Enrollment
Current users are allowed first choice for each subsequent school year. New users may register children the week after “current user” registration. Registration fees must accompany registration form(s) in order to reserve the requested attendance slots. A separate registration will take place for the summer term.
In order to ensure each child’s ability to adjust to and to benefit from the Preschool program, we require enrollment for a minimum of three half-days per week for each child attending the 2’s – 3’s program or the 4’s – 5’s program. Child care users may register with no minimum number of days/ hours and will be charged according to the current child care rates.
For regular weekly users, additional appointment time is also available as space and staff allow. Appointments may be booked up to 3 weeks in advance (or even as late as a “last minute” request), depending on the availability of space and staff in the appropriate classroom. The extra time will be added on to your current account and is due with the following payment. A 24-hour notice is required to cancel any appointment requested; otherwise, you will be billed for the time even if your child does not attend. A drop-in fee of $10.00 per non-registered child will apply for each separately scheduled block of time up to a week. (Current Pre-School-Only children may have up to two scheduled appointments per month at the current hourly drop-in rate with no additional drop-in fee.)
You will be held responsible for all of the days your child is scheduled to be in care. If you can provide a doctor’s written note that your child must be absent for more than a week, you will not be expected to pay for any days missed after the first week for that particular illness. We have scheduled staff to cover those times, and a child’s absence does not reduce the center’s budgetary obligations for that day. If your child will be absent on a scheduled day, please call to notify us of your child’s absence and the reason for it. We are required to keep a record of absences for each child’s file. In particular, please notify us as soon as possible of any illness that may be contagious, so that we can notify other parents and staff if needed. If a child fails to show up for more two scheduled days in a row, and we have not received a call from the parent, we will call the parent in order to document the reason for the child’s absence.
A separate rate sheet will accompany this handbook, and will also be included in any registration and/or enrollment information given to parents. A yearly tuition increase of not more than 3% will be reflected the first day of September of each year.
In order to keep fees as low as possible for parents, we do NOT mail out “bills”. Instead, the billing process is designed as follows: ALL COPAY TO BE PAID EACH MONDAY OF EACH WEEK. PRIVATE PAY FEES ARE DUE EACH FRIDAY OF EACH WEEK. IF FAILURE TO PAY EITHER CHILD CARE WILL BE TERMINATED. Our tuition rates are pro-rated with consideration of holidays and closings due to weather, power outages, etc… therefore, no credit will be given for center closings.
Returned Payments: Returned Tuition Express payments will be charged a service fee of $25.00 and will be billed to your account automatically. Late Payments: Weekly tuition payments are billed to your account, in advance, each Monday. If a tuition express payment does not process due to insufficient funds in the account, payment must be made by cash no later than Tuesday morning (including the $25.00 service fee. Payments made after Tuesday at noon are considered late and a late charge will automatically be billed to your account in the amount of $25.00. A past due balance, as of 6pm on Tuesday, will result in suspended enrollment until your account has been paid in full. There are no discounts for missed days due to illness, snow or holidays. NO REFUNDS FOR PERIODS OF ABSENCE.
Policies & Services
The Center offers a comprehensive child care program year round for children ages 6 weeks through age 12 years, and a pre-school program through the school year for children 2 1⁄2 through 5 years of age. The Center is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and is open during school breaks excluding the following holidays:
A two-week written notice must be given to the Center prior to canceling your child’s enrollment. You will be liable and billed for all scheduled time during the 2-week notice period. There is a $10.00 fee for all withdrawals.
For cases in which a child’s behavior is unacceptable and the staff is unable to be effective i helping the child to correct the behavior, the following steps will be taken. The parent will be asked to meet with the Executive Director and/or one or both of the Program Directors to discuss the situation. The parent will be given a period of time (for example 2 weeks_ to help the child reach goals set by the center directors. Suggestions will be given for outside resources if needed and may be required to keep the child enrolled during the observation period. If the child’s behavior improves enough to meet the goals set by the directors, the child will be allowed to remain enrolled in the program. If, however, the behavior does not improve significantly enough to be acceptable in the classroom on a consistent basis, the parent will be asked to find other care for the child. The child will be able to return only if a mental health professional provides a written recommendation for the child to be re-enrolled in the program.
When picking up or dropping off children, the parent/guardian will use the fingerprint scanner for secure entry into the building. Visitors or adults picking students up who are not yet registered may ring the door bell for assistance.
The CMCCL Center will be adding infants to the center’s food program at some point during 2021school year. Prior to the food program implementation, the following policy is in effect. It is the parent’s responsibility to send ready to feed bottles and cereal/baby food (when appropriate) for infants each day. Bottles of formula, milk and perishable foods needing refrigeration will be refrigerated. Formula will not be stored longer than 24 hours after opening. Foods will be covered and labeled as to the contents, date of opening, and the specific child for whom its use is intended. Foods other than formula will be used or discarded within a 36-hour period after opening.
Parents are expected to keep the office updated fully on how and where they can be contacted in case of an emergency. If parents cannot be reached, others who have been designated on the child’s forms to be called in case of emergency and given permission to pick up the child will be contacted and asked to come to get the child. The child cannot return to the Center until he/she has been fever-free, diarrhea-free, etc. for a full 24 hours, without the aid of tylenol and such medications. Sick children who are sent home from the Center may be asked to bring a doctor’s permission slip to return to school. Also, a child having a communicable disease may be required to have a doctor’s permission slip to return to school. These decisions will be made by the Center’s director, or his or her designee if absent.
The goal of this center is to create an encouraging environment for children and adults, one where positive phrases and tones of voice are used to guide children toward appropriate behavior and positive self-esteem, which will create the best possible environment for all other learning and development.
Parent's Responsibilities
(CHILD CARE USERS ONLY): A period of up to two weeks will be allowed for vacations per year without payment being expected for full year contracts, providing a two-week written notice is submitted to us. Parents will be expected to pay for all other time because we are expected to hold each registered child’s time slot, even during family vacations. No vacation credit is given for “school year only” or “summer only” enrollments. Vacation may not be credited during the 2-week notice for withdrawal..
If the community public school’s classes are canceled or delayed due to inclement weather conditions there will be no preschool classes. If your child is in child care as well as pre-school they may still attend. The Center will close with the school system. If for some reason the Center must NOT close, you will be notified.
In order to maintain compliance with state regulations concerning the staff to child ratio, there are heavy penalties for early drop-off or late pick-up when no appointment has been made. You must schedule additional appointment time if you need to bring your child at a time not previously reserved, including to drop off earlier than usual or to pic up later. Be sure to allow necessary time for travel. If children are dropped off before their scheduled time or picked up after their scheduled time, a $10.00 fee as well as an additional $1.00 per minute charge will be added to your account for each child. All late fees are due and payable within the week incurred; these fines are your responsibility and will NOT be billed to the ELRC.
Diapers and wipes are provided for all infants, toddlers and older toddlers and young preschoolers who are not yet toilet trained. If your child is not fully potty-trained a plan to support this area of development must be worked out between the teaching staff and a parent.
Enrollment of children with special needs will be accepted if the Center has appropriately-trained staff who can adequately meet those needs. The Center reserves the right to cancel the enrollment of a child who has special needs which the director and consultants decide are too difficult for the Center’s programs to meet. The consultants can be any combination of the following: the owner, the program director and/or the administrative director, the child’s teacher, the child’s physician, the licensing consultant, and any others deemed necessary by the director. A written report will be composed if a child is denied service stating the specific reason(s) why.
The CMCCL Center participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and is a participant in Pennsylvania’s Quality Star Rating program. In accordance with both programs, The Children’s Center provides meals and snacks which meet the USDA’s recommended meal components. Parents who choose not to have their child served food from our program may provide meals and snacks from home which meet the USDA guidelines. Breakfast is served to all children who arrive prior to 8:00 am. A morning snack will be provided for your child at 10:00 a.m., lunch is served between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and an afternoon snack will be served between 2:30 and 4 to all children present.
State law requires that a child’s “Health and Physician Record” must be completed by a physician, showing up-to-date immunizations and a negative Mantoux TB test, and given to the Center before the child’s first day of attendance. The completed health form must show evidence of a complete physical within 6 months prior to enrollment (3 months prior for ages 6 weeks to 21/2 years). An updated form is required every year until the child is 6, and every 2 years thereafter.
Children may not bring toys, food or money into the center. Our toys and equipment have been carefully selected to provide a safe and stimulating environment and they are shared by all children. Personal items are not to be brought from home unless it is specifically requested by the center or by your child’s teacher for a project, learning activity or special event. We will occasionally have a “share and tell” day and the children will be asked to share something special from home at that time. The teachers may ask that your child bring an item that correlates with the monthly curriculum theme or concept. Please choose those items wisely and keep in mind, The CMCCL Center cannot be responsible for loss or damage for personal belongings.
FORMS
Emergency Contact Form
Request for Release Form
Agreement Form
Wash Your Hand Poster
Hand washing Girl
Student Health Chart
Emergency Contact Form
Request for Release Form
Agreement
Form
Student Health Chart
Hand washing Girl