Princeton Children's Center
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Welcome Families
We are looking forward to working with you and your child. Our main goals are to keep your child safe and to provide loving care at the same time implementing a quality program which will develop your child in the following domains- cognitively, physically, emotionally and socially.
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The following policies are some of the most common areas of concern to both parents and center staff members. We strongly feel that open communication between parent and members of our staff is essential to fully meeting your child's developmental needs. We have an open-door policy and encourage any feed back from parents.
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Princeton Children's Center strives to encourage families to be involved with their child/s development and learning. Through our Family Partnership Activities, we hope family members share their unique knowledge and skills through volunteering and actively engaging in events and activities in the community and home. Teachers will seek out information about children/s lives, families, and culture. They will integrate this information into their curriculum and instructional practices. Our goals are to implement and facilitate parent involvement and recognize the diverse needs and expectations for all families and teachers; understanding that what may work for one child may not work for another.
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Family Partnership
We are open from 6:30 am - 5:30 pm Monday - Friday
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January:
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Early closing (12:00 pm) on New Years Eve
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Closed on New Years Day
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Celebrate Kansas Day
February:
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Dental Health Awareness
March:
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Dr. Seuss Celebration
April:
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Week of the Young Child
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Garden Work Day
May:​
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Closed for Memorial Day
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Preschool Graduation
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Tea Party
June:
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Donuts Day
July:
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Forth of July
August
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Back to School Bash
September
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Closed for Labor day
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Open House Meet the Teacher Night
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Fire Safety Month
October
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Fall Party
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Pumpkin Patch Trip
November:
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Thanksgiving Luncheon
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Closed for Thanksgiving and the Friday after
December:
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Early closing (12:00 pm) on Christmas Eve
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Closed for Christmas day
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Winter Program & Sing-A-Long
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Field Trip to the Windsor of Lawrence
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Changes in Closings will be posted on our Calendar, Parent Information Board, and on Facebook
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This center will not be open when USD497 cancels public school due to inclement weather. Hazardous temperatures and road conditions are a safety concern for children, parents, and staff members. Please call our number (785) 749-4500 or check our social media pages for cancellation postings.
Year at a Glance
Daily communication with teachers is vital to support your child's health, growth, social and learning experiences. In addition to face to face communication we also utilize the Brightwheel tm Program. Brightwheel tm is an online private communication that allows teachers to update daily recordings and activities in the classroom. Updates on your child are delivered to your mobile device Benefits include: daily updates, photos, staying connected, digital check in/outs, messaging and calendars.
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If there are ever problems with the WiFi connection the teacher will fill out a paper daily sheet to be given to parents at the end of the day.
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Methods of Communication
Teachers will check children in and out on Brightwheel tm as well as on paper attendance sheets.
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If you plan for someone else to pick up your child, for your child's protection, the center must have this information from you in writing. During enrollment, parents are ask to provide a list of persons who have permission to pick up their child. This authorizes the center to release the child to those who are listed, these people will be requested to show drivers license ID to the teacher of director before we may release the child.
Signing Children In/Out
All accounts are expected to pay for their scheduled enrollment dates. We require 2 weeks' notice for withdrawal of you child from the program.
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Please call the center by 10:00 am to inform us of any time that your child is going to be absent and when he or she is expected to return Only "Full Time" enrolled accounts will be given a vacation discount of half off weekly tuition. This vacation discount can be utilized twice (2x) a calendar year. Any addition absences will be charged the regular weekly fees.
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Any Parent that has not contacted the center when their child is absent, for more than three days, may be dropped from enrollment. This spot will be given to the next family on the enrollment list.
Absences
Prior to enrollment every child must have on file a copy of their Child Health Examination Form and Current Immunizations Records. Please nofity us of any need to update information of additional immunizations.
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If medication is required to be administered during the day; a "Doctor Permission Form" to administer the medication along with a KDHE Medication Form (put a link here) must be completed and signed by the doctor and a parent. Forms and medication must be handed to a teacher and not left in the child's bag. Staff members are not permitted to give any medication without these forms completed.
Medical forms are also required for sunscreen, hand lotion, diaper ointment, and lip balm. These also must be handed to a staff member
Please inform teachers and management of any allergies your child has been diagnosed with.
Medical
The Center strives to provide a healthy environment for all enrolled children, parents, staff and visitors. Children and staff (including volunteers) must present a current medical report upon joining the center.
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PCC is group care and due to staffing limitations, the center in unable to care for a child who is ill or has a fever. A fever is considered a temperature of 100 degrees or higher taken from the armpit by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The child will then be unable to participate in the daily program. Additionally, the KDHE guidelines state that a child is to be excluded from group care if the child is unable to participate comfortably in daily activities, if care results in greater need than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of the other children, or other conditions that pose a risk of spreading harmful diseases to others. A copy of the list can be provided and one is displayed on the parent boards in each room.
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When your child becomes ill while at the center, we will call you; if you cannot be reached your emergency contacts will be notifies and asked to pick up your child. Please ensure that emergency contacts will be notifies and asked to pick up your child. Please ensure that emergency contacts you choose are aware that they have been listed on you emergency contacts you choose are aware that they have been listed on your emergency contact list. Please be sure to notify us ASAP if your phone number changes,so that you are most efficiently reaches. Children with contagious illnesses are to be picked up within a reasonable amount of time, to limit their exposure to the other children and staff.
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When someone at the center has a contagious disease, other than a cold, a notice will be posted to advice parents of the symptoms. Parents will be provided with the Kansas State Requirements for Childhood Illnesses and requirements for inclusion back to care.
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Illnesses
Policy Updated April 2020 to Include
COVID 19 Illness and Symptoms
Any infant/child presenting a fever greater than 100 degree (F) or any of the following signs or symptoms, will need to be excluded for 72 hours without fever reducing medications during this time. Child can return after fever and symptoms have ended.
COVID Symptoms:
o Fever 100 degrees or higher Sudden loss of smell or taste
o Cough Shortness of breath
o Other signs of illness (headache, sore throat, general aches/pains, fatigue/ weakness/extreme exhaustion)
Updated 07/2020
Program changes can/maybe made at any time, with or without notice. However, we
strive to communicate all major changes with families prior to implementation.
Prevention: To assist with limiting possible exposure of illness during an outbreak or under local or state guidelines, we will switch from our typical drop off/pick up procedures to DROP OFF in the LOBBY AREA only. A teacher will screen your child and escort him/her back to their classroom. During PICK UP times you can either call, message bright wheel, or display a sign in your vehicle window indicating your “Family Name”. A teacher will escort your child out of the building.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED.
All staff, parents, visitors and children aged 5 years or older, are required by KDHE to wear face masks while in the center. Handwashing on arrival into classrooms is required. Hours of operation will change with additional cleaning and disinfecting steps added. Products used will be approved by the CDC and KDHE. Finally, separating all kids’ personal items from home (by storing them in separate bags) will assist with limiting possible exposure.
Awareness:
If your infant/child becomes exposed by someone with a positive COVID result, your child will need to quarantine for the 14 days/2weeks and can only return without a fever or symptoms. If your child becomes COVID positive, he/she will need to be quarantined for at least 14days/2weeks, fever free, symptom free and have a negative COVID test result, before returning to group care.
Parents must alert Princeton Children Center when your infant/child has become exposed or tested positive for COVID 19. If a child tests positive we will post a notice to parents making them aware of a confirmed case of COVID 19. This is the same policy for any contagious disease reported.
COVID-19 Guidlines
Personal transformation is vital for embedding resilience in our families, schools, communities, nation and the world. May we each be willing to embrace change in order to strengthen education, sustain our planet and secure a bright for all children.
-Becky Bailey
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We are currently training staff to incorporate the Conscious Discipline Method into our classrooms. The purpose of all discipline at the center is to help children develop self-control and to become part of their group be learning to express feelings appropriately, to consider others and work out conflicts and differences.
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Staff observes all children and documents ant problem behavior to help assess any patterns or factors, staff will communicate concerns to parents and action will be taken to rectify.
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Should a child exhibit disruptive and unsafe behavior on a continual basis that is not resolved through appropriate behavior management strategies, staff will discuss the situations with the Director and parents to develop a plan of actions. If staff feel additional assistance is needed, they may, with parental permission, consult community resource person and/ or refer for evaluation.
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All reasonable attempts will be made to work with a child and family to resolve the behavior problem. If the child's placement in the classroom compromises the health safety and/or well being of other children or staff members, enrollment will be terminated. In this case parents will be given two (2) weeks notice of withdrawal except where such notice is not reasonable because of safety concerns.
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The following actions are strictly prohibited at Princeton Children's Center
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Corporal punishment: hitting, spanking, swatting, shaking, pinching intended to induce physical pain of fear.
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Threatened or actual withdrawal of food, rest or use of bathroom.
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Abusive or profane language.
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Any form of humiliation including threats of physical punishment.
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Any for of emotional abuse, including shaming, rejecting, isolating a child.
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Methods of Discipline
Children's clothing needs to be clearly marked with child's name. We urge you to consider washable and comfortable play clothes which the child can manage themselves, as much as possible. We also recommend sneakers or rubber-soled shoes for outside play, running and climbing. If you send expensive clothes on your child, you do so at your own risk. We cannot assume responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged clothing. Because your child will spend a part of each day outdoors, they also need to be dressed according to weather conditions, coats, gloves, and stocking caps. All children are expected to have 2-3 changes of clothes at all times.
Clothing
There will be a quiet time each day after lunch for all children (except for kindergarten - school aged). Depending on the age of the child, they are expected to rest quietly on mates or to engage in quiet activities, allowing those who need to sleep the opportunity to do so.
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One sheet and cover will need to be provided by parent to use on their mat at rest time. The bedding will be sent home weekly for washing. A soft sleeping toy may be sent for sleep time only.
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No blankets or toys are allowed in cribs
Rest Time
We recommend that you do not allow your child to bring toys in which they may not wish to share with other children. Staff cannot assume the responsibility for loss or damage to any personal possessions children bring to the center.
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Your child's classroom teacher will inform you of your child's home toy day.
Toys from Home
Princeton Children's Center implements the "Active Learning Series for Infants through Preschool" along with the ASQ3 module is implement by the Kansas Quality Improvement Program. In addition, we include the "Handwriting without Tears", and "Animated Literacy" curriculum's for our Preschool through School Ages classrooms.
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Our center maintains a Community Garden space during the spring and summer season, so that children have the opportunity to learn where food comes from and how to grow it themselves. This offers the children the opportunity to use the food they grow in their meals, at school and home.