Parent Policy Handbook

2018 - 2019

Contents

Accident/Incident Reports…………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 Accreditation ................................................................................................................................... 1 Admission ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Attendance…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……4 Birthdays ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Biting Policy………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………………………..11 Cell Phone Free Zone…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Class Parties ................................................................................................................................. 10 Closings ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Clothing .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Curriculum ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Daily Schedule……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6 Diapering/Toilet Training…………………………………………………………………………………………………………10 Discipline Policy............................................................................................................................... 4 Drop Off and Pick Up Regulations………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Educational Goals............................................................................................................................ 5 Emergency Weather Procedures ................................................................................................. 13 Enrollment Application ................................................................................................................... 2 Evaluation for Success in the Classroom…………………………………………………………………………………….5 Family Communication………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6 Health Policy ................................................................................................................................... 7 Hours of Operation ........................................................................................................................ 3 Medication ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Mission Statement .......................................................................................................................... 1 Nap Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 7 Non-Discrimination Statement…………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 Nutrition .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Personal Belongings………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………8 Philosophy ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Release of Children Policy………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Security Codes and Entry……………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 State Requirements …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 TKAP and Tuition Fees .................................................................................................................... 2 What to Send in School Bag……………………………………………………………………………………………………….8 Withdrawals ................................................................................................................................... 3

Dear Parents, It is an honor to welcome your family to The King’s Academy! We are very excited about the upcoming preschool year and the opportunity to serve you during these formative years of your child’s growth and development. Thank you for choosing our preschool and entrusting us with the care of your precious little one. This is indeed a privilege we do not take lightly! It is the desire of our hearts to provide the very best in early Christian education. The King’s Academy Preschool wants your child to have a positive first-time school experience. We are confident that our preschool will provide a loving, happy Christian environment where children can learn, grow, make friends, and have fun. We strongly believe in the importance of the family and home. Our desire is to partner with you in the care and education of your child. The key to the success of that partnership is good communication. The King’s Academy Preschool Parent Policy Handbook is available to view on our web site at www.TKAP.net. The purpose of our handbook is to bring clarity to issues that occur throughout the year. However, like any handbook, it is unable to cover all possible questions that could develop. Please feel free to contact me if you need assistance beyond what this handbook provides. Policies change from time to time, and these changes may alter the information contained in this document. You will be notified, in writing, of any significant changes that may occur. Again, thank you for enrolling your child in our preschool. You and your child are important to us, and we look forward to serving you. In His service,

Vickie Farmer

Vickie Farmer The King’s Academy Preschool Program Director

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INTRODUCTION

Mission Statement The King’s Academy Preschool was established to serve the needs of our families by providing a loving, nurturing, Christ-centered environment of discovery and learning for preschoolers. In our center, children will be treated as precious creations of God, each with unique talents, interests, and needs. The King’s Academy Preschool supports parents as the primary educators of their children. Our wish is to form a partnership with parents to provide a strong spiritual foundation as we endeavor to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6).

Philosophy The King’s Academy Preschool (TKAP) is an extension of The King’s Academy (TKA) school program and, therefore, adheres to the same beliefs, mission, and philosophy as the school. The Foundations of TKA are available in their entirety on our website (www.TKA.net). Our objective is to serve entire school families by providing younger children with the same level of educational excellence afforded our existing student body.

Accreditation The King’s Academy is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (FACCS). The King’s Academy is a member of Christian Schools of Palm Beach County. TKAP is regularly inspected by the Florida Department of Health as well as county and state fire and safety inspectors. TKAP abides by all rules and regulations relating to the health, safety, and well-being of the children in our care.

State Requirements All TKAP employees meet or exceed the approved standards for education and experience set forth by the State of Florida and Palm Beach County. All faculty members are required to have a health screening, background check and reference check before beginning employment. They are also required to be CPR/ First Aid certified and to pursue professional growth by means of continued course work, in-service training, and seminars.

Non-Discrimination Statement The King’s Academy Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate based on race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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Admission Admission to TKAP programs is based on availability and the age of your child. When a classroom no longer has open enrollment availability, a waiting list will be established. Priority will be given to siblings of currently enrolled children and children of TKAP team members. Otherwise, individuals will be placed on the waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.

Children are conditionally accepted to The King’s Academy Preschool subject to a trial period (normally during the first month of attendance) to establish their capacity to benefit from the program. The preschool administration reserves the right to adjust and make recommendations that would best serve the interests of all the children. Parents must abide and agree with the rules and regulations of The King’s Academy Preschool. Children must be twelve months old and walking before entry into our toddler program, available at Connect Church of Royal Palm Beach only. Children must be two years old before entry into preschool at our other locations. Three-year-olds must be fully potty trained. Children who are four years old by September 1st are eligible for entry into either the PS4 program at TKAP Palm Beach Gardens, TKAP Greenacres, TKAP Loxahatchee, TKAP Boynton Beach or Pre-K on main campus.

Enrollment Application A complete and signed online enrollment form is required. Please be sure to answer every question thoroughly. The Director will give you additional paperwork to be filled out and you are required to provide a Physical Report from your pediatrician and an updated immunization record prior to your child’s start date. The immunization record must be up to date and signed or stamped by the child’s physician. Parents will be asked to sign state mandated forms annually. We also require a copy of your child’s birth certificate and both parent’s driver’s licenses.

TKAP Fees Registration Fee: Supply Fee: Book Fee (PS 4 only): $200.00 per family $125.00 per student $150.00 per student These fees are non-refundable.

Tuition Fees: The King’s Academy Preschool tuition is billed on a per month basis over a 12-month period. This amount is based on a start date of September 1st. These amounts are not discounted and are non-refundable. We reserve the right to adjust rates annually. Payments are due the 1st of each month. A late charge of $25.00 is automatically added to accounts when payments are received after the 5th of each month. If the bill remains unpaid by the 10th of the month, your child will not be permitted to attend until tuition is paid in full.

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A $25.00 fee will be charged to your account for any returned checks. After two returned checks, all monies paid to the school must be in cash, certified check or money order. School Hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Withdrawals To withdraw your child prior to the end of your annual contract, a parent must complete a withdrawal form from the center Director on or before the final day of attendance. There is a $200.00 withdrawal fee. Attendance for any part of a month (even one day) is considered the same as the entire month and is the financial responsibility of the parent.

Hours of Operation The King’s Academy Preschool will be open between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. five (5) days a week, twelve (12) months of the year except the holidays noted in our calendar. Two, three, and five-day programs are offered on a limited enrollment basis as is a half-day program which operates from 7:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Four-year-old students must arrive by 8:30 a.m. One-year-old to three-year-old students must arrive by 9:00 a.m. A late fee of $3.00 per minute is incurred immediately after contracted pick-up time. Continued violations could lead to expulsion from the preschool.

Closings Please consult The King’s Academy Preschool 2018-2019 Calendar for days closed.

Cell Phone Free Zone We ask that you refrain from using a cell phone during drop off and pick up times for the safety of our children and for efficiency during these busy hours.

Security Codes and Entry Safety and security is very important to us, which is why we have our key pads to enter the building. Please do not share your code with anyone other than people who will pick up your children. Guest will be able to ring the bell and gain entry. Do not offer access to anyone that you do not know, and do not allow your children to touch the key pad.

Drop Off and Pick Up Regulations Palm Beach County regulations require parents to sign their child in and out each day using first and last names and recording the time. Arrival time is flexible according to the needs of the family. Children can be accepted at 7:00 a.m. each day. PS4 students should arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. and all others should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. to receive the full advantage of the academics and activities planned for the day. For the safety of the children, please remain outside the classroom when dropping off or picking up. The teacher will greet you at the door.

Release of Children Policy

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Please inform your child’s teacher and/or management if someone other than you will be picking up your child. You will be asked to provide names of those individuals (16 years or older) who are approved to pick up your child in the application procedure. A photo ID is required at time of pick-up. TKAP reserves the right to refuse to release a child to any person who appears physically, emotionally, or mentally unable to provide adequate care for the child as judged by the staff member responsible for the child. If this situation should arise, staff will release the child to an authorized individual on the child’s emergency contact list who appears able to provide appropriate care for the child. A child will not be picked up during an active storm warning, school lock down, or without a proper car seat.

Attendance: Absences and Late Arrivals Each day in preschool is a unique learning experience that cannot be recaptured. Attendance is compulsory unless unavoidable. Excessive absences may result in your child not being able to adjust to their teacher, peers, or to the classroom routine. It may also result in poor academic achievement. If there are excessive absences, a parent-teacher-director conference will be called. Students must arrive by 9:00 a.m.

If your child will be absent, or will be arriving later than 9:00 a.m., please call or email to notify your center. This will ensure that your child can fully participate in classroom programs and events for the day and will help with center scheduling. A late fee is incurred at $3.00 per minute after 12:30 p.m. for half-day students and 6:00 p.m. for full-day students and is payable upon pick up of the child.

Discipline Policy Discipline is a vital component to the learning process of a child. Gentle discipline is neither permissive nor punitive, rather a means of teaching, guiding, and training. When boundaries and expectations are clearly defined, children feel secure. By setting rules and clearly communicating expectations, misbehaviors can be avoided, and children can develop self- discipline and self-control. At TKAP, children will receive gentle, loving, and Biblically modeled discipline. Discipline will be administered with an appropriate mixture of kindness and firmness in a manner that respects their feelings and their developmental, emotional, and daily needs. Children will be reminded of the rules, redirected, separated from the problem situation, or sometimes given a brief time-out in a time-out chair. Time-out is the removal of a child, for a short period of time, from a situation in which the child is misbehaving and has not responded to other discipline techniques. The space is usually a chair and is located away from the classroom activity but within the teacher’s sight. During the time-out, the child has a chance to think about the misbehavior which led to his/her removal from the group. After a brief interval, the teacher discusses the incident and appropriate behavior with the child. When the child returns to the group, the incident is over, and the child is treated with the same affection and respect shown to the other children. A detailed copy of TKAP’s Discipline Policy will be provided to you for your review and signature.

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Educational Goals At TKAP, our goal is to create a Christ-centered atmosphere of love, respect, trust and safety where children will strive to achieve their maximum potential under God. We endeavor to minister to the “total” child. This instruction encompasses the spiritual, mental, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional areas of child development. These areas are inseparable; therefore, the truth of God’s word will be incorporated throughout the entire curriculum.

Curriculum TKAP curriculum is based on the belief that children learn through play. Play is their work. It is through play, art, music, and our hands-on approach that language arts, math, and science are introduced. Our developmentally appropriate curriculum is customized to meet each child’s individual needs: socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and spiritually. TKAP daily practices provide consistency while incorporating emergent curriculum which stimulates each child’s unique interests, curiosity, and sense of discovery. We use A Beka curriculum and Learning Without Tears curriculum as well as: • Monthly themes • Discovery learning centers • Bible stories, pledges, songs and devotions • Art, science, home, building, pretend play, writing and music centers • Simple math and phonics skills • Large and fine motor skills and manipulative development • Interactive play and movement • Behavior and manners teaching • Godly character traits and values • Simple scripture memory • Letters, shapes, colors, numbers and opposites • Weekly chapel with music and movement • Weekly lesson plans Supervised playground time is provided both in the morning and in the afternoon, weather permitting. Outdoor play promotes healthy growth and development and creative social interaction. Preschool chapels are held weekly. Specials vary by location. Individualized age appropriate curriculum outlines are available from the preschool office upon request. Newsletters will be sent home monthly.

Evaluation for Success in the Classroom Each child is created uniquely by God and develops at his or her own pace. Our curriculum is developmentally appropriate with the whole child in mind. Our teachers focus on several building blocks necessary to develop school readiness including fine and gross motor skills, receptive and expressive language, self-care, social and emotional skills and pre-reading skills.

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School readiness is achieved by engaging in activities daily to ensure that a child develops the appropriate skills required for optimal classroom learning. Two to four-year-old’s will receive developmental checklists periodically throughout the year. In the spring, the 3 and 4-year-old students will be given a developmental test called the Gesell assessment to determine the developmental age of its prospective students. The Gesell assesses the cognitive, physical, language and social/emotional development of each child. This test, along with the teacher recommendation, will provide the parent with information regarding their students’ school readiness. Our admission standards ensure that students entering the next grade level are developmentally ready for the tasks they will be asked to perform.

Family Communication In keeping with our desire to form a partnership with parents, TKAP encourages open communication and participation. Monthly newsletters keep parents informed of all preschool happenings and opportunities to get involved. We provide daily sheets for toddlers and weekly sheets for twos and threes which will include details about activities, your child’s behavior and needed items (diapers, wipes, clothing, etc.). In addition, each child will have a “Take Home” folder for you to check weekly. Here you will find artwork, activities and notices of events. Please check these over the weekend and return the empty folder on Monday! Parent-Teacher conferences will be offered as well to discuss your child’s progress and development. Please provide your child’s teacher with any special instructions to help us serve your child better. TKAP welcomes visitors; however, we ask that all visits be prearranged with the director. Family members who wish to volunteer on a regular basis must be fingerprinted and screened through the FDLE and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department to ensure the safety of our children. Volunteer packets are available from the preschool office upon request.

Daily Schedule The following is a general daily schedule. Each class has an individually detailed schedule to allow for more efficient use of the playground and classroom. All schedules are subject to change. • 7:00 a.m. Welcome! Open Centers with teacher involvement • 8:30 a.m. Class Learning Activities (playground, snack, weekly chapel included) • 11:30 p.m. Lunch and Playtime (indoor, outdoor) • 12:30 p.m. Morning dismissal /Nap • 2:30 p.m. Open Learning Activities (snack, playground included) • 5:00 p.m. Open Centers with teacher involvement • 6:00 p.m. Preschool closed

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Nap Procedures Naps are a mandatory part of the preschool day based on the rules and regulations governing Palm Beach County. All children in our full day program rest during the afternoon for a period of time appropriate for their age. All children are required to be quiet and still during this time so those who need to sleep may do so. Each child in the full day program will be assigned a mat and a blanket for their use only. Mats and blankets will be cleaned and disinfected once a week. Toddlers are allowed pacifiers and special blankets during rest time only.

Health Policy

Children with obvious signs of illness should not be brought to preschool. In general, a child who is not able to fully participate in all daily activities is not well enough to attend preschool. A child who is not in good health (by decision of TKAP staff) must return home. If a child becomes ill during the preschool day, a parent will be called immediately, and the child will be isolated from the other children. It is the responsibility of the parent to come immediately or secure alternate childcare. Children who have shown signs of illness within the previous 24-hour period will not be admitted back into the preschool. We reserve the right to request a physician’s statement prior to readmitting a child to the center.

For the protection of all children and preschool staff, no child will be permitted to attend preschool if any of the following symptoms are exhibited: • Vomiting or diarrhea (must be symptom free for a 48-hour period) • Fever (temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within a 24-hour period

without fever reducers) • Acute cold • Yellow or green discharge from the nose (without medical consultation) • Rash or Impetigo • Deep hacking or uncontrollable cough • Head lice (nits or bugs) • Chicken Pox or any other contagious diseases • Uncovered open sores Parents are required to notify the preschool whenever a child or family member has been exposed to a communicable/infectious disease so that all TKAP families can be alerted. In the event of a serious injury or other medical emergency, parents will be notified immediately. The child will be transported to the nearest hospital by emergency services, if necessary.

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Medication It is the responsibility of the parent to inform TKAP staff whenever a child has been given any prescription or non-prescription medications before coming to preschool. The child can then be observed for any adverse reactions to the medication, including changes in behavior. TKAP staff can administer prescription medications only if the following requirements are met: • A TKAP medication release form must be signed by the parent, stating the name of the

child, the name of the prescription medication and the dosage and times the medication is to be given.

• Prescription medications must be brought to the preschool in the original prescription container with the child’s name, date, pediatrician’s name, instructions and pharmacy phone number.

• TKAP staff will not administer the first dose of any medication. • Nebulizer treatments must be administered by the parent when possible. TKAP staff will

administer treatments only if the treatment is absolutely necessary and a parent is unable to come.

Accidents/Incidents TKAP staff will document every injury to children. Parents will be notified of accidents or incidents immediately or on the same day. The TKAP Accident/Incident Report completed by staff must be signed by a parent and returned within 48 hours.

ADDITIONAL GENERAL INFORMATION Personal Belongings Please refrain from allowing children to bring personal belongings to the center other than those we request. We are not responsible for personal items, toys or jewelry from home that gets lost or broken. Any items brought for a special reason requested by teachers need to be labeled appropriately with the child’s first and last name. Labeling your child’s items is the best way to ensure they do not get misplaced.

What to Send in School Bag One-Year-Olds:

1. One-gallon sized Ziploc bag (labeled with your child’s name) containing two or three changes of outfits.

2. Ten diapers daily 3. One container of baby wipes (to be kept at school) 4. Normal sized lunch box containing healthy finger foods for lunch as well as morning and

afternoon snack times. Send a thermos containing a drink and a non-spill sippy cup to fill. Bottles, glass containers, carbonated beverages, boxed or canned drinks will not be allowed. All lunch boxes and drink cups must be labeled with your child’s first and last name.

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5. A small, light weight blanket for naps, which can be left at the preschool and sent home at least once a week to be washed.

Two, Three and Four-Year-Old’s:

1. One-gallon sized Ziploc bag (labeled with your child’s name) containing two or three changes of seasonal outfits including a shirt, shorts, underwear, socks and shoes. Extra clothes may be required during potty training.

2. Two-year-old students will need 6 diapers daily 3. One container of baby wipes (to be kept at school) 4. Normal sized lunch box containing healthy foods for lunch as well as an afternoon snack.

Send a thermos containing a drink. Glass containers, carbonated beverages or canned drinks will not be allowed. Please include ice packs for preserving cold foods and a thermos for hot items. All lunch boxes and drink cups must be labeled with your child’s first and last name.

Clothing Children should wear washable play clothes that they can easily manipulate with little or no assistance. Appropriate footwear is required. Shoes must be rubber soled. Socks must be worn with all footwear. For safety reasons, necklaces, bracelets, watches, belts, sandals, open-toed shoes, and boots are not permitted. Children should be dressed in comfortable loose fitting, elastic waist bottoms, especially during the toilet training process. Buttons, clasps and snaps should be avoided. All children are required to have one complete change of clothing in case of accidents. During toilet training, two sets of clothing are required. Label all items and place in a Ziplock plastic bag with the name of the child clearly written on the outside. Parents must supply disposable diapers to be used at naptime, if necessary. Pull-Ups (with Velcro sides) are only allowed at the request of the teacher.

Nutrition Parents are responsible for providing written notification to the TKAP director of any food allergies or other dietary restrictions their child may have. Special instructions regarding eating habits must be noted on the Parent/Guardian Observation Form and the Alternate Nutrition Plan Agreement. A diet rich in nutrients is essential to the healthy development of every child. Therefore, TKAP asks that all children be fed a nourishing breakfast before dropping off. TKAP will provide a healthy mid-morning snack every day for children in the two, three and four- year old classrooms. One-year-old students must bring all food from home. Lunch will be eaten at approximately 11:30 a.m. each day. Children attending preschool for the full day must bring a lunch box packed with a nutritious lunch including fresh fruit and a healthy snack to be eaten after nap. No candy is allowed.

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Birthdays Birthdays are a special occasion for young children and worthy of celebration! Parents are encouraged to send in fruit, doughnuts or cookies for their child to share with their classmates during snack time. No cakes or cupcakes are allowed. Please notify the teacher in advance if you would like to send in special treats. Goodie bags or any other party favors are not permitted. Party invitations will only be distributed if every child, or every child of the same gender, in the class is included.

Class Parties All parties at TKAP will be Christ oriented. Class parties will be held for major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. TKAP does not celebrate Halloween. Instead, we will celebrate the Lord of the harvest with a Pumpkin Party. Parents will be asked to help with party supplies and refreshments whenever possible.

Diapering and Toilet Training Part of our high level of customer service is ensuring the proper care of all children. For children still in diapers, cleanliness is an essential factor of maintaining an appropriate level of care. Therefore, diapers/pull-ups will be changed when soiled or at a minimum of every two hours. Potty training is an extremely important milestone in your child’s development. We are excited to partner with parents during this learning process. When you are ready to start toilet training your child, we ask that you let us know what routines you are using at home so the teacher can do the same in the classroom. Consistency is key when toilet training. Please read the guidelines below to better understand our commitment to support your child’s growth and development.

1. The child must be developmentally ready as determined by TKAP staff. Some examples of readiness include but are not limited to staying dry for longer periods of time, showing interest, understanding/following simple directions and beginning to pull pants up/down. We reserve the right to delay potty training until the child is developmentally ready per the above standards.

2. The initial potty training introduction must be initiated at home prior to starting the center process.

3. Teachers are not responsible for cleaning soiled clothing items. Soiled clothing items will be bagged and sent home. These items can be discarded at the parent’s request.

4. Teachers will make potty training a positive and rewarding experience. 5. Children must be wearing loose fitting clothing that he/she can manage independently,

such as pants with elastic waistband. Children will not be potty trained wearing onesies. 6. If pull-ups or diapers are used, they must have open sides allowing the child’s clothing to

remain on. 7. Children will be taken to the potty frequently during the introduction phase.

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8. Parents are responsible for providing necessary supplies. Some examples include but are not limited to over six changes of plastic underwear covers, underwear, clothing and shoes.

9. A regular small porcelain toilet will be used. Potty chairs or seats are not permitted. Children must be completely toilet trained prior to enrollment in the three-year-old classroom. Any child who is three years of age by September 1st must be placed in the three-year-old classroom, unless the child has been previously granted a developmental and/or medical exemption by the preschool staff. The preschool staff will work together as partners with the parents in assisting each child achieve the skills that are necessary for independent toileting and hygiene. However, if a child in a PS3 or PS4 class has two accidents in one day, the family will be notified to come pick up the child for the remainder of that day. If the child continues to have frequent accidents daily, the preschool staff may consider asking the family to terminate the child from preschool enrollment until complete toilet training is achieved. Written warning will be given to the parents before this action takes place.

Biting Policy Our program provides an environment that encourages and promotes cooperative interaction, respect for others, and non-aggressive problem solving between our students. Biting is a normal stage of development for young children who are teething and are still developing their language skills. It is usually a temporary condition that is most common between thirteen and twenty-four months of age. It can occur without warning, is difficult to defend against, and provokes strong emotional responses in the biting child, the bitten child, the parents and the caregivers involved. Biting is one of the most difficult behaviors to deal with in young children, and there are not quick and easy solutions. Although our classroom activities are carefully planned to provide close supervision and prevent biting, there are times when biting cannot be prevented. Before biting occurs:

Discuss the issue of biting with all parents at the time of enrollment.

Include the written policy in the enrollment packet for distribution to all families. When biting occurs:

For the biting child:

The biting child is immediately removed with no emotion, using words such as “No”, and “biting is not okay-it hurts.” Immediate responses that may reinforce the biting or call attention to the biter are avoided.

The biting child is not allowed to return to the same play but is talked to on a level that the child can understand, “We don’t put our teeth on people.”

The biting child is redirected to other play.

A written incident report is given to the parents of the biting child. No names are disclosed.

The context of the biting incident is considered in an effort to prevent further biting behaviors.

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Intervention procedures will be initiated if the biting behavior is determined to be a persistent and chronic problem.

For the bitten child:

The bitten child is separated from the biter.

The bitten child is the focus of caring attention and comforted.

First aid is administered to the bitten child.

A written incident report is given to the parents of the bitten child. No names are disclosed.

Special efforts are made to adapt the environment to further protect the bitten child. The TKAP staff will continuously attempt to extinguish the biting behavior quickly and to balance our commitment to the family of the biting child to that of the other families. Only after every effort has been made to make the program work for the biting child will The King’s Academy Preschool consider asking a family to terminate the child from enrollment for the duration of the biting stage. Written warning will be given to the parents before this action takes place. Biting Intervention Procedure for one-year-olds:

If the biting child bites two times (as long as the skin on the bitten child is not broken) on any one day, the biting child will be sent home for the remainder of the day.

If at any time the skin is broken on a bitten child, the biting child will be asked to go home immediately.

If the biting child continues to bite frequently and/or severely enough to be asked to go home on a daily basis, suspension or termination may become necessary.

If the continued biting begins to add undue stress to the classroom environment, it may become necessary to suspend or terminate the biting child.

Biting Intervention Procedure for two, three and four-year-olds: 1st biting incident: the child must be removed from preschool for the remainder of the day. 2nd biting incident: the child must be removed from preschool for one week. 3rd biting incident: the child must be removed from preschool for two weeks. 4th biting incident: the child must be removed from preschool indefinitely.

Suspension and/or termination will not result in a tuition refund.

Classroom staff will chart every occurrence, including attempted bites, and indicate location, time, participants, behaviors, staff present, and circumstances.

Classroom staff will let all parents know that there is a problem and the procedures that will be followed to deal with it.

The TKAP staff will prepare the parents of the biting child for the possibility that the child may have to be removed from the preschool.

Parents of the biting child will be notified immediately after every biting incident.

If it is deemed in the best interest of the other children, the preschool staff may terminate the child from preschool enrollment for the duration of the biting stage. Written warning will be given to the parents before this action takes place.

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Emergency Response Procedures In the event of a preschool emergency or unexpected preschool closing, TKAP utilizes all available means of communication to keep parents informed. One of the primary means of communicating information to parents quickly is through the AlertNow Message System. This calling system sends a recorded message to all parents’ home phones and cell phones within 10 minutes of a call launch. In addition, TKAP utilizes local media as well as its website (www.TKA.net) and TKA-ENews emails when appropriate. TKAP normally follows the same decision made by the Palm Beach County School Board and Palm Beach County offices. If radio and television broadcasts announce that Palm Beach County Schools are closing due to severe weather, then this announcement also applies to TKAP. Parents should contact the preschool first and then make immediate arrangements for pick-up. TKAP reserves the right to make its own scheduling decisions within reasonable safety boundaries and local authority approval. When this occurs, TKAP staff will call parents with the date and time of TKAP reopening. In cases of emergency, the preschool Director may need to make judgment calls under pressure. In case communications are disrupted during an emergency, all staff members are trained and prepared to exercise their own judgment and initiative to protect the preschool students and themselves. The Palm Beach County Health Department requires that monthly emergency evacuation drills be conducted, recorded, and maintained at each preschool location. Other emergency drills will also be held periodically. Fire drill and emergency evacuation routes are posted conspicuously throughout the facility. All rooms are to evacuate to a designated meeting area where attendance will be taken before an all clear is issued by the director. Great care and consideration is given to the process of preparing the children for all possible emergencies without upset or undue fear. TKAP staff members are trained in emergency procedures upon hiring. This training is repeated annually.

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Parent Handbook Acknowledgment

This Parent Handbook is an important document intended to help you become acquainted with The King’s Academy Preschool. It is intended to provide guidelines and general descriptions only; it is not the final word in all cases. Individual circumstances may call for individual attention. Because TKAP’s operations may change, the contents of this Handbook may be changed at any time, with or without notice, in an individual case or generally, at the sole discretion of management. Please read the following statements and sign below to indicate your receipt and acknowledgment of this Parent Handbook.

I have received and read a copy of the TKAP Parent Handbook. I understand that the policies and procedures described in it are subject to change at the sole discretion of TKAP at any time. I understand that my signature below indicates that I have read and understand the above statements and that I have received a copy of TKAP’s Parent Handbook. Parent/Guardian’s Printed Name:__________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian’s Signature:______________________________________Date:___________