IMPORTANT PARENT INFORMATION
Our Policies
Expectation of Parents
Getting Ready for the First Day of School:
Going to school can be a big adjustment for many children whether it be a first time experience or a long summer. In the preparation, have your child participate in getting ready for school. You and your child can pick a simple plain lunch box or wooden basket, folding school clothes or wash the lunch containers. You can help your child prepare for this by creating an imaginative story. For example, a story about a little bunny (pick an animal your child loves) who lives with his or her loving mama, papa, or grandparent. One day Mama takes him to a little grove by a bubbling brook where many little animals are playing. Mama tells him that soon he will go to this special school. Let your imagination go with this. Telling this story each night for several nights before school starts will help alleviate many of your child’s worries. If you aren’t ready to make up your own story. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a sweet book that other families have found helpful.
Arrival Time and Saying Goodbye:
Doors will open to receive the children at 7:30 a.m. for the “early birds”. We hope that all the children arrive by 8:35 a.m. as all the children benefit from the rhythmical experience of starting the day together. A short, sweet, simple farewell is best and a reassuring statement of “I will see you later (after rest time or aftercare)”. The teachers will help your child transition into the room and the activity of the day. If you child is crying at drop-off time, please write your cell phone number on the sign-in sheet. Rest assured, we will call you if we can’t help them settle into the routine. We have many tricks in our pockets to help engage them.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School operates Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:00pm (except holidays, see our calendar). There are no extra fees for “early birds” or “aftercare”.
If your child is not picked up as scheduled:
It is crucial that you pick up your child at 5:00 p.m. If you are more than five minutes late, you are to call the office. A late fee of $20 will be charged. It is very important that we have children picked up and dropped off on time so we can ensure that we maintain the legal ratio of providers to children. Please take this policy seriously and be punctual for pick-up.
Nutrition
Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School is a peanut-free campus. Food preparation is part of the school day and a healthy organic snack is served daily in the morning. Sunflower butter and other nut butters are wonderful options. If your child has special dietary needs, let the teachers know in writing as soon as possible. We are a green school and require that your child’s food is placed in reusable containers. Young children need protein and whole grains, plenty of vegetables and minimal sugar. Sandwiches, dinner leftovers, and soup are some good ideas for lunch. We ask that you pack healthy, whole grained with minimal packaging. Fruit will be the best dessert. We discourage any foods items that have almost no nutritional value or are mostly sugar. Please send only water to drink in plain reusable bottles. Also, please do not send candy or gum to school.
Toys and Personal Items
All toys, money, special treasures need to stay at home or in car. One Stuffed animal can be used for rest time.
Rest Time
In a traveling sack or a medium size tote bag, please provide your child with a small blanket and pillow that can be left at school. Your child can also have a stuffed animal and lovey to keep in the “rest time” bags and be left at school, if needed.
Illness
In accordance with school precaution, and for everyone's well being, children with contagious diseases, fevers, streaming noses, nausea, diarrhea, etc., need to stay home until fully recovered. In case of a fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea the child should be symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Sick children will be sent home. Please notify the office if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease. Strep throat is a common childhood illness that is highly contagious and potentially dangerous. If you treat your child homeopathically, please follow a doctor's advice and make sure your child is no longer contagious before sending him/her back to school.
Lice and pinworms:
Both lice and pinworms spread quickly and easily among the children, and we do our best to avoid an outbreak. The school policy regarding lice states that if any nits are found the child will be immediately removed from the class and sent home. Before returning to the class, the child will be checked to see that there are no nits remaining. We ask that you do regular head checks at home.
Common Early Childhood Conditions
Keep Your Child Home if:
Fever
He/She has a morning temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or her temperature is below 99 but she is achy, pale or tired.
Stomach Ache
He/She has had two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, or has had one in the past 24 hours and feels tired or ill.
Sneezing/Runny Nose
He/She is sneezing a lot, and/or her nose won’t stop running. Thick yellow mucus
Sore Throat
He/She has tender, swollen glands, a fever of 100 or higher, or it is accompanied by a cough.
Cough
She coughs frequently, coughs up phlegm, or her cough sounds like a bark or is accompanied by a sore throat or wheezing.
Earache
His/Her pain is constant or severe – a sign of otitis media.
Rash
The rash blisters, develops pus, or is uncomfortable, which could signal chicken pox or impetigo.
Pink Eye
Highly contagious; redness in and around the eye; your child should not be sent to school if symptoms of Pinkeye are evident.
Lice
Lice spread quickly and easily among the children, and we do our best to avoid an outbreak. The school recommendations regarding lice states that if any nits are found the child will be immediately removed from class and sent home. Before returning to class, the child will be checked to see that there are no nits remaining.
From our experience we have learned that sick young children do not gain anything by attending school. They are much better off at home where they are most likely to get the necessary tender loving care they need for recovery. Keeping ill children at home also protects other children, their parents, siblings and the school staff.
If your child contracts a contagious disease such as strep throat or whooping cough, please notify the office as soon as possible so that we can notify all families your child may have come in contact with. If you choose to treat any illness without antibiotics, please keep your child home until you have a note from his pediatrician saying he is no longer contagious.
Medical Conditions
If your child has a known medical condition (vision/ hearing problems, asthma, diabetes, allergies, etc.) you must make the director and assistant aware of this condition and provide instructions explaining what to do if a problem should arise.
Children with special health care needs:
Children with special health care needs will have an individual plan that is developed with the child’s parents and a health care provider.
Medications:
Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School is not allowed to administer medications without parental signature, a prescription with permission from your child’s doctor and clear instructions indicating dosage and time of day.
Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School can administer “over the counter” topical ointments, lotions, and creams, and sprays. This includes sunscreen and insect repellent. However, we require written parental permission to administer these topical products. (Please sign Sunscreen form on the Application Forms page.)
Emergency Medications:
Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School will administer emergency medications for:
Severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock). The entire staff is trained and certified in administering an epinephrine auto injector (EPI-PEN)
Asthma (asthma inhalers and nebulizers)
Homeopathic medication
COVID Regulations
In responds to the Novel Coronavirus Covid 19 pandemic, Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School has implemented the COVID regulations and guidelines for healthy social distancing, cleaning, health monitoring, and staying safe.
Washing hands regularly
Practicing social distancing and avoiding close contact
Age-appropriate mask wearing, covering the mouth and nose
Disinfecting and cleaning our environment daily
Monitoring health and symptoms
School Site Specific Protection Plan
See the COVID-19 School Site Specific Protection Plan for Hummingbirds’ Collaborative School here, and the SSSPP certificate of completion here.