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HKLC Parent Handbook OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The Center will operate from http://www3.georgetown.edu/benefits/13774.html The Center will also be closed for up to five other days a year for necessary Center maintenance and in-service training for staff. These dates will be announced on an annual basis and can be found on the Bulletin Board in the Center or our calendar on our website. Parents will be surveyed to determine how many children will be in the Center (and for what length of time) before and after a major holiday. Depending on expected attendance, the Director may be able to release some staff early to prepare for that holiday. Tuition is due on the first day of every month for that month. Cash is not acceptable. Checks should be made payable to Hoya Kids Learning Center. Automatic bank debit through Tuition Express is an option for the payment of tuition - please consult the Operations Manager for details. A 10% sibling discount is available for the siblings of a child who is already enrolled in the center. Tuition is considered overdue on the day after your scheduled due date. If no payment has been made within ten days, your account will be considered delinquent and you will be assessed a late fee of 10% of your unpaid balance. If payment is not received after ten days, your child's enrollment may be terminated for overdue fees. Tuition IS DUE regardless of vacations, illness, holidays, inclement weather, or closures due to temporary emergency conditions, for as long as your child is enrolled in the Center. Tuition for a child being enrolled in the Center after the 1st of the month will be pro-rated for the days preceding his or her first regular tuition payment due date. Parents/guargians of children who receive scholarships are obligated to inform the Director of changes in their financial status that would affect their eligibility. Failure to report a change in financial circumstances that would affect your scholarship eligibility could jeopardize your child's continued enrollment. The University will make an annual review of tuition rates. Tuition fees will be announced in June for the following fiscal year of July 1 through June 30. Returned Checks Checks returned from the bank without payment due to insufficient funds, closed accounts or other reasons will result in a penalty fee of $35. Payment by money order or cashier's check will be required if two checks are returned within a one-year period. Post-dated checks will not be accepted. Scholarships A scholarship program is available for qualified family applicants to assist with tuition costs. The number and amount of scholarship funds awarded are dependent upon the funds available for this purpose. Applications are available and can be obtained by contacting the Operations Manager or the Director. All application information is confidential. Within the below-specified criteria, children of Georgetown University students, faculty and staff, are eligible for enrollment at Hoya Kids Learning Center. GU students must be enrolled in either a degree-seeking program or Certificate program, AND must also be enrolled in at least 1 class in 2 out of the 3 semesters in the academic year to maintain eligibility for Hoya Kids Learning Center. GU Faculty and Staff must be classified as one of the following:
Eligibility, based on these guidelines, will be verified prior to enrollment through the Registrar's, Provost's, and Human Resources offices respectively. Requests for childcare will be placed on the appropriate waitlist according to the date and time the Center receives your form.Non-parents or grandparents qualify for placement of a child if they are eligible faculty, staff, or students and are either legal guardians or the primary caretakers of the child. Non-parents and grandparents must either provide evidence of legal guardianship or that the child is dependent on them and not the parent; the signature of the parent on the enrollment agreement is required in the latter situation. Sibling priority- Siblings of enrolled children whose parents are currently affiliated with the university as students, staff or faculty will be given preference over new applicants. The sibling of a child who is already enrolled in the Center will receive priority placement over a child in the same category who is waiting for enrollment but does not have a sibling in the Center All forms necessary for enrollment are available in the Upon confirmation of a space, a $500 security deposit is required to hold the space for your child, and is applied to your child's first month of tuition. In the event you decide not to enroll your child in the program after paying the security deposit, the deposit will be forfeited unless the space can be filled immediately. Separate checks or money orders for registration and security deposit should be payable to Hoya Kids Learning Center. Part-time enrollment is permitted at the discretion of the Center. Acceptance into a part-time space may depend on the Center's ability to pair the desired attendance schedules of two part-time enrollees to create one full-time space. Part-time enrollees are considered paired if they occupy one space in the same age grouping. Part-time enrollees will be charged a 10 percent surcharge and an unpaired part-time enrollee has no right of retention to the occupied space. *Medstar employees are extended a secondary priority after University students, staff and faculty. However, the Center will periodically review this policy and its effect on enrollment. Waitlist Parents, who wish to enroll a child, may hold a space for their child for up to 3 months, if a space becomes available before the child is eligible for the applicable age group. After the first month, the family will be required to pay the monthly tuition rate to hold the space for the remaining 2 months. In order to reserve the space that is offered the family must also pay the security deposit as described above. If the family chooses to wait for the next space, whenever it becomes available, the current space would be offered to the next family on the waitlist. Enrolled families may also hold a space for their child for up to three months, if a space becomes available before their child is eligible to transition and there is an age eligible child on the waitlist. The current child's family will be offered the space in the same manner as described above, except no security deposit will be required. If the current family declines the offer, the space will be offered to the waitlist family. When the waitlist family accepts the offer, the current family's child will remain in the existing classroom until the next space becomes available. Assigning Children to Programs There are three programs at If a change in program placement results in a tuition change, the new tuition rate will begin on the payment due date following the advancement in program placement. For example, when a child turns 2 1/2, the family will pay the 2 1/2-year-old tuition once the child moves into the new group, instead of the slightly higher toddler rate under which they enrolled. Every effort is made to keep children in the same program for as long as possible to ensure continuity of care. Coming to Hoya Kids If you have already made the decision to enroll your child in our Center, it is important that you and your child visit the Center to become acquainted with your child's teachers and the program. Two visits must be made prior to the child's first day of attendance at the Center. The transition schedule for all new children to the Center is as follows:
In addition to the pre-enrollment visits, the first tuition payment and all required information, health forms, and releases must be completed and submitted PRIOR to the child's first official day of attendance at the Center. It is critical that all these procedures be completed in advance so that when your child arrives for the first day, everyone's attention can be focused on helping your child make a happy adjustment to a new setting. Termination of Parent Affiliation with the University In the event a child's eligibility for continuing enrollment at HKLC changes because neither of his or her parents continue to have an affiliation with the University as a student, faculty member, or staff employee, or Georgetown/MedStar Hospital, the child will be entitled to remain enrolled at Hoya Kids for whichever period is longer:
The Center reserves the right to terminate your child's enrollment in the Center if any of the following conditions arise:
If the Center terminates the enrollment of your child, for any reason, you will receive a refund of the portion of the tuition fee, pro-rated on a daily basis, for the period remaining in that monthly period. Withdrawal of Child From Center If your child is being withdrawn from the Center, for any reason, the Center must be given at least one month's written notice. Should you withdraw your child without one month's notice, you will continue to be billed for one month from the time of the notice, regardless of their actual attendance. Children are age-eligible for continued enrollment at Hoya Kids until the last Friday in August of the academic year they turn 5 years of age. When your child arrives at the Center, your child's attendance must be registered at the sign in/out terminal in the front lobby. Please plan to arrive by When you pick up your child, go to your child's room. Check your child's cubby and mail. As you exit with your child, sign your child out at the sign in/out terminal in the front lobby. This procedure must be followed any time a child arrives or departs from the Center. Please be sure to notify a staff member when you have arrived and when you leave with your child. Failure to sign in or out on any given day may result in a $5 fee charged to you monthly tuition for each occurance. We encourage parents to visit the Center at any time. You may wish to join your child for lunch or to take your child out for a walk. When removing your child from the Center during the day, you will first need to let the teacher know and then sign your child out at the sign in/out terminal in the front lobby. Upon your return, please sign your child in and notify the teacher of your return. If you know you are going to take your child out on or during a particular day(s), please let the teacher know in advance. The safety and well-being of all children in our care is our top priority at Hoya Kids. Our Center is located on University property and we abide by University security regulations. Security guidelines are fully explained and discussed with parents during the enrollment process. Security and safety procedures are in place to help us provide a safe, pleasant experience for your children. All persons bringing or picking up a child must follow Center directions concerning checking in at the reception desk, when necessary, and signing in and out in the children's classroom. Entry to the Center occurs via a card swipe access at the front door. Only authorized persons will be issued a programmed card. Please be prepared to use this card each time you enter the Center.
If your child will be absent, please call the Center at 202-687-7667 by All HKLC parents are eligible to pay for a parking space on Main Campus or at one of the satellite parking lots (for a fee) through the Office of Transportation Management. We strongly encourage all parents to park in their regular campus parking space and walk their child(ren) to HKLC. Space is available at the Center for stroller storage during the day. Parking for drop-off and pick-up directly in front of the entrance to Hoya Kids is limited. The spaces are regulated for 15-minute parking during school operating hours. Although this parking arrangement is to facilitate the needs of HKLC parents, these spaces are available to the general public as well. Please note the D.C. Department of Public Works enforces this parking policy. In addition, the Office of Transportation Management (OTM) has approved limited access by HKLC parents to the parking lot behind Poulton Hall (Lot 6) to accommodate overflow parking after Your child will only be released to authorized individuals. Initial authorization must be made on the enrollment form. In order to authorize any additional person, other than those listed on the original enrollment form, you must submit authorization in writing and provide information requested on the enrollment form. When the newly authorized person arrives at the Center for pick-up, their photo ID will be checked and the child's file rechecked to verify information. The forms for alternative pick-up are at the front desk. In cases where a parent is using an alternative pick-up, the staff must be notified in advance of the pickup. Telephone authorization for pick-up may be accepted if the Director or staff can verify voice recognition of the parent or guardians and a call-back number for the parent or guardian is checked and approved. The forms for telephone authorization are at the front desk. All persons authorized to pick up your child must be at least 18 years of age. If an unauthorized person should arrive at the Center to pick up a child, Campus Security will be notified. The parent will also be called immediately, and the child will not be released except to an authorized individual. If an authorized person arrives to pick up a child and appears in the judgment of staff, in any way, to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, CAMPUS SECURITY WILL BE CALLED IMMEDIATELY. A child will not be released to any person under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you are experiencing custody difficulties, we strongly urge you to keep the Center Director and staff fully advised of circumstances which might affect the Center and your child. It is the responsibility of the parent to keep the authorized list of people allowed to pick up a child current and accurate. Unless legal documentation is submitted to the contrary, parents share equal rights to drop off or pick up a child. If there is a change in legal custody and one parent is granted sole custody of your child, and the other parent is no longer authorized to have contact with your child, you must inform the Center of this fact and provide the Center Director with a copy of the court order confirming the custody. The copy will be placed in the child's file at the Center. The Center closes at Your child anticipates your arrival. A child can become worried and anxious if his classmates have all been picked up and his own parent has not yet appeared. In addition, staff who have put in a full day are inconvenienced and ready to leave, return to their families and carry out their personal plans for the evening. We strongly advise parents to abide by the closing schedule. The fee for a first time late pick-up is $1.00 for every minute, per child, according to the clock in the Center's reception area. This fee is doubled thereafter for every late pick-up within a monthly billing period (ie., second time late in one month, the fee is $2.00 for every minute). This doubling of the fee is only for one billing period, ie., the rate returns to $1.00 per minute at the beginning of the month. This fee applies to all programs and is deposited into the center's operating account. A late pick-up form is signed on the date of the late pick-up by the staff and parent. Enrollment will be terminated if a child is picked up late four times in one month or seven times in three consecutive months. If a parent wishes to have a conversation with his/her child's teacher or other parents at the end of the day, he/she should arrive at least 15 minutes before closing time in order to do so, rather than at HKLC Inclement Weather Policy (rev. 12/07) The Center follows the University's inclement weather policy. The University uses radio and TV stations to announce closings and delayed openings. When the University is closed, Hoya Kids is closed. Please call both 202-687-SNOW (202-687-7669) AND call Hoya Kids at 202-687-7667 for specific information. As soon as the University posts a closing or delayed opening time on the 202-687-SNOW telephone line, Hoya Kids will post a message on 202-687-7667 and on the HKLCparents-L listproc. Hoya Kids will always try to have the Center open prior to any University delayed opening time. When the University declares that liberal leave is in effect, Hoya Kids Learning Center will open on time. However, parents are asked to call the Center by 8:30 a.m. to notify the Center of their intent to bring their children in (or not) and their approximate arrival time. This will help us maintain adequate staff-to-child ratios. If we call you during the day to announce that the center is closing due to serious weather conditions, you must pick up your child by the designated time. Late pick-up charges will be enforced. If inclement weather develops throughout the day, please make arrangements to pick up your child as soon as possible. We do not want children or staff stranded at the Center. Our Center seeks to foster children's acceptable behavior and to help them develop self-control through positive guidance and the application of simple rules that they can easily understand. Procedures for disciplining our children are designed to help them develop safe and satisfying personal relationships and a healthy self-image. No use of physical punishment or harsh language that might frighten or humiliate children is permitted. Actions that might hurt other people or damage equipment are not allowed, but we recognize a child's need to express both happy and angry feelings and seek to provide safe, alternative means of expression. (Please discuss with the teachers ways to redirect inappropriate behavior. There are a number of strategies and suggestions you may find to be effective.) Children should be urged to participate in solving behavior problems that involve children or adults in the classroom environment. On occasion, it may be necessary for a child to be removed from the group for a short 'quiet time' where the child can regain control, and rejoin the group when the child feels he/she is ready. At no time, however, will a child being disciplined be left unattended by a member of the teaching staff. No punishment will be associated with toileting accidents or failure to sleep or eat. Many discipline problems are avoided by the use of developmentally appropriate activities, environments, and teaching methods. Positive re-enforcement of appropriate behavior, redirection, decision-making strategies, and peaceful resolution of conflicts will be practiced. Hoya Kids makes every effort to work with the family and child when there are ongoing or severe behavioral challenges by meeting with the parents, and, if appropriate, child development specialists. We, as a team, will develop a plan for working with the child at school and at home. In order for any behavior modification plan to be effective, parent cooperation and participation is essential and therefore expected. In some instances we may ask the parent to pick up the child early or come to the center to be with their child for a short time. In the extremely rare case that all efforts have been exhausted, and dangerous, threatening, or extremely disruptive behavior still exists, or cooperation has not been shown on the part of the parent(s), Hoya Kids Learning Center reserves the right to remove the child from the center either temporarily or permanently, based on our professional judgment.
Toddlers often bite out of frustration. Biting is a very common problem with younger children. Although biting is a natural behavior for young children, we do everything possible to prevent it. When a biting incident occurs, we calm the child who has been bitten, clean the area thoroughly with soap and water and apply ice to the area. The parents of the bitten child are informed of the bite via the Hoya Kids Learning Center Accident Report form. We talk to the child who did the biting and calmly but firmly explain that biting hurts and that biting is not allowed. We then explain that when we touch someone it must be a gentle touch. The child's parents are informed of the incident. If the incident happens again, we ask for a parent conference to work as a team to help the toddler stop biting. Mealtime and snacks are an important part of our daily curriculum. We believe these times should be enjoyable and educational experiences for each child. Food is served family style; the staff sit and eat with the children for lunch and snacks. Our Center will provide all beverages and two snacks per day that meet the nutritional standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lunches must be brought from home. All food components should be cut and ready to serve. Milk is always served with lunch unless staff is notified by a parent to make an exception. Items that toddlers and preschoolers (especially under the age of 4) most often choke on are hot dogs, nuts, raw carrots, whole grapes. You are required to cut these items before packing them with the lunch. Staff will not be permitted to serve candy, popcorn or raisins to your child. It is the responsibility of the parents to notify the Center of any food allergies. If a medical problem requires special dietary arrangements, the Director and staff are to be notified. Snack food may be brought from home for special diets, religious or medical reasons. We strongly discourage non-nutritious and "junk" foods. All non-breakable bottles and food containers brought from home are to be clearly marked with your child's full name. Please do not send drinks to the center in glass bottles. Regular outdoor play is a very important part of a child's growth, exploration and learning about their environment. We plan to follow the guidelines and accreditation criteria for outdoor play of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). All age groups play outdoors daily, if conditions permit, for children's health and safety. In cold weather, children will remain inside when the wind chill (air temperature and wind speed combined) is 20 degrees F or below. When the wind chill is 35 degrees F or above, children will go outside as long as other conditions permit. When the wind chill is 21-34 degrees F the decision to go outside will be made on a case-by- case basis by the Center staff. The length of time outside will be limited and gauged by the comfort of the children and their ability to communicate this. All children should come with appropriate outerwear (coats, hats, mittens/gloves) to protect them in these conditions. Snow pants and boots should be supplied by the parent on days when there is snow on the ground. Busy Bees Playing outdoors provides many opportunities for toddlers to develop and practice gross motor skills. Toddlers need a safe (hazard free) outdoor play area which will provide them challenges and will allow them to master skills without getting hurt. They need multiples of popular toys and materials so they do not have to wait long to use their favorite item. Toddlers love to move and wheeled toys allow them to use their gross motor skills to propel themselves. Participating in physical activities allows toddlers to develop new motor skills and to feel control over their environment. Busy Bees will ride in the buggies to make going outdoors much easier and more enjoyable. Playing outdoors provides many opportunities for toddlers to develop and practice gross motor skills. Toddlers need a safe (hazard free) outdoor play area which will provide them challenges and will allow them to master skills without getting hurt. They need multiples of popular toys and materials so they do not have to wait long to use their favorite item. Toddlers love to move and wheeled toys allow them to use their gross motor skills to propel themselves. Participating in physical activities allows toddlers to develop new motor skills and to feel control over their environment. Busy Bees will ride in the buggies to make going outdoors much easier and more enjoyable. Buttercups and KoalasThe outdoor environment provides a new setting for children to explore and a place for them to release pent-up energy. The children can enjoy activities that take place indoors in different ways when conducted outdoors. Fresh air and gross motor activities are very important in a child's development and will occur twice a day, weather permitting. Outdoor Playgrounds The outdoor play space is furnished with basic open-ended materials and the teachers will provide additional toys and equipment to stimulate and challenge the children. Many indoor activities can be adapted for use outdoors. When the weather does not permit the use of the outdoor playground, children will release their extra energy and strengthen their gross motor skills in the classroom, and the teachers will appropriately adapt the environment. The children will have access to some of the same activities; just not the fresh air, sunshine and nature. The following is a list of items we may use outdoors or inside in the classroom. Teachers will select the items that are age appropriate for their group.
Of course safety is very important when taking children outside of the center. Precautions must be taken and procedures established and followed. Routine procedures include:
Sunscreen Sunscreen is applied to children during the warmer, sunnier months. Parents are asked to apply sunscreen in the morning before drop-off, and Center staff will reapply sunscreen before going outddors for afternoon outdoor play. Parental permission is required in order to apply sunscreen and parents will indicate whether or not the sunscreen supplied by the Center can be applied. (The brand will be indicated on the permission slip). If not, then the parent shall supply a bottle of sunscreen from home, labeled with the child's name. Field Trips On Campus and Immediate Vicinity For on campus field trips and walks around the center parents will fill out and sign an on campus permission form. These forms will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Teachers will write their destination and approximate time of return in the scheduling book, which is kept on the desk of the Operations Manager. The minimum staff to child ratio is the same as it is in the classroom, but extra staff will be utilized when available. If and when classes decide to go further than the immediate vicinity, where traffic gets heavier (closer to M Street and Wisconsin Ave.), the library ratio (below) will be used, and parents will be notified in advance. Georgetown Public Library When classes walk to the Georgetown Public Library, the ratio for the Koala class will be 1:5 and for the Buttercups class it will be 1:4. Regular dates and times for these trips are posted in the respective classrooms with a sign up sheet for parent chaperones. With a full group, 2 extra adults will be need for each class. In the event that the ratio cannot be met, the trip will need to be cancelled.Off Campus (transportation required) On the occasions when field trips off campus are scheduled to enrich the curriculum, parents will be notified in advance. The notification will be written and include all of the details of when, where, and the educational goal of the trip. Parents will be encouraged to accompany the children on the trip. The ratio of one adult to two children will also be a requirement for these off campus field trips. Each adult will be assigned to be responsible for one or two children. A parent signature will be necessary for each child to participate. Each event will require notification and parent signature on the off campus field trip permission form. In the event that an insufficient number of adults will be available for the required 1:2 ratio, the event will need to be rescheduled. If University Vans are used, not all chaperones will be able to ride with the children when there are space constraints. There will always be at least two adults in each vehicle, including the driver. Overflow of adults will carpool in a volunteer chaperone's car (or more, if necessary), and caravan with the passenger vans. The ratio must be maintained at the destination or any time children are not in transit. Metro rail may also be used in conjunction with University vans when appropriate. In this case, a 1:2 ratio shall be maintained while in transit as well. When transportation by University passenger van is required, any drivers shall be previously trained and certified by the Office of Risk Services. Each parent or guardian (or other appropriately designated individual) shall install his or her own child's car seat after the child is dropped off in the classroom. All outings will also be optional and if a parent chooses, their child may remain at the Center instead of going on the field trip. Parent-Staff Employment Arrangements Hoya Kids employees are hired to care for children at our Center. Any babysitting or child care arrangements made between you and a Center employee is a personal agreement between those two parties. Children will have a regular daily rest or nap time, scheduled by the classroom staff. Children will have their own cot. You are to provide a small blanket and sheet for your child to use during rest time. These items can be taken home to be washed as often as necessary for cleanliness, but will be sent home every Friday. We do not allow gun play at the Center. Recognizing that gun play can be an important way for children to feel powerful, we provide many alternative opportunities for children to play out the important theme of powerful decision-maker --- without weapons. Our staff help define the limits of aggressive fantasy play to ensure that all children feel safe and comfortable. We create a play environment in which children have many real choices and can therefore exert control throughout their day. Videos are occasionally incorporated into the afternoon program as a substitute for outdoor activities during periods of extreme cold or heat, heavy precipitation, or to help children experience a gradual decrease in physical activity in the late afternoon. The videos chosen have been previewed by staff, have an educational content, are entertaining at the children's level of understanding, contain no commercials and are nonviolent. Other activities are always available for children during that time. ALL clothing and personal items belonging to your child must be clearly labeled with your child's name. Our Center is well supplied with a wide variety of toys and equipment. It is NOT necessary or desirable for toys to be brought from home. If a special cuddle toy or animal is needed by a child at rest time, this can be kept in the cubby with the child's blanket and used at rest time. Special days will be planned when children can enjoy Show-and-Tell events. For these occasions, it may be appropriate for your child to bring a toy to share.
Occasionally the Center will photograph your child participating in Center activities. These photographs will be used and kept at the Center to record events and learning activities. Photographs of individual children and a group picture of each class may be taken each year. Upon enrollment, you will be asked to sign a written photo consent form that will be kept in your child's file. You will be notified of special events and media coverage before the event. Should you wish your child not to be included in still or video coverage, a written letter to the Director must be on file the day before the event. |
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