Tiny Tots

Learning Center
Parent Handbook

2015

Table of Contents
Philosophy & Curriculum.. 3
Staff Qualifications.... 4
Calendar.. 4
Confidentiality.... 5
Communication. 5
Admissions & Enrollment.. 6
Tuition.... 6
Discipline Policy.. 7
Food.. 7
Arrival & Dismissal... 8
Extended Day Program... 9
Illness.. 9
Inclement Weather Policy.... 10

Philosophy and Curriculum

A. Philosophy
Tiny Tots Learning Center (TTLC) believes that every child deserves
the opportunity to learn and develop in a safe and nurturing environment.
It is our mission to provide this environment for children so that they may
reach their full potential and also develop a lifelong love and appreciation
for learning.
At TTLC we believe that high quality teachers are a vital component
in guiding childrens exploration of self, of academic concepts, and of the
world around them. Because of this belief, we strive to create experiences
that foster autonomy and independence as children grow and achieve.

B. Curriculum

At Tiny Tots Learning Center, we make use of Learn Everyday The

Preschool Curriculum. This curriculum was developed by a number of early
childhood specialists for children who are ages two through four.
These specialists worked together to create a comprehensive guide
that meets the needs of both students and teachers. The curriculum is
provides a balance of academic and developmentally appropriate life
skills. Learn Everyday also provides unique opportunities for every child to
engage based on home language, special needs, social emotional needs,
and cognitive needs as well.
Within the Learn Everyday guide, there is also a strong focus on
vocabulary, which we believe is a valuable part of childrens language
development. Learn Everyday is a curriculum that correlates to all of the
Florida Early Learning and Development Standards while also giving
teachers the ability to create flexible lesson plans based on students
needs.

C. Non-Discriminatory Policy
TTLC is a nonsectarian learning center that admits students of any
and all races, colors, religions, nationalities, ethnic origins, or ability levels to
all rights, privileges, programs, and activities.

Staff Qualifications
All TTLC staff members meet or exceed the Florida Department of
Educations Certification Requirements. All TTLC staff members, including
janitorial staff, have had extensive background checks and have
completed the required number of training and certification hours for his or
her field of work each year. In addition, our hiring process ensures that all
staff members truly enjoy and respect children and their families.

A. Lead Teachers
All lead teachers hold at least an Associates Degree and have
completed basic coursework in Early Childhood Education.

B. Assistant Teachers and Extended Day Staff

All assistant teachers and Extended Day Staff must have some prior
experience working with children in a supervised program; however, the
Director holds the right to make offer exemptions.

Calendar
August 3, 2015 to August 7, 2015
August 10, 2015
September 7
September 15
October 30
November 6
November 11
November 20
November 25-27
December 21- January 1, 2016
January 18, 2016
February 26
March 7- March 11
March 25
May 14
May 30
June 3
June 6

Teacher Planning Week

First Day of School- Students
Labor Day- No School
Family Movie Night
Conference Day- No School
UF Homecoming- No School
Veterans Day- No School
Family Feast
Thanksgiving Holidays- No School
Winter Holidays- No School
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- No School
Family Reading Night
Spring Break- No School
Conference Day- No School
Family Frozen Night
Memorial Day- No School
Last Day of School- Students
Last Day of School- Teachers

Confidentiality
All staff members of TTLC are required to sign a nondisclosure
agreement to ensure the privacy and safety of your child(ren). If a parent
has a question or concern, please contact the Director and/or Lead
Teacher by email or in person to arrange a time to privately discuss
concerns with the Director and/or Lead Teacher. TTLC values the safety
and privacy of every child and asks that parents please respect and help
implement this policy as well.

Communication
A. School-Wide Non-Emergency Information

TTLC communicates with families in a number of different ways:

email, phone, website, school informational meetings, and notes sent
home in childrens backpacks.

B. Classroom Information
Every classroom at TTLC will post a Monthly Newsletter on the class
website (Which can be found through the TTLC Website), will post a weekly
schedule on the bulletin board outside the classroom, and will post a note
on the classroom door briefly describing daily activities at the end of each
day.
Class parties and birthday celebrations will be left to the teachers
discretion. Please refer to the Food section of this handbook for more
details about food safety requirements.
Please be sure to check the contents of your childs Take Home
Folder every night for important notes, completed activities, etc. And
please be sure to return this folder every day.

C. Child-Specific Information
During arrival and dismissal, teachers need to be able to give full
attention to all students so please respect this responsibility by keeping
conversations brief and setting a later meeting time to discuss any
questions, concerns, or important information (Such as: changes at home,
planned trips, sick family members, or any other information). While
teachers can be reached by phone during the school day, unless it is an
emergency, a set meeting before or after school or a note is preferable.
Parent-teacher conferences will be held twice a year on schoolwide Conference Days (please see Calendar for dates).
If your child will be missing school for any reason, please let the
office know.
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Admissions and Enrollment

A. Admissions
TTLC has no entrance exam or eligibility requirements based on
ability. Students will be accepted based on age and availability of space
within the classrooms.
If you have any educational, social, or developmental concerns
about your child, please discuss this with the Director upon enrollment. It is
important to know parent concerns in order for the teachers to be able to
implement developmentally appropriate practices within the classroom by
offering lessons that best encompass each childs specific needs.

B. Enrollment
Registration begins in February and priority is given to current
students, their siblings, and previous TTLC families. Class placement is based
on age. Please contact the TTLC Office for all enrollment forms.

C. Withdrawal and Dismissal

Notice must be provided to TTLC at least thirty days prior to
withdrawal. If a child is withdrawn, there will be no refund once monthly
tuition has been paid.
Please make note that not every program is an appropriate fit for
each child. TTLC will make every effort to accommodate all children and
their families; however, TTLC reserves the right to dismiss a child if a problem
cannot be resolved.

Tuition

Tuition for TTLC is due by the first of every month.

A late fee of $25 will be charged for any payment received after the 5th
of the month.
A $50 fee will be charged for any returned check.
There will be no payment for June since this payment was made at the
time of registration.
TTLC reserves the right to terminate enrollment should an account
become overdue.
Tuition payments may be submitted by mail, turned in to the office, or
made online through TTLCs website.
NOTE: TTLC does NOT accept cash payments.

Discipline Policy
TTLC is committed to providing a safe environment for all students
and staff. TTLCs behavior policy encourages children to grow and
develop in all areas while also fostering a lifelong love for learning. This is
done by creating positive interactions among students, their peers, and
staff members. Teachers model exemplary behaviors, teach problem
solving skills, and create scenarios that allow children to develop within the
social-emotional domain.
TTLC also encourages close communication and healthy
relationships between families and staff members. If a problem behavior
arises, the teacher will attempt to resolve the issue by following this
procedure:
1. Document the behavior and issue a warning to child
2. Use classroom strategies and procedures to immediately resolve the
problem
3. If the problem persists, teacher will contact the parent verbally or
through a note.
4. If necessary, the teacher will meet with the Director and family to
discuss
specific
behavior
management
strategies
for
implementation at school and/or at home.
5. Implement agreed upon strategies and/or plan.
6. Track progress and routinely follow up with parents and Director.
Please note: TTLC reserves the right to send any child home if the
problem behavior is severely interrupting classroom procedures and/or
activities or if the behavior becomes dangerous for the child, other
students, or staff members. TTLC also reserves the right to dismiss any child
from the program if severe problems persist.

Food

TTLC will provide a small, healthy snack twice a day (morning and
afternoon); however, families are responsible for providing student
lunches.
Snack schedules for the week will be posted on the bulletin board
outside of each classroom.
If your family wishes to send in an alternate snack for your child,
please inform the teacher at drop off.
TTLC encourages families to promote healthy eating habits by
sending in well-balanced meals. For more information on a healthy
diet please refer to the USDAs Choose My Plate website at
www.choosemyplate.gov/.
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A. Birthdays and Class Celebrations

TTLC encourages celebration of birthdays and other special
occasions within the classroom. If your family would like to send in a small
birthday treat, please contact the classroom teacher at least two days in
advance so that a note can be sent home to inform other families.
TTLC asks that a list of ingredients also be submitted to the teacher
at least two days in advance in order to avoid any potential food allergy
incidents.

Arrival and Dismissals

Children should never be left unattended during arrival or drop off
times inside or outside the building, including in a vehicle.
The Main Entrance will be locked from 8:30AM to 2:30PM every day
and again from 3:30PM to 4:30PM during Extended Day hours.
The teachers will be ready to start class at 8AM and will be
prepared to dismiss students at 3PM. Please escort your child into and out
of the classroom and sign him or her in and out at the beginning and end
of every day. If you arrive early for drop off, please wait in the hallway
outside the classroom until teachers are prepared to welcome your child
into the classroom. For early dismissal please sign your child out with the
teacher. If you arrive late, please go directly to the childs classroom and
sign him or her in using the regular sign-in procedure.

A. Late Pick-Up

If your child is not picked up by 3:15, you will be charged for a days
worth of the Extended Day program and your child will be escorted to the
Extended Day area.

B. Authorized Pickup

If your child is to be picked up by anyone other than the parent or

designated persons on their emergency forms, written notification must be
provided at the beginning of the school day. Upon pick up, the
designated person must provide a valid picture ID.
In the case of an emergency, the parent or guardian may call TTLC
to provide verbal permission for an alternate pickup; however, the parent
or guardian may be asked to provide information listed on the childs
emergency contact form to verify identification.

Extended Day Program

TTLCs Extended Day Program is offered from 3:00PM to 5:00PM at a
daily, weekly, or discounted monthly rate. Children will be engaged in
active indoor and outdoor free-choice play areas. All play areas will
incorporate academic and social learning opportunities.
If you choose to enroll your child in the Extended Day program,
please provide an after-school snack as TTLC will not provide any food
after regular school hours.

Illness
Sickness is a prevalent issue in a childcare center. In order to keep
all children and staff as healthy as possible, please keep your child home
from school if he or she is not well enough to participate in all regular
school activities.
Please immediately notify the center of any known illnesses. At the
teachers discretion, TTLC may send your child home if he or she is
exhibiting any of the following symptoms:
Temperature higher than 100 F
Vomiting, nausea, or intense stomach ache
Red, pink, or crusted eyes
Earache
Diarrhea
Rash or infection on skin
Pale or flushed face
Intense headache
Thick or greenish mucus coming from the nose
Deep chest cough
Loss of energy, decrease of activity, or falling asleep
Sore throat
Child is not acting as him or herself
Parents must immediately notify the center of any communicable
diseases such as: lice, pink eye, strep throat, pinworms, varicella (chicken
pox), etc.

A. The 24 Hour Rule

If your child has exhibited any symptoms of sickness within the past
24 hours, he or she may not attend school the following day.
A child should be on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning
to school.
A child should be fever-free without the use of fever reducing for 24
hours medications before returning to school.
Parents must immediately notify the center of any child allergies
and/or if the child is taking any medications.

B. Lice
Parents must notify the center immediately if child has lice, as the
center is required to follow certain procedures for cleaning and prevention
within the classroom. Children with lice should not come to school until at
least 24 hours after treatment. Please check your child for lice regularly so
as to avoid an outbreak at the center.

Inclement Weather Policy

School closure and delays are made to ensure the safety of our
children. If inclement weather conditions occur, TTLC will immediately
contact all families via email or automated phone call to give more
specific details and instructions.
TTLC follows the Alachua County Public School schedule and rulings
regarding closure of the center- if public schools are closed, TTLC will also
close.
Emergency situation procedures will be practiced regularly, in
compliance with the Florida Department of Education regulations.
An Emergency Form will be included as a part of the Enrollment
Packet and must be returned to the center within the first week of
enrollment. Failure to comply with this policy will result in dismissal of your
child from the program.

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