Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc.
Parent Handbook
27 Custer Avenue
Billings, MT 59101
245-4055
Welcome!
We welcome you to Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. and we look forward to getting to know you and your child. This is an informal information packet that will serve as a useful tool while your child is attending the Academy. We encourage you to keep it on hand and use it as a reference guide. Please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns with the Director, Karri Sweet. We can then work together to find a solution.
Philosophy
Our philosophy is to promote a safe and fun learning environment where the student can grow at his or her own pace. We will strive to help you meet the needs of your child in all aspects including, but not limited to, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual. We want all children to have a positive self-concept, and enjoy learning. Our program is to promote learning and discovery at the child’s individual level. We recognize the importance of learning through play and will incorporate it at many levels. We believe that raising our voices is an ineffective way to help your child. When talking with children in a calm manor it will teach them to reciprocate the behavior and help them to understand. With your support we can prepare your child for Elementary School and many years to follow.
Hours of Operation
Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. is open Monday thru Friday 6:30am to 6pm
Holidays
A yearly schedule will be distributed in August to specifically outline the dates that the Academy will be closed so that alternate arrangements can be made. Holidays that will be observe are the following: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The Academy may also be closed on the day(s) preceding and/or following the Holiday.
Tuition
If tuition is more than five days late for 3 consecutive months or more than 15 day late any month, your child/children will lose their spot with Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. If you are having problems paying your tuition PLEASE talk with the Director before you become delinquent. Possibly a payment contract may be agreed upon.
Medication
If your child needs medication while at Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. the parent must fill out a Medication Authorization Form. The medication must be in the original container with the labels attached.
Daily Sign In/ Sign Out
Parents will be required to sign all children in and out daily. When signing children in, you are also certifying that to the best of your knowledge your child is in good health and following the Montana State sick policy. When signing in your child you also need to list a phone number that a parent or guardian can be reached at in case of an emergency. Upon picking up your child the time should be recorded on the sign out sheet. All persons authorized to pick up your child will be required to show a picture ID, and must be listed of the Registration form. We cannot keep any child from a biological parent unless we are given legal documentation stating the parent is not allowed to pick up the child.
Visitors/Parties
We always welcome parents to visit at Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. ! We welcome treats for Birthdays. There will be a sign up sheet for each Holiday Party and parents may choose to sign up for tasks.
Lunches/Snacks
Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. will provide a breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. If your child arrives after a snack or lunch please make sure that they have eaten. We cannot feed one child if all of the others have eaten. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. We are unable to substitute food due to a child’s likes and dislikes. If your child has allergies we will work with physicians and parents to make appropriate arrangements for snacks and lunch
Clothing/Diapers
All clothing should be labeled with your child’s name. Please send an extra set of clothing in a shoe box with the child’s name on it. This will help reduce embarrassment in the case of an accident. If your child is still wearing diapers the parent must provide the diapers and wipes. We will actively help with potty training for all children over the age of two! All children that are being potty trained will help change their own clothes and/or diapers. We find that this helps discourage children from unnecessary accidents. Any children over the age of 2 that isn’t potty trained will be required to pay the rates for 2 year olds until the child is fully potty trained. If a child has an accident during the day, and has no extra underwear they will be required to wear a pull-up.
Personal Toys
We will be working on sharing with the students, it is very important that all of the Preschool toys and supplies be shared with everyone. We will provide all supplies for the activities so that we can work on sharing. We will make time for Show and Tell on Fridays. However, the item will be kept in a safe place for the day and only be brought out for Show and Tell. This will help to keep the child’s item safe while at the Academy and promote sharing. Any personal item shall be placed in the bin by the door upon arrival to school. It is the parents responsibility to remember to take the item home each day.
Child Abuse
All of the staff at Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. is legally required to report all suspicions of child abuse and neglect. We WILL make a report at the first sign of symptoms that indicate abuse or neglect. We strongly encourage parents to discuss all concerns and problems that arise while parenting. We recognize that parenting, even under normal situations and stress can be very difficult. We are always here to help in any way that we can.
Child Guidance and Discipline Plan
Discipline will vary from one child to another depending on what is effective. We will use a variety of techniques including re-direct children, talking with them, loss of privileges and verbal warnings. Time out will be used as a last resort or after the third warning. Any aggression will not be tolerated and therefore a time out will be used when a child is aggressive with staff or another child. After every time out a staff will talk with the child about what happened and how it would be handled better in the future. Please feel free to discuss all concerns and questions about discipline with the director.
Transportation
We will provide limited transportation with parental permission.
Naps/Quiet Time
Parents will have to option to choose between nap time and quiet time. Quite time will consist of quiet activities that allow the children to calm down and recuperate. If a parent chooses to have their child take a nap the parent will need to provide a blanket. Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. will provide nap mats and pillows for each child. If a child would like to bring a stuffed animal from home the animal will be brought out only for naptime.
First Aid/Emergency Policies
If your child is hurt while at Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. we will do the following:
Minor Scrapes, Bumps, and Bruises: The staff at Bright Horizons will immediately administer first aid. We will clean the wound and put a bandage on it, and/or ice it if swelling occurs.
Major Injuries (not life threatening): The staff at Bright Horizons will administer first aid and then immediately call the parents to explain what happened and decide what actions need to happen (ex. Going to the hospital/doctor).
Life Threatening Injuries: The staff at Bright Horizons will immediately call 911 and follow the directions that the 911 dispatcher gives. Then, we will contact the parents.
Poison: The staff at Bright Horizons will call the Poison Control Center (1-800-525-5042) and follow the instructions that they give. Then, we will contact the parents.
Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc.
Tuition Information- Effective April 2009
We accept both full-time and part-time children depending on availability. We offer a breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. All children enrolled will be participating in preschool classes. A Montana Certified and Licensed Teacher will teach all preschool academics.
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Age
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Tuition
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Part Time Tuition (am or pm) Preschool Classes Only (M-TH)
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Under 2 Years
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$600.00/month
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No Part Time
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2 Years and up
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$445.00/month
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$250.00/month
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- There is no credit for holidays or days that your child is absent. We give one week of unpaid vacation time that must be scheduled in advance. After the vacation time is used you must pay to hold your child’s spot even if they will be gone.
- Parents may choose to pay the monthly rate every month, and receive no credit for any days that Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. is closed. Parents that would like to have credit for the days that Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. is closed may pay tuition based on the number of days the school is open during the month. Please talk with the Director if you are considering paying using the daily rate.
- All tuition must be paid in full by the first of the month. Any payment not paid by the 5thof the month will have an additional $35.00 late fee added. Please speak with Karri, the Program Director, if you have any payment questions or concerns.
- We require a two-week notice if your child will no longer be attending Bright Horizons Preschool Academy Inc. If you fail to provide a two-week notice, you will still be responsible to an additional two-weeks tuition.
- A registration fee of $25.00 per child ($45.00 per family) is due at enrollment.
- Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday 6:30am to 6pm. We ask your cooperation in adhering to these hours. Parents who fail to pick up their children before 6 pm will be charged $1.00 per minute until the child is picked up. Please call if you are running late so that we can assure your child that you are coming.
- There is charge of $35.00 for returned checks. If a check is returned for non-sufficient funds more than 1 time all future transactions must be in cash, money order of cashier’s check.
- Before your child’s first day all registration forms must be completed in full and copies of all shot records must be given to the Academy.
HRDC can assist with your child’s tuition if you meet their requirements. Please contact them for more information. 406-247-4700
Health Statement and Sick Policy
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If, while in care, a child becomes ill or is suspected of having a communicable disease reportable to the health department while in care, the provider shall notify the parent. The parent is responsible for arranging to have the child taken home.
The State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services provide the following information. All of the policies must be followed precisely in order to follow the Montana Day Care Laws.
- Children must be without fever of 101ºF or greater for 24 hours before they return to the day care facility, except that children with immunization-related fevers need not be excluded if they are able to participate in the routine of the day care facility.
- Children must be without vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before they return to the day care facility. Vomiting includes 2 or more episodes in the previous 24 hours. Diarrhea is defined as an increased number of stools, increased water in the stool, and/or decreased form to the stool that cannot be contained by a diaper or clothing.
- Children with any of the bacterial infections listed below must be treated with antibiotics for 24 hours before they return to the day care center:
-Strep throat
-Scarlet fever
-Impetigo
-Bacterial conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
-Skin infections such as draining burn or infected wounds
- Generalized rashes, including those covering multiple parts of the body, must be evaluated by a healthcare provider to determine their cause before the child can return to the day care facility.
- Children with chickenpox may not be admitted to the day care facility until their sores dry up, which usually takes 5 to 7 days. Day care providers must not purposefully expose susceptible children to chickenpox, even with the permission of the susceptible child's parents.
- Children who are jaundiced must be excluded until a health care provider evaluates the cause and authorizes the child to return to the day care facility.
- Children with symptoms of severe illness, such as uncontrolled coughing, breathing difficulty or wheezing, stiff neck, irritability, poor food or fluid intake, or a seizure, must be evaluated by a health care provider before they may return to the day care facility.
- A child need not be excluded for a discharge from the nose which is not accompanied by a fever.
- If a child develops symptoms of illness while at the day care facility and after the parent or guardian has left, the day care facility must do the following:
-Isolate the child immediately from other children in a room or area segregated for that purpose
-Contact and inform the parent or guardian as soon as possible about the illness and request the parent or guardian to pick up the child.
-Report each case of suspected communicable disease the same day by telephone to the local health authority, or as soon as possible thereafter if no contact can be made the same day.
- When a child is absent, the day care provider shall obtain the reasons so the interest of the other children may be properly protected. If a reportable communicable disease is suspected, the provider shall inform a health officer. No child shall be re-admitted after an absence until the reason for the absence is known and there is assurance that the child's return will not harm that child or the other children. Disease charts that identify the reportable diseases are available from the department.
- The day care facility may readmit a child excluded for illness whenever, in its discretion:
-The child has been free of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for 24 hours
-The child has been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours for bacterial infections.
- The parent or guardian may also provide the day care facility with a signed certification of health from a licensed physician.
- If a child is excluded for shigellosis or salmonella, the child may not be readmitted until the child has no diarrhea or fever, the child's parent or guardian produces documentation that 2 stools, taken at least 24 hours apart, are negative for shigellosis or salmonella, and the local health authority has given written approval for the child to be readmitted to the day care facility
- If a child is excluded for hepatitis A virus infection, the child shall remain excluded until either 1 week after onset of illness or jaundice, if the symptoms are mild, or until immune globulin has been administered to appropriate children and staff in the day care facility as directed by the local health authority.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Age at Entry Number of Doses-Vaccine Type
Under 2 months old: no vaccinations required
By 3 months of age: 1 dose of polio vaccine
1 dose of DTP vaccine
1 dose of Hib vaccine
By 5 months of age: 2 doses of polio vaccine
2 doses of DTP vaccine
2 doses of Hib vaccine
By 7 months of age: 2 doses of polio vaccine
3 doses of DTP vaccine
*2 or 3 doses of Hib vaccine
By 16 months of age: 2 doses of polio vaccine
3 doses of DTP vaccine
1 dose of MMR vaccine
(Administered no earlier than 12 months of age)
1 dose of Varicella
*1 dose of Hib vaccine given after 12 or 15 months of age
By 19 months of age: 3 doses of polio vaccine
4 doses of DTP vaccine
1 dose of MMR vaccine
(Administered no earlier than 12 months of age)
1 dose of Varicella
*1 dose of Hib vaccine given after 12 or 15 months of age
(*) varies depending on vaccine type used.
