Child Care

TABLE OF CONTENTS


 

Emerson School
After School Program Parent Guide 2010-2011
Rose Hacker, Director
Beth Muszkiewicz, Assistant to Director


PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Emerson's After School Program is designed to offer safe, rewarding experiences for students before and after school. The programs offer children an opportunity to socialize with peers, learn new skills, and enhance their school experience. Emerson School is committed to providing a safe environment full of caring and dedicated staff, exciting and diverse enrichment classes, and fun, age appropriate activities for all children.

The importance of quality out-of-school time has received increasing recognition on a national level. Emerson values and reflects this importance in our After School Program. Given that Emerson students do not typically live close to many of their classmates and schoolmates, we feel the After School Program at Emerson is especially unique in providing a friendly neighborhood atmosphere during out-of-school hours. Many of these opportunities to spend time with peers may not otherwise exist.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: 734-660-5108
Phone: 734-665-4942 ext. 333
FAX number: 734-665-8126
Email: rhacker@emerson-school.org
Office: Portable – just outside the fishbowl, next to the Orchestra Portable

HOURS OF OPERATION
Morning Child Care: 7:30am-8:15am
*Parents may not drop children at school prior to 7:30am
After School Child Care: Lower School: 2:45pm-6:00pm
Middle School: 3:00pm-6:00 pm

DATES OF OPERATION
Morning Child Care and the After School Program begin on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010. Morning Child Care is offered every regularly scheduled school day, and the After School Program is offered according to the school calendar. In addition, full days of Child Care from 8:00am-6:00pm will be held on some of Emerson’s days off. Child Care will not be available on days that school is closed due to weather conditions.

Provided below is the 2010-2011 Calendar for the After School Program:

September 7 First Day of School, Child Care available for grades 2-8
September 13 First Day of PM Child Care for First Grade students
September 20 First Day of PM Child Care for Kindergarten students
September 21 Lower School Curriculum Night Child Care available 6:45-8:30pm
October 1 Half Day, No PM Child Care
October 13 Parent/Teacher Conferences, Child Care available 2:45-6pm only
October 14* No School, Full Day Child Care available* October 15* No School, Full Day Child Care available*
November 24-26 Thanksgiving Break, No Child Care
December 3 Half Day, No PM Child Care
December 17 Half Day, No PM Child Care
December 20-Jan 3 Winter Break, No Child Care
January 3 No School, No Child Care
January 4 School and Child Care Resume
January 17* MLK Day, No School, Full Day Child Care available*
February 18 Half Day, No PM Child Care
February 21-25 Mid-Winter Break, No Child Care
February 28 School and Child Care Resume
March 18 Half Day, No PM Child Care
April 4-8* Spring Break, Full Day Child Care available*
April 11 School and Child Care Resume
May 27 No School, No Child Care
May 30 Memorial Day, No School, No Child Care
June 16 Half Day, Last Day of School, No PM Child Care
*Full day Child Care is available from 8:00am-6:00pm to a limited number of children and requires pre-registration. More information will be sent home just prior to these days.

MORNING CHILD CARE FORMAT
Children in the Morning Child Care program have the option of doing arts and crafts, watching videos or playing games. Morning Child Care meets in the Library and is supervised by Emerson teachers Barb Grabbe, Kathy Salley and Sigrid Bower. All students in the building prior to 8:15am must sign in to Morning Child Care and will be billed.
Because the Middle School day begins at 8:00am, morning Child Care is not offered for Middle School students. However, Middle School students who are in the building before 7:45am must sign-in in room 202 in the Middle School. These students will be allowed to stay only in the main Middle School hallway until 7:45am. They are required to sign in but will not be charged. From 7:45-8:00am, students may be in the Middle School wing preparing for their day. Students may arrive no earlier than 7:30am.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM - LOWER SCHOOL
Children in the After School Program are divided at sign-in time according to grade levels (K-1, 2-3, 4-5) and sign-in on the steps in the library. The library serves as the main meeting place for all grades and on a daily basis includes: age appropriate games, crafts, activities, as well as ample opportunity for creative and self-directed play. Students also spend time outdoors and some time in the gym (when the athletic schedule allows). A supervised, quiet room for homework and studying is available daily and students have the opportunity to spend up to 30 minutes in a supervised computer lab.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM - MIDDLE SCHOOL
Middle School students report to Room 208 to sign-in to the After School Program. A staff leader will coordinate and supervise structured activities inside and outside. Good homework habits are encouraged during the After School Program and all students who stay after school because of an Emerson athletic practice or game are required to work on homework from 3:00-4:00pm. Students will also have supervised free time that they may use for quiet activities inside or recreational activities on the playground. In addition, many students choose to participate in school-sponsored activities, such as drama, yearbook, or sports. At 3:00pm, students who are staying after school and do not have a practice, lesson, or activity that starts at 3:00pm must check in to the After School Program. If students are not picked up promptly at the end of a practice or activity, they must sign in to the After School Program and will be charged for the time spent. All students must be signed out by an adult when they are picked up. For the student’s safety, waiting to be picked up near the doors or outside the school is not permitted.

ENROLLMENT
The After School Program is available to all students currently enrolled at Emerson School. It is offered on a drop-in basis for both Morning and After School Child Care. It is important for parents to inform their children if they are to report to the After School Program at the end of the day. For last minute arrangements, please call the After School Program Office at (734) 665-4942 ext. 333 or leave a note in the After School Program office. You may also send email to rhacker@emerson-school.org.

FEES
Morning Child Care is provided at the flat rate of $5.00 per day. Siblings of Middle School students and students that ride the bus will not be charged for Morning Child Care. Please be sure to notify Rose Hacker if your child rides the bus in the morning. After School Program fees are based on the total amount of time that your child spends in the program each day. Bills for each child are calculated at the end of the month and sent out through the Business Office.
If picked up between: Total time: Charge:
3:00-3:30 (30 min.) $5.00
3:31-4:00 (60 min.) $8.00
4:01-4:30 (90 min.) $10.00
4:31-5:00 (120 min.) $13.00
5:01-5:30 (150 min.) $15.00
5:31-6:00 (180 min.) $18.00

Middle School students are not charged if they are waiting for an Emerson team practice or game that begins before 5:30pm. They are charged if they are waiting for an enrichment class, Rec & Ed team practice, or any activity that begins after 5:30pm.

LATE POLICY AND FEES
The After School Program ends promptly at 6:00pm. A strict late fee of $4.00/minute for every minute after 6:00pm will be charged for each student that is picked up after 6:00pm. Late pick-ups are very difficult on your child and on the After School Program staff. If you are going to be late, please call so we can reassure your child that you are on your way. No exceptions to the late policy will be made. The deciding clock regarding pick-up time is the After School Program clock that is located in the library next to the sign in sheets and is set according to time service.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
•Parents must inform their children if they are to stay in the After School Program.

•Parents should familiarize their child and their child's teacher with his or her After School Program schedule. This is especially important for children who sometimes ride the bus.

•Parents must come into the building to sign out and pick up their children from the After School Program.

•After 3:00pm, no children will be allowed to wait in front of the school for parents. Any child not picked up at curbside by 3:00pm will be signed into the After School Program, must be signed out when picked up, and will be charged accordingly.

•Parents must sign their child out of the After School Program every day. Children who are not signed will be automatically charged until 6:00pm.

•Parents are required to provide the office with written authorization for anyone (who is not the child’s parent or legal guardian) they wish to pick up their child from school at any time of the day, including during the After School Program.

•Parents of children with any special needs must contact the Program Director prior to the child’s attendance. If the existing program is unable to accommodate these needs, we will then either implement a program to support the child or discuss alternative arrangements during the After School Program hours.

PARENT RIGHTS
•Parents have the right to visit the After School Program during operating hours with or without an appointment.

•Parents have the right to request detailed reports, verbal or written, of their child's behavior during the After School Program.

•Parents have the right to speak to the After School Program Director or group leaders about program’s activities and planned events.

•Parents have the right to request conferences with the After School Program Director throughout the school year regarding their child's specific needs in the program.

SNACKS
Children in the After School Program receive a snack right after school at sign-in everyday. Snacks are simple and nutritious, such as granola bars, pretzels, applesauce, etc. Sweets may occasionally be served. If your child has a food allergy, he or she will be provided an alternative snack. Students are always permitted to bring a snack from home.

VIDEOS
Videos may be shown occasionally on rainy days. All videos shown are age appropriate and usually have a ‘G’ or family rating. On occasion, ‘PG’ films may be shown with the approval of the Director.

DISCIPLINE
Children are expected to show respect for individuals and property, self-control, and good judgment during the After School Program. If necessary, staff members will intervene in situations where children are not behaving appropriately. Using positive discipline measures, staff and children work together to resolve conflicts and establish acceptable guidelines for behavior. When problems or conflicts occur, children are encouraged to express their feelings as they relate to the issue, making it possible, in most cases, to come to a resolution through open discussion. Short “time-outs” or simple tasks are given in some situations or if discussing the problem is ineffective. If problem behavior continues, parents are notified and may be asked to meet with the Director for assistance in working with the child. In accordance with Emerson and State of Michigan guidelines, physical punishment, humiliation, or intimidation will not be tolerated in the After School Program.

LICENSING
The After School Program at Emerson is fully licensed by the State of Michigan Department of Child Day Care Licensing and follows all rules and guidelines that the state establishes. Many of the program's policies are designed to meet these guidelines.

ENRICHMENT CLASSES
The After School Program offers a wide variety of optional after school enrichment classes, such as chess, art, robotics, science, sports, etc. The school year is divided into three enrichment class sessions and classes vary according to the session. Pre-registration is required for all classes. Class offerings are distributed with the electronic newsletter and may also be picked up at the After School Program Office shortly before the session begins. Children are not charged for child care before classes that begin at 3:00pm. You are charged for time spent in the After School before classes that begin anytime after 3:00pm and for time spent in the After School Program after the class ends. Fees for enrichment classes will be billed to your student account at the beginning of each session.

MUSIC LESSONS
The After School Program is proud to provide students the opportunity of taking quality private music lessons right here at school. Each private lesson last 30 minutes and costs $25 per lesson. Lessons are billed to your account at the end of each month. Details about our instructors will go out at the beginning of the school year with the Fall Enrichment Class schedule and registration will begin then for the entire year.