Welcome

​

Thank you for choosing Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. as a partner in your child's preschool education. Like you, we are interested in your child's total development. Our commitment is to ensure that each child has a successful experience at Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. and gets the most out of our program.

The following handbook is given to all parents at the time of enrollment and is designed to acquaint you with our policies, guidelines and procedures. In addition to our policies, we are licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families and abide by the state rules and regulations.

Please read and refer to this handbook as needed, and be sure to ask a staff member to answer any questions you might have.

 

Center’s Philosophy

​

We believe each child is a unique person with an individual pattern and timing of growth, as well as individual personality, learning style and family background. We believe that children learn most effectively through active manipulation of the environment and through concrete experiences that contribute to concept development. We encourage children to experiment, take risks, make mistakes, and try something new in their quest to succeed.

The early years in a child’s education are a critical period that needs an adequate exposure to a well rounded enriched curriculum, appropriate to the child’s needs. Such exposure will ensure a firm foundation for all future educational experiences.

​

 

Position Statement

 

Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. provides a safe, nurturing, and academically stimulating environment that promotes physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development and open to all learning possibilities and styles. Our program is designed to enhance intellectual growth, social competence, creative expression and to build self-worth, independence and self-esteem in young children.

Using our teaching approach, the children work towards mastering emotional and social development, physical skills such as fine, gross and sensorimotor as well as the ability to self-regulate. Other targeted skills include adaptive social behavior such as appreciating diversity, mastering self-efficacy, self-control and emotional expression.

 

Curriculum Guide

 

Our curriculum follows a developmentally appropriate approach preparing children for kindergarten, teaching them basic foundations in language/communication, mathematics, social studies, and science. This comprehensive curriculum is designed to provide every child with the knowledge, skills, compassion and self-confidence necessary for kindergarten readiness and to succeed in collaborative achievement. With the curriculum children develop skills and knowledge of numeracy, literacy, music, arts, social-connectedness, and moral character.

​

 

Parents Always Welcome

 

We believe parents are the most significant adults in a child’s life. We do everything possible to ensure the parents’ involvement in our program. Your input is important to us. Please feel free to discuss any concerns you may have with the Director at any time. You may consult with the Director or your child’s Teacher should any questions arise regarding your child, whether at home or at school. We seek your active involvement at Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. and encourage you to attend parents’ nights, parent-teacher conferences, Field Trips and Open House events.

Special Needs Children

If your child has any special needs, please notify the Director in advance. We will make all necessary arrangements to provide for a special needs child whenever possible. We ask that you bring a written statement from the child’s physician that states the needs and the care instructions for the child.

State Licensing Requirements

We believe that licensing and rigid enforcement of standards are in the best interest of all children. We comply with all applicable licensing regulations.
These standards relate to our facility, staff, nutrition, health and safety procedures, teacher/child ratios and record keeping.

 

Discipline

 

On day to day basis, the students will develop a positive self-image through encouragement, accomplishment, and role modeling. Behavior can depend on the age, stage, and development of the child. All that and more is taken into the consideration when dealing with misbehavior, which is redirected and/or quiet times are provided for dealing with the situations.
Our program has been structured to encourage acceptable behavior. Discipline will be consistent and individualized for each child, as well as appropriate to the child’s level of understanding. The method of discipline will not be humiliating, frightening or physically harmful to any child. It will not be associated with food, rest, toilet training or isolation. A child will not be labeled.

Physical punishment is not allowed on the premises, by staff or others.

Young children can present challenging behaviors as they learn how to interact appropriately in the school setting. We are committed to using positive guidance and discipline to promote safe learning environment for all. However, some children may exhibit severe behavior that can’t be managed in a school setting.
In those situations the parents will be called to pick up the child from school.
Continuous behavior problems are recorded and a conference might be requested with the parents. However, should our efforts be unsuccessful and the child’s behavior is of such a severe nature as to represent a threat to the safety of others and/or substantial disruption to the program continues the child will be removed from the program.

 

Parental Rights and Responsibilities

 

You Have Rights to:

* Be involved in your child’s education and care
* Receive information regarding your child’s progress and development
* Share in decisions about the care of your child
* Have frequent contact with teachers about your child
* Have access to the classroom through visitations
* Be recognized as an “Expert” when it comes to your child
* Be informed when a communicable disease or traumatic situation has arisen at the program
* Be informed by the teacher when your child has a problem
* Be informed about changes in fees and or/programming

 

Admission

 

We accept all children whose needs we are able to meet. Our preschool is open for enrollment all year around provided there is space available. 

We accept children regardless of their nationality, sex, race, ethnic background, religious belief, economic background or physical disability. The Enrollment Application Form, first week tuition, Registration fee, Supply fee, copy of immunization records and annual physical exam, along with forms must be completed and returned prior to your child attendance in our program.  

 

Confidentiality Policy

 

We emphasize the importance of protecting the rights and privacy of our children and their families, and the staff. The practice of maintaining the confidentiality of verbal information and written records is a basic ethical policy at Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc.
The identity of children and their families may only be released in instances of professional necessity such as in child abuse or neglect, upon written request by parents to release records to the third party, or upon verbal or written permission by parents to release information such as their phone numbers and home address to other parents.

 

Arrival and Departure Policies/Attendance

 

In the interest of safety, your child must be escorted to his/her class area at the time of arrival, and left in the care of a staff person each day. Please do not leave your motor running, as this can pose danger to others in the parking lot. Our arrival time is between 7:00 am and 10:00am. 

If your child has doctor’s appointment and will be coming later, please let us know in advance, so we could be prepared to welcome him and at the same time not to disrupt working order of other children in school.

 

Personal Belongings

 

Please provide a small blanket and a sheet for your child’s use during nap time. It must be clearly labeled with your child’s name and last name initial on it and be taken home to wash every Friday. Your child will be provided with many exciting activities and learning tools, so please do not allow them to bring personal items such as toys from home. Small soft toy for use during the nap time is allowed for as long as the child is not using that toy to play during other times.
Not all children take naps and we will try to accommodate parent’s wishes regarding napping accommodations. However, we will give the priority to the well being of the child and his individual developmental preferences and needs.

 

Clothing/Dress Code

 

Children must wear closed-toe shoes to wear while on the playground.

Parents must maintain at least one complete change of clothing (including underwear, socks, pants, and shirt) in school at all times. It is important for children have a complete change in the event of accident, whether toilet, food or curriculum-related. Please replace the clothes the following day if it was used.
Remember, that as the children grow and weather changes, clothing should be updated as well.
We provide a home environment away from home. Children will often sit on the floors to do their daily assignments, and even though we can’t prevent some outside debris from getting in, we will try to do our best to keep our carpets clean. Therefore, we ask parents to bring a second pair of shoes (or socks), to be worn inside the school only; very plain pair, as if not to become a point of interest and distract children from their work. Children must wear closed-toe shoes to wear while on the playground.
Please do your best to label all your items, as children often have the same or similar looking footwear and clothing. Our teachers work hard to help the children mature and learn, solve daily situations and simply do not have the time to keep an eye on children’s belongings. This is children’s responsibility. However, in case of lost items, the school will do everything in its power to locate the missing piece, but, our teachers and the school will bear no responsibility for the outcome.

 

Nutrition

​

We are part of the USDA childcare food program and serve breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. Menus are posted on the Food program board and on our website.

​

 

Birthdays

 

Your child’s birthday is a special day! Parents who wish to celebrate it at the centerare welcome to provide a special snack for the children in the classroom. We ask parents to notify us at least one week in advance about any special treats you would like to provide to make sure there no allergies. We encourage to bring healthy snacks to support healthy diet and avoid items with high sugar content such as cupcakes, cakes, chocolate/sugar cookies, ice cream and similar. All treats have to be age appropriate.

Party invitations may not be distributed at school unless all children from your child’s classroom are invited. Selective invitations should be delivered outside the school.

 

Sick Child Policy

 

Children in school will be monitored on a daily basis for signs of communicable disease. Any child suspected of having such may not return to the center without medical authorization, or until the signs and symptoms of the disease are no longer present.

Signs and symptoms of a suspected communicable disease include the following:

1. Severe coughing, causing the child to become red or blue in the face or to make whooping sound.

2. Difficult or rapid breathing.

3. Stiff neck.

4. Diarrhea (more than one abnormally loose stool within a 24 hour period).

5. Temperature of 101 *F or higher in conjunction with any other sign of illness.

6. Pink eye.

7. Exposed, open skin lesions.

8. Unusually dark urine and/or gray or white stool.

9. Any other unusual sign or symptom of illness.

10. A child identified as having head lice shall not be permitter to return until treatment has occurred and all eggs are gone from the hair. Verification of treatment may include a product box, box top, empty bottle, or signed statement by a parent that conducted the treatment.

In these cases, parents will be notified and will need to make all necessary arrangements to pick up their child from school shortly after.

 

Administration of Medication

 

To ensure safe and accurate administration of medication to students during center hours in compliance with the Florida Educational Code, legal mandates and school’s safe practices, certain steps should be followed at all time while administering medications.

All medications, including prescription and over the counter medication, administered by us, require a signed “Authorization to give medication” parental consent. The use of all prescription medications, medications that need to be given for more than 10 (ten) calendar days or more than one time a day should be authorized in writing by a licensed prescribe, which includes physicians, dentists, physician assistants, or licensed nurse practitioners.

The written authorization should include the following information:
* Student’s name
* Physician’s name, phone number, signature
* Name of the medication
* The amount of medication should be given and the frequency
* Length of treatment
* Special handling instructions, if any
Any changes in the original medication authorization require a new written authorization and a corresponding change. Faxed authorizations may be acceptable as long as there is a signed parental consent for the medications authorized by fax.

Please be aware that when physicians prescribe drugs on an “as-needed” basis, it can be problematic since we have no health care professional available on site to assess the actual need. Any medication that can be given on a regular basis rather than “as needed” should be prescribed as such to avoid giving school staff members responsibility to determine the need. In a case when the “need” is not specified, and the parent brings such a note to school, it will count as a parent’s authorization to determine the need as we see it and the school and it‘s staff will bear no responsibility.

All medications should be in original containers, be clearly labeled, before the expiration dead line, and has to be appropriate for the age of the child.

We will not be giving any medications to the child to control or reduce fever or any other disease, unless we have a clear note from a health professional stating that the child is not contagious to others.

Due to the complexity of medication policy, our teachers do not check the papers for being fill out, nor can they make any recommendations. Please see the Director if you have any questions.

Please note, that we are not required to administer any medications in school and taking this extra responsibility freely upon ourselves. Our first and main focus is to continue to provide safe and nurturing educational environment for children and if, at any moment, this extra responsibility will become a burden for the teachers or school functions, we keep the right to terminate this policy with at least one month notice in advance at any time.

 

Emergency Treatment

 

In the event of an injury or illness requiring emergency medical treatment, every effort will be made to locate one or both parents so you may pick up your child. Should you not be immediately located and treatment can not be delayed, your child will be taken to the local hospital by the ambulance. The authorization for emergency treatment form will accompany your child to the hospital so that treatment will not be delayed. If at all possible, a staff member will accompany your child to the hospital.

 

Prolonged Absence Due To Illness

 

We do not make adjustments in tuition for illnesses. Children, unfortunately, do get sick from time to time, and we will do everything possible to make sure that your child is warmly welcomed by his/her peers and Teachers and caught up on anything that he has missed. He/she will greatly appreciate being a valuable member of a group and his natural desire to fight any sickness will grow. We don’t ever underestimate the power and joy of being loved and accepted in a group of friends and encourage healthy friendships daily.
In a case, when the illness is severe, and the child is hospitalized for a month or so, please bring your hospital papers and/or doctors note and the Director will work with every situation independently.

 

Medical Records

 

In the interest of your child’s health, and that of the other children in the center, parents must submit their current medical and immunization records within 10 days of enrollment. These records must be updated in accordance with the state law.  

Please be aware that some children in care might not have current immunizations or might be exempt from immunizations.

 

Come To Us If You Have a Problem

We try to meet your needs at all times; however, it is not always possible for us to see all your concerns. If you have a question about the school, program, staff member, or need help to solve a problem, please talk to the Director.

 

Sign In and Out Procedures

 

Parents are required to sign in and out their children as they come daily. Only those people authorized on the child’s enrollment form, will be allowed to pick up the child, unless prior written notification has been given by the parent to the Director.

​

Releasing Children to People Other Than Parents

 

Children may only be released by our staff to persons authorized by you on your child registration form. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, a telephone authorization from you to release your child to another adult will be sufficient. Proper identification will be required. Our staff exercises considerable caution when releasing children, which is for the child’s protection only.
Every person, picking up a child, must be 16 years or older for us to release your child.
In the event of divorce or separation that provides custody of the child with one parent and not the other, it is custodial parent responsibility to provide the school with the copy of the custody papers. Otherwise the school is required by law to release the child to either parent.

 

If You are Late Picking up Your Child

 

If you are not at the center by closing time, your child is continued to be cared for. However, the following schedule of charges will apply: $1.00 p/min p/child.
Please be prepared to pay when you pick up your child. If this is not possible, please have payment ready the next day.
If you have not picked up your child by the time the school has been closed for one full hour, and we are unable to contact either you or your emergency contacts, we will continue to take care of your child and make sure that he/she is OK but we will assume that an emergency has occurred and will act accordingly.

 

Suspected Child Abuse and/or Neglect

 

As childcare providers, we required by law to report any suspected child abuse and/or neglect. Please do not be offended if we ask you about scratches, bruises or anything else that may be suspicious to determine what has happened. Should you suspect an incident of child abuse or neglect, please come to our Director immediately. We are required by law to report all suspicions to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Contacting Parents in Case of an Emergency

If your child becomes ill while in school, we will make every attempt to contact one or both of the parents. If we are unable to reach either parent, we will attempt to call emergency contact people that you provided in your enrollment package. We will leave messages at all numbers.
In the case of a school wide emergency, such as fire, power outage, severe weather/tornadoes, or other emergency that may/will result in the evacuation and/or closure of the school we will ensure the safety of the children and contact parents or their emergency contacts. It is imperative that you inform the teachers and administration immediately of any changes to your contact information to ensure that we are able to promptly reach you in an emergency.

 

Hours of Operation

 

The center is open from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. The school will be closed on Federal Holidays, some days for winter break and a staff development day. A schedule of closings is posted in the front lobby and you can print new and updated copy from our website as well. The tuition amount is calculated with all closings in mind. 

During the summer we continue with our curriculum adding a variety of summer fun learning experiences for our students.

 

Tuition and Fees

 

Tuition rates are based on the age of children.  All payments are due in advance and must be made continuously until withdrawal. There is no prorating for illnesses, vacations, late arrivals/early pick ups and no shows. We accept credit/debit cards, checks, cash and money orders payable to Funshine Preschool & Nursery inc, write your child’s name on checks/money orders clearly. To avoid the misplacement of payments, please do not put them into your child’s lunch boxes or bags.
$30 charge will apply for all returned checks and we may ask you to pay with the different payment method next time.
$10 fee is added to your account if we do not receive your tuition payment by the end of the week. In case your tuition becomes delinquent by two weeks, your child will be withdrawn from Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. and your deposit will be forfeit. You would need to pay a current re-Enrollment fee to get reinstated.
Please keep your tuition current as we rely on your payments to meet our payroll and operating expenses.

 

Notice of Withdrawal

 

A two week written notice is required for withdrawal, if we do not receive it, you will be responsible for the two weeks of tuition.

We try to meet the special needs of each child. However, we reserve the right to terminate any child whose need for special attention becomes a threat to the other children and/or staff.

A child may be terminated for the following reasons:

1. Lack of payment;

2. Persistent behavior problems;

3. Parent’s refusal to comply with the state’s guidelines and/or school’s policies and philosophy.

We will make every effort to give 1 week’s notice; however, we reserve the right to enforce immediate termination.

 

Non-Discrimination Policy

 

It is the policy of Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc. to provide an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination of any type, including discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

​

Acknowledgement Receipt of Written Policies

​

Please read and review all policies in this parent handbook and Parent section of our website.

Prior to attendance, the following Acknowledgement Receipt of Written Policies must be signed by the parent:

 *Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Head Trauma Policy

 *Discipline Policy

 *Expulsion Policy

 *Food Policy

 *Records Accessible to Staff Policy

 

Parent Handbook Receipt

​

As you read our Family Handbook, please remember that it is very important for you to understand and comply with all the policies and procedures of Funshine Preschool & Nursery Inc..

After reviewing our policies, please sign and return the agreement page to the school. Do not put it in your child’s book bag or their cubbies, as it may get damaged or lost. This is your agreement with all the understanding to abide by the rules and regulations contained within.

​

Acknowledgement Receipt Agreement