Kid’s Connection is open Monday – Friday, 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM.  Kid’s Connection will be closed on the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day

• Memorial Day

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving

• Friday After Thanksgiving

• Christmas Eve

• Christmas Day

When holidays fall on a weekend, Kid’s Connection will be closed on either the preceding Friday or following Monday.  Notification will be sent home as to which specific days we will be closed each year.  Due to our fixed costs and our commitment to using full-time employees, there will be no reduction in fees for these holidays.  The use of a vacation day, however, will be accepted.

Before a child is enrolled, an Intake Agreement must be signed by each party responsible for the child’s care and well-being.  This contract outlines many of the procedures and requirements of our program.

Prompt and consistent payment is vital because of our monthly fixed costs in operating the Center.  Tuition payment is due for each child on or before the Monday of each week.  Payments may be left in the locked box located outside the Director’s office.  If an account becomes two weeks overdue, the parent will be notified.  If the account is not paid by Friday of that same week, the child will not be allowed to return to Kid’s Connection on the following Monday.  In addition, all delinquent accounts will be turned over to a collection agency.  Returned checks will be assessed a $20 service charge, which will be added to your account.  Cash payments will then be required for the following 2 months.  Any rate changes will be posted at least 2 weeks in advance, and a new contract will be signed.  We provide Annual Statements each January for tax preparation purposes.  Please let us know if you require individual payment receipts separate from your canceled checks.

The registration fee for each new enrollment is $30.00, which is non-refundable.  A registration form must be completed for each child, which includes the child’s medical history and authorization for us to provide emergency medical care, if required.  A current immunization certificate is also required for each child, and must be on file within 30 days of enrollment.  KC Camp registration will be done separately, in April of each year.  Before/After School Care children will have first consideration for the KC Camp spots.

Should your child need to be withdrawn from the center for any reason, you must provide 2 weeks written notice to the Program Director.  We base our operations on full occupancy, and must have a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice to ensure maximum occupancy is maintained and the centers operate at maximum efficiency.  In the absence of proper notification, we will charge 2 weeks’ additional fees.

The well-being of our children is always our primary concern.  Children must be escorted into the classroom and presented to a staff member.  All children must be signed/clocked in upon arrival and signed/clocked out upon departure.  Parents will have the opportunity to designate authorized escorts on the initial Kid’s Connection Intake Agreement.  If someone other than the parent/legal guardian or authorized escort will be picking the child up, we must be notified in writing by the parent/legal guardian in advance.  We will not release a child without proper verification. We reserve the right to request identification from anyone picking up a child from Kid’s Connection. We also reserve the right to prevent the release of a child to anyone, including a parent or authorized escort, if we feel that person may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol that the child’s safety may be in jeopardy for any reason.  Children may arrive as early as 6:30 AM, but must arrive at the center by 10:00 AM.  Please notify the center in advance, if your child will be arriving late (due to a doctor appointment or other unusual circumstance).  Parents who chronically bring their children in later than 10:00 AM will be asked to make other child care arrangements.

Each full-time child will be allowed one week (5 days) of vacation each year that is free of charge.  Children new to our program must be in attendance for 12 weeks before vacation time is available.  Vacation days may be substituted for sick days at the parents’ discretion.  Parents must complete and submit the Vacation/Sick Day Form to the Director’s office no later than 2 weeks before a planned vacation or 1 week after a sick day in order to receive credit.  Please call the center before arrival time if your child is going to be absent.  Our program is based upon enrollment, not attendance, and our costs remain fixed despite attendance variations.  Therefore, there are no reductions in fees for absences or holidays outside the vacation/sick time allotted as specified herein.

Indiana state law requires all child care centers to report the names and birth dates of all enrolled children to the Division of Families and Children within 3 months of enrollment.  This information is used as part of the missing child locator system.  We must have your permission on this Reporting Consent Form in order to release the required information to the State of Indiana.

Nutritious meals are carefully planned and prepared for your child.  Menus are posted weekly in the cafeteria, where all preschool children have breakfast and lunch.  Preschool children may participate in a brief nondenominational prayer before each meal.  We adhere to the following meal/snack schedule:

Meal/Snack         Time

Morning Snack       6:30 – 7:00 AM

Breakfast                8:00 – 9:00 AM

Lunch                     11:00 AM – 12:30PM

Afternoon Snack     3:00 – 3:30 PM

Due to State regulations, children are not allowed to bring food / drinks in from home.

Exceptions:

1. If your religion dictates that your child maintain a special diet, you must complete a Food Substitution From Home form.

2. If your child has a food allergy or medical condition which would affect diet, we will need a doctor’s statement indicating which items are to be restricted.

Birthday and Holiday Parties

Parents are welcome to bring in treats from a commercial bakery to celebrate their child’s birthday.  Birthday treats will be served during the afternoon snack, and parents are encouraged to join the class for this special treat.  Please coordinate with your child’s teacher to plan these activities.  Classes will celebrate holidays with classroom parties.  Teachers will post signup sheets on their classroom doors for these events.  Again, anything brought into the center must be from a commercial bakery or in an unopened container.

Infant Feeding Plan

State law requires that each infant must have a written Infant Feeding Plan on file at the center, signed by the child’s physician.  Each time the child’s food intake changes, it must be noted on the feeding plan.  These updates may be done by the parent.  If you are breastfeeding, you will need to complete and submit a Breast Milk Procedure Form.  If your infant is on formula, you must provide the formula and bottles.  Preparation instructions should be included on the feeding plan.

Special Events

Kid’s Connection celebrates Mother’s Day with our Muffins for Mom breakfast, and Father’s Day with our Donuts with breakfast, each held on the Friday morning prior to the respective holidays.  We also have a Cookie and Juice Social with our Grandparents on the Friday afternoon before Grandparents’ Day in September.

If your child is in diapers, you will need to supply a large, unopened package of diapers and wipes upon the request of your child’s caregiver.  State regulations require that disposable diapers be brought to the center in the original unopened package.

In accordance with State guidelines, our goal is to get the children outside for play when the weather is dry and temperature (with wind chill) is 25 degrees (Fahrenheit) or higher.  Please make sure your child has clothing as appropriate for the conditions.  Properly clothed children will not get sick form brief outdoor periods of play at these temperatures.  Parents may request that their child refrain from outdoor play for up to 3 days.  Any period longer than 3 days will require a note from your child’s physician.  Parents are welcome to bring a change of shoes for use during outside play, if they wish.

A nap period is provided for all children below school age.  Children will nap on an individual cot which is sanitized weekly in accordance with State health regulations.  You must provide a blanket that your child may use during nap period.  This blanket will be stored during the week in your child’s cubby and returned each Friday so that you may launder it and return it to the center each Monday.  If your child has a special security blanket or stuffed animal to sleep with, they may bring it daily.  We do not require that children sleep during naptime, but we do maintain “quiet time” for those who do nap.

Show and Tell is at the discretion of your child’s teacher.  We ask that this be the only day that you send toys to the center with your child.  Themes for the month will be posted in your child’s classroom and in the Monthly Parent Newsletter to assist your child with their Show and Tell selection (i.e. “Things with Wheels”, etc.).  Themes are only suggestions, however, and your child is free to bring in whatever they wish.  We ask that you discourage your child from bringing in expensive toys.  Toys with many small parts, as well as toy weapons (guns, knives, swords, etc.) are prohibited.  We are not responsible for loss or damage to toys brought into the center.

Kid’s Connection will rarely close due to inclement weather, but we reserve the right to do so, or to alter opening/closing times in the event of snow/ice or other emergencies making driving conditions dangerous.  Please listen to local radio and TV for closing information. If local police order all non-emergency vehicles to stay off the roads, Kid’s Connection will comply and remain closed.

Television use in the classroom is rare at Kid’s Connection, and requires permission from the Program Director.

We encourage you to send your child to us in clothing that is practical and easy to clean.  Outdoor play and floor activities tend to result in considerable wear on clothes, and we like for our children to be comfortable and not be afraid of soiling their clothes.  If your family has plans immediately after pickup and you won’t be going home first, you are welcome to bring a change of clothes your child can get into before leaving the center for the day.  Because of certain activities and play equipment, we ask that your child not wear clogs, cowboy boots, sandals, or long dresses.  Sneakers that either lace-up and tie or have Velcro closures are much safer for the children.  We ask that you provide a complete change of clothes including socks and 2 pairs of underwear, all clearly marked with your child’s name to avoid confusion.  Kid’s Connection cannot be responsible for lost or damaged items.

Kid’s Connection will provide transportation for school age children to and from certain area schools.  The Jeffersonville Center will provide transportation to and from Utica and Riverside Elementary Schools.  Our Sellersburg Center provides transportation to and from Silver Creek Primary/Elementary.  You must complete and submit the Transportation Authorization Form for us to provide transportation for your child.

Field trips are not taken until children reach the Preschool II level.  When a field trip is planned by the center, information and consent forms will be sent home with your child.

Kid’s Connection will provide before and after school care for Kindergarten through Age 12 children.  These children will have the opportunity to complete school homework at the center, study, and engage in other age-appropriate activities.  Kid’s Connection will provide all-day care during school-only observed holidays (i.e. Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Christmas and Spring Breaks) as well as Teacher in-service days and unscheduled weather closings  - all at no additional charge (provided that the center is open).

KC Camp is a Summer program for children 6-12 years of age.  Space is limited, and first consideration will go to those kids who participate in the before/after school care programs.  Second consideration is given to older siblings of children in our full-time child care programs.  Information packets will go out in April.  Please contact the Program Director to reserve space for your child in the upcoming Summer program.

Parent/Teacher conferences will be scheduled as needed.  You are always welcome to speak with us informally during daily drop-off and pick up times.  We rely on such conversations to help us know your child better and to better provide care.  We always welcome your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions.  At Kid’s Connection, we have an Open-Door policy.  We welcome and encourage parents to drop in anytime during normal center operating hours.

If your child has allergies, a list will be kept on file, posted in the classroom, and in the kitchen.  Please report any changes or new information in writing so that we may keep the files updated and keep all information accurate and current.  If your child needs to be excused from any normal activity, we must also have that information in writing.

Indiana State Law requires that each child have a copy of their Birth Certificate and record of a physical examination on file.  For children 2 years of age and under, a record of annual physical examination must be maintained.  In addition, each child must have a record of all required immunizations on file within 30 days of enrollment.

Indiana State Law requires that any medication brought into a licensed child care facility for a child be properly documented.  For prescription medications, this includes the pharmacy label with the child’s name, the name of the medication, the date the medication was ordered, dosage instructions, and physician name.  Over the counter medications must be accompanied by a written physician’s order containing the same information required for prescription drugs.  Medication cannot be administered by Kid’s Connection caregivers without all required documentation.  Medication must be signed in daily by the parent on the Daily Medication Record, and placed in the locked medicine cabinet or refrigerated tote bag.  This procedure is strictly followed to comply with State Law and to protect the well-being of your child.  Medication will not be administered outside these regulations.

If your child shows signs of illness such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, unexplained rash, or red eyes with discharge, please do not bring them to the center.  State health regulations will not permit us to admit him/her with these symptoms present.  If your child develops these symptoms during the day, we will contact the parent/guardian or authorized escort to come and pick the child up as soon as possible.  If your child develops a communicable (contagious) disease, please notify the Program Director immediately so that we may watch for symptoms in other children with whom your child has been in contact and advise other parents accordingly.  We will notify parents through postings on the classroom door and/or written communication sent home with each child.  Children may not return to Kid’s Connection until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, or they have a doctor’s statement indicating they are no longer contagious.

As a courtesy, please notify us anytime your child will be absent.

Minor scrapes and cuts will be washed with warm soapy water and a band-aid will be applied, if necessary.  All minor injuries and accidents are recorded in our log book, and written notification is sent home to parents.  In the event that your child sustains an injury at Kid’s Connection which requires emergency medical treatment, the child will be transported to the appropriate facility (usually Kosair Children’s Hospital or Clark Memorial Hospital) and the parents will be notified immediately.  If we cannot contact the parents, we will notify the person listed in the child’s file as the Alternate Emergency Contact.  Parents/Legal Guardians will be responsible for all medical expenses related to the injury.  Information from the child’s Medical Information Form will be given to the hospital.  It is very important to keep all contact and insurance information current in your child’s file at Kid’s Connection.  All Kid’s Connection staff members have received First-Aid training and have been Certified in CPR.

In accordance in Indiana State Law (470 IAC 3-44.1-7), smoking is prohibited inside Kid’s Connection.

In accordance in Indiana State Law (470 IAC 3-4.1-6), any known or suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect will be immediately reported to the Indiana Department of Child Services, CPS Unit.

In the unlikely event that we experience a fire, tornado, power or water outage, earthquake, bomb-threat or intruder, please remain calm.  Do not call the center.  Our priority and focus will be on protecting the children, so we will not take time to answer phones.  Children will be released only from a designated dismissal area, as determined by emergency officials, and only to parents/guardians or authorized escorts as documented in each child’s file.  Teachers and staff will remain with the children until all children have been reunited with their parents.  Kid’s Connection is dedicated, above all else, to the safety and well-being of each and every child.  It is our policy to always put the child first.  The children and staff at Kid’s Connection conduct drills on a monthly basis in order to better prepare for an actual emergency.  You are more than welcome to review our procedures at any time.  Please ask the Program Director for assistance.

We will keep you apprised of any issues that affect your child, and ask that you do the same.  The more information we have, the better we are able to provide the care your child needs and deserves.  Please rest assured that all information regarding your child will be maintained in the highest confidence.

At Kid’s Connection, our goal is to teach children to be responsible for their actions.  Discipline should not be confused with punishment.  Discipline is:

1. Giving positive alternatives, rather than just saying “No”.

2. Showing children how their actions affect others

3. Establishing fair and simple rules, then enforcing them consistently.

Children who are effectively disciplined:

1. Learn to share and cooperate with others

2. Are better able to deal with their own anger

3. Have more self-confidence and higher self-esteem

4. Feel more successful and in more control of themselves

Under no circumstances will Kid’s Connection use or tolerate any of the following actions in the care or discipline of children in our care:

1.   Corporal or other cruel, harsh, or unusual forms of punishment

2.   Humiliation of any frightening method of control.

3.   Spanking, shaking, or hitting

4.   Physical or verbal abuse of any kind.

Furthermore, disciplinary methods will never involve food, rest periods, or toilet training. We will never shame or embarrass children. Kid’s Connection will use the following guidelines in the discipline of children in our care:

1.  Verbal direction / warning is always the first course of action.

2.  Redirection of focus, which may involve brief periods of supervised separation from the group.

3. Time-Out, and lastly, loss of free play time.

If a child shows consistent aggressive behavior that is inappropriate, disrupts the classroom, or threatens the safety or well-being of other children, a conference will be held with the parents.  Kid’s Connection will partner with the parents and child to modify such behavior, but if it continues to be an issue despite these efforts, we will ask the parent to make alternate child care arrangements.  For the safety and well-being of the other children in the center, we cannot allow consistent, uncontrollable behavior problems.  It would not be fair to the other children and families that we serve.  This is group child care and each child must be able to function in a group setting.

For the safety of other children, unmanageable or aggressive children may not be able to attend or may be removed from scheduled field trips.

There are many theories to explain children’s behavior, including heredity and environmental factors.  A commonly held belief is that most children go through predictable phases/stages that coincide with age and life changes.  Kid’s Connection is committed to helping your child develop in the most socially and personally rewarding way.

Kid’s Connection is an inclusive child care facility.  We gladly accept children of all abilities and backgrounds. We ask that parents of special-needs children supply us with a copy of their child’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Plan (IEP).  In addition, parents will need to sign a Consultation Consent Form so that we may better serve the individual needs of you child.