Tamara Dixon

Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Tweety’s Care Center

Family Handbook

Family Introduction
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Tweety’s Care Center welcomes families to visit their children at anytime while their children are

in the center. There will be times and ways for you can get involved in your child’s daycare

experience. You are welcomed and encouraged to participate in any or all of these examples:

● Lending objects for units of study.

● Coming and talking about your job, when asked.
● Helping your child at home with the concepts we are studying here (see monthly

newsletter).
● Helping your child prepare for “Show and Tell.”
● Helping to provide treats or other items for our parties.
● Volunteering for events or to help out in the classroom.
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

About the Program

Vision Statement

Our vision is to help children build a strong learning foundation in a safe and fun

environment.

Here at Tweety’s Care Center we provide a safe affordable quality child care program for

children ages six weeks to twelve years old. We provide a safe, clean environment where

children are encouraged to develop at their own pace.

Core Values

● We value the children’s and families diversity.

● We value a strong foundation where children can learn and develop at their own pace.
● We value families help with volunteering in the classroom and at special events.
● We value the well-being, the health, and safety of all children.
● We value a safe, clean, and developmental environment.

Program Goals

● Tweety’s Care Center main goal is to build a strong educational foundation for all

children. We want to prepare children to be developmentally successful for kindergarten.

● We will provide a clean, healthy, and safe environment for children, families, and

teachers.
● Our last goal is supporting our teachers in furthering their education.
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Curriculum
As a professional childcare center we will assure you that your child/children, will

receive attention and loving care through appropriate activities that promote learning and growth,

while protecting the health and well-being of all children.

Our main objective is to have fun, improve social skills, and encourage creative

expression. We will utilize a variety of activities to accomplish this goal. Free play, computer

programs, reading, arts and crafts, music/singing, dancing, dramatic play/pretend, puzzles, and

educational TV/videos are just some of the activities we will be doing.

We promote a creative curriculum that explores reading master, which teaches basic

decoding and comprehension skills. Decoding is taught through an explicit phonics method that

stresses letter sounds and blends. Children will also explore handwriting, letters, colors, pre-math

(numbers, shapes, sorting, measurement, counting), music, rhyming, matching, opposites, health,

science, art, computers, self-esteem, and social/life skills.

 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Responsibilities
Of the Program

● We will provide a strong learning foundation for all children.

● We will provide for children’s health and safety.
● We will provide breakfast, lunch, and snack for all children.
● We will provide a clean and age appropriate environment.

Of the Family

Children will miss their families and often cry upon arrival. It is a natural occurrence in a

new environment. This can be a difficult time for children and will take teamwork by families

and caregivers to ease the fear of the child. We will provide a daily report for all infants in order

to inform you of your child’s day. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to talk

to the director.

Please encourage your child to come, participate, learn, and to have fun. Inform teachers

each morning of any problems at home that might affect your child’s day (such as late or

sleepless nights, irritability, no appetite, etc). You must plan for an alternate provider when we

are not available. If someone else is to pick up your child, or if there are any changes in address,

telephone, or emergency numbers, and health records, please let us know as soon as possible.

This information must be kept up to date.

 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Program Policies
Behavior Management

Discipline in the center will be positive and will help children learn what to do rather than

what not to do. Praises for good behavior and success is the best way to guide children’s

behavior. We will help children understand why rules are important in learning and how to get

along with others. Children who misbehave will have “time out”. WE WILL NOT SPANK

YOUR CHILD. Families will be notified of behavioral problems (biting, hitting, abusive

language, etc.) that bothers others and does not improve, or families that are not willing to work

with us on these problems will be cause to terminate the child from enrollment in this program.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST RESORT.

Medications

For prescription drugs, the container should be clearly labeled with the child’s name,

name of medicine, dosage amount, frequency of dosage, and the name and telephone number of

the child’s physician. The medication must be in the original container as dispensed by the

pharmacist. For any medications to be administered by the provider, a permission form with all

details mentioned above must be signed by both the families and the provider. This includes non-

prescription medications as well. The permission form is only good for the week in which it is

signed; families must fill out a new form on Monday if the medications are to be continued the

next week. We are not required by law to administer medicine and will only administer medicine

as a courtesy. Medications will be sent home with the child every night.
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Program Policies continued

Illness

A child’s Health and Emergency Form must be on file with the director before your child

will be accepted into the center. This should be updated annually. Immunizations records signed

by the child’s doctor must be given to the provider on or before the child’s first day of care.

Providers must be given all updates to immunizations records as they occur. To keep all children

as health as possible, we ask you to keep children at home if there are any signs of:

● Fever of 100 degrees or more.

● Diarrhea and/or vomiting more than once.
● Pain.
● Frequent coughing.
● Signs of conjunctivitis or pink eye.
● Unexplained rash.

If you bring your child who is sick or if your child becomes sick while at the center, you will be

called to pick up the child. No child in the contagious stage of a communicable disease will be

accepted for care. In case of contagious illnesses, a doctor’s note must be secured before

returning to the center. Fees cannot be waived when your child is sick or absent.
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Operating Procedures
Sign In/Out

It is required by state law that all families sign their child in and out each day. For your

convenience, a sign in/out sheet, pen, and a clock are located by the door, this gives us a written

record of the child’s attendance, hours, and the person who brought/picked up the child each day.

Hours/Days of Operation

Monday through Friday, 6:30 am- 6:30 pm on a year round basis.

Days out:

● New years day

● Martin luther king Jr. Day
● Good Friday
● Memorial Day
● Independence Day
● Labor Day
● Thanksgiving Day and the day after
● Christmas eve
● Christmas day and the day after

These days are subject to change. Appropriate notice will be given. We will take paid days and

paid vacation days. Notice will be given in ample time before intended vacation times. You will

be responsible for making other arrangements for childcare, when the centers are closed.

Operating Procedures continued

Vacation

The provider normally takes approximately two weeks of vacation per year. Advance

notice as much as possible will be given to all families; you will receive minimum thirty days
 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

notice. It is the families responsibility to obtain substitute care during such times. Payment is

required during vacations.

Sick/Personal Leave

Although the provider will make every attempt to be available each day, there will be

occasions when she or another family member is ill and is unable to provide service. Families

will be notified as soon as possible of any personal or family illness, funeral, or emergency.

Families will not be required for these occurrences. It will be the families responsibility to obtain

substitute care on such occasions and to arrange payments to the substitute.

 Tamara Dixon
Professor Hawkins
Edu-262-AN1
June 18th 2018

Financial Policy
Full Time

This will consist of 20-45 hours. A weekly fee of:

● $160 for children six weeks to two years old

● $155 for children two to five years old
● $95 for five to twelve years old

Part Time

This will consist of 20 hours or less. A rate of $80 will apply for all children.