Gripes and Grievances

Not that you’ll ever have any :) but if you do please respect the following protocol:

If you have any questions or concerns please speak to the teachers or administrators as the situation dictates.   If the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction you may discuss the issue with a board member or request that the issue be discussed at a monthly board meeting. All concerns will be heard, addressed and resolved, in keeping with the mandates as set out by our governing agencies.

If a board member is approached by a parent regarding a staff or programming complaint, the following procedure will be followed:

The board member will suggest that the parent speak directly with the Centre Director.

Or at the parents request, the board member will offer to speak with the Director on the parent’s behalf.

Failing these options, the board member will bring the issue to the attention of the board at the parent’s request.

As it in everyone’s best interest to maintain harmony and good-will in the Centre, the Board of Directors reserves the right to ask a family to withdraw from the Centre should a parent’s behavior be threatening or continually ch allen ging to the staff, children or program.  

Arrival Time

In order to allow time for your child to settle into the program and to maintain the continuity and smooth operation of the planned activities, please bring your child in by 9:30 a.m.    Arrival after 11:30 is strongly discouraged as a transition directly to lunch and sleep time is extremely difficult for the children.   

If your child has an appointment through the day or will be absent for the day please notify the teachers as soon as possible.   This allows the cook to obtain a more accurate count for lunches and snacks and assists us in planning our staffing needs.

Parking

The spaces at the front of the building are for short-term parent drop-off and pick-up. The “reserved” spots at the side of the lot are paid for by the staff and therefore should be available for their use.

Do not park in the handicapped space unless permitted to do so or you can expect to be ticketed by the Guelph police.

Clothing, Diapers and Toys

Please ensure an extra set of clothing is available for your child each day - creative experiences, outdoor play, mealtimes - can all result in the need for a change of clothing.   Extra pants, shirts, underwear, socks should be kept in your child’s cubby.   For outside play provide a sweater, splash pants, snow pants, mittens, hat, as weather dictates.   If in doubt, provide it all and we will dress your child accordingly.   And remember: label, label, label!!

To help keep the Centre clean and dry, each child should have a pair of indoor and outdoor footwear.   Slippers, sandals or shoes are welcome for inside.   For outside play; shoes, rain boots or winter boots are recommended.   We discourage the use of sandals outside as the children can trip more easily.

There is storage space in the playrooms for bags of diapers and your child's creams and change pads. If your child is low on diapers, creams, etc. a note will be placed on your child’s cubby indicating it is time to stock up.     As we are not permitted to rinse or launder dirty or soiled clothing due to Ministry regulations, such items will be bagged and placed in your child’s cubby to be taken home and laundered.

You are welcome to leave a special sleep toy and/or blanket in your child’s cubby for sleep time.   All other toys should remain at home except for show and share, or theme based days.   The Centre does not permit offensive or violent toys at any time.  

Food

Lunch, morning and afternoon snacks are provided by the Centre. Menus are set in accordance with the Canada Food Guide. Our menu is reviewed annually at the time of licensing.

We do have some children with severe allergies and enforce a Centre policy that no outside food can be brought into the Centre.   The exception to this is if your child has special dietary needs and is not able to eat what is on our menu.   In this case, you should arrange with the cook to bring foods directly to the kitchen.   On your child’s birthday a special cupcake will be prepared in the kitchen for his/her afternoon snack.

Medication

• We are able to administer prescribed medications when:
• It is in the original container,
• It is labeled with the pharmacy instructions, doctor’s name, etc.,
• It has not expired,
• You have filled out and signed a “medication consent form”.
• Over the counter medications (ex. Tylenol) can only be administered when accompanied by a signed and dated note from your doctor.   
• Please refer to the “Medical Policy” for information on specific illnesses and exclusionary guidelines.

Weather Policies/Outside Play

We are required by the Day Nursery Act to have two outdoor play times - morning and afternoon.   The exceptions to this are for the infants and in the event of severe weather. The infants are outside at least once a day and possibly a second depending on their schedules.

We do not go out when:

• Winter cut-off (including wind chill)   - Infants   - colder than -10 degrees C.
• Older groups - colder than -14 degrees C.
• Summer cut-off (including humidex) - Infants - hotter than +25 degrees C.
• Older groups - hotter than +30 degrees C.

The use of sunscreen is encouraged throughout the year as the weather dictates.   Please apply it to your child in the morning and the teachers will apply it in the afternoon (as long as you have signed the permission form in the room).   A bottle of sunscreen can be labeled and kept at the Centre.

Payment of Fees

Parents will receive an invoice in their mailbox at the end of the month indicating fees due for the following month.   Payments are due in full on the first Friday of each month. For example, at the end of September you would receive an invoice for October fees with payment due the first Friday in October.    No refund is made for statutory holidays, absences due to holidays, illness or for any other reason.   One receipt for child care expenses is issued at the end of each fiscal year.

Payment can be made by cheque or money order to “CCCCG”.   A locked “fee drop box” is located on top of the mailboxes. Please do not give payments directly to the staff.

Parents who are eligible for provincial fee subsidies should speak with the Director for policy specifics.

Other Fees, Fines and Penalties

Deposit - $200.00 payable upon acceptance of a space (per child).   Refunded at time of withdrawal provided that two months written notice of withdrawal is received and your account is paid in full.   ($20.00 per key is deducted in the event your security key is not returned.)

Co-op fee - A $2.00 fee required for our co-operative status payable upon acceptance of a space (per family).

Late payment fee - $25.00 if monthly fee payment is not received by 5:30 on the due date.

Late pick-up fine - The Centre closes at 5:30 and all children should be dressed and off the premises by that time.   If late, you will be asked to sign the late fine book by a staff member.   The charge is $5.00 for the first minute, and $1.00 for each subsequent minute.   If in disagreement, please speak with the Director; the teachers are simply doing their job.

NSF fee - $20.00 fine for any cheque returned marked “not sufficient funds”.

Missed meeting fines - as a member of the co-operative, attendance by one parent at parent meetings is required.   The fine for absence is $20.00 or $10.00 with regrets.

Parent Involvement Fine - $100.00 for not fulfilling 4 hours per semester of parent involvement.

Child Care during meetings - childcare is available at the Centre for the duration of a parent meeting at a cost of $5.00 per child.   Parents must sign up prior to the meeting.

Withdrawal/Changes to Scheduled Attendance

Parents are required to give two months written notice of withdrawal.   If notice is received and your account is paid in full, your $200.00 deposit will be refunded on your child's last day.   In the event that your security key is not returned $20.00 (per key) will be deducted from your deposit refund.

Please note that two months written notice is also required in the case of requests for changes to your child’s scheduled attendance.  That is, if you wish to switch from full-time to part-time care or the reverse, this notice period is required.

What You Can Expect From Us

Our primary goal is to provide the safest, happiest, and developmentally appropriate environment for your child.   All activities are planned based on sound theories of early childhood education.    Outside each room is a bulleting board listing the daily schedule, activities that have been planned, what actually happened (‘cause it doesn’t always go as planned!), eating and sleeping info, and any other pertinent information.   Each room also has a memo board for daily reminders, staff shifts, etc.    Monthly programming calendars are also made available to you.  

Communication between parents and staff is key to a successful child care arrangement. Recognizing that drop off and pick up times can be busy times of the day and therefore not always a good opportunity to discuss your child, you are always welcome to request one on one time with staff.   Upon such a request a mutually convenient time can be set up to meet.

Part of our role is to be available to you as a resource ... don’t hesitate to ask lots and comment lots.   We are thrilled to have you join the Campus Child Care Co-operative of Guelph and thank you for sharing your child with us.    We will all benefit from the journey!