Welcome to Nora’s Daycare
The following will provide information on what to expect from me, what I can expect from you and your child, and how we can work together to make this a comfortable, fun, safe, learning environment for your child.

Hello
I’m Nora Gross, the primary childcare Provider. 
My assistants are my daughter Michelle, and my husband Ed.
My Daycare has been in business since October of 1995.
I am licensed by the State of Michigan as a Group Daycare Home, # DG330094359
We are First aid and infant CPR certified.
We have attended required training classes.
I have also attended additional classes, as follows:
 The Ends of the Rainbow 6 hours training in childcare.
  Office for Young Children Basic Training 15 hours training.
  Community Sharing for Healthy Caring 7 hours training.
  Early Childhood professional Development Program 10 hours training.
  And many hours of training thru 4C's office.
I participate in the Association for Child Development food program.
I offer snacks and meals following program guidelines
I have a large first floor area for indoor play and activities.
I have a large fenced in outdoor play area.

Program
It is my philosophy that childcare should be a second home to the children. I strive to provide the security and love they are provided at home. I provide a nurturing, playful and educational atmosphere that encourages children to be themselves and try their best. I provide an atmosphere that encourages social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth and development as a whole. My curriculum includes, but is not limited to, sharing and conversation time, stories, songs, creative arts and crafts; games, outdoor play, walks to the local parks, free time; exposure to shapes, colors, numbers, and letters, computer learning and play; and celebrations of birthdays and holidays.
I also promote a Christian environment. We celebrate Christian holidays in our home. Prayer is allowed at mealtime for those children wishing to participate. We use a simple “Thank you God for this food, Amen”

Hours
I am open Monday - Friday, 5:30 a.m. to  5:30 p.m., except for noted Holidays

Services
My  goal is to provide care for your children on a full time basis only,  only until he or she is ready to attend school.
I do not accept for childcare any children that are going to school (K and above).
I will accept children attending pre-school only at the full time rate, only if the parents provide all transportation.
I do not provide any type of transportation service.
I do not have an after-school program for school age children.

Rates
The weekly rate for one child is $120.00 

Picking up your Child Late
Daycare closes at 5:30 p.m. 
If you are late picking your child up, you will be charged $1.00 a minute for the late time. 
Payment is due upon arrival

Billing Policy
You will be charged your weekly rate, whether your child is in attendance or not.
You will be allowed 10 vacation days per year, and may use them as needed within the calendar year
You will not be charged for your vacation days.
You will not be charged for my vacation days.
You will be charged for the following holidays which I will be closed:
New Years Eve, New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the following Friday, and Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas Day.  
This will also include any Friday that follows a Thursday holiday, or a Monday that precedes a Tuesday Holiday0 in which the majority of people have the day off.
You will not be charged for any day, which I must close for any reason, such as illness, death in family, etc.
You will be notified of any change in childcare rates 14 days before they go into effect.

Payments
Payments are due Monday morning in advance. You will be charged $10 per day late fee if payment is not received by Monday, except when closed for holidays.   Payments must be kept current, and payment in arrears will result in termination.  Parents will be responsible for all bank fees incurred due to their returned check. After two NSF checks you will be put on a cash only basis. Please give proper notice for days of vacation, sick emergency, etc. Please do not take it for granted we know your days off or your vacation days. This will save on confusion, hard feelings, and money. Should there be any questions regarding your bill, we will be glad to discuss it and go over it with you. PROMPT PAYMENT IS REQUIRED as we have a budget to follow and scheduled payments to make.

State Payments
State of Michigan assisted payments will be handled in the following manner:
You will be billed in advance weekly, payable on Mondays, for all childcare, the same as a cash customer. When the State check that pays the portion of your childcare is in my hand, I will deduct from your next weekly bill, one week at a time, the amount paid by the State on your behalf. You are responsible for all childcare not paid by the State, including, but not limited to, any weeks not covered and the weekly percentage not covered. State payments can take four weeks or longer to come through, and are paid on a two week basis. 

If you have any questions concerning rates, billing, policies, or procedures, 
please discuss them with me before signing your contract.

Sign In & Out
You will be required to sign in the time your child arrives at day care and sign out the time they depart. Failure to sign in or out may result in you being charged additional time. You must notify me if you are going to be late picking up your child  

Trial Period
The first four weeks of care is considered a trial period. During this time I want to make sure that your child fits in well with the other children, and that I can manage the child well. In the unlikely event that we didn’t seem to be a good match, I would let you know as quickly as possible, then continue to care for the child for up to another two weeks to give you time to find another care provider. It is important to maintain a harmonious relationship between all parents and children in my care.

Release Of Children
Children will not be released to anyone except those authorized to pick up children on the enrollment form.  Identification will be required of those authorized that are unfamiliar to me.  In the event you wish another adult to pick up your child, I require that you give written permission in advance or a phone call to verify. In the event the parent or pickup person appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, the child will be not be released until another parent/ pickup person can  pickup the child to. If you insist on taking your child in that condition, I will call the police. This may also result in termination of childcare. My concern is for the safety of YOUR child.

Seat Belts and Car Seats
Michigan State law requires seat belt and car seat usage. If you do not follow the law, when bringing or taking your child, I will call the police. My concern is for the safety of YOUR child.

Child Abuse
Michigan state law and licensing requirements states that child care facilities are required to report immediately to Child Protective Services any reason to suspect child abuse, 
neglect or exploitation. We are not obligated to inform parents or guardians of this report.

Open Door Policy
I believe an important part of my job, as caretaker for your child is to support you, the parent. I’m interested to hear what you can tell me about your child’s needs, and I will provide you with as much information about your child’s time in day care as I can.
Open communication between parents and caregivers is important. Please feel free to talk to me about how you wish your child to be cared for. Please talk to me about any concerns you may have about your child and/or the care your child is receiving with me. When a matter is sensitive, and wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss in front of your child, we can arrange a time to talk over the phone in private. You are free to drop in any time during normal operating hours to check on your child and the care your child is receiving.

Parental Responsibilities 
Parents are expected to provide the following items:
Disposable diapers with name marked on bag.
Changes of clothing for children with name marked inside.
Weather appropriate clothing.
In the winter we, require that you provide gloves, stocking cap, scarf, snow pants, and snow boots.
Parents are expected to follow the following rules:
Remove shoes or boots if coming inside the house past the kitchen.  
Notify the daycare if a child will be absent due to illness or other reason.
Follow illness policies as stated.
Report to us any instances of Lice or Nits.
Notify the daycare of any changes in address, home or work phone numbers.    
Do not allow your child to bring a toy from home. We will not be responsible for lost or broken toys. The only exceptions will be a stuffed animal, doll or blanket the child normally sleeps with.
If your child is having a birthday, and you would like to bring something special, please let us know ahead of time.
Financial agreements must be kept according to the contract. 

Behavior Problems
At Nora’s Daycare we strongly believe that all children have a right to play, learn basic skills, eat and rest without his or her rights being infringed upon by another child. If after talking with the parents about a continual problem we may be having with a child, and those problems cannot be corrected, We will ask that the child not return to daycare. 
You will be given sufficient notice to allow you to find another caregiver.
The following problems will not be tolerated, and if not corrected, will be grounds for termination.
Fighting, slapping, hitting or biting other children. 
Using disrespectful or abusive language to others.
Being destructive to toys and equipment.
Using unnecessary roughness as to cause injury to others.
Continuous failure to follow instructions given by an adult.

Discipline Policy
As a childcare provider my responsibility is to promote healthy self-esteem. This will teach your child self respect, respect for others, and self control in growth and development. Physical discipline including spanking, threatening or shaming a child is not allowed in my daycare home. We will help your child tackle the difficult tasks of cooperative play, appropriate use of materials, and developing problem solving skills.
We will clearly remind them of rules. Rules are necessary to protect them, others and property. Your child will have a basic routine to help them establish a sense of rhythm, so not to encourage misbehavior by being bored, rushed or over stimulated. If, after explaining to your child that misbehavior is not acceptable, it continues, then a time out period is needed. This will help the child regain self-control. The time out will last one minute per age. We will positively direct your child to what the logical consequences of misbehavior will lead to. This helps the child to become responsible for their actions.
We will discuss the problem occurring and encourage the child to think of an alternative solution. This type of intervention will teach children self-management skills, responsibility for one’s actions, and an increased understanding of others need.

Illness
For the protection of all children in my care, if your child shows any of the following symptoms he or she must be kept at home:
Temperature over 101 degrees
Intestinal disturbance accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting
Any undiagnosed rash
Sore or discharging eyes or ears, profuse nasal discharge
Lice or nits   
Do not bring your child to day care if he/she has any of the above symptoms. If such symptoms develop while your child is in my care I am required to isolate him/her, and ask you to come within the hour to take him/her home. If your child has been exposed to any contagious disease such as whooping cough, German or regular measles, mumps, chicken pox, diphtheria, pinworm, or scarlet fever, keep him/her at home and let us know of their condition right away.
If I have to contact you because your child is ill, and they have to see a doctor, your child must remain home for at least 24 hours. This is as important to your child’s health as it is to the other children in daycare. Example: Any child leaving daycare at 10:30 AM must not return to daycare until after 10:30 the following day.

Medication Management
I will give medicine to a child only with written permission from the parent. Prescription medicines will be administered only upon a physician’s instructions. Please ask your pediatrician when prescribing medication if it can effectively be given during the time your child is home, that is, outside of day care hours. It is important to remember to administer medication at the proper time, and I’d prefer to leave that responsibility to the parent. Prescription medication must be in the original container with the pharmacy label and doctor instructions. 
We ask parents to please follow the guidelines for illness. This is for the protection of all those involved. We stress this again - if you are not sure if a child should be brought, feel free to call us ahead of time.

Health Information
Each child is required by state regulations to have on file a health statement, which includes a record of up to date immunizations. If a child’s health care summary is not complete at the time of enrollment, or within thirty days after enrollment, the parents will be asked to withdraw their child from Nora’s Daycare until such time as the required documentation is obtained.

Medical Emergencies
We are certified in First Aid and CPR, however we are not doctors or paramedics. In a minor emergency such as an injury that is not life threatening, but requires medical attention, We will provide first aid, and then contact the parents and advise them to pick up their child.

In a life-threatening emergency we will contact 911 and notify the parents as quickly as possible. If the parents can not be reached, we will use our own best judgment, in consultation with medical experts, on how to treat any injury or condition that requires immediate and urgent attention.

It is extremely important that parents inform me IN WRITING when a different phone number should be used to reach them that day. If a parent is not available, it is up to you to designate an alternate person to contact in an emergency.

Meals & Snacks
The following are approximate snack and meal times for daytime.
Breakfast     7:00 a.m. -  8:30 a.m.
Snack        10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Lunch        11:45 a.m. -   1:00 p.m.
Snack         2:30 p.m. -   4:00 p.m.

It will be helpful to know what foods your child likes and dislikes. 
Menus will be planned as best possible to accommodate all children.

We encourage the children to eat properly, however they do not have to eat a certain food if they do not like it.  We do encourage them to try new foods, and we like to try different menu items to help us find the food children most like to eat.  It is easier to serve foods that the children like and will eat.

If you have any suggestions for menu items that you prepare at home, and are your child’s favorite, please let us know.  We are always willing to try new foods that are allowable under food program guidelines.

Policy Adjustments
The policies and rates in this handbook are correct as of  
Nora’s Daycare reserves the right to make changes as needed, to properly serve you, and to provide your child with care that will fulfill their needs. 
The fore mentioned policies are general in nature, and adjustments may be made per individual child, and/or parents as needed. You will be notified as changes are made.  
As your child grows, everyday is a learning experience for them and myself. 
I welcome input from parents, and I look forward to serving you.

                                                                                             Thank you,

                                                                                            Nora Gross