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A more detailed listing of school policies can be found in the Brownstone School Handbook. New parents are given handbooks during orientation at the beginning of the school year.
Phase In
To ease separation anxiety, parents and Brownstone teachers work together to meet the individual needs of each child. Although this maybe adjusted, a sample phase-in schedule for a preschool child entering Brownstone on a full or extended day program might be:
| Day: |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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| Child's School Hours: |
9:00-10:30 | 9:00-12:00 | 9:00-2:30 | 9:00-3:30 | 8:30-regular pickup time |
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| Caregiver Should: |
Stay in room as needed | Leave room for brief periods | May leave building,
but be reachable | Be reachable by telephone | Pick up at scheduled time |
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Building trust and a sense of security for children in a new environment is our utmost concern. Separation difficulties can sometimes occur for children even after an extended holiday, illness or vacation. Staying attuned to the feelings of children during these periods is especially important. The Brownstone staff will make every effort to ease these transitions. The teachers will visit your child at home once before school starts, so that they can become familiar with each other.
Clothing
In the interest of creative play and messiness, children should wear comfortable "play" clothing and footwear to school; they should not wear anything that you would consider too "good" or dressy to be soiled. Each child should have a seasonally appropriate change of clothing and shoes available - with at least three sets if not yet potty trained.
If your child is being potty trained, clothing should be easy for him or her to remove. You should avoid dressing you child in things like overalls or items with difficult buttons, belts, etc. that make it difficult to self manage their clothing at the toilet.
All personal items should be clearly labeled with the child's name (including what they are wearing to school - like socks and mittens).
Conferences
Semi-annual conferences are scheduled in the fall and spring. Notices for each classroom are posted to allow parents flexibility in signing up for convenient times.
Short informal meetings with your child's teacher can be held at any mutually agreeable time. Drop off or pick up times are usually not the best time for the teacher to talk as his/her attention will be distracted from the children in the room. The teachers can consult with parents over the phone during their break / lunch time.
Sharing Info
Please share with the classroom teachers any important events occurring in your child's life. When staff members are made aware of changes or events happening in your child's home environment, they can provide support for him/her and you.
Your child's cubby and "mailbox" are vital links for written communication between teachers and parents. Each family has a mailbox outside the office area. Please check for notices every day that your child is at school. Art work is sent home periodically and will be placed in the child's cubby in the classroom. Additional school notices are generally posted in the lobby. Email is also frequently used to communicate.
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Birthdays
If you are planning to celebrate your child's birthday at school, please discuss your arrangements with the child's teachers at least a week in advance. You may bring in a cake or cupcakes for the group, which will be distributed at snack or after lunch. Extras, such as party bags, balloons, hats and matching paper plates and cups are not necessary. Parents should help with the clean-up following the birthday celebration.
If you are planning a celebration outside of school and wish to invite just a selected few, it is advisable that invitations be mailed to the children's homes (a complete set of addresses is included with the admission packet). Otherwise, we suggest that the entire class receive an invitation to the party. We trust this policy will prevent hurt feelings or feelings of exclusion.
Babysitting
Teachers are not allowed to babysit for currently enrolled families. This particularly applies to the teacher working with your child.
Punctuality
Children should arrive no more than 10 minutes before the contracted time of class. Likewise, children should arrive no later than 9:30 AM for the morning session (9:15 for the summer camp program) and no later than 2PM for the afternoon session. Children arriving late will be allowed to participate only at the discretion of the Director. At dismissal, children must be collected from the classroom by the parent or authorized babysitter. A child will not be released to any other person without a written note from the parent of the child. Please emphasize to babysitters that they must not be late for pick up.
Sick Children/Medical
Children who are sick should remain at home. Staff members cannot care for your child when (s)he is sick. Parents will be asked to pick up their child promptly if (s)he is ill or has any of the following conditions:
- High Temperature: Underarm temperature over 99.4 degrees For Oral Temperature over 100 degrees F. Your child must stay home at least a day after the fever has been detected here at school and cannot return until (s) he has been fever free for over 24 hours.
- Conjunctivitis / Eye Infection : Conjunctivitis is an eye infection commonly referred to as "pink eye." The eye is generally red with some burning. There is a thick yellow discharge around the eye. A doctor's clearance is required before the child will be allowed to return to school.
- Bronchitis: Bronchitis often begins with hoarseness, coughing and a slight elevation in temperature. The cough is usually dry and painful.
- Impetigo: Impetigo is a rash that shows up as red pimples, which eventually become blisters surrounded by a reddened area. When the blister breaks, the surface is raw and weeping. This rash occurs usually in moist areas of the body, such as the creases of the neck, groin, underarm, face, hands, or the edge of a diaper.
- Diarrhea or Vomiting
- Strep Throat : Strep throat is very contagious and we often err on the side of caution if a child complains of a sore throat accompanied by any of the following: headache, aching belly or feeling nauseous. Fever often, but not always, accompanies this common illness. You must take your child to a doctor to get a strep test. If the results are positive, your child will be placed on antibiotics. They must have a full 24 hours of antibiotics before they can return to school, otherwise they are still infectious. For example, if the doctor prescribes antibiotics at 1pm on a Monday, your child cannot return to school until Wednesday.
- Severe Cold: This refers to excessive nasal discharges, or any condition that prevents the child from breathing comfortably and/or participating fully in our program. Green mucous is a sign that your child is infectious and should not be in school. We teach the children to cough into the crook of their arm to minimize hand to toy germs, accompanied by lots of hand washing.
- Head Lice
- Obvious Illness without Clear Cause: Your child may occasionally seem ill without any clear cause. For example, you child may be unusually pale, irritable, tired or passive. You as parents know best when your child is "out of sorts."
- Severe Unidentified or Contagious Rash: Any form of rash will require a visit to and a clearance from a physician.
- Any Other Contagious Disease: This includes, but is not limited to, chicken pox and ringworm.
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Medical Information
Your child must be immunized before beginning the program. Any parent who seeks an exemption from immunizations must submit, in advance, a statement that conforms to the NYC Health Department standard. Children under three need an examination every six months. Children over three need an examination once a year. Children are not allowed to attend the program without a current medical record on file.
Brownstone's policy prohibits staff from administering any medications to children, including lotions and ointments, and/or the storage of medicines in our refrigerators. If a child requires a dosage of medicine at a particular time .e.g. antibiotics, then the parent must come to school to administer the dose.
If your child suffers from allergies, you must inform the office and teachers, in writing. The Brownstone school has a nut awareness policy in place and we make every effort to keep all nuts out of the children's menus. The school lunches are not cooked with any nut oils or peanut ingredients and we ask parents not to bring any nut-containing foods into the school, either for snack or birthday celebrations.
In case of minor cuts/scrapes/bruises, each class is equipped with a first aid kit. If your child becomes ill or is hurt, you will be notified by phone as soon as reasonably possible. In case of a serious injury or other medical emergency, you will be immediately contacted and will be expected to pick up your child. It is a good idea to tell the child's teacher if you will be away from your regular number and to provide them with an alternate number.
Safety
Your child's safety is paramount to us at The Brownstone School. Entrance to the school is controlled by video monitor and remote visual access by staff. Children may only be picked up by people that are listed on the Authorized Escort form which should be updated by you as necessary (and must be updated yearly). All escorts should be at least 18 years of age. If your child's pick up arrangements are changed, e.g. a play date or a new babysitter, a written note should be given to the teacher and office. Only in cases of emergency will the office staff accept a verbal message about changes in pick up routines. We will ask to see ID of those of whose we do not recognize as regular visitors to the school and will cross reference this with our records.
All parents, relatives and close friends are welcome to visit their children during the day by arrangement with the teacher. Although formal notice is not required, adults should let the office staff know that they are in the building when they arrive for a "drop-in" visit. Keep in mind, however, that some children cannot handle having their parent in the room. This is particularly true with younger children. If this should happen with your child, you may be advised to wait until your child can better cope with this situation.
Financial/Tuition Payments
Regular payments are due according to the written contract terms and schedule agreed to by the Director and parent(s). No monthly billing will occur. Six payments are due on the first of the month from July through December 1st inclusive. Failure to pay on time may result in the termination of child care services.
There will be a bank surcharge of $20 dollars for any returned check.
Receipts are provided promptly in students' in-house mailboxes. IRS relevant EIN or other data are readily available upon request for tax or flex-plan relevance.
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