Once inside the classroom, “quiet time” should be planned so children can wind down from the day, families can pick them up in a more relaxed environment, and teachers can begin to clean up the classroom.
Suggested quiet time activities are circle time, reading, puzzles, pegs, or table activities. Give children choices that help them with the transition.
PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
We ask families to arrive on time at the end of the day. We encourage parents to come early enough to allow time for visiting before their child’s scheduled departure time. When picking up, parents have been advised to:
Connect with the teacher in the classroom, letting you know they are picking up.
Check cubby for artwork or projects, notices, or correspondence from the center.
Take any refrigerated food (even unused), lunch boxes, bottles, etc.
Remain with their child, supervising their safety and following classroom rules, until they both leave the premises. They should not let their child leave the classroom or building without them.
EDUCATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Every staff member should be familiar with each child’s pickup time, and each family’s pickup style. Parents need to inform you when they pick up their child. Remind them to supervise and stay with their children until they leave the premises.
COMPLETELY fill out daily info electronically for each child and prepare any paperwork for parents.
Morning staff must brief afternoon staff, so they can inform parents at the end of the day.
Check children’s belongings prior to pickup to avoid any missing bottles, cups, socks, blankets, clothing, etc.
Make sure any mark or scratch on a child has an Injury Report documenting it, whether the injury was witnessed or not. Morning staff must inform afternoon staff about an injury so they can communicate it to the family.
Greet the parent or authorized pickup, and give a summary of the child’s day, including the child’s mood, eating, toileting, and nap. Tell at least one positive story about the child’s day.
Remind families to take artwork, paperwork, and all unconsumed bottles, cups, and food.
Make sure parents take home all sleeping supplies for washing on the last scheduled day of the week.
Mark the child’s departure time on the classroom attendance sheet and adjust the head count. Make sure each educator in the classroom knows the number of children in their care at all times.
EXTENDED DAY
In some sites, we have an extended day option after 5:00 p.m. for an additional fee. Children who stay after 5 p.m. should be grouped together regardless of age. Bring all the children’s belongings into the designated extended day classroom at 5 p.m. Parents are responsible for picking the children up from the classroom and letting the teacher know they are leaving.
AUTHORIZED PICKUP
We cannot overstate the importance of making sure that a child is picked up by an authorized person. All employees must know this policy and follow it without exception.
If a person other than a parent or guardian is picking up, they must be listed as an Authorized Pickup on the child’s Information Sheet or have a written (note, email, fax) note of authorization from the parent. Under no circumstances can we release a child to a person who does not have written authorization, even if the child and a staff member are familiar with the person. This includes First Circle staff or parents of other First Circle children. When in doubt, consult with Administration.
Before releasing a child to someone unfamiliar to you (including parents), educators must obtain a picture ID to make sure it matches the Information Sheet or note. If another staff person can identify the person, the photo ID match is not required.
Educators should not allow themselves to be intimidated, hurried, or bullied by anyone attempting to pick up a child, regardless of their relationship to the child. If you are not 100% certain that the person is authorized to pick up, you may not release the child to this person and must seek immediate assistance from an Administrator.
Staff at First Circle have their own responsibilities in the classroom. Therefore, only staff who are not scheduled to work until closing can be an alternate pickup.
All rules for pickup and dropoff also apply to staff members’ own children at First Circle, or staff members picking up or dropping off other children.
LATE PICKUP
If children are still in attendance after closing, a teacher will be asked to stay with a member of Administration until the last parent picks up. The teacher must complete a Late Pickup form for the family when they arrive to pick up their child. The form outlines the time and fee that will be charged. Families are not charged for the first time they are late, although you should still submit a form. Families who arrive after closing are charged a late fee of $1.00 per minute per child; the fee is determined by the time they leave First Circle. The late fee is paid directly to the teacher and can either be paid directly at the time of pickup or included with their next tuition payment. Teachers are paid their regular hourly rate (minus taxes) for their time with the next paycheck.
When families arrive late to pick up children who are scheduled to depart at 3:00 or 4:00 p.m., the same procedure applies; however, late fees are not paid to the staff member. They are given to the classroom budget if the fee exceeds $20.00.
CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS
Parenting arrangements can change over time. If the legal custody status of a child enrolled at First Circle is changed by court order, parents must give us a copy of legal documents immediately. We cannot withhold release of a child to their parent without legal documentation.
Once official custodial papers are obtained, we will work with parents to develop a plan to comply with the legal requirements. All administrators, front office staff, and the child’s teachers will be informed of the custody change. If a parent legally loses custody of a child, steps will immediately be taken to revoke the non-authorized parent’s access to the center.
SAFE TRANSPORT
Children need to be transported safely. Use of drugs or alcohol or the lack of use of an appropriate car seat can create an unsafe transportation situation. If you are concerned that a child cannot be safely transported, you must immediately let Admin know. We will not release the child to the individual and will contact an alternate pickup person instead.