• To encourage your child’s natural abilities and to promote his/her well-being.
• To assist working parents with the daily separation from their children by providing a caring, fun, and loving atmosphere.
• To provide quality childcare at affordable prices.
• To provide a healthy and safe learning environment.
• To adequately prepare your child for kindergarten.

• Director: Lori Rolison
• Assistant Director: Nancy Collie
• Director Designee: Ashley
• Caregivers/ Teachers

[TOP]

• Enrollment Application
• 121 Shot Compliance form (updated each time your child receives shots)
• Parent Handbook signature form
• Registration fee and first week’s tuition
• Meal application
• All needed supplies
• Tuition Express form

[TOP]

• New Year's Eve
• New Year’s Day
• Dr. Kings Birthday
• Mardi Gras
• Good Friday
• New Year’s Eve
• Memorial Day
• Christmas Eve - Closes 3pm if open
• Independence Day - Closes 3pm if open
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after
• 2 - 5 days for Christmas holidays depending on when Christmas falls
• Christmas Eve

If a holiday falls on a weekend, the center will close on an adjacent weekday.
Full weekly tuition is due during these holiday weeks. There is one vacation week per child per calendar year. This means that if your child does not come for one full week (Monday-Friday), you do not have to pay tuition. The vacation week must be scheduled at least one week in advance.

Children must arrive by 8:15am to eat breakfast. Children arriving after 8:15am need to eat breakfast at home and will not be served a breakfast plate at the center.

Our daily cutoff time is 9:30am. Children arriving after 9:30am will not be admitted in to the center. Children who arrive late in the morning usually will not take a nap, and it is unfair to expect them to lie quietly for 2 hours. The late arrivals usually wake up other children who require a nap to be successful in our afternoon program.
[TOP]

$60 registration/supply fee (per family) is required upon enrollment and is due annually on August 1st. The registration fee holds your child’s slot in the center and covers the time and cost involved in the paperwork filing as well as the curriculum and supply costs (copies, art supplies, books).
Our weekly fee is based upon a 10-hour day.

We assess late fees at closing time. Children who are not picked up by 6:00pm will be charged $1 per minute per child. Late fees must be paid before your child can return to the center.
[TOP]

The owner of our center has a master’s degree in education and has taught kindergarten to seventh grade and has been in the childcare industry for many years. She checks teachers’ weekly lesson plans and advises them on their objectives and methods as well as the skills being taught. We follow the Mississippi state benchmarks for kindergarten to adequately prepare your child for school entrance. You may access the benchmarks at www.mde.ms.us or ask the director how you can assist your child’s learning.
[TOP]

When arriving at the center you are to:

• Escort your child into the center.
• Assist your child to the appropriate room. Do not leave children at front door.
• Assist your child in placing his/her belongings in the proper cubby.
• Notify a teacher of your child’s arrival.
• Clock your child in on the center time clock.
• Read all messages.

The center is not responsible for any child who is not properly checked in on the time clock or who is not escorted to the correct room.

Parents, please limit your stay to 15 minutes due to the limited parking.

When checking your child out of the center, you are to:

• Enter the center to pick up your child.
• Check your child’s cubby for daily reports or class work.
• Assist your child with any belongings he/she needs to take home.
• Inform a teacher you are leaving with your child.
• Clock your child out on the center time clock. Read all messages.

A list of responsible people to whom your child may be released is kept in your child’s file. Please update these names as needed. The center must see a picture ID of the person picking up your child if we do not know them. Children will not be released to any individual who is obviously impaired (intoxicated, disoriented, aggressive, etc.).
[TOP]

In the event of a disaster, parents should stay as calm as possible since phone lines may not be working and traffic may be heavy. Parents, or persons on contact list, will be notified immediately. We will evacuate, if necessary, to Saucier Elementary. Parents should make the proper arrangements to pick up children immediately if such an event should occur.

In the event of a hurricane warning, the center will be closed along with the Harrison County School District or at the advice of Civil Defense. If the schools close early, all children in our center need to be picked up immediately as well. Please watch WLOX for center closings.
[TOP]

Because of children who have food allergies, no outside food or drinks may be brought into the center except for prearranged celebrations and food for infants. Formula must be pre-mixed and labeled with the baby’s name and the date. All baby food must be labeled with the baby’s name and date as well.

Chewing gum is not allowed in the center.
[TOP]

Toddlers:
Copy paper- 1 pack
Diapers & Baby wipes
Kleenex – 2 boxes
Paper Towels
Glue Sticks
Elmer’s Glue
Play-dough
Ziploc bags (gallon size)
Toothbrush with Cap and Toothpaste
Change of clothes in a Ziploc bag
Nap pad & Blanket

Tykes:
Copy paper- 1 pack
Diapers & Baby wipes
Kleenex – 2 boxes
Paper Towels
Glue Sticks
Jumbo crayons- 8 count
Crayon box
Ziploc bags (gallon size)
Toothbrush with Cap and Toothpaste
Change of clothes in a Ziploc bag
Nap pad & Blanket

Preschool Class/Pre-K class:
Copy paper- 1 pack
Kleenex- 2 boxes
Toothbrush with Cap and Toothpaste
Elmer’s Glue
Lined handwriting paper (PreK or Kindergarten paper)
Water paints with brush
Glue Sticks
Crayon Box with crayons
Change of clothes in a Ziploc bag
Scissors
Nap pad & Blanket
After-school Children (for cubbies so homework can be done):
Glue Sticks
Colored Pencils
Pencils
Pencil Sharpener
Loose-leaf Notebook Paper- 2 packs

Any other items they need to do homework each day.

All items should be labeled with the child’s name. Please use a permanent marker. We are not responsible for unmarked items.
 
[TOP]

Parents are not allowed to place medicines in sippy cups or bottles. This could be very dangerous if another child got a hold of your child’s sippy cup or bottle. Parents who place medicines in sippy cups or bottles will be held liable if another child ingests the medicine.
[TOP]

Only well children will be admitted to the center in order to prevent the spreading of germs and diseases. Your child will be sent home if he/she:

• has diarrhea 3 times in one day
• has any diarrhea that will not stay contained in a diaper
• has any vomiting
• has a fever of 101 or higher or has had a fever of 101 or higher in the past 24 hours
• has a rash other than a diaper rash
• has symptoms of a communicable disease
• cannot not be soothed or is excessively fussy (crying children usually upset the other children and cause them to cry)

In case of illness, your child will be taken to the director where he/she can rest quietly while parents are notified. The child must be picked up within an hour if he/she is sick.

Do not give a sick child fever-reducing medicine and then send them to the center. The medicine will soon wear off and your child will have exposed everyone else in the center. It is very unfair to other children, parents, and caregivers to send a knowingly ill child into the center. Children who are sent home with a fever, must stay out of the center for 24 hours before returning.
[TOP]

At Little People’s Christian Academy Inc., we feel that discipline is one of the most important techniques the teachers and parents can use to enhance their child’s behavior. The purpose of this policy is to inform you about the techniques that our teachers will use to ensure appropriate behavior in our center.

Differences between Discipline and Punishment
Discipline means “to teach.” We feel that effective discipline should be used in order to teach children acceptable behaviors. Good discipline techniques give children the opportunity to gain self-control, which is the ultimate goal of discipline. Discipline is a long-term approach that our teachers will use to teach children self-help skills, responsibility, and suitable alternatives to any poor behavior.

Punishment refers to inflicting negative consequences to control behavior through fear and intimidation. Although children may stop their poor behavior temporarily when punished, they won’t know how to handle the situation the next time. It is important to separate discipline from punishment when caring for children.
Our caregivers and teachers will use 3 basic rules in the center:

• Be Safe.
• Be Kind.
• Be Neat.
  
  [TOP]

This policy will serve as our first step in communicating with you about discipline and punishment. (By signing the PARENT HANDBOOK, you are agreeing to all of our center’s policies, including this one). Secondly, our teachers will let you know about your child’s behavior through daily reports (ages 0-1) or weekly reports (ages 2-5). These reports will be placed in your child’s cubby for you to take home and read. Thirdly, our teachers will also chat with you when you drop off or pick up your child to let you know about good or poor behavior issues. Sometimes, it may be necessary for the director to speak with you about continual behavior issues. Occasionally, severe behavior issues may require that your child’s teacher or the director call you immediately. Dismissal from the center may be necessary if a child’s behavior threatens another child or staff member.
[TOP]

• Separate the child from the behavior- Teachers will use positive statements with the children. For example, a teacher will say, “Kicking is not allowed in our center. Use your words to ask Tom to move out of your way” instead of “DO NOT hit. You are a very mean boy.”
• Redirect the behavior- Children who are misbehaving in one area or at one activity will be guided to another area or activity by the teacher.
• Give the child acceptable choices- Teachers will give 2 appropriate choices to children. For example, the teacher will say, “You may play with the yellow truck or the blue one” instead of “Susie had the red one first. Give it back or else!”
• Use positive language- Teachers will give directions in a more positive manner. The teacher will say, “Use your indoor voice” instead of “Stop yelling in class!”
• Try to find the deeper problem- Like adults, children get stressed out from time to time. Our teachers will try to talk to the child or read books relating to any stressors such as the death of a family pet or the arrival of a new sibling.
• Give the child a time-out- Teachers may ask a child to go to a quiet place in the room where he or she can calm down or think about what has happened. The teacher will talk to the child about the behavior and acceptable alternatives to the poor behavior after the time-out is over.
• Use humor whenever possible- Teachers will not get upset about things that are no big deal and laugh to help relieve the stress in the children.
• Refuse to argue about non-negotiable issues- Teachers will not discuss or argue about any issue that is final. Children must know the limits on certain behaviors.
• Natural or logical consequences- Sometimes, the teacher must let children do the inappropriate behavior to see its natural consequence. For example, a child will learn that throwing the ball over the playground fence means that he or she is unable to play with it for the rest of that day.
• Anticipate or plan for new or difficult times- Teachers will be prepared for unusual days such as field trips or class parties. Teachers will discuss the expected behavior with the children ahead of time.

[TOP]

• Corporal punishment.
• Humiliating or frightening the child.
• Total isolation from the teacher or any emotional abuse.
• Verbal abuse including the use of profanity.
• Children disciplining other children.
• Taking away meals or snacks.

TOP]

Biting is an age-related concern that usually happens during the toddler years.

Why Young Children Bite:

• They are very oral and everything goes into their mouths (including other children’s fingers).
• They do not have the mental ability to tell the difference between things that are real and things that are not (may bite another child’s plump arm instead of a teether).
• They have not developed social skills or may not be able to talk yet or express themselves verbally.
• They are territorial and do not want others in their space.
• They bite because they are hungry, tired, not feeling well, or generally want to be left alone.
• They may be teething and biting relieves the pressure they are feeling from the new teeth coming through their gums.
• They bite to get attention (even though it is negative attention).
• They bite when they are around a lot of other children or are intimidated by another child who may be too close or who is being too rough.
• Some children bite often while some children may never bite.

Steps Our Center Will Take to Help Prevent Biting:

• We will communicate with you by providing literature about biting when you child enrolls in our toddler class.
• We will maintain our teacher to child ratios throughout the day to keep class size smaller.
• We will provide teethers, rattles, and toys children can chew on when they are teething or are frustrated.
• We will encourage toddlers to use their words to express themselves.
• Our caregivers will stay as close as possible to any child who has a history of biting, so he or she can quickly intervene.
• We will attach a teether to the clothing of any child who is biting and encourage them to bite on the teether instead of their peers.

Center’s Action If Biting Occurs:

• The focus will be on the child who was bitten, not the biter.
• Teacher will clean the bite with antiseptic and may cover it with a band-aid. Ice may be applied, if necessary, to minimize bruising and swelling.
• The biter will be encouraged to comfort the bitten child and apologize if old enough to do so.
   

[TOP]

Conferences should be scheduled ahead of time with your child’s teacher or the director in order for us to give you our full attention regarding your child.

Caregivers cannot conference while they are teaching an entire class.

We love to have parent volunteers, and we will consider any suggestions you have that may better our center.
[TOP]

Our 3, 4 and 5-year-olds have a preschool curriculum they follow each day; therefore, the teacher does not have time to change diapers. We will not move a child into a preschool class unless they are completely potty-trained.

There must be a formal conference between the director and the parents before any potty-training can begin at our center (even if the training was started before enrolling at the center).
[TOP]

We try to have a school-age caregiver here on the days when we know school will be closed. You must let the director know if your child will be attending on those days.

[TOP]

[TOP]