Glen Park Family Contract
Glen Park Montessori Family Contract
Policies and Procedures
Welcome to Glen Park Montessori Preschool! As a member of our family, your child will be presented with practices that will enhance their sense of wonder and awareness of the world around them. We encourage respect for the individual and for others at all times. This mindfulness is a foundation for each child’s life.
Please read and understand our principles and policies. If there is any portion that you do not understand or desire clarification on, please review the items with the Director. The initialed and signed copy of this contract will be kept on file and you will be given a copy for your records.
Our school encourages every child to flourish independently. Children derive great pride and joy with self-sufficiency. As the major contributor in your child’s development, it is beneficial and reinforcing that you extend our teachings and practices to the home. It is with the goal of consistency that we request our parents to help their children by modeling the following social behaviors:
WE:
* Always use Quiet voices inside the classroom.
° Have Quiet voices in hallways and Quiet feet on the stairways.
* Always use Respectful behavior.
* Clean up after our selves.
* Return the things we use to their proper places.
* Place our chairs under the table before leaving.
* Wash hands before every meal and snack.
* Show Respect for all life, including insects.
* Encourage children’s independence by allowing them to do what they can do for themselves.
* Maintain a peaceful environment and practice peace
Helpful Guidelines:
1. Information/Keeping in Touch
a) Please check the school notice board and your parent box daily
b) Please check your Parent cubby as well as your child’s for take-home art, fabulous creations and school communications.
c) Families also keep in touch via the Glen Park Parents Yahoo Group. Please be sure to sign up and enjoy the school community via the Internet. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpmpaents/join
tip: You will receive a copy of the school calendar and there is a copy posted on the school website.
2. Clothing/Bedding/Diapers
a) Please dress children in comfortable clothing and shoes. Their clothes must afford them the safety to run, move and play. Ensure that they are able to remove and put on all items by themselves. This usually means no belts, suspenders, overalls, etc.
tip: Your child’s name should be on the label of their clothing. Unidentified and/or abandoned clothing will be donated to charity.
b) If your child enjoys naps, a school approved sleeping mat, blanket and sheet will be provided. These will be provided on the first day of school. Our parents take their child’s sheets and blankets home for weekly laundering.
c) Children that do not nap will be provided a yoga mat for quiet time and yoga classes.
d) Biodegradable diapers will be provided by the school and billed to the parents (if applicable).
3. Peaceful Policy
a) A peaceful environment is maintained at Glen Park and we teach our children to practice peace. We do not allow toy guns or play weapons at the school or at any school functions.
b) Any form of pretend hurting or negative behavior, which may frighten another child is not permitted. Please explain to your child our policy before their first day. We encourage the use of this practice at home.
4. What Not to Bring to School
a) School is not the place for money- bills or coins.
b) Please leave small hair clips, toys and jewelry at home.
c) Glen Park is a fragrance-free environment. Please do not allow your children to wear perfumes or aftershave to school. Kindly avoid using scented laundry softeners when laundering school bedding and/or towels.
5. Arrival & Departure
a) Signing In and Out is required by State Licensing mandate. Please sign your child ‘IN’ in the morning and ‘OUT’ as you and your child leave. Please use full printed name and full signature. No initials please.
b) In the morning, please say good-bye to your child outside the front door. Every child is encouraged to come into the classroom independent of its parent(s).
c) A teacher will greet each child to insure a smooth transition is made from home to school.
If you are late:
In order not to disrupt the morning circle from 9:30 to 10:00 AM, please remain outside the classroom. After circle, you may then quietly enter the classroom and hand-over your child to the teacher.
6. Timeliness / Absence
a) The school must be notified by 8:30 AM if your child will be late or absent that day.
b) Written communication is required for extended missed days due to sickness, vacations, visiting relatives, etc.
c) Show your respect for your child and the school, by insuring you have your child’s belongings and are exiting the school by 1:00 or before 4:00. If your child attends the after-school program, exit by 5:30. Thank you.
tip: Once per month we close early for teacher’s meetings. Please make certain that you check the schedule or the website for these dates and arrange your schedule accordingly.
d) In the even another person is picking up your child; please notify the school in writing. Insure that this person is aware of the time frames.
e) If your child is to being picked up from school by another parent (play dates, etc.) written notification is required before we can release your child into their care.
f) You are required to call if you are detained by an emergency. Please note: traffic delays, working late, or poor management of your time are not considered emergencies. Families are encouraged to have an alternative plan with another school family or other family member in the even you cannot arrive on time.
tip: The bakery across the street is a fun and tasty location for parents and children alike to rendezvous.
7. Emergency
a) Family Emergency Information is the responsibility of each family. Please update your contact numbers with us immediately when changes are made.
b) For building evacuation (earthquakes, etc.) a notice will be posted on the front door of the school to notify parents of the children’s location.
c) We remain prepared with an emergency kit and monthly evacuation rehearsals.
8. Tuition
a) Tuition is due by the 25th of each month. If the 25th falls on a weekend, payment is due the preceding last day of attendance.
b) Tuition is due for the contracted schedule whether or not your child attends all days. Please be aware that this includes family vacations. Please pay prior to your vacation departure date, if applicable.
c) An eight (8) week written notice is required for the withdrawal of a child from our school program. This includes children who are graduating. Tuition will be due for the entire 8 week period should the child leave before the completion of the notification period.
d) Parent’s who submit checks to Glen Park Montessori that are returned for any reason will be charged a fee. The first infringement will be charged $25. The second returned check charge would be $50. And should there be a third, the Parent(s) will be required to pay all tuition and fees to Glen Park via Money Order or Bank Certified Check. Please put your child’s name on all of your checks and correspondence to the school.
9. Parent Contributions / Participation
a) There are 2 child review meetings with parents each year, in September and June. The school Director will schedule these. Any additional meetings may be scheduled as needed.
b) Parents are required to contribute 20 hours of work time for the school each year. Parents may sign up for a daily, weekly or monthly task(s) of your choosing. A work list is attached or you may join a parent team on ‘Parent Workdays’.
c) Families unable to contribute time will be invoiced for $350. Toward school maintenance and development.
That equates to $17.50 per hour for the 20-hour commitment. Payment for incomplete commitments will be invoiced and due with the June tuition.
d) Parent work hour sheets are in your enrollment packet. Please keep the form and update it as work is completed. Parent work sheets are due by May 25th each year.
e) Scheduled parent workdays are posted on the notice board and on the website. We appreciate your talents, time and energies very much. Thank you for assisting in the care of our school.
10. School Celebrations and Outings
a) Please be aware that at all school outings, fund raisings events and at special celebrations all of our school rules and policies apply.
b) On days when school Field Trips are scheduled, school will close at 1PM. This will be the rule even if some children have remained behind for morning classes and not participated in the Field Trip. Parents please make arrangements to have your child picked up by 1PM.
WE
* Always show Respect for people, places and things
* Hold hands when walking outside
* Sit down while eating
* Clean up after our selves
* Always use Quite voices on public transportation
* Require our parents to control and manage their own children on field trips
11. Food
a) We serve all wholesome food to our children for snacks and school lunches. This food is organic, sugar-free; contain no hydrogenated oils, no sodium nitrate or nitrites
b) Please notify the school if your child is vegetarian
c) Please notify the school upon enrolment if your child has any allergic reactions to specific food(s).
d) Kindly insure that any snacks or treats brought into the school are also organic, sugar-free, contain no hydrogenated oils, no sodium nitrate or nitrites, and please, NO nuts
12. Late Fees and Expenses
a) Tuition payments more than five (5) calendar days late will be charged a $50.00 late fee
b) Parents will be charged a late fee of $15 for each 5-minute period beyond pick up time for their child whether picked up by parent, guardian or substitute pick-up person
c) All late fees are due and payable upon receipt of invoice
d) If we are unable to reach either parent with a 30-minute period of an emergency as a result of inaccurate numbers or turned-off cell phones, etc., you will be fined $100. For the wellbeing of your child it is imperative that at least one parent is always available for contact.
e) In addition to safety concerns, we are liable for fines by State Licensing if sign-in/out sheets are found to be inaccurate. Parents who neglect to sign their children out at the end of the day must do so at the opening (8:30 AM) of school the following day. Should a fine result from a parent’s negligence, that fine will be conferred upon the respective parent.
f) Expenses incurred for the school must be approved by the Director, in writing, in advance of the expenditure. Failure to accomplish this step may result in non-reimbursement
13. Behavior / Termination
a) In order to address the rare instance of inappropriate aggressive behavior, our policy regarding intentional hurting on the part of any child is as follows:
* First time offense: Parents will be called to take child home
* Second: Child will be sent home and a parent conference will be arranged to develop a strategy to alter the behavior
* Third: Child will be sent home and asked to leave the program
b) Disrespectful or inappropriate language or behavior by a parent or guardian will be grounds for immediate dismissal of your child from school
Terms of possible termination
Failure to supply all required documents
Failure to pay tuition/fees on time
Failure to comply with school rules
Failure to comply with school recommendations
Failure to accurately (honestly) record your sign-out times
c) To insure that our nurturing and learning environment is fully embraced by each child, a first day, first week and then a first month behavioral evaluation will be completed. After concerted effort by school staff and parents alike, on the rare occasion when a child is not best suited to Glen Part or cannot fit in with the children already entrusted into the school’s care, the child will be asked to leave. This may happen at any time during the first month, at the discretion of the school Director
14. Agreements
a) A notice of 30 days will be given prior to any rate or fee change
b) Rights of Community Care: Community Care may at any time inspect the school premises, children’s records and staff records.
c) Sick child policy and administration of medication: A child may be sent home if showing obvious signs of illness: fever, persistent cough, and/or inability to participate in the usual activities of the day. Should your child have a fever or be vomiting, your child must remain at home until he/she is fever-free and vomit free for a minimum of a 24-hour period before returning to school. We insist upon this policy for the protection of your child and the remaining students and staff
Dispute Resolution:
Parent /Guardian (henceforth referred to as ‘Client’), Client and Glen Park Montessori agree that should a dispute arise regarding any aspect of this agreement, they will attempt to resolve and settle agreement dispute by voluntary nonbinding mediation before resorting to arbitration.
Client/s and Glen Park Montessori agree that should a dispute arise which relates to or concerns the subject matter of this agreement, or any work performed by Glen Park Montessori or its staff on behalf of client, or any matter related to the relationship between client and Glen Park Montessori, they will, should mediation fail to resolve the dispute, submit the matter to binding arbitration in accordance with the arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association, to be decided by a single arbitrator.
By signing below, the Client and Glen Park Montessori agree to give up their rights to have disputes between them resolved by court of jury trial, with the exception of collection actions brought by the Glen Park Montessori for collection of unpaid fees and agree to have disputes resolved by binding arbitration conducted by the American Arbitration Association in San Francisco, Ca. Court actions for the collection of unpaid fees due and owing to Glen Park Montessori form client(s) are exempted form this arbitration agreement as are collection actions by client to recover overpayment of fees. Venue for any such collection actions shall be San Francisco County, regardless of where work was performed, client residence, or contract signed. Client also acknowledges that he/she has declined to have this clause reviewed by an independent attorney.
In accepting enrollment with Glen Park Montessori Preschool you are agreeing to abide by the Family Contract, Policies and Procedures outlined above. Thank you.
Permissions and Agreements
Photographs of my child may be used for school advertising purposes.
I Will_____ Will not_____ (initial one) allow my child’s image and/or voice to be used in video footage for student and/or parent educational purposes.
First number to call in an emergency: ___________________________________
Second number to call in an emergency: _________________________________
My child (name)____________________________________________________
Will attend school on: _______________________________ (ie: Mon-Fri or Mon-Thurs)
Drop off time: _____________________ Pick up time: _____________________
I give my permission for my child to go on field trips and to travel by public transportation.
Sign here please ____________________________________________________
I have read and fully understand the Policies and Practices of Glen Park Montessori School and agree to abide by them.
Parent/Guardian Signature____________________________________________
Email Address______________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature____________________________________________
Email Address______________________________________________________
Glen Park Montessori Federal Tax ID: 943353522
GPM 11 6/09