first circle learning centers | parents handbook | arrival + departure
Parents are responsible for bringing children into the classroom and letting the teacher know they’ve arrived. They are also responsible for their child’s safety and supervision until they exit the classroom. For safety, parents cannot leave a child at First Circle:
A child’s temperament affects how they transition into the classroom, and drop-off can be challenging for some. Rest assured, difficulty at drop-off doesn’t mean your child is unhappy during the day—it usually improves with time.
To ease transitions:
Handle departures positively—be upbeat, say goodbye rather than sneaking away, and reassure your child about their day. If needed, call for updates anytime, especially after a difficult drop-off. Our staff is always here to support you and your child through the transition.
Massachusetts state law prohibits idling of automobiles, so please do not leave your car idling. Also, do not leave any children unattended in your vehicle, no matter how briefly!
First Circle promotes a safe learning and working environment for all children, staff, faculty, and visitors, and as such does not allow smoking on or around the premises. We also strictly prohibit any weapons in our building at any time, including firearms, ammunition, and any other object that could reasonably be perceived as a weapon. This policy also applies to any person legally licensed to carry open or concealed weapons (excluding law enforcement acting in their official capacity).
First Circle offers an early drop-off option at an additional charge [please see Program Information packet]. Children who arrive before 8:00 a.m. are grouped with other children within the same program. Parents are responsible for bringing children into the opening classroom and letting the teacher know they’ve arrived.
If your child will be absent or will arrive later than their scheduled time, EEC regulations require that you inform us as early in the day as possible, either by calling the center or by notifying us electronically. When you call, please let us know if there are any contagious health issues we should be aware of. If your child has not arrived and we have not heard from you, we will contact you to confirm your child is absent.
Please make it a priority to arrive on time at the end of the day. Your child’s caregivers, like everyone else, have family, appointments, and errands to get to. We encourage parents to come early enough to allow sufficient time for visiting before your child’s scheduled departure time. When picking up your child, please ensure you:
Families who arrive to pick-up within 10 minutes after the center closes are charged a late fee at the rate of $10.00 per child, and $5.00 per minute per child after that; the fee is determined by the time the family leaves First Circle for the day. Children who are still in attendance after closing stay with a teacher and a member of administration until the parent arrives. The teacher will give you a Late Pick-Up form when you arrive that outlines the time and fee that will be charged. Families are not charged for the first time they are late. The late fee is added to the next tuition payment and is paid directly to the teacher. The same procedure applies to families who arrive late to pick up children who are scheduled to depart at 3:00 or 4:00 p.m.
In the event that no one arrives to pick up the child, we will call the parents first; if we are unable to reach a parent, we’ll call an emergency contact. A teacher who knows the child and an administrator will wait for the child to be picked up.
In order to keep your child safe, First Circle will only release a child to parents or guardians, or those indicated on the child’s Enrollment Packet, or persons authorized in writing beforehand by the child’s parents or guardians.
We understand that parenting arrangements can change over time. Should the legal custody status of a child enrolled at First Circle be changed by court order, we must receive 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 method of access to the center.
On the enrollment form and each year on the reregistration form, we ask for the names and contact information for all persons who are authorized to pick-up your child on a regular basis. The Authorized Pick-up person can pick up a child with or without prior notification from parents. Parents/guardians must inform First Circle (call or leave a note at drop off) of the name of the person who is picking up their child on any day when they themselves are not. The “Authorized Pick-Up Person” must be at least 18 years old and may be asked to provide a photo ID to the staff. We must be notified in writing if you wish to change or remove people designated as Authorized Pick-up. In case of an emergency where neither parent/guardian can be reached, we need at least two emergency contacts within 50 miles who can pick up your child.
Our first responsibility is to protect the health and safety of the children in our care. When children are dropped off and picked up, they need to be transported safely. Drugs, alcohol, or the lack of an appropriate car seat creates an unsafe transportation situation for children. If we are concerned that a child cannot be safely transported, we will not release the child to the individual and will contact an authorized pick-up person instead.
Face-to-face communication between families and educators most often happens at drop off and pick up times. We strongly encourage you to make use of these opportunities to build the home-school connection. We use an online program called Playground for daily communication with families. In our classroom management program, you can leave notes for your child’s teachers regarding attendance, any changes in patterns or schedules at home, and any other information that can help us best support your child. In the infant and toddler programs, you will fill out specific information regarding your child’s wake-up time, last diaper change, and last bottle/meal prior to drop-off. Throughout the day, the teachers will log the times of your child’s nap(s), bottles, snacks, meals, and diaper changes. Then, at the end of each school day, you’ll receive an email with all of this information as well as the day’s curriculum and activities. Preschool, pre-k, and k-prep families will receive an email noting the curriculum and activities for that day, as well as any special notes or information specific to the classroom.