Parents Handbook

NAEYC accredited since 1993

Revised April 2010


MISSION STATEMENT

Through a partnership with parents and a highly qualified staff, we provide a safe, nurturing environment that meets young children’s unique developmental needs and values family traditions.

WELCOME

The Board of Directors and the Staff of Just Plane Kids would like to welcome you and your child to Just Plane Kids. We hope that all of your experiences with us are happy ones. If you are ever unhappy with our care, please notify us and we will attempt to rectify the situation.
Just Plane Kids is a non-profit childcare center run by the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles ARTCC Child Care Association, Inc. When a board position is vacated, the board will solicit volunteers.
Just Plane Kids was granted accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, March 29, 2002. This prestigious recognition has been achieved by approximately 7% of early childhood programs nationwide. We are one of only two childcare centers in the Antelope Valley that are accredited by NAEYC. NAEYC accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process by which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence.
The heart of NAEYC accreditation focuses on the child’s experience. The greatest emphasis is on the children’s relationships with the staff and how the program helps each child grow and learn intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Just Plane Kids is an organization, which values the children in our care, their parents and our employees. We continually strive to earn the trust placed in us while ensuring the quality childhood each child deserves and have made a commitment to excellence for our children and their families.

PHILISOPHY OF JUST PLANE KIDS

We see the child as an individual, a complex human being. Each child is unique and must be given the opportunity to learn and grow at his or her own rate. We believe that physical and emotional well-being is absolutely fundamental to the healthy growth of each child, including children with special abilities. We see teachers as facilitators and believe that they are in the classroom to offer guidance and experiences.
We believe in educating the whole child in an open classroom environment. Children are free to move about the room from center to center, so that they may choose the experience they would most like to explore. We believe that learning must be based on actual experience and participation. Play is the medium used by children to translate experience to meaningful learning.
The staff of Just Plane Kids believes that children need time to be children. They need time to be themselves. As teachers we offer rich, age appropriate learning opportunities combined with enough time for children to enjoy and experience those opportunities to the fullest.

SECURITY

Just Plane Kids is located on federal property at the Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (FAA, LA ARTCC). New parents have been comforted by the fact that they can view their child without them knowing; it’s reassuring to see that first-day anxieties are easily resolved in the classrooms. You may also listen through the intercom to what is happening in the classrooms. Security guards are located just outside our fence, 24 hours a day, and are available anytime in case of any incident.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

It is very important for Just Plane Kids to have all emergency information on file and current. The staff must be able to contact a parent or alternate adult in case of an emergency situation. Parents whose children are transported to and from school must make sure that the schools have Just Plane Kids listed on their emergency cards at school.
We ask that you do not call the school in the case of a major natural disaster. The phone lines will be needed for outgoing calls. Please do not enter and take your child under these circumstances. We will release the children one at a time through the normal sign-out procedures. This should eliminate any panic and disorder. Please realize we understand your concerns for your child, and we will reunite you as soon as possible. We will not release your child to anyone not listed on his/her emergency form.
State law requires that you sign your child in when seeing them off and sign them out when leaving. No one under the age of 18 is allowed to sign siblings out. All sign in/out books are located at the front desk. Your child will not be released to anyone not given written authorization by the parent in advance. In case of an emergency, anyone not on the emergency list will need proper picture identification to receive children in our care.

TUITION/REGISTRATION

Registration/association membership fees are due every August 15th for the following school year. Tuition is due in advance, either monthly, bimonthly or weekly. If you use drop-in care, tuition is due at the time of service.

DROP-IN CARE

Drop-in care will be available on a space-available basis and you must schedule drop-in care 24 hours in advance. If your child attends full time, we request that you call and let us know if your child will not be attending (each day) so that the space may be used for a drop-in child, if necessary. It is important that parents adhere to the original contracted schedule. This allows us to stay within our child/teacher ratios and know if a class in question can accommodate a drop-in child. Drop-in care should always be available at night and on weekends.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Just Plane Kids will be open 12 months a year, seven days a week, from 5:45 to midnight. We will be closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. We will close at 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

MEALS

Meals are provided to the children attending Just Plane Kids at no additional cost. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are served. Menus are designed to include items from each of the four food groups. Presently, we have a four-week rotating food menu. Menus are posted in the center on the Parent Information Board. They are also available upon request. If your child has special dietary needs, we will do our best to accommodate them. Food from outside of our facility will not be allowed.

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS

A health form, including a physical and immunization records, must be on file with us before your child’s first day of attendance, unless your child is enrolled in a public or private school. If your child has symptoms of illness during the day, he/she will remain in the isolation room. If this happens, you will be asked to pick up your child immediately so that other children are not exposed to your child’s illness. As parents, we understand the difficulties that can arise when your child is ill. We realize many employers are not sympathetic when this occurs. Therefore, it is very important that you have alternate arrangements when your child is ill. Just Plane Kids is not licensed to care for ill children. You are asked to keep your child home if:
He/she has a fever or has had one in the last 24 hours.
He/she has a heavy nasal (green) discharge.
He/she has a constant cough.
Is in the first 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.
He/she has symptoms of a possible communicable disease.

MEDICATION

Just Plane Kids can administer medicine under the following conditions:
Medication must be in the original container with the original label from the pharmacy.
Written instructions from the physician.
A completed Just Plane Kids medication form.
We will NOT give over-the-counter medications (Tylenol, Advil, Triaminic etc.). State licensing will not allow us to give these medications. If a child requires a fever-reducing medication, that child should remain at home.

POTTY TRAINING

Learning to use the toilet is a milestone on the child’s road to autonomy. This learning is done in conjunction with the child’s parents. We respect the parents’ values and philosophy and make every effort to honor their wishes. It is critical that both caregivers and parents develop a plan that can be carried out both at home and at school. Mixed messages to children are very confusing and impede the process. We believe that the child has to be ready physically (have the bladder capacity and muscle control), cognitively (be fully aware of what is expected), and emotionally (be ready to comfortably give up the diaper process). Teachers will observe and wait for the child to given them clues and, when the moment is right, supports the child’s desire to use the toilet.

DISCIPLINE

Just Plane Kids employs positive guidance strategies. Techniques include communicating clear goals with vocabulary the child can understand; providing an environment that sets limits and boundaries; respecting the child and his feelings, rights and possessions; withdrawing from any power struggles; setting up logical/natural consequences and focusing on positive reinforcements, highlighting what the child does that is right.
The goal of positive guidance is to help children learn what is acceptable and to live cooperatively with others—to learn self-discipline and to be intrinsically motivated to value accepted behaviors. Teachers redirect the children whenever possible and provide more than one choice for children.
Just Plane Kids’ child discipline policy also allows children to work out their problems and provide understanding and help for the younger children to use their words. Teachers help them understand and express their feelings in acceptable ways such as modeling, providing soothing activities, reminding children to use their words and redirecting children rather than “time-out.”

CLOTHING

Please remember, if your child is attending preschool, he/she needs to be dressed for play. Your child will be painting, gluing, and participating in various other fun activities that may cause him/her to get dirty. Please make sure your child always has extra clothing in their cubbies, and have them labeled with their names. Just Plane Kids does not provide extra clothing for children in case of accidents or otherwise soiled clothing. If your child is being potty trained, it is essential to have extra clothing on hand.

PERSONAL ITEMS (TOYS)

Children are not encouraged to bring toys, books and other items that are dear to them with the exception of the first week or so to help with any separating anxieties that may occur during the transition period. If an item is brought to school, we will not be responsible if it is lost or destroyed.

BIRTHDAYS

A child’s birthday is his/her special day. We will celebrate your child’s birthday during class if you wish us to do so. We ask that all food items be store-bought only.

VACATIONS

Each child is allowed one week of unpaid vacation. Vacation may not be taken a day at a time. Vacations must be scheduled two weeks in advance to receive credit.

CHANGE OF SCHEDULE/WITHDRAWL

As stated in the parent contract that all Just Plane Kids families receive at time of enrollment, two weeks advance notice is required for any schedule change or withdrawal from the Center. Without prior notice, parents will continue to be billed as their child’s position is still secured. Advance notice allows the center to enroll other children for particular classes and gives your child, their friends and teachers time to say goodbye or to adjust to a new schedule.