Policies

Enhancing your experience every day!

Attention to detail is the key to an unsurpassed early education experience

Policies for excellence and peace of mind

The relationship between families and school staff is vital to the success of a child’s early learning experience. Through the use of open communication, we believe building a teacher-parent partnership will benefit the child in making a positive connection between school and home.

Breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon snacks are available at Kids ‘R’ Kids of West Houston. Information is provided by the school on any charges that may apply.

For bottle-fed children, families must provide prepared formula or mother’s milk placed in bottles. We will inform you of the policy regarding baby foods. All infant items should be marked with the child’s first and last name, and the date.

Weekly menus for children on table food are available for review. Please see the Director for information regarding special diets and allergies.

December 2018 Menu

Tuition rates are based on a weekly schedule unless otherwise noted. Parents may set a payment schedule that best suits their needs. Accounts must remain current, if a balance is over one week old, the child may not be permitted back into the center until it is paid. Tuition is due on Friday for the upcoming week. Payments may be made with a check or credit cards. No cash will be accepted.

A fee is charged for returned checks. Late fees are applied on tuition not received by the close of business Monday of the current week. Tuition not paid by the close of business Thursday will be assessed an additional late fee.

If your child is picked up after 6:30 PM, a $15 fee is assessed. For every additional 10 minutes after 6:40 PM another $15 fee is assessed. After 7:00 PM, and additional charge of $2 per minute is assessed and, as mandated by Licensing, we will have to contact the Constables Office. Calling our center to say that you will be late does not waive the late fees.

Since staffing and other operational costs are incurred on the basis of fixed levels of enrollment and because few of these costs are eliminated when the child is temporarily absent, we cannot give tuition refunds or discounts for days your child is absent.

Fees are based on enrollment, not attendance. No tuition adjustments will be made due to illness, holidays, school closings, or transfers. Days cannot be exchanged or made up for other days.

Our buses and vans are equipped with seat belts. Transportation is provided to and from school and on planned field trips with parental permission.

The children are instructed to buckle-up at all times. Attendance is taken when a child enters the vehicle and when he/she leaves the vehicle.

Evacuation drills are conducted regularly to alert the children of what to do in the case of an emergency.

All outings including school transportation and planned field trips are authorized through our parents via signatures. If we take your child to school in the morning, then we are expected to pick up your child at dismissal time. If we do not take your child to school, then we assume that he or she is absent and we will not go to the school to pick up your child unless it is agreed upon in advance that you will provide morning transportation and we will provide afternoon transportation.

You must notify us each time your child does not need transportation to or from school when we normally provide this service to you. Please have your child at the center no later than 7:00 a.m. for school transportation.

We are following the local school district severe weather policy. In case of severe weather coming to the area, please monitor the news on local radio and TV stations; we will be closed or you will have to pick up your child from the center if Cy-Fair ISD is closed or release children early.

When severe weather has passed the area, please contact the center to find out when we will re-open. If you are unable to contact us by phone, please check our website and/or come by the center. We will post school news on our Facebook page and communicate via email and Facebook.

Fire drills and severe weather drills are conducted monthly. In the event of an emergency situation, the children are not as alarmed due to their awareness of procedures.

As described in Childcare Licensing Section 746.5201:

An emergency preparedness plan is designed to ensure the safety of children during an emergency by addressing staff responsibility and facility readiness with respect to emergency evacuation and relocation. The plan addresses the types of emergencies most likely to occur in your area but not limited to natural events such as tornadoes, floods or hurricanes, health events such as medical emergencies, communicable disease outbreak, and human-caused events such as intruder with weapon, explosion or chemical spill.

We strive to maintain a safe environment for all children and make every attempt to be prepared to handle emergency situations. Our staff is trained in first aid and CPR. We conduct regular fire and tornado drills. The local Fire Department makes annual inspections with recommendations for improved safety. An emergency evacuation plan is posted in each classroom. In the event the school needs to be evacuated, children will be evacuated to Lee Elementary School, 12900 W Little York Rd, Houston, Texas 77041

We believe that most discipline problems can be avoided through a combination of:

Knowledge of development growth patterns and needs of children at different ages and stages.
Environments that facilitate emerging skills without causing frustration and competition.
Activities that encourage and gently stimulate children’s natural curiosity.
Routines that are consistent and give children security and stability.

To manage behavior in a positive way we use:

Positive reinforcement
Redirection
Offering appropriate choices

Discipline techniques that are NEVER used include:

Corporal punishment
Yelling, abusive or demeaning language
Shaming or humiliation
Deprivation of food, nap or bathroom privilege

The relationship between parents and the center’s staff is vital to the success of the child’s experience. A partnership must be formed the first day, with open communication and understanding that the development and growth of the child is our top priority.

Parents can assist and help ensure a smooth transition by doing the following:

Sign children in and out at the front desk and then escort them to their designated class.
Update forms, as needed, when changes occurs i.e., new phone number, address, etc.
Keep staff informed of special needs or changes that might affect your child’s behavior.
Notify the center if your child is ill.
Do not bring an ill child to the center.
Notify the center if your child will be absent.
Notify the center if you will be later than usual picking up your child.
Provide a change of clothes marked with your child’s name (We are not responsible for lost clothing.)
Children should be dressed properly for the weather and play.
Do not allow children to bring toys to the center. We are not liable for any lost toys or electronic items.
Participate in the center’s special activities.
Attend scheduled parent meetings and conferences.
Ask questions and address concerns as they arise. We ask that parent address their concerns in a professional, confidential, and constructive manner.
Please refrain from bringing outside food into the facility. We are a peanut free school and provide all meals for your children.
Please drop your child/ren off before 10AM or after 2PM to prevent disrupting the lunch and nap routines.

All children over the age of three must be potty trained before moving to the three year old classroom. No pull-ups are permitted in the three year old classrooms.If your child is starting in our program and is three years old or older, they must be potty trained to enter the three year old program. If they are not, they will have to remain in the two year old classroom at the two year old rate until they are fully potty trained. Our three year old classrooms are not equipped to do any potty training.

To enroll, the center requires the following:

1. Enrollment application and registration fee (non-refundable.)

2. Health Requirement Form with current immunizations and physician’s signature that gives your child permission to attend school.

3. Child Profile Form

4. Infant Information Sheet (if applicable)

5. Health and Emergency Permission Record

6. Transportation Agreement

7. Parental Agreement

8. Internet Access Form

9. Parent Handbook Receipt

10. Permission to apply sunscreen and bug spray

11. Photo release

The immunization records must be up-dated as the schedule requires, with physician’s signature authorizing the child’s attendance at day care. All children in care are required to be current on all immunizations, or they will need to be excluded from care.

Staff members should be up to date on a vaccine preventable diseases.

Registration fee is required annually on anniversary date.

The Special Sense & Communication Disorders act, Texas Health & Code, Chapter 36 requires a screening or professional examination for possible vision and hearing problems for all children 4 years and older. We must have on file: the individual vision and hearing screening or a signed statement from the child’s parent that the child’s screening records are current and on file at the pre-kindergarten program or school the child attends away from the center. The statement must be dated and include the name, address, and telephone number of the Pre-K program or school.

Kids ‘R’ Kids of West Houston is open from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, Monday through Friday, twelve months a year. We are tentatively closed on the following holidays:

· New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

· Good Friday

· Memorial Day

· Independence Day

· Labor Day

· Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after

· Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

· 2 Professional Development Days annually

We will try to close consecutive days on major holidays, whether the holiday is in the weekend or not, to give our employees a four day weekend. Tuition will be charged as if it were a full week for full time or part time.

Parents are welcome visitors at any time and may participate in all center activities and field trips. Please escort your child into the center and into their classroom, making sure that you leave them in the direct care of a faculty member. Parents must sign their children in and out each day using the monitor at the front desk.

The enrollment forms on file must list family members or friends whom you authorize to pick up your child. When friends and family come to pick up, we will ask them to present a picture ID and compare the name to the name in the child’s file.

Please make sure to list only those people with whom you are comfortable having this privilege. We ask that you do not give the door code to visitors who pick up occasionally. A faculty member always monitors the front desk. You must add additional people to your pick up list in person.

If you have more than one child at our center and a baby in the infant room, we request that you escort the older child to their classroom first. This ensures protection for our infants and toddlers from extra exposure to germs.

Please notify the center if there are custody orders concerning your children. We do not have the right to withhold a child from any parent having custody or joint custody. In order to deny a parent from this right, a current signed court order specifying guardianship limitations must be in the child’s file. The center cannot become involved in custody disputes; we cannot mediate or keep track of which parent can pick up on which days. We would be forced to disenroll a child if the center is asked to become involved in such dispute.

Please dress your child for school in comfortable, washable play clothes that will allow him/her to thoroughly enjoy all classroom and playground experiences without being overly concerned about being messy.

The paint we use is washable and we make every effort to be careful but we would rather focus on your child having wonderful play and art experiences instead of worrying about their clothes. Tennis shoes or other shoes with rubber soles are preferable to boots or sandals that cause children to slip or trip easily. Closed toed shoes / sandals are required to have a heel strap.

We ask parents to celebrate a child’s birthday outside of our school. The Lead Teacher will make sure that a child’s birthday will be recognized and the child will come home with a special birthday crown. This allows the teacher to stay on her daily planned curriculum activities but most importantly every child’s birthday will be recognized and celebrated. If you would like to invite your child’s classmates to his/her birthday party which takes place outside our school, we can distribute the invitation to his/her classmates. We ask that each child receive an invitation.

As a convenience to parents, we will administer medication to children under the following conditions:

All prescribed medication must be left at the front desk with the person in charge. Parents must provide written instructions by filling the medication log at the front desk. We must have complete information before medications can be administered.
No medications can be left in the classrooms or in diaper bags
Medication must be in the original container and prescribed for the child.
Over the counter medications can be administered only as directed on the label with written permission from a physician with a date range of 3 months. The medication must be unopened and kept at the center.
Medication cannot be stored at the center, please remember to take all medications home after they are no longer being administered.
Medications are given at 12:00 PM only. An exception can be made for nebulizer treatments. If your child needs a nebulizer treatment, we need a signed note from your physician for treatment. We need a signed note from your physician stating type and amounts of medication to be given, times and any other specific instructions.
One designated person at the center gives all medications.
If your child has severe allergic reactions to certain foods or insect bites, you may keep a prescribed Epipen at the school. Written instructions from a physician on when to administer it must be provided, as well as written permission from the parent for us to administer it in an emergency situation.

We reserve the right to refuse to administer any medication without a prescription from a physician.

If your child becomes ill or injured at any time while at the center, the parent or emergency contact person will be notified immediately.

If a child becomes ill or has an adverse reaction to a prescribed medication and the reaction does not require immediate professional medical attention, the reaction will be written down and the parent will be notified immediately.

If it is necessary to seek immediate medical attention for a child, the center will transport the child to the nearest medical facility along with the child’s emergency health information form and emergency medical permission slip. The parent or emergency contact person will be notified as soon as possible for further instructions.

Because the health and welfare of all our children is our primary concern, we are unable to care for children who are ill and unable to participate in classroom activities.

We follow the criteria from TDPRS (Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services) regarding when children should be excluded from childcare. Our policy is that children with the following signs or symptoms will be seperated from other children and should be picked up promptly:

Fever:Children with temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher. If a child is sent home with a fever, he/she must be free of fever for 24 hours before returning to the center.
Uncontrolled Diarrhea:Three or more loose stools in one day.
Vomiting:Two or more episodes in one day.
Pinkeye:Children with conjunctivitis must be excluded from care until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has begun.
Head Lice:Children with head lice must be excluded from care until after treatment. Children will be examined upon re-entry for compliance.
Strep Throat: Children with strep throat must be excluded from care until 24 hours after treatment has begun.
Other signs of possible illness include rashes, wheezing, or unusual lethargy.

We work hard to fulfill the needs of every child and to provide a positive learning experience for everyone. Special needs will be accommodated whenever possible. We reserve the right to ask parents to make alternative arrangements for care if it is determined that a child’s needs cannot be met, or the child has not adjusted to group care.

In the event that behavior becomes disruptive to the program or becomes a problem that poses an unsafe situation for the child or other children in the class, alternative arrangements We work hard to fulfill the needs of every child and to provide will be required.

If you, as a parent, are uncooperative in completing and returning forms, fail to pay tuition on time, fail to follow any state or county regulations, or fail to follow any Kids ‘R’ Kids of West Houston policy or procedure; it may be necessary to dismiss your child from our center.

As a licensed preschool center, we maintain compliance with the standards set forth in TDFPS Minimum Standards code. We will maintain each infant’s schedule based on the parent’s requests per monthly infant information sheet. We will follow all the safe sleeping standards established to minimize any SIDS hazards. Therefore, all non-mobile infants will sleep on their backs in their cribs, and loose bedding will not be permitted, such as blankets or stuffed animals.

Children will be observed at drop off and throughout the day for signs of illness or injury. During drop off, please inform your child’s teacher of injuries from home or illnesses in the household. Health checks will be conducted on children appearing/complaining of discomfort. Appropriate steps taken will include checking the child’s temperature and visually observing the child for injuries, rashes, or any visible area of concern.

We are licensed by the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/, 2221 West Loop South, P.O. Box 16017, MC 182-6, Houston, TX 77222, and meet or exceed all licensing requirements.

Our license is always displayed in the front lobby as well as the Director’s license. A copy of the minimum standards is available for parents to review at our school.

A copy of our latest inspection report from licensing is always posted.

Texas Law requires caregivers to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services or law enforcement. Anyone suspecting abuse or neglect should call 1-800-252-5400. We support this effort by required annual training for our staff, sharing the warning signs and awareness for children who might be a victim of abuse or neglect. This is a collaborative effort and we will work alongside our community members and organziations who can bring further awareness to this cause.

We will also provide information to families of a child who is a victim of abuse or neglect and what action should be taken to obtain assistance and intervention.