For Parents

• The center operates from 7:00AM to 6:00PM, Monday through Friday. Weekend Care is available upon request at the current weekend rate. Before and after care is available for an additional fee upon request.
• The Center will be closed on the following days:
  • Labor Day
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Columbus Day
  • Thanksgiving Day & Thanksgiving Friday
  • 12/21/2020-12/25/2020
  • New Year’s Day
    • Center Closes at 3:30PM on New Year’s Eve
  • Memorial Day
  • Fourth of July
  • As of 2020, the center will be closed Baltimore County Public Schools spring breaks and Baltimore County Public Schools Winter Break. These closings will be provided to you at the time of enrollment, at the beginning of the year, and upon request.
• If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the center will be closed the preceding Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the Center will be closed on the following Monday.
• GLT does follow the Baltimore County Public School System for CLOSINGS; however the center will use its own discretion for delays. Families will be notified promptly.

• There will be a yearly registration fee of $65.00 per child.
• School Age Before and After care rates vary on each family’s specific circumstance, i.e transportation, drop off time, and pick up time, school arrangements.
• Weekly Rates for childcare are listed below:
  

  Infant- 1 year of Age	12-23 months	24 months	3 years of age	4 & 5 years of age	School Age (Entire day @ center)
  $275.00	$250.00	$200.00	$185.00	$175.00	$150.00

• Children are to arrive prior to 9:30AM. This assures a facilitated program and your child’s presence in all activities. Late comers are a distraction to the environment and feel left out if they have missed anything. If your child will be arriving after 09:30AM, a call must be made to the center by 08:30AM. If this occurs more than once in a thirty day period (even with phone call notification), documentation is required for your child to attend on that day.
• Children will be released only to their parents, unless the center has been notified otherwise at least two hours before their departure. Persons not listed on the emergency card must show state issued identification. Written notice for changes in persons picking up your child can be submitted in advance.
• You must sign your child in and out each day, children can’t be sent in by themselves.

• Please do not send a sick child to the center. This is unfair and causes a widespread of infection to other families and staff.
• Please report contagious diseases to our Director, so that other families are educated on the situation. Symptoms related to this disease will be posted on the communication board to make all families aware. This notification will be posted for ten days.
• Children with communicable diseases must supply a doctor’s note to return to the Center.
• Children who appear at the Center with pink eye, severe or constant cough, chicken pox, diarrhea, fever, consistent runny nose, or vomiting will be sent home immediately. Once you’re notified of your child’s illness, they have 60 minutes to be picked up.
• When a child becomes ill, or is injured, all attempts are made to notify parents first. If parents are not able to be reached, we will proceed on with the numbers listed on the emergency card. It is crucial to keep this card up to date. Parents will be required to update this form yearly and/or when changes occur.
• Baltimore County Health Regulations:
  • If your child is starting a new medication, the first dose must be administered by the parent at least one hour before the child is left in our care.
  • One dose of non-prescription medicine may be administered by staff when accompanied by a Health Department permission slip that is completed and signed by the parent. More than one dose of non-prescription medication can be administered only with physician’s approval.
  • All prescription medication must be in their original containers, with the original label that can be clearly read.
  • Prescription medications may be given only when accompanied by the Health Department permission slip that is completed and signed by the parent.
  • Action Plans must be made for children with other illnesses and agreed upon by the director and parents. Training must be done for children with other individualized medical needs with the director, with parents present.
  • Children cannot be left unattended. We cannot accommodate requests to leave child

• Children go outside every day, unless it is raining, extremely cold, or unsafely hot. Please make sure your child appropriately dressed for the weather each day.
• All clothing and bedding should be labeled with a dark permanent marker
• Clothes should be comfortable, manageable, and ideal for anticipated messy moments.
• An extra pair of clothing for your child is a required to be kept at the center. When the extra pair of clothing is soiled, they will be sent home in a marked bag. At this time, please refresh your child’s inventory with another pair as soon as possible.
• Children will need a small blanket and fitted sheet for nap time. Infants require a fitted sheet and thin blanket.

• Breakfast, Lunch, and PM Snack will be provided by the center. Snacks or meals bought from home must be labeled (name and date), in a lunch box, and with an ice pack.
• If your child does come with food from home, do not send gum or candy in with your child.
• On your child’s birthday, please supply a small cake or snack of your choice for all of the children. All baked items must be store bought and compliant with allergies if there are any. Let the director know of your plans at least two weeks prior to your child’s birthday.
• Regulations mandate we only serve milk from its original container. Please do not send in any prefilled containers or cups. We will provide whole milk, 2%, and Soy as needed. This mandated regulation does not apply to breast milk or formula.

• We require a one week’s charge in advance to serve as your child’s last week payment. A two weeks’ notice is required to modify or cease child care services. This allows the director to fill your child’s enrollment without experiencing the loss of income or supplies. As result, you will be asked to pay for two weeks care and a $25 registration fee at the start of the first week of service.
• Payment is due on Monday each week. Payment is to be submitted via KidKare only, no exceptions.
• A late fee of $10 per day is charged for late payments. Tuition is considered late after 4:00PM on Monday. After Wednesday, accounts must be bought current with the late fee included in the total payment.
• Holidays, sick days, or snow days are not discounted. Full tuition is due as usual for these days missed.
• A 5% discount is allowed for enrolling additional children in the family at one time. Discount available to full-time children only.
• Due to our extended hours, late pickups are not allowed. If you CANNOT be here before 6:00PM, you must have a friend or relative pick your child up. They must be on the emergency card or present with photo identification. Please call the center if you will be late. A late fee of $1.00 per minute will be charged and paid immediately to staff attending after 6:00PM. Late pick up balances must be satisfied at pick up or at drop off when your child returns to care.
• One free vacation per calendar year (one week in 2020, one week in 2021). This benefit is only eligible after children have been enrolled one complete year (January through December). If your child is enrolled for five days, you will receive five days’ vacation; enrolled four days, you will receive four days’ vacation. Children must attend the center year round in order to be eligible for this benefit.

• Flip flops are prohibited. Tennis shoes and closed toe shoes are required while your child is in care.
• Parents will supply diapers and wipes for children not yet toilet trained.
• Field trips will be taken by the facility’s van. Permission slip is always required in advance for the trip and a transport slip for all other outings. Some trips are short noticed or spontaneous, dependent upon the weather. Your child must have a transport slip on file if you would like them to participate in these activities.
• Parents will be notified of picture day, participation is not required.
• We ask that toys from home be left at home to prevent arguments between kids and eliminate distraction. We will have designated show and tell days when toys from home would be appropriate. If an item is bought in, the center is not responsible if it is lost or damaged. The toy must be labeled with your child’s name. Books and tapes are welcomed. Children may bring a stuffed animal for nap time. No TOY GUNS, WAR TOYS, OR TOYS DEPICTING DESTRUCTION can be bought in. Other accommodations can be made for children to express feelings of aggression; this can be discussed with the director and families directly. (Interventions such as finger paints, small punching bags, or clay to pound can be used if appropriate to relinquish aggression)

• Discipline is a set of management techniques used to teach children to exhibit acceptable behavior and understand limitations. By modeling appropriate behavior; redirecting behavior in a calm or communicative manner; acknowledging appropriate behavior positively, The Provider will encourage and promote the children to show kindness and friendship to everyone. Redirection, Reasoning or away-from-the-moment discussions, and time-outs are methods used to reinforce discipline when appropriate. For example, if children are having a disagreement with toy selection, other unique toys are offered. Many choices are offered with de-escalation techniques throughout the day such as outdoor play when weather appropriate, snacks, hydration breaks, and sensory table play for relaxation. When disciplining children, we use positive behavioral strategies that include providing choices and using redirection. Parent(s) are notified immediately and disruptive behavior could lead up to your child’s termination.

• GLT is willing to accept children with special disabilities or healthcare needs. The director of the center is a registered nurse who will assist with facilitation of individualized healthcare plans that are specific to your child’s needs. Upon enrollment, the director, owner, and teacher will hold a onboarding session where all specific healthcare needs will be discussed and a action plan created. Specific questions about this can be discussed with our director directly.
• If your child has an IFSP/IEP please provide a copy to the director immediately. This is beneficial in your child’s learning plan, goals, and approach. There will be a onboarding session upon enrollment to thoroughly discuss your child’s IFSP/IEP, goals, and a meeting calendar to discuss your child’s progress.

• We strongly believe in the importance of security and safety for all of the children, parents and staff at GLT Learning Center. We have strict policies in place that must be followed in order to protect the children in our care. We make every effort for teachers in each classroom to have current First Aid and CPR certification and be familiar with proper medical emergency procedures. Each center strives to provide a safe environment by conducting safety audits, monthly emergency storm/fire drills, and teaching children safety rules. If a child does experience an injury, an accident report will be completed by the staff and signed by the parent/guardian. In spite of our efforts, an emergency may arise. For this reason, QCC requires that parents/guardians complete emergency contact information and sign a release for emergency medical treatment.
• Checking in and out must be done daily for security and bookkeeping purposes. Licensing requirements mandate that children are signed in and out of the center each day.

Arrival and departure times are the very busiest hours of the day. For safety purposes, please hold your child’s hand in the parking lot and do not allow them to run or move away from you in the hallways. Do not enter the playground using the front or rear playground gates to pick up or drop off your child.

We ask that all children are dropped off at the center by 10:00 AM.

• To better assist us with staffing needs and lunch counts, you must call in by 9:00AM if your child will be arriving after the 10:00AM drop-off time.
• Please note that from 11:30AM and 2:00PM children are preparing for naptime and resting. Dropping your child off during this time is strongly discouraged. This is not only disrupts other children that are trying to rest, but it may also upset your own child if they have to lie down for a nap as soon as they arrive.
• Anyone picking up a child will be asked for a photo ID until that adult becomes familiar to the staff. If there is a change or substitution in staff and they are not familiar with a parent/guardian, they are required to ask for a photo ID.
• If a parent needs to authorize a person who is not on the pick-up list to temporarily pick up their child, advanced notice must be given in writing and will be approved at the director’s discretion. If there is an emergency and a note has not been left, someone on the list of contacts must call and speak with the office. They will be asked to verify their identity by answering questions about the child. It is then at the director’s discretion to confirm the information and allow the temporary guardian to pick up the child. A photocopy of their photo ID will be made.
• If at any time during the program year, the parent wishes to change who is on their pick-up list, they may do so by coming to the center and changing the information in their child’s file. For safety reasons, we request that these changes are kept to a minimum.

• Conferences can be requested anytime by completing a conference request form.
• Conferences are ideally held on an appointment basis, but urgent issues can be discussed during a conference with appropriate notice and adequate staff.
• Conference request forms are available at the communication boards or upon request. Any concerns should be mentioned to the director immediately. Please communicate your feelings if they are good or bad so that we can provide what is best for your child’s needs.

• We reserve the right to add, amend, or delete policies as we feel necessary to ensure optimal operations of the facility, health, safety, and best interest of children and staff.

• Your child’s rate is $_____ weekly, due every Monday. Your security deposit required to begin care is $_____.This we be adjusted as your child increases in age.

PARENTS:

Please read and sign this agreement:

I hereby agree and comply with the rules and regulations of Gwen’s Little Treasures regarding fees, attendance, health policies, clothing, and all other topics addressed in this handbook issued by the Center. I am aware of Holidays and vacations.

I hereby agree to notify the Center at least two weeks in advance of withdrawal or change or enrollment status.