable to borrow clothing from another student and we do not have extras.
Children must be fully dressed while in school. Underwear or diapers cannot double as outer garments.
Clothing should fit properly and allow for proper modesty. All students are encourage to wear clothing that allows for easy and full participation in all activities.
Cloth diapers and wipes are not used at the Center.
Children toilet training require a supply of diapers and underwear as well as three sets of extra clothing.
PULL-UPS are not used at the Center.
In the interest of maintaining sanitary conditions at the Center, children who are toilet training will be returned to diapers after three training accidents in one day.
Bedding for Naptime:
Each child needs a small, crib sized sheet, and a small blanket for naptime. PILLOWS are not used in order to accommodate The New York Department of Health regulations. ALL bedding is taken home by parents on Fridays to be laundered and returned on Mondays.
Items From Home:
We welcome special toys and items from home, but they must be able to fit into your child's cubby. Each room has a specific schedule of when toys may come to the Center so please check with your classroom teacher. The Staff and Center are unable to be responsible for items lost or damaged. Please label all items with your child's name.
LOST & FOUND is located in the Office.
Jewelry is discouraged at the Center. We are unable to be responsible for lost, swallowed, or missing jewelry.
Money may not be brought to the Center. Children bringing money will contribute it to the Center s Pet Fund.
Outdoor activities are a part of our daily activities. The children use the Center's rooftop garden, the Center's backyard, the Hospital Garden and local parks when the weather permits. They also take neighborhood walks. While we do not have facilities or staff to honor requests to keep children inside while the class goes outside, we will, at the parent's request, phone the parent so that (s)he can take charge of the child during the time the class is outside.
Arrivals/Departures:
Children depart the Center no sooner than 9:30 AM for morning outdoor activities and 3:45 PM for afternoon activities. Parents arriving past this hour should expect to locate their child's class through the use of the Travel Board located near the front Exit Door.
Busy Bee Board/Travel Board:
These communication boards are located near the front Exit Door. Use them to locate your child's class when it is out of the building. Use the Busy Bee to keep up to date on events are the Center.
Discipline:
Discipline at the Center is another way of lovingly expressing limits to our children and does not allow for physical or emotional abuse. If children are repeatedly unable to follow instructions a Time Out is observed after an explanation. Time Out is a method of helping the child focus on behavior and re-direct activities. Teachers and child care workers at the Center are mandated reporters to The State of New York when child abuse or neglect is suspected.
Parents are requested not to discipline other children in the classroom and asked to honor classroom rules.
Our Building:
Parents are responsible for the welfare of their child when they are dropping off and picking up.
Please greet the teachers and office staff when arriving and leaving.
Please do escort your child either on the elevator or stairway and take care that they do not make a great escape .
Please be aware of the doors opening and closing (especially the outside door) so that hands and fingers do not get caught.
Please do not encourage children to climb on the railing outside the building.
Please do not allow children to play with the fire alarm pulls.
Strollers (collapsed) and carseats may be stored in the front closet for your convenience.
Parents may use the Nursing Room, located adjacent to the Office, to breast feed their children.
The Junior and Senior Infant Rooms are considered SHOE FREE ZONES. Parents and visitors are asked to remove their shoes before entering these rooms. We request that siblings not visit these rooms.
The Center is a SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT.
The Parents' Association:
Each parent is considered a member of our Parents' Association. No dues or fees are charged, and all parents are encouraged to attend parent meetings. Parents' meetings are scheduled at the discretion of the President of the Parents' Association and they usually meet a minimum of four times each calendar year on the 4th floor of the Center.
The Parents' Association provides a broad base support system for the child care center. Among its activities are fund-raising events each year. Traditionally the Holiday Bake Sale in December has been the largest fund raising event. The Association has also worked on securing computers for a new computer program on our third floor, worked on the matting of the backyard play area and consistently worked toward the betterment of the child care facility. While the child care center does not function as a parent co-op, parents, through the Parents' Association, are frequently asked to express their hopes and desires for the program.
The Board of Directors:
The child care center, owned by The Presbyterian Hospital, has its own Board of Directors. It is the Board of Directors responsibility to monitor the financial aspects of the program, care for the physical plant, and maintain high curriculum standards within the philosophical guidelines of the Center. It is the Board of Directors who annually review and make child care tuition rate determination.
