Arrivals and Dismissals
It is IMPERATIVE that you sign your child in and out every day. This is required by the State of Alabama. The signature MUST be the Parent or Guardian's legal signature. It cannot be that of a child or a sibling.
Mustard Seeds Academy will open promptly at 7:00 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. The doors will not be unlocked until 7:00 a.m. Our preschool hours will begin at 8:30. We ask that you bring your child in at a timely manner due to the daily routine that the teacher has in place for the day. This also prevents the child from feeling uncomfortable about arriving after everyone else has become involved in play activities. If they are late, whatever activities have been missed will not be made up.
It is best if you do not linger after telling your child good-bye. If your child is upset, the quicker you are out of sight, the quicker they can be calmed. If your child is upset and his teacher cannot get them calmed after a short period of time, we will notify you.
Parents are expected to pick up their child on time. The facility closes at 5:30 p.m. and the late fee stated above also pertains to the children that are picked up after 5:30. If late, you will receive a late statement that needs to be paid that day or no later than the following day.
Late drop off and late pick up will not be tolerated and can result in termination from the program. Drop off is by 9:00 a.m. unless you have a written doctor's note or prior approval from the office for special circumstances. Late pickup is $1.00 per minute but continuous late pickup can also result in termination.
No child will be released to a person unless written authorization is given. The child will only be released to those listed on the Emergency pick-up card. The person dropping off the child at school must bring notification of any changes in the pick-up schedule. The Director will handle emergencies and they will be handled on an individual basis. We are required by the state to use and electronic Check-In/Check-Out system. Once your child is registered, you will be given a code to use to set up your information in the Brightwheel app. for each check-in/check-out. There is a $5.00 fee each time the app is not used.
If you are on childcare assistance, you must present check-in slip to the teacher at the door or if your child is in the baby room, you must give to the teacher before dropping off your child. We are hoping this will help with the accountability of swiping. Other childcares are enforcing this same rule. I would suggest ordering a second card in the case something happens. Remember you are responsible for days not swiped. There is no back swiping past 9 days and that does include the weekend.
A $5.00 fee will be charged for not checking your child in and out on Brightwheel effective June 5th. This is imperative to our program as it is a state requirement.
Payments
As of June 5, 2024, there will be another price increase due to inflation on just about everything. I was notified at the beginning of April that several daycares have already increased or will be increasing their prices.
Late payments will also no longer be tolerated. If your child's tuition has not been paid by the end of each week, your child will not be able to attend the next week until the balance of both weeks is paid in full.
Curriculum
Your child will be involved in a structured program in which the A Beka Curriculum will be used. This curriculum has been chosen due to its Christian educational materials as well as its efficiency in meeting the needs of our children in preparing them for their elementary school experience. The A Beka Book approach to Christian education keeps learning lively, interesting, and memorable.
Discipline (Prevent/Re-Direct/Time-Out/Parent Call)
Prevent
- The teachers at MSA will model a spirit of love and affirm student's good behaviors.
- The teachers will listen to the children to better understand many problems.
- The teachers will have open communication with the parents in order to help them to understand the needs of each child.
- The teacher will maintain a safe environment to help prevent many of the problems.
Re-Direct
- The teachers will redirect the children to their own interests whenever possible.
Time-Out or Call to Parent
- Time out will be used when the child has chosen not to obey the teacher after he/she has been warned.
- The teacher will use age-appropriate time-out that consists of one minute per one year of age.
- A call to a parent will be made when a child refuses to follow the school rules and is disrupting the classroom.
Outdoors
Unless it is raining, sleeting, bitterly cold, or extremely hot, our classes will usually go outside every day. Please make sure your child has the appropriate clothing to wear according to the weather.
Accidents
If a child is injured at school, an accident report is given to the child's parent at the end of the day. We administer only band-aids, general first aid, and loving care to minor injuries. In case medical attention is needed, the parents will be notified. If we are unable to reach either parent and in our best judgement believe that the child needs immediate attention, the child will be taken to the nearest hospital by the Teacher/Director who will stay until the parents can be notified and arrive. The office staff will continue to call both of the parents until they have been reached. If an emergency vehicle is required, the cost is the responsibility of the parents.
Allergies
Please notify the school of ANY food allergies or any other allergies where your child might need special attention.
Administering Medicine
We ask that medicine be administered at home. If, however, a dose must be given during school hours, the following procedures must take place:
- Prescription medicine will only be given with an authorized note or fax from the doctor.
- Medicine must be in its original container and clearly labeled with your child's name and directions for administering.
- The Director or Assistant Director administers or supervises all medication given.
As of June 5th, we will no longer be administering OTC medication. The only thing that will be allowed will be butt paste or gels and must have prior approval from the office along with a doctor's note. Please see office for any concerns with daily prescription medications.
Health Policies
It is a fact that children who attend group programs do get sick more often than those who stay at home. Our sick policies have been developed to help us minimize the spread of infection as much as possible and to ensure that the children in attendance are able to participate in the activities with their classmates. Your child will be observed for any symptoms of cold or other illnesses.
Please keep your child home if he/she has a fever (100 degrees or above), vomiting, or diarrhea. It is our policy that you keep your child home for one full school day after he/she is free from fever, vomiting, and diarrhea (when not taking medication) for 24 hours. Even in the absence of all these symptoms, children sometimes indicate by their behavior that they are ill and should not be at school. If your child becomes ill at school, you will be notified, and we expect you to pick him/her up as soon as possible as your child is immediately isolated from the other children. Children who have a communicable disease (such as chicken pox, etc.) should not return to school until you have received authorization from the doctor stating that your child is no longer contagious.
Scratching Policy
Parents will be held responsible for seeing that their children's fingernails are properly groomed at all times. Long fingernails on small children can be very harmful and could permanently scar or damage the face or eyes of the children. Children who are noticed to have long fingernails will be sent to the office, their parents will be called and instructed to come and cut his/her nails. We are aware of accidents but for children who scratch deliberately there will be consequences. Warnings will be given for the first offense. Second offenses, the child will be sent home for the day. Third offense, the child will be suspended for three days with no reduction of fees. If the child continues, the child will be dismissed from- the program.
Biting Policy
As a childcare provider, MSA realizes that although biting is not abnormal in the sense that 1 in 10 toddlers go through this phase, it is a disturbing and potentially harmful behavior. The teachers at MSA will prevent this occurrence from taking place as much as possible. However, biting will be discouraged from the beginning. Every time a child bites, the parents will be notified. If a second incident occurs within a week, the staff will shadow the child to determine the cause. If a third incident occurs within a two-week period, the parents will be required to have a formal meeting with the Director and staff to come up with a plan to eliminate the biting. If biting persists, it may be necessary to terminate the child's enrollment to the program. For more information on biting, please click this link: Strategies and Tips To Stop Your Child From Biting
