Gingerbread Preschool Policies and Procedures

General Policies

All children must be vaccinated to attend preschool.

In order to provide the best possible service to your children, please observe the following:

1. Accompany your child right into the preschool so that the staff can convey any necessary information either verbally or through newsletters or posted notices. Car pool parents, please pass information relevant to the preschool personally to other parents in your pool.
2. On arrival, it is important that you stay with your child until a teacher is present. Do not assume other parents will supervise your child.
3. At pick-up time, please remain in the cubby room area if story time is still in progress. Children should be picked up promptly at the end of the session.
4. Children are required to bring indoor shoes/slippers that have a good rubber sole that will stay at the preschool as well as a complete change of clothing. If your child is not toilet trained, we need to have a supply of diapers and wipes.
5. Please remember to label all articles of clothing, boots, food containers, snack bags, diapers, wipes, etc.
6. Children are to be dressed in appropriate play clothing. Short sleeves are helpful for art work and water play. Layering works well in winter months. Children wear smocks for artwork but paint and food color may still get on clothing. With the onset of cool weather in October, please provide your child with pull-on boots rather than shoes.
7. For the safety of children with possible allergies to nuts, we ask that no peanut butter or nuts be part of snack.
8. Snacks/Lunches
   1. 3 Hour Session: A snack is to be sent with your child. Please make the as wholesome as possible (e.g. vegetable sticks, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.) To encourage children to drink water, we ask that no juice/milk be included in the snack. Please send a filled labeled water bottle that comes and goes each day in your child's snack bag.
   2. 6 Hour Session: Please send 2 snacks and a lunch in a lunch bag with an ice pack. Please make the snack/lunch as wholesome as possible (e.g. vegetable sticks, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.) Please include a protein choice for morning snack (i.e. yogurt, cheese, etc.) as well as a protein choice included for lunch. Please send a filled labeled water bottle that comes and goes each day in your child's lunch bag.
9. Parents are required to have planned for alternate care for their child in the event of illness. Please be sensitive to others in the preschool when deciding whether your child is well enough to come. Children need to be symptom free for 24 hours in the case of fever, diarrhea and/or vomiting. If your child is starting antibiotics, they need to be on them for 48 hours before returning to preschool. All children in the preschool will be required to be well enough to participate outdoors as well as in. Parents or persons on the child's emergency contact list will be called if your child becomes sick while at preschool.
10. The Preschool has a very “open door” policy and parents are encouraged to visit during regular hours. The Supervisor welcomes questions regarding your child's progress at any time before or after the session or an appointment can be arranged for a lengthier discussion.
11. The Preschool will observe all major public holidays and school vacations (we are only closed for one week for Spring Break). We are still in session on “Pro D” days.
12. Fees are due at the beginning of each month with Direct Withdrawal being the preferred method of payment. As per the Direct Withdrawal Form, fees will be withdrawn on the first business day of the month. A written letter of withdrawal must be received 30 days prior to the next withdrawal date. Post-dated cheques or cash are also accepted. Due to banking regulations, cheques must be made payable to “Gingerbread Preschool and Daycare Ltd.” (We have a stamp if you prefer). If 2 siblings are registered you may arrange one payment for both. Receipts for cash will be given immediately and tax receipts will be given out in January and June upon request.
13. An NSF charge of $42.00 will be required for any NSF cheque.
14. Fees must be paid in full each month regardless of days absent. There will be no exceptions in this regard.
15. A months' written notice or a months' fees if you choose to withdraw your child. Gingerbread Preschool and Daycare Ltd. reserves the right to ask a child to be withdrawn with a months' notice or a months' fees.
16. The Preschool must be provided with a copy of any court custody orders.
17. Gingerbread Preschool staff are not responsible for siblings in the daycare or out in the playground. Parents must have siblings in eyesight and they must be supervised at all times.

Active Play Policy

Policy Statement

Gingerbread Preschool recognizes the importance of physical activity for young children. Implementation of appropriate physical activity practices supports the health and development of children in care, as well as assisting in establishing positive lifestyle habits for the future.

Physical Activity In Childcare

Gingerbread has a large playground and inside space. We have equipment, materials, facilitated and un-facilitated play that promotes and fosters physical literacy for young children both outdoors and indoors.

Children in our 3's preschool program have a minimum of 45 minutes of outside time during our 2.5 hour session.

Children in our 4's preschool program have a minimum of 45-55 minutes of outside time during our 3 hour session.

Screen Time

There is no screen time during preschool sessions.

Care and Supervision Policy

Supervision is one of the key requirements in the prevention of accidents and injury throughout the centre. Childcare staff require the skills to be able to assess potential risks during supervision and be able to implement changes to supervision to avoid accident or injury. New and relief staff should be informed of potential supervisory risks according to each individual child in a confidential and sensitive way.

Objective:

• to ensure the potential for accidents and injury to children is reduced;
• for staff to be aware of the variables relating to supervision;
• for staff to evaluate supervisory practice.

Implementation:

Parents will:

• hand children over to a staff member on arrival and ensure a staff member is informed when departing;
• inform staff if someone, other than those who are authorized to, will be picking up their child and make sure it is recorded in the Day Book;
• inform staff of any current or pending court orders affecting the child and provide the centre with a photocopy of the court order to be kept with the child's enrolment form;
• ensure that front gates and playground gates are closed after entry or exit.

Staff will:

• during snack time, ensure children are seated while eating and not left unattended;
• ensure that all children are within sight and/or hearing of staff at all times;
• ensure that, where multiple areas area available to children at the same time, all areas are supervised;
• communicate effectively by informing other staff when leaving an area;
• be aware of the "pick-up policy" and check Day Book for any written notes by parents regarding pick-up for that session
• discuss best position points of supervision (especially in the playground) to avoid clustering in one spot. Supervision should be active and interactive with the children;
• ensure staff:child ratios are correct at all times to assist supervision;
• when supervising on the upper level (3's), will inform staff on lower level (3's) when a child is coming down to use the washroom so staff are aware if child requires assistance;
• inform the supervisor if a person(s) come on the premises that is(are) not known to the centre so supervisor can determine purpose of visit;
• if finishing outside, ensure that after the bell has rung outside signaling the end of session, that all children are in the care of an appropriate adult before exiting playground. If a child has not been picked up, the staff will bring the child into the preschool for pick-up inside;
• if finishing inside, a staff person will position themselves by the exit door (3's) or outside gate (4's) to ensure a safe exit and that the child is with the appropriate adult.

Management will:

• maintain current records relating to authorized people to collect each child, court orders and custody issues;
• ensure that new and relief staff have read and are familiar with the Care and Supervision Policy.

Guidance and Discipline Policy

Discipline is consistent for each child in order to promote a sense of security and avoid children testing to find where the limits are. Expectations will reflect the age of the child, level of maturity and staffs' understanding of any mitigating circumstances regarding child's development. Staff share observations daily celebrating growth and development as it occurs. Knowledge of child development and strong observational skills are key attributes for staff in prevention of discipline issues. Safety is the paramount consideration and takes precedence over everything. Safety prevention through anticipation of outcomes.

Prevention

1. Clear and consistent limits including what is expected and what is not allowed. Straight forward explanations stated in a positive way. Focus on behaviour rather than the child.
2. Stating what is expected rather than posing a question.
3. Provide choices and allow children time to respond.
4. Reinforce appropriate behaviour.
5. Ignore minor incidents that do not impart on others.
6. Remind and clarify.

Intervention

1. Redirection when appropriate.
2. Model problem solving.
3. Offer choices.
4. Logical and natural consequences.

COVID-19 and General Healthcare Protocols – Preschool September 2022

Due to the everchanging situation regarding COVID-19, we are updating our health guidelines and revising some of our protocols.

POSSIBLE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

Sore throat, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of appetite, loss of sense of smell or taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

IF YOU ARE ILL PLEASE STAY AT HOME AND KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME WITH YOU! Children need to be assessed at home before coming to preschool. This is a parent decision, not the child’s. The list of symptoms above is extremely broad. If your child seems at all unwell (this includes the common cold), they need to stay at home for a minimum of 3 days. Your child may return if they are well enough and have not developed any other symptoms. Being well enough means that their nose is not frequently requiring a Kleenex or the back of their hand. Please look at your child through another parent’s eyes when deciding if they should attend. If your child develops another symptom (i.e. cough), they are welcome to return as long as the cough has subsided and they are healthy enough and have the energy to do so. If a child shows symptoms during the day or has come back too soon, the parent will be called to pick up their child immediately. The staff will be monitoring your child throughout the day and it will be at their discretion whether your child is not well enough to attend.

Parents need to be aware that we are dependent on the health of staff and children to stay open. We can only stay open if we have proper staff to child ratio. It is particularly challenging in these times to find staff to come in and sub.

To minimize exposure to children and staff, we are asking only 3 families at a time in the cubby room. Families will enter at front entrance and use hand sanitizer provided. You will drop off your child’s belongings at their name and a staff member will be at the entrance to welcome your child into the centre. Parents will then exit out the far cubby room door and exit out the gate in the corner of the preschool yard.

At the end of the day, we plan to be outside. Parents will use hand sanitizer, enter the cubby room and pick up their child’s belongings and proceed out to the playground for pick up. It is imperative that you connect with a staff member when leaving with your child. If we cannot be outside, please wait in the courtyard and we will signal you to pick up your child from inside.

We feel fortunate to be working and playing in a large area. We will be practicing and teaching social distancing as much as is humanly possible with this age group. Handwashing will happen frequently throughout the day.

There will be a designated staff person (rotating) who will be following an enhanced cleaning schedule. This will include rotating and disinfecting toys and surfaces.

Please make sure you have back up care for your child as the future is uncertain with this virus.

These are our updated guidelines for now but as things change, we may revisit our protocols again.

Copyright 2017 - Gingerbread Preschool and Daycare