Our main concern and basic commitment at the center is the safety of your child. The children are supervised in their indoor and outdoor activities; however, accidents may occur. In any case, parents/guardians will be notified of any accidents and related circumstances.

If the accident is minor, the center staff will either call the parent to report the incident, or report it when the child is picked up (verbally and in written form). The parent and/or staff member can then decide if the child needs immediate medical attention.

When a serious accident occurs and the child needs immediate medical attention, our first action will be to obtain the needed help. The second action will be to notify the parents. The center will refer to the child's enrollment form for emergency phone numbers.

Please discuss any concerns with accidents or accident reports with the Center Director.

When you bring your child to Faith Montessori, an adult over the age of 16 must accompany your child to their classroom and sign your child in on the attendance sheet in the classroom. Under no circumstances should a child be dropped off outside.

Children will not be accepted until the posted arrival time of 7:00 AM. The House of Montessori assumes no responsibility of your child until the child is signed in and accompanied to their classroom. Please ensure you make contact with your childs' teacher and let them know your child has arrived.

It is not healthy for your child to have you sneak away. Please work with your child's teacher in appropriate "goodbyes" that will best meet the developmental stage of your child.

Some holidays are beyond the understanding of young children. When we celebrate a holiday at Faith Montessori, we design concepts and activities that give the children more experience with and understanding of the holiday. We will notify the parents of the times and formats of the celebrations. Generally there will be no special requirements of the parents.

We feel it is important for our young children to become familiar with the values, beliefs and cultural traditions of different people and the ways they celebrate special occasions. From time to time, we will provide such opportunities. We would appreciate knowing if, and how, any of the parents could assist us.

The most important occasion for a child is his/her own birthday. We will honor the child at this time by doing something special — perhaps a special activity or snack. Parents who wish to bring in a snack at this time should notify the Lead Teacher. Children's birthdays may be celebrated by bringing cupcakes or cookies to serve the children during the morning snack. Please do not send with your child any treats unless he/she brings enough for others.

If your child is planning a home birthday party and wishes to invite classroom children, please send the invitations to the home address as other children who may not be invited will feel left out and may not understand why they are not invited.

Our goal at Faith Montessori is to provide you and your child with a beneficial and memorable learning experience. If a parent/guardian has a question or concern regarding the care provided at the Center, the parent is requested to speak first with the child's teacher. If the issue cannot be resolved with the teacher, please speak with the Director immediately. We will do our best to come up with a resolution for you, your child and our program.

Should you feel the issue should be brought to the attention of Texas Child Care Licensing, they can be reached at 512-834-3195. A copy of state rules and regulation, which apply to the operation of Faith Montessori, and a copy of our most recent licensing inspection, are available and posted where parents can see it.

Past licensing inspections can be viewed at Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. If you do suspect that your child has been abused, report the situation to the toll free child abuse hotline number: 1-800-252-5400 or the Local licensing office listed above.

The goal of Faith Montessori is to help your child become self-reliant and internalize rules of behavior. Preschool and older children are encouraged to take appropriate responsibility for their own behavior and to generate ideas for solving social conflict problems (e.g., how to share a toy).

Discipline will be constructive in nature and include techniques such as:

• Using limits that are fair, consistent and appropriate for the child's developmental level.
• Providing children with reasons for limits.
• Giving positively-worded directions.
• Modeling and redirecting children towards acceptable behavior.
• Helping children to constructively express their feelings and frustrations to resolve conflict.
• Arranging the classroom environment in a way that promotes desirable behavior.
• Brief, supervised separation or tirne out from the group, when appropriate for the child's age and development, limited to no more than one minute per year of the child's age.

The following techniques are prohibited by Texas child care licensing and under no circumstances will be used on your child:

• Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment;
• Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training;
• Pinching, shaking, or biting a child;
• Hitting a child with a hand or instrument;
• Putting anything in or on a child's mouth;
• Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child;
• Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language;
• Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed;
• Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time.

Staff members who punish children in a prohibited manner, or who do not first apply proactive, rather than reactive, techniques will jeopardize their employment at Faith Montessori. A staff member found using any of the above listed "Prohibited Punishments" will be dismissed. Any infractions of this discipline policy reported by parents⁄guardians or other staff members, will be investigated.

If a child does not respond to positive guidance and redirection, and is posing an emotional problem for him/her self or others, or is a physical threat to others, the following steps are taken:

1. The child is warned that repeating the behavior will result in his/her separation from the group. Alternatives are suggested to the child.
2. If the child repeats the action, s/he is removed from the group to a private place within sight of a teacher. The teacher tells the child s/he will return to discuss the situation when the child has calmed down.
3. In a few minutes (not more than one minute per age) the teacher returns to the child to discuss what happened, why it was unacceptable, and what the child must do to control his/her behavior.
4. The child is invited to return to the group when s/he is ready. If the child needs or wants more time alone, s/he may take it. Children under the age of three (3) will not be removed from the group.
5. When the child returns to the group, the teacher welcomes him/her back into the group and tries to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Parents will be notified of any behavioral issues of concern, and the staff at Faith Montessori will work with the parent to resolve any behavior issues outside normal child development. Should the child's behavior cause a continued threat to him/herself and/or others, the Director will discuss with the parents alternative group child care arrangements that may better benefit the child.

It is the responsibility of the parent to provide a healthy lunch for your children. The lunch should be brought in a lunch box with an ice pack in it. We provide milk for lunch so it is not necessary to send drinks for your child's lunch. Snacks and 2% milk will be provided daily.

Refrigerators and microwaves are available to heat any food that requires warming. Food should be "ready to eat". Please put warming instructions and your child's name on the outside of your child's lunch box.

Faith Montessori House of Children encourages healthy snacks and meals for your child. Therefore, please do not send candy, sodas or other unhealthy choices as your child's meals. If your child arrives after 8:00 AM, please make sure you have served your child breakfast.

A signed statement from your child's physician must indicate any information regarding special dietary needs and/or food allergies.

In order to administer any medications to your child, the following guidelines must be followed:

• Parents must sign an authorization and include times for child-care staff to administer each medication according to label directions;
• The medication must be in the original container labeled with the child's full name and the date brought to the child-care center;
• Staff can only administer the medication in amounts according to the label directions or as amended by a physician;
• Staff can only administer the medication to the child for whom it is intended;
• Staff cannot administer the medication after its expiration date;
• We cannot give over-the-counter medications;
• If your child has a periodic and recurring medical problem such as headaches, asthma attacks, or allergic reactions, the parent or the child's health-care professional may sign a medication authorization allowing child care staff to administer the medication when symptoms occur for up to a six-month period. The authorization must include information on symptoms to watch for. Parents will be notified immediately after administration of the medication.

Outdoor play is important to all domains of development, particularly physical gross motor development. Children will be provided with at least one hour a day of outdoor time, weather permitting. Please dress your child appropriately for outdoor play during the cold weather season.

Should the weather prevent us from taking the children outdoors, we will provide alternate indoor movement activities. Outdoor play restrictions for a child must be in writing and accompanied by a doctor's medical statement noting the reason for the restriction

Faith Montessori offers an open house at least once per year. At those events we encourage families to attend, having the opportunity to meet all the staff that work with their child/children throughout the day. There are several staff who may work only in the middle of the day, and there will be times when parents do not know who their child is talking about.

The teachers have planned activities for all visitors and we provide a snack also. We also encourage parents to join their child for a snack or lunch, when the time is convenient for them.

Other possibilities for involvement may include sharing a cultural background and/or language, reading a story or singing with the children, or simply spending time during free play.

Please contact your Lead Teacher if any of these activities are of interest to you. Parents are permiffed to access Faith Montessori school at any time when the child is in attendance.

The lead teachers at Faith Montessori offer parents an opportunity to attend a parent/teacher conference with their child at least once per year. They either post a sign up sheet with times available, or the teachers will verbally ask the parents what would be a convenient time for them.

If the parents are unable to schedule a time, the teacher will send home a packet of materials that she and the child have worked on throughout the year. This documentation will be kept in each child's file.

It is also important to note that a parent may schedule a meeting at any time with their child's Lead Teacher. Likewise, a teacher may schedule a meeting with parents if she has concerns or issues with a child. The staff strives to keep open communication with all parents.

Your child will be provided with a place to keep personal belongings, and a coat hook for his/her coat.

Each child must have for emergency use: one complete change of clothing (no shoes) labeled with his/her name, placed in a Ziplock bag. Clothing should be comfortable and suitable for indoor and outdoor activities.

Active play is messy play for children so please do not send clothing you wish to keep clean, such as white pants or shirts. Tennis shoes make climbing easier and safer. No boots or open-toed sandals, please.

All clothing and personal items must be labeled with child's name for identification. This includes diapers, wipes, diaper cream, sleeping bags, coats, sweaters, mittens, lunch boxes, place mats, etc.

In order to help your child develop self-identify and self-esteem, please provide several family photos. We use these photos to decorate the room at your child's eye level and to identify his/her personal space.

Please do NOT allow your child to being any of the following:

• Small toys;
• Jewelry of any kind;
• Candy or gum;
• Personal electronic games or devices.

Please watch for any small articles your child may bring home in his/her pocket. For example, small cubes, cylinders or beads accidently placed in their pockets. We strive to provide high quality materials for your child and these items may be difficult to replace.

Out utmost concern is the safety of your child. Therefore, if you are unable to pick up your child, we will only release your child to those whom you have authorized on your enrollment form. Any person picking up your child besides the parent(s) will be required to show a picture ID and sign your child out before your child will be released.

The ID number will be recorded on the attendance sheet and will be kept on file for a minimum of 3 months. Children will not be permitted to leave with ANYONE except those persons listed on the enrollment form. Any change in authorized pick-ups must be in writing.

Our main concern and basic commitment is the safety of your child. We ask that parents closely supervise the children in the parking lot. It is recommended that children exiting from cars are offered a hand to hold. When departing from the school, please resist having the children run to the car while the parent signs them out.

To insure the health of all the children, your child must not come to Faith Montessori if any of the following guidelines apply:

1. The illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in child-care center activities, including outdoor play;
   
   
2. The illness results in a greater need for care than caregivers can provide without compromising the health, safety, and supervision of the other children in care;
   
   
3. The child has one of the following:

• Oral temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater, accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or symptoms of illness;
  
  
• Rectal temperature of 101 .4 degrees or greater, accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or syrnptoms of illness;
  
  
• Armpit temperature of 99.4 degrees or greater, accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or symptoms of illness; or
  
  
• Symptoms and signs of possible severe illness such as lethargy, abnormal breathing, uncontrolled diarrhea, two or more vomiting episodes in 24 hours, rash with fever, mouth sores with drooling, behavior changes, or other signs that the child may be severely ill; or
  
  
• A healthcare professional has diagnosed the child with a communicable disease, and the child does not have medical documentation to indicate that the child is no longer contagious.

Please check your child for signs of illness or communicable disease before sending him/her to school. Please call the school at 512-219-9191 and notify the Director that your child is ill and when you think they can return. In case of a communicable disease, we then can monitor to see if the disease has been transmitted to the other children in the class. Children with a communicable disease cannot return to care until a doctor has agreed to the return.

If your child is ill, please keep him/her at home. Children are not allowed if they have a medicine-induced normal temperature. If your child was running a fever in the morning and Tylenol was administered to reduce the fever, the child is not allowed at the Center.

Should your child should become ill at Faith Montessori, your child will be isolated from other children, you will be notified, and you or your designated release person will be required to pick up your child immediately or within one hour of notification. If the parents cannot be reached, the person listed on the enrollment form will be contacted.

The center reserves the right to terminate care if parents continue to be unreachable in the event of an illness.

There will be no reduction in fees because of absence due to illness.

In the event that your child was exposed to a communicable disease, a notice will be placed on the classroom door explaining the symptoms to look for and medical treatment, if necessary.

Texas law mandates that if a staff member has cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected, or may be abused or neglected, that person must report the abuse to law enforcement officials no later than the 48th hour after the hour the professional first suspects that the child has been or may be abused or neglected. For this reason, please notify staff when you drop off your child of any accidents or injuries that occurred at home.

Termination of a child will only be made with staff recommendation, appropriate documentation, and outside consultation, which would result in action deemed to be in the best interest of the child. Faith Montessori may terminate enrollment for the following reasons:

• The parent/guardian fails to follow correct admission requirements, especially as they relate to submission of required forms and departure procedures.
• Retention of the child would be detrimental to the health and safefy of the other children in the Center, the Center staff, or to the child him/herself due to exceptional needs for special treatment. It is noted here that the staff at Faith Montessori will make reasonable attempts to alleviate the situation before recommending termination.
• The parent/guardian fails to pay fees according to policy.
• Parent habitually brings a sick child to the Center.
• Failure to receive parental support and help when a child is found to have a learning or behavior problem. This includes failure to attend parent conferences and to follow through with medical and/or educational specialists.

In the case of a Center termination a two-week, written, dated notice will be given to the parent/guardian. All outstanding tuition must be made according to contract until the ending date. This policy does not apply if termination is due to non-payment, abuse of the Center's policies on illness, and/or continual late payments.

Ihe Vision and Hearing Screening program, Chapter 36 of the Health and Safety Code, requires that all children enrolled for the first time in any licensed child care program must be screened or have a professional examination for possible vision and hearing problems.

The requirements apply to enrolled children who are four (4) years and older. While not required by the Health Department, we encourage screening for ALL children, even those younger than four (4) years of age.

Therefore, Faith Montessori requires that all children, aged four (4) and above, have a hearing and vision screening within 90 days of enrollment. A copy of the screening must be on file at Faith Montessori. When children turn four (4), parents have 90 days to obtain a vision and hearing screening.

For more information, please contact:

Department of State Health Services
Vision and Hearing Screening-Mail Code 1918
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756-3199
512-458-7420 (phone) 512-458-1125 (fax)
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vhs

Faith Montessori House of Children follows the Round Rock lndependent School District (RRISD) decisions regarding bad weather. If RRISD closes due to bad weather, the Montessori school will close and parents will be notified that the children are being dismissed.

In case of bad weather, we will make a decision to delay the program starting time, close or proceed as normal. You may tune to radio or TV for more inforrnation regarding the weather.

We practice monthly fire and severe weather drills so your child will not be traumatized by any unexpected emergencies.

It is requested that parents give a one-month notice in writing if it becomes necessary to withdraw their child. Without this notice, parents will be liable for two weeks tuition.