Train up a Child in the way He should go, And when He is Old, He will Not Depart from it ~Prov 22:6

Table of Contents

Welcome .. Mission and Philosophy........ Core Values ... Program Goals... Curriculum Overview.. Responsibilities of Our Center.. Responsibilities of Our Families.. Family Involvement and Oppportunities ... Program Policies... o o o o o o o Medication Illness Religious Practices Birthdays Child Abuse Meals and Snacks Discipline

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Operating Procedures . Tuition Policy...

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Welcome
Dear Parents/Guardians: Thank you for entrusting Dream a Lil Dream Child Care Center with your most precious gifts. Our goal is to provide a Christian environment in which children will be stimulated spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially. We are committed to this goal and dedicated to helping your child grow in the knowledge of God and His Son Jesus. Our loving and understanding teachers are devoted to making each childs experience a happy and successful introduction to school. Our staff is committed to providing a safe, loving and caring educational environment for your children. The Center provides exciting, developmentally appropriate learning activities for your child from ages 3 months to 6 years. The Staff at Dream a Lil Dream is well trained to work with children and very dedicated to their job of teaching, caring for, and loving children. Parents/Guardians, we want you to know that our doors are open for you to visit at any time. Parents are a vital part of our program. We encourage your to visit and participate in activities at the Center. Your input in your childs care is extremely important to all of us at Dream a Lil Dream. Thank you for your help and cooperation in making each day successful, safe and enjoyable for the children and staff. Please feel free to address any questions or concerns and together we can provide the best care for your child. Thank you, Donna Tuck Program Administrator

Mission Statement
The mission of Dream a Lil Dream Daycare is to provide a safe and fun-filled learning environment for kids ages 3 months to 6 years of age. Our focus is to provide enriching experiences that promote your childs physical, cognitive, social-

emotional, and moral development. Our goal is to support each childs learning and inspire their dreams.

Philosophy
Dream a Lil Dream Daycares philosophy is the key to SUCCESS is through active COMMUNICATON with children and their families. Include families by involving them in their childs learning initiative. EVERY child is treated equally and we VALUE diversity. We believe EVERY child has potential and can BLOSSOM and THRIVE in the right environment. We strive to provide this type of environment for your children.

Core Values
Our Core Values are: The child is an active participant in learning. Children are allowed to follow their interests and explore new things. The significance of environment. Children use materials as a part of their learning experience in a hands-on way The teacher, child and parent are collaborators in the process of learning. Making learning visible. Teachers document daily activities through cameras, tape recorders and journals We strive to have exemplary relationships with children and their families To demonstrate integrity in all our relationships We believe the parent is just as important as the child in the learning process. A happy and educated parent raises the same type of child. Children learn from positive role models in their lives. We want to be a positive part of your childs life by guiding them through a curriculum that will strengthen their physical, cognitive, social-emotional and moral development. We want to build a secure bond that lasts throughout your childs life.

Program Goals
Our goals are to help each child grow in his love for and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 To provide high quality standards of quality education and a stable environment that encourages individual, social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth We respect each individuals needs We provide an inclusive child care center so that every child feels important and loved To assist in raising creative, independent thinkers To encourage them to feel competent, productive, and self-reliant, as well as fostering good self-esteem and a sense of self-worth

Curriculum Overview
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Dream a Lil Dream utilizes the High Scope curriculum to nurture the whole child and support their social, emotional, and intellectual growth. The curriculum uses a process called active participatory learning. High Scope is research based and child focused to achieve powerful, positive outcomes. The curriculum helps and promotes childrens independence, curiosity, decision-making, cooperation, persistence, creativity, and problem solving. This is what is meant by the High Scope Difference. All of which are a part of Dream a Lil Dreams philosophy, core values, and goals. The High Scope Curriculum focuses on eight content areas, which are based on the dimensions of school readiness recognized by the National Education Goals panel. Content areas are: Approaches to learning Social and Emotional development Physical development and Health Language, Literacy, and Communication Mathematics Creative Arts Science and Technology Social Studies

These learning areas are vital and prepare your child for later schooling. Within these content areas are 58 key development indicators (KDI) which outline essential learning goals for young children. Parents and guardians can rest assured that their children are getting the best educational experience possible.

Responsibilities of Our Center

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 To provide a safe, stimulating, healthy and clean environment for children to learn To provide an inclusive environment and treat each child equally To value diversity and embrace cultural differences To provide qualified teachers that will make a positive difference in a childs life To demonstrate personal commitment to providing excellent care and learning programs To be non-judgmental and provide positive experiences to your child To have exemplary relationships with our children and families To communicate candidly, frankly and constructively

Responsibilities of Families
To ensure your child is happy, healthy and safe To work with staff to provide a positive experience for your child To communicate with our center about any questions, concerns or complaints To be involved with your childs learning experience To assist in the development of your childs educational experience To notify our Center if your child will be absent or is sick To keep your child at home if he/she is not feeling well and/or running a fever To reinforce our conduct rules with your child and instruct them to respect our teachers instructions.

Family Involvement and Opportunities

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Dream a Lil Dream encourages families to visit our center and family involvement in their childs learning experience. We have an open door policy, but ask that you please check in with the front desk before entering your childs class for security reasons. We include many family-oriented activities, some of which are listed below: Field trips and outings Birthday and holiday celebrations Graduation program which is held each year in late May or early June for our K4 classrooms. Parent/Teacher conferences In addition, we have a board that consists of parents of children who currently are attending our center. They assist in the development of our curriculum and other programs as needed. We want you to feel like family and ask that your express any questions or concerns with our teachers to help us to better assist your children. Please know that your children are just as important to us as they are to you.

Medications
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Before we can administer any prescription or non-prescription medications to your child you will need to do the following: 1. Keep them home for 24 hours after the first dose ~ for possible allergic reactions 2. Sign a PURPLE Medication Authorization Form 3. All medications must be brought in the original container with the following information on the label: Childs name, Prescription name, Doctors name, dosage, Pharmacy name and phone number, Instructions for administering, & dates the medication is to be used for. Non-prescription medications may include but are not limited to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Antihistamines, NON-aspirin fever reducing/pain reliever Decongestants Anti-itching ointment or lotions Diaper rash ointments or lotions Sun screen Cough syrup Teething gels Insect repellant

These must be sent in original containers. If any of them will be taken differently than indicated on the labels or for more than 5 days, we will need a note from the physician. If you fail to bring your childs prescription medication to daycare you will be asked to go home and get it, or take the child home and give them the required dosage. We have a medication log that you can review at any time to see when your child was given his/her medications. Plus a note giving the times and dosage administered at daycare will be on your daily reports. If a child will be on long terms meds, or as needed medications like asthma inhalers, a note from your doctor will be required to put in our files. Medications that are not being used must be sent back home. Only asthma type medications can be kept here to be used when needed.

Illness
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Promoting good health and safety is a goal at Dream a Lil Dream Child Care Center. To prevent the spread of childhood diseases and illness, please do not bring a child that is ill to the Center. Each child is required BY STATE to have on file a health statement signed by a doctor, and immunizations all updated. Our Center requires children have all immunizations to in order to attend. If your child comes down with a communicable disease please notify us immediately. Children with a contagious illness will not be allowed at the Center until they are properly medicated. A child must be on their antibiotic 24 hours before returning to our facility. Dream a Lil Dream Child Care will exclude any child who exhibits any of the following: 1. Fever of 100 degrees or higher. (Needs to be fever free for 24 hours) WITHOUT THE USE OF A FEVER REDUCING MEDICINE 2. Diarrhea* 3. Vomiting* 4. Draining rash anywhere on the body must be gone before returning 5. Eye discharge Pink eye or from a cold- must be gone before returning 6. Lice or nits can return only after being free of them for 24 hours * 7. Communicable disease: chicken pox, measles, etc. must be gone before returning to daycare 8. Consistent complaints of ear, stomach or headaches, or other pain 9. Severe coughing- congested, with phlegm, gets red in the face, gags, throws up, or high pitched whooping or croup sounds must be mild before returning to the Center We are required to provide outdoor activities each day, weather permitting (rain, severe heat or cold, etc. waives requirement). If a child is not well enough to go outside, they should not be brought to the Center. If a child is well enough to go outside, but the parent/guardian feels activities should be limited due to recent illness, a note to the childs teacher should be submitted so the childs activities on the playground may be monitored. *Before bringing your child back to our Center they MUST BE free of all symptoms for 24 hours from the last onset of symptom.

Religious Practices
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As part of your childs daily activities we will sing songs about Jesus and the Bible. We will read bible stories, pray for boo boos, and say grace before snack and lunch. If you have any objections to your child participating in any religious activities, please let us know so that we may make other arrangements for them during this time.

Birthdays
Dream a Lil Dream Child Care is happy to celebrate your childs birthday with a party. Parents/guardians who wish to do so will need to coordinate with their childs teacher. Homemade goodies are not allowed. Goody bags for the kids are allowed, but no personal gifts for the birthday child.

Child Abuse
If our Center suspects any form of child abuse or neglect, North Carolina law requires that we report suspected abuse to the Department of Social Services. If a child is hurt away from the center, the teacher or a staff member should be notified.

Meals and Snacks

Dream a Lil Dream Child Care knows that meals are a vital part of each day. We provide a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack daily. Menus are sent home every Friday in your childs folder, and posted for review every Monday. We are on a federal food program; we are required to serve only foods with good nutritional value along with milk or juice to drink. We ask that when sending food from home please do likewise and not send candy and sodas. Information concerning food allergies must be submitted to the Center in writing to be posted in the kitchen and serving areas.

Discipline Policy
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Dream a Lil Dream Child Care provides a safe, stimulating environment so that each child has the opportunity to grow and learn with little chance of hurting others or themselves. We believe discipline should be used to teach a child. Parents/guardians are each given our discipline policy and asked to sign it. Likewise, our teachers discuss rules and consequences regularly to your children (repetition is key). Once your child understands these rules, they are expected to follow them. If an issue occurs, the following procedures are used, and as a last resort a conference will be scheduled with parents/guardians. If problems cannot be resolved the Center may ask the parent/guardian to seek help and/or make arrangements to have the child to go elsewhere for care. Ignoring Some negative behavior is produced by a child to get attention, but can be resolved if it does not get the desired attention. Re-direction Our teachers will offer alternatives to children who are engaging in undesirable behavior by re-directing them to a different toy or activity. Verbal Intervention We will explain to the child that his behavior is inappropriate and show him/her the appropriate way to handle the situation with words. Logical Consequences We help the child understand the logical consequence of his/her actions by removing them from whatever activity they are engaged in. Take a Break We separate the child from the class to give them a chance to calm down. The child will have access to limited activities and be closely monitored. The child may return to the group as soon as the negative behavior stops. Punishment that is humiliating or frightening to a child, such as hitting, spanking, shaking, verbal or sexual abuse, withholding or forcing food or punishments for lapses in toilet training and other forms of physical punishment are PROHIBITED!

Operating Procedures
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Children do well when following a routine. This helps them to learn to anticipate what comes next. Below we have provided a schedule of our Operating Policy. This is subject to change from day to day depending on your childs interests or weather issues. 7:00 7:45 8:00 9:00 9:00 9:30 9:30 10:00 10:00 11:00 11:00 11:30 11:30 12:00 12:00 12:45 12:45 2:45 2:45 3:00 3:30 4:30 3:00 3:30 4:30 5:00 BREAKFAST Free Play and Individual Skill time Circle time SNACK Outdoor play (weather permitting) or learning centers Quiet play puzzles, books, etc. Clean up, brush teeth LUNCH REST TIME (we ask that there be NO Drop Offs or Pickups during this time) Quiet play/Wash up for snacks SNACK Outdoor play, large group activities/Prepare children for pickup Individual quiet play

Please be sure you drop off and pick up your child at the contracted times. We plan our day/activities according to the children that will be here. If you are going to be more than 30 minutes late please call.

Tuition Policy
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All tuition is paid in advance, before care is provided, and on a weekly basis. Requests to pay on a basis other than weekly must be put in writing and reviewed by the Centers director. Tuition may be paid by cash, check, or credit card (MasterCard or Visa). Tuition is to be paid by close of business day on every Friday before the next weeks care is given. Parents/guardians who pay monthly must pay the full amount no later than close of business day of the month before care is given. Bi-weekly should pay the full two weeks amount before close of business on the Friday before the two-week care is given. Late tuition will not be tolerated. If a pattern of non-payment exists, parents will be asked to seek alternative care. All tuition paid by the second business day after it is due will accrue $10 late fee and a notice will be given to the parent who must contact the office immediately. If the tuition is not paid by the 5th business day, childcare will be terminated and will not continue until all tuition is paid. Tuition that is not paid within 30 days will be collected through legal procedures. Tuition fees are as follows: Infants 2 years $175.00 (Non potty trained, all ages) 2-3 years $150.00 (potty trained) K-4 $150.00 School age * Full-time $150.00 Before/After School $90.00 Before School Only $90.00 After School Only $90.00 (*School age children will be charged a full days rate when at the center all day for teacher workdays, holidays, and scheduled breaks. Voucher clients should consult their case manager for daily rates.)

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