TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ3

VISIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ4

CLASS PROGRAMÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.É5

AGE GROUPINGSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.É5

OUR DAILY ACTIVITIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ6-7

BEGINNING YOUR JOURNEY AT 1

CLASSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.8

ORIENTATION/TRANSITION - FIRST DAYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.8

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENTÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.8

COMMUNICATION DURING THE FIRST WEEKÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.8

CHILD GUIDANCE POLICYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.9

OUT OF SCHOOL CARE - CHILD GUIDANCEÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.10

PROGRAMMING POLICYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..É.11-12

CHILD INVOLVEMENT POLICYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ13

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.13

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT/COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ14

CLASS CHILDCARE STAFFÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ15

SELF-REGULATION AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOURÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉ15

CODE OF ETHICS - FOR CHILD CARE PRACTITIONERSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉ.16

INCLUSION & ANTI-BIAS POLICYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉ16

COMMUNICATION - KEY CONTACTSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉ..17

PARENT/GUARDIAN COMMUNICATION, FEEDBACK AND INPUTÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉ18

CANADIAN ANTI-SPAM LEGISLATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉ..19

UPDATING YOUR CONTACT INFORMATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..19

ENROLMENT POLICIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉ..20

TUITION, ASSOCIATED FEES & PAYMENT TERMSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ21-22

GENERAL SUBSIDY & AFFORDABILITY GRANT INFORMATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ23-24

HEALTH & WELLNESSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..25-28

MEALS AND SNACKSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ25

HEALTH AND SAFETYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..25

ILLNESSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.25

OUTBREAK OF ILLNESSESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ26

COMMON ILLNESSESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉ..27

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINEÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉ.28

INCIDENT/ACCIDENT REPORTINGÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉ.28

KEY POLICIES - ARRIVAL AND DEPARTUREÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉ.29

INDOOR & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉ..É30

TRANSPORTATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉ.31

GENERAL CORPORATE POLICIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉ32-35

EMERGENCY POLICIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉ..35

INCLEMENT WEATHER/NATURAL DISASTERS/EMERGENCIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉ36

EVACUATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉ..36

SECURITY THREATS AND LOCKDOWNSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ36

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ37

COMMUNICATION DURING EMERGENCIESÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉ..37

CLASSÕS CORPORATE STANDARD LICENSING AND PROVINCIAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.38

LEGAL REQUIREMENTSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.É..39-40

SMOKE-FREE, DRUG-FREE AND ALCOHOL-FREE ENVIRONMENTÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉ..39

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATIONÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..39

CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉÉ39

MANDATED REPORTING OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECTÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..39

TERMINATION OF CAREÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉ..40

FORMSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉ.ÉÉ.É.41

INTRODUCTION

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to 1

Class!

There is no greater trust one can give another than to care for their children. Every decision,

plan and our entire program is based on building and keeping this trust with our families. It

takes a village to raise a child and we want to be and integral part of the village and the

community of our families and schools.

Our Vision

To create a fun, innovative, creative and safe environment to develop the Òwhole childÓ,

intellectually, socially, cognitively and physically. We will engage children to learn through play,

exploring, experimenting and one another. Providing them with a sense of security, belonging and

self, while being a part of a classroom of caring and respect.

Purpose

We are a licensed childcare provider, as we strive to not only meet but exceed all guidelines for

the childcare industry. We are not the closest proximity provider to many of our families but

have been the provider of choice for most families in the area. We offer the highest level of

care by the most qualified and experienced staff at the most affordable price in the community.

We are driven by pride in our program and not profit which has created the loyalty and trust

we are so grateful to have within the communities we have programs.

Each year, 1

Class reviews and revises the guidelines and policies outlined in the handbook to

ensure our childcare standards continue to meet or exceed the requirements set up by our

licensing bodies.

Our team at 1

Class endeavours to achieve the highest quality care for your child. Please feel

free to contact our Program/Centre Director on any matter regarding your child or the Program.

If you would like further information about our Programs or 1

Class, please do not hesitate to

your family.

Sincerely,

Anita Barron

VISION

To create a fun, innovative, creative and safe environment to develop the Òwhole childÓ.

Intellectually, socially, cognitively and physically. We will engage children to learn through play,

exploring, experimenting and investigating the world around them. Providing them with a sense

of security, belonging and self, while being part of a community of caring and respecting others.

Your child will benefit from our age appropriate, professional and well thought out curriculum,

designed to establish a strong skill base and love of learning.

Our learning environment is play-based, which supports our children to discover new concepts,

uncover hidden mysteries and imagine new possibilities, all while allowing them to learn at their

own pace. Early learning enables children to develop the confidence to tackle problems, overcome

obstacles and succeed. We understand the impact quality education can have on young children

and are committed to fulfilling a high level of excellence within our Programs. The core of that

excellence begins with our educators who are trained and qualified to provide a superior level

of instruction and teaching.

MIGHTY LEARNERS

The 1

Class environment encourages a childÕs individuality, creativity and exploration. We help

develop childrenÕs social, emotional and physical needs as they grow, develop and mature

throughout their journey. We promote freedom and independence while emphasizing the

importance of teamwork and social skills.

Our program plans are centred around the children, which means 1

Class Educators closely

observe your childÕs interests and skills, encourage independence and expanding their play options

at a pace that challenges but does not overwhelm your child.

As qualified professionals, 1

Class Educators are

experts at being flexible and modifying program plans

to the needs and interests of the children. We

celebrate differences and emphasize inclusion, while

maintaining a strong sense of connection within the

communities we serve. 1

Class demonstrates and

practices respect in our Programs and classrooms, for

each other and our families, while always representing

a commitment to our values.

THE 1

CLASS PROGRAM

Class offers a wide variety of developmentally appropriate programs for children with a

blended approach combining a learn through play philosophy with a curriculum that is focused

on broad holistic goals rather than specific outcomes. This includes lots of physical activities,

introduction to new experiences and curriculum with supporting materials and activities while

also incorporating childrenÕs experiences with their families and community into our environment

and curriculum.

AGE GROUPINGS

Program spaces may be divided into the following groups OR children may be in combined age

groupings:

- Infants - Junior Preschoolers

Toddlers - Junior Kindergarten

Preschoolers - Kindergarten

- School aged

Each educator brings individual skills and experiences that enhance their unique teaching style,

therefore variations within rooms will occur. Our programs/centres have a clear set of goals

based on current early childhood education theories, practices, and curriculum, which forms the

basis of each classroomÕs programming.

OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES

Books and Literacy: Books allow children to enter a world of Òmake believeÓ, learn about new

and exciting things, and gain an understanding of the function and purpose of the written

language. A wide selection of books and a quiet place for reading fosters a love of literature.

Puzzles and Manipulatives: Small muscles in the hand are developed while handling and

positioning puzzle pieces. The recognition of shape and pattern needed to complete puzzles are

an important pre-reading and pre-writing skill.

Blocks and Floor Toys: Manipulation of blocks (stacking, balancing, arranging and lifting) helps

children develop gross motor and fine motor skills needed to develop the pincer grip. Blocks

provide opportunities for expressing creativity, developing problem solving skills and familiarity

with size, weight and shape.

Group Time: Group time is an important part of the classroomÕs routine. It is a time for story

and language development, music and movement activities, and other varied learning experiences.

Dramatic Play: Our programs all have a pretend and learn area devoted to developing a childÕs

sense of Òmake believeÓ. Dramatic play and social interactions begin here but are not confined

to this space. Dramatic play grows from the experiences of the children and is a meaningful way

for children to share both experiences and knowledge of the world.

Sensory Play: Sensory activities allow children to play and explore materials with all their

senses. Children develop in all learning domains as they explore, create, and play with these

materials. Some materials you might find at the sensory table include sand, water, play dough

or cornstarch goop.

Music & Movement: Music time is an important and fun part of the childrenÕs day. As children

move and sing, they breathe more deeply delivering more oxygen to the brain. Music enhances

mood, memory and attention, our educators incorporate various activities including movement and

sing along to the program. Research believes that music rhythms, patterns, contact and varying

tonalities are a powerful way to present information to children.

OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES

Creativity: Children are free to explore various art and collage materials in this area. The

children are encouraged to express themselves through different mediums with the focus on the

process rather than the product.

Outdoor Play:

Outdoor play develops gross motor skills such as climbing, running, jumping and

throwing. Children cannot develop the fine motor skills required for writing before the large

muscles of the arms are developed. Outdoor activities develop spacial and body awareness.

Children experience what it is like to fly through the air when they jump, what it means to go

under, around, through and over. A full knowledge of where they are in relation to the other

objects and what they can do is essential before children can begin to be in full control of their

body. Ball games teach children to throw, kick, roll or bat at targets. Hand-eye coordination is

an essential skill developed through these activities.

Cultural Activities: Our program at 1

Class is planned to encourage the childrenÕs understanding

of and involvement in the broader community. The program includes various ethnic and cultural

activities. Cultural pictures, manipulative toys, books, dolls, dress up clothes and music are

incorporated to develop an awareness of the variety of cultures which exist in our society.

Loose Parts: Loose parts are open-ended materials that can be arranged, re-arranged and

combined in many ways. The loose parts can include items from nature such as cardboard boxes,

sticks, rocks and seashells or synthetic items. Children are free to choose and create with any

combination of materials. Loose parts allow for creative expression, imagination, risk taking, an

understanding of cause and effect and problem solving.

Inter-Curricular Programs: Music and fitness programs are provided as an important part of

our programming. These are inclusive programs facilitated through 1

Class for a small activity

fee where 1

Class will also pay a portion. The programs are taught by professional instructors

that have been trained in the various disciplines.

Science and Nature: Science and nature programming is an integral part of the classroom and

offers hands-on learning. The nature and science learning centres include a variety of science

tools, materials, and collections for children to explore and investigate. The materials in the

classroom are chosen to support science concepts being explored based on childrenÕs interest and

concern for our environment.

Extracurricular Programs: 1

Class offers a variety of active activities in our program and

centres as most of our programs and centres have their own dedicated gyms and or physical

activity areas. These options range from dance, gymnastics and multi-sports classes. These

programs are offered to engage your childÕs mind and body during their day, providing an

opportunity for them to meet children with similar interests, while freeing up valuable time in

the evening and on weekends to spend with the family.

BEGINNING YOUR JOURNEY AT 1

CLASS

Orientation/Transition

Our Programs provide opportunities for transition into the program to allow children to be

gradually introduced to become familiar with the classroom routines, activities, program personnel

and their peers. This experience is an essential part of ensuring that your child is comfortable

during their first week of care. Orientation sessions are held based on availability, with parents

booking prior to registration. Parents are required to stay on site as the child is not yet

registered to the program.

FIRST DAY: What to Bring

- Indoor shoes - Lunch and Water Bottle

- Diapers and wipes (if needed) - Bottles and milk (if needed)

- Spare clothing - Weather appropriate clothing

- Hat and sunscreen - Medication and Medication form (if required)

DO NOT Bring

- Toys from home - Cell Phones and Electronic Devices

Social and Behavioural Development

Class wants to help you provide the best start to your childÕs transition into our programs.

Children are individuals. This means that their skills and behaviours vary from one child to

another, and according to age. After registration, we ask that you complete the 1

Class Social

and Behavioural questionnaire attached on the last page of this handbook. This is to help us

understand your childÕs skills and development and allows our educators to create an environment

that supports their skills, interests and developmental needs.

When you receive the handbook, we ask that you complete the questions and return to the

Program within 10 days. The questionnaire will include questions about your childÕs ability to

establish rewarding relationships with others, development of proactive behaviours and an

additional information section of your childÕs strengths and interests. The staff will use this

information in identifying your childÕs strengths and if there are any areas of concern where

extra support is needed. If the questionnaire shows that you have no concerns, we will provide

some activities designed to encourage and support your childÕs development and skills.

Communication During the First Week

Our childcare educators understand that it is difficult for parents/guardians to leave their child

for the first time and encourage parents/guardians to call throughout the day to check on their

childÕs progress.

For our infants and toddlers, educators will fill in a daily report each day that will arrive to

your email when your child is signed out at pick up. Daily reports will let you know how your

child slept, times of diaper changes and about some of the activities they participated in

throughout the day. A picture may be included but may not be available every day.

CHILD GUIDANCE POLICY

Class encourages a child guidance policy in which each child is responsible for his/her own

behaviour. Our goal is to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome while in the care of the

program. These guidelines are simply to keep our goals in order and to ensure that rules are

followed, and that each child always remains respected and respectful to each other and to the

leaders of the program. Our child guidance procedures include:

• Reminding children what behaviour is appropriate/inappropriate.

• Discussing with the children the consequences of inappropriate behaviours (i.e. safety concerns,

respecting the rights and feelings of others, hurting others, etc.).

• Redirection by offering other safe choices mutually accepted by the educator and child which

also lets children determine the choices, where possible.

• ÒTime to thinkÓ not to exceed 5 minutes to allow the child quiet time to consider their

behaviour or situation. The child will be encouraged to express his/her thoughts verbally or

on paper and discuss it with the program staff, who will help talk them through the situation.

• If repeated inappropriate behaviours occur, parents will be notified to discuss behaviours and

goals will be made to assist the child(ren) and prevent further inappropriate behaviours or

incidents.

All incidents will be recorded and kept in the childÕs file on the premises. Parents are welcome

to view their childÕs file at any time during program hours. Minor incidents will be dealt with by

the staff in charge. It is the staffÕs responsibility to intervene and assign consequences that

may be warranted from the list above. For major incidents, the Director will be involved, and

parents will be required to sign an incident report form. If there are multiple incidents that

threaten the safety of the child, other children and staff, 1

Class may have to terminate

childcare.

Any child disciplinary action taken will be reasonable in circumstance. Physical punishment, verbal

or physical degradation or emotional deprivation will not be allowed nor tolerated. The program

will not deny or threaten to deny any basic necessity, i.e. snack, food, etc. The program will not

use or permit the use of any form of physical restraint, confinement or isolation at any time.

The child as well as the parents/guardians, will have input into the consequences for the

behaviour. The child guidance policy is signed by each parent/guardian and educator that is

responsible for the care of the children. For more details about our child guidance policies and

procedures, please contact your Program or Centre Director.

OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAM - CHILD GUIDANCE

When inappropriate behaviours occur, a child needs to be stopped or redirected, the following

intervention methods may be used:

• The child will be offered a choice of appropriate alternate activities. The adult will encourage

the child to become interested and settled in the new experience. The children will be

encouraged to use self-discipline, self-control and problem-solving skills. The educators will

calmly discuss with the children how they feel and what would be the appropriate behaviour

expected.

• Discipline procedures will first be handled by the educator on hand. If assistance is required,

the Program Director will be consulted. If the educator believes the situation to be of a

reoccurring nature, the parent/guardians will be notified of their childÕs behaviour.

• Should a child continue behaviour to the point where a child is physically, emotionally or

verbally abusive to other children and educators, strategies to help behaviour and possible

dismissal if behaviour continues will be discussed with the parent/guardian and the Program

Director.

• Discipline will not result in the mistreatment of children such as physical or mental punishment.

All disciplinary action will be age appropriate. The goal of the discipline policy is to encourage

self-esteem and self-control. We encourage school-age children and parent/guardians to

develop consequences for behaviour.

• At the beginning of the school year, a group meeting is held with all the children in the

program to go over the rules of the program. If problems do arise within the group, the

educator will sit down and discuss the problem with the children and how they can resolve it.

If the problem is more specific and involves only on or two children, then they will be reminded

of the guidance policy and talked to about the consequences of their behaviour.

• Whenever guidelines and rules are broken an incident report is filled out and must be signed

by the parent/guardian. If problems persist then it may be necessary to set up a contract

with the child, educator and parent/guardians stating procedures and consequences. If there

are multiple incidents that threaten the safety of the child, other children and staff, 1

Class

may have to terminate care.

PROGRAMMING POLICY

Each day at 1st Class, we plan a variety of activities and experiences that lets the children have

the options to choose based on their interests, individual abilities and skills. These activities

include but are not limited to crafts, science experiments, dramatic play, ßoor toys, literacy and

cognitive experiences, cooperative/competitive games, physical activities, a variety of Stem

activities, clubs etc.

The daily schedule reßects a variety of planned and spontaneous activities (down time/ quiet

games). Our written program plan which includes different daily activities is established to

respond to the individual needs and interests of the children, is appropriate to each child's age

and level of development and sensitive to each child's experience, culture and abilities.

1. 1st Class shall provide a predictable daily routine to instill a sense of security, while

remaining ßexible enough to allow for individual preferences and independent

choices. Time shall be allowed for:

¥ Indoor play

¥ Outdoor play except in inclement weather

¥ Toilet and washroom routines according to individual needs

¥ Meals and snacks

¥ Rest or quiet play, depending on the age and needs of the child.

2. The daily program shall include opportunities for a balance of:

¥ Intellectual and social development using a variety of games, toys, natural

materials, activities and experiences.

¥ Activities and experiences to stimulate language development and encourage

communication.

¥ Periods of free play in an environment which can provide a wide variety of

experiences and sufficient materials to allow the child opportunities to

develop creative expression and appropriate social skills.

¥ Physical activities which promote large muscle development and physical

competence such as running and climbing.

¥ Activities that promote small muscle development and eye-hand coordination.

¥ Active and quiet activities.

¥ Individual activities and group activities which promote physical wellbeing,

independence and self-esteem.

¥ Small and large group activities which provide for social and emotional

development.

¥ Activities that promote creative expression through the fine arts of music

and drama.

¥ Individual interaction between children and adults.

¥ Activities which promote cultural awareness, social responsibilities and

community involvement.

¥ Activities that promote respect and care of the natural environment.

3. Media would be used sparingly for education purposes or movie days and with adult

supervision and interaction.

4. With permission from their parent or guardian, children may attend off premises

activities such as community walks and field trips.

5. Outdoor time is a vital part of our programming. We are committed to ensuring that

children participate in outdoor activities everyday, except in extreme cold or heat

weather. Outdoor play is essential for their growth and development, and we fully

embrace this aspect of our programming!

CHILD INVOLVEMENT POLICY

At 1st Class, we understand that children feel a greater sense of pride and ownership when they

can contribute to the decision-making process, that is why our staff plan activities with input

from the children. Staff use different observation techniques and discussions to guide children

so that every child is included and feels involved, some of those discussions include what types

of activities should be included in the programming, Þeld trip ideas, new toys or materials they

would like to see, daily program ßow, room rules & consequences; just to name a few. Our staff

plan and encourage group participation and cooperation to help build the children’s sense of

community within the program.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY

1st Class has an‘ Open Door ’philosophy that encourages the participation of parents/ guardians,

extended families and members of the community to enrich the programs and care provided to

children. Families are encouraged to visit their child’s program (dependent on current Health

guidelines) during operating hours to experience Þrst-hand, the educational programs offered to

children. These visits allow parents/guardians to gain a more thorough understanding of their

child’s development progress. Parents can be involved in many ways:

¥ By discussing and sharing information about their child's general progress and

development.

¥ By Þlling out parent surveys to share feedback and ideas.

¥ By attending special events or information nights.

¥ Helping on field trips.

We strive to respond to the diverse interests and needs of 1st Class children and families. On

occasions, a family may be asked to come into the program to help the children celebrate the

diverse cultures we have within our community and other events such as career days. The context

of the visit will be explained in the invitation to the family being asked to be a special guest.1st

Class values parents as partners because parent participation is paramount to children’s success.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

As learning and development takes place in a social context, children’s ever-evolving learning

occurs not just in the family but also in community and society. 1st Class believes that one of

the key elements of community involvement is the importance of making connections with services

and organizations that serves the local community and that it is important to establish ourselves

as part of the community we serve. How we connect with our community:

¥ Our programs hold current information on relevant community resources and

makes these available to families.

¥ Liaison with other children’s services, local businesses, school, health services

and organizations working with families and children in the local area.

¥ Participation in community events.

¥ Inviting local community members to participate in social events held at the

program.

¥ Inviting Visitors into the programs as part of the children's learning and

leisure such as members of the Fire Brigade, Police Department, medical or

nursing profession may be invited to share aspects of their work that are of

interest to children.

¥ Community people with a skill, art or experience from which the children will

gain experience or enjoyment.

¥ Partnerships with families.

COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS

As a company, 1st Class partners with a lot of organizations which provides support and services

to families.

¥ 1st class organizes a yearly jacket exchange event at some of our centres

where our families bring in their outgrown jackets in good and clean

condition to swap. The leftover from these events is donated to 1st Class

Charity of choice which is the Sheriff King Home.

¥ We partner with the local Community centres to assist in programs and

initiatives such as food bank donations.

¥ Supporting Schools in our communities by

a) Providing free childcare on recommendation by the school to help families.

b) Donations to school auctions.

c) Participating in events organized by the schools and so much more.

¥ Partnering with local family support and early intervention services

to provide services for the children in our programs that need extra support.

¥ Partnerships with universities, colleges, high schools and community agencies

to provide rich opportunities related to practicum support, volunteer

opportunities, professional development and support services.

CLASS CHILDCARE STAFF

1st Class Early Childhood Educators come with a wide background of education and experience.

Our staff must go through a screening process that includes demonstrating their knowledge and

skills, providing a police reference check that is renewed every 3 years, and holding a valid

Standard First Aid and CPR certification. Once selected, new 1st Class staff participate in

orientation and training on 1st Class policies, practices and procedures, program planning,

Licensing Standards, and 1st Class curriculum. Our Early Childhood Educators are trained to:

¥ Communicate regularly to families about their child’s progress.

¥ Plan classroom activities based on their observation of the children,

knowledge of early childhood development.

¥ Practice the 1st Class high standards of child safety and protection. At 1st

Class, we recognize the importance of continued professional learning, and we

support our Early Childhood Educators with paid training and workshop to gain a

deeper understanding of child development, play, play partnership, program

planning, extension of play and scaffolding of learning, effective communication,

and providing positive learning environments.

SELF-REGULATION AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR

1st Class believes that the role of the adult in a child's life is to support them to learn how to

interact successfully with the world around them. Self-regulation is a skill a child develops over

time and involves learning how to respond efÞciently and effectively to one’s bodily functions,

impulses, emotions, and to maintain focus or attention so they can learn. 1st Class Early Childhood

Educators and a child’s family provide external supports that serve as the basis for a child

developing self-regulation. Early Childhood Educators will set the stage for positive behaviour by

implementing the following approaches:

¥ Building dependable, positive and nurturing relationships with children and

their families, fostering healthy social connections with other children.

¥ Responding to each child’s individual developmental needs through observation

and reacting to their cues.

¥ Providing small group experiences which allow for more individualized adult

attention.

¥ Role-modeling inclusive, respectful and collaborative interactions.

¥ Ensuring the learning environment is flexible and materials are plentiful and

available to children at all times.

¥ Providing children with the freedom to make choices.

¥ Engaging as a play partner with children, to demonstrate pro-social skills

including promoting discussion, problem solving when conflict arises and

understanding how our actions affect others.

¥ Attending trainings that addresses developing self-regulation and resilience in

children.

CODE OF ETHICS - FOR CHILD CARE PRACTITIONERS

1. Work in partnership with parents, recognizing that parents have primary

responsibility for the care of their children, valuing their commitment to the

children and supporting them in meeting their responsibilities to their children.

2. Demonstrate high level of care for all children in all aspects of their practice.

3. Work in ways that enhance human dignity in trusting, caring and co-operative

relationships that respect the worth and uniqueness of the individual.

4. Promote the health and well-being of all children.

5. Pursue, on an ongoing basis, the knowledge, skills and self-awareness needed to be

professionally competent.

6. Enable children to participate to their fullest potential in environments carefully

planned to serve individual needs and to facilitate the child’s progress in the social,

emotional, physical and cognitive areas of development.

7. Work in partnership with colleagues and other service providers in the community

to support the well- being of children and their families.

8. Demonstrate integrity in all professional relationships.

INCLUSION & ANTI-BIAS POLICY

High quality childcare programs are important for all children and childcare inclusion simply

means that all children can attend and beneÞt from the same childcare programs. The principle

of inclusion goes beyond the notion of physical integration and fully incorporates basic values

that promote and advance participation, friendship and a celebration of diversity. The Program

places a strong importance on adult Ð child ratios, group size, learning environments and adult Ð

child interactions in order to deliver high quality childcare. To assure full participation for

children with special needs (children characterized as having disabilities, delays or disorders in

the areas of physical, social, intellectual, communicative, emotional, and/or behavioural

development), the Program’s principles of inclusive childcare are:

¥ Same range of options: children with special needs will not be limited to

shorter care days unless absolutely needed by child.

¥ Full participation: necessary supports will be provided so that all

children can participate, in some way, in all activities.

¥ Advocacy: staff and parents promote “inclusive, accessible, affordable,

quality childcareÓ for all at the Program, in the community, and as public

policy.

At 1st Class, we believe that children with all levels and types of disability beneÞt from social

activities and experiences with their typically developing peers. Typical children also beneÞt

from inclusive experiences with Atypical children. However, where the Program is unable to meet

a child’s individual requirements, we will support parents and provide them with resources they

need.

COMMUNICATION

KEY CONTACTS

For any questions/concerns regarding the daily operations of the Program, please usethis

hierarchy whenever possible:

Phone Number: 403-836-6090 General Email: info@1stclasschildcare.ca

Owner/Operator

(Anita Barron)

Management Team

Director of Operations Director, HR & Business Development

(Tara Sawatzky) (Morufat Omokanye)

Owner/Director

(Anita Barron)

Sub - Management Team

Centre/Program Director

Assistant Director/Floor Supervisor

Program Lead Educator

Educators

PARENT/GUARDIAN COMMUNICATION, FEEDBACK AND

INPUT

The Program actively encourages effective communication between parents/guardians and

Program. Your feedback and active involvement help us ensure that you and your child have the

best experience with 1st Class. The following strategies are in place at each program to ensure

effective communication:

¥ Daily two-way communication between parents/guardians and Program staff

which is open and honest is an effective technique to share children’s

experiences, goals and expectations.

¥ Once a year, parents/guardians will be invited to participate in a survey to

provide feedback regarding the program, personnel interaction, activities and

suggestions for the future.

¥ Program Staff will provide families with information about the child’s day in

care including the following: activities that the child participated in and

general disposition.

¥ If requested, we will arrange a mutually convenient time to conduct a

Parent-Educator meeting to discuss the individual child.

¥ All Program’s methods of communication (i.e. Emails, Texts, Calls) will be

discussed with the parent upon their Program orientation. We want to ensure

parents/guardians are aware of all methods of communication available in the

Program.

¥ Parents/guardians are encouraged to evaluate the Program and provide

feedback accordingly. Constructive criticism is an effective tool to improve

the service delivery provided by the Program to children and families.

Parents are encouraged to submit their feedback to us at:

info@1stclasschildcare.ca.

1st Class expects that while communicating with our employees about their child

’

participation or any concerns in the program, parents will refrain from comments or

behaviours which are disrespectful, offensive, abusive and discriminative in nature. Such

incidents will be referred to the Management and are grounds for immediate termination

of care.

CANADIAN ANTI-SPAM LEGISLATION (CASL)

CANADIAN ANTI-SPAM LEGISLATION (CASL) & OPTING OUT OF ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

Canada implemented the anti-spam law in 2014, which requires express, versus implied, consent

to send commercial electronic messages, including messages to email addresses and social

networking accounts, and text messages sent to a cell phone. Please be advised that should you

opt out of electronic messages, in cases of mass communication for an emergency or other timely

information, you will not receive these. Where there is a need to communicate in such a case,

Programs may not have time or ability to contact all affected parents by telephone. 1st Class

may resort to use of social media (such as posting to Facebook pages managed by the company)

to further ensure as many outlets to communicate are available to parents/guardians.

UPDATING YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

1st Class is required by provincial licensing to request all parents/guardians update their contact

information with the Program. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure the

Program has their correct contact information on file. Please inform us with changes to

emergency or authorized pick-up contacts, mailing addresses (even if you leave 1st Class,

specifically for your tax receipts), any changes regarding custody or access to the children, etc.

1st Class cannot be responsible for lack of communication if contact details or vital information

has not been provided or is not up to date.

ENROLMENT POLICIES

Registration Forms: Registration forms must be filled out on our website on or before your

child’s first day. The information you provide to us is extremely important and will always remain

confidential.

Daycare: Once your spot is confirmed, a $100 deposit and a $50 annual registration fee per child

is required before start day. YouÕre $100 deposit will be used towards your first monthÕs fees.

Please note that all fees are non-refundable.

Out of school care: Once your spot is confirmed a $100 deposit and a $50 annual registration

fee per child will be processed on August 15

via Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD). The $100 deposit

will be applied as a credit towards your firstÕs monthÕs payment which is due on September 1

Please note that all fees are non-refundable.

Change of Schedule: If you need to make any changes to your child’s schedule, notice must be

provided at least two weeks in advance prior to requested change. This should include which days

of week you require care, or full to part time, and vice versa. If your child needs additional days

prior to the change, you will be charged the daily drop-in rate for these days. Changes and

additional days are subject to availability.

Part Time Enrolment: Part time care is offered based on availability. Part time refers to full

days, but not full week.

Additional Days (Part Time): Part time children who attend days more than their scheduled

days will be charged based on our drop-in fees up to but not exceeding full monthly fees.

Payment authorization form must be on file. Additional days are dependent on space availability.

Vacations/Illness: Full monthly fees are required irrespective of days missed for vacations or

other purposes, illness or statutory holidays. The monthly fee covers both actual care and the

guaranteed space. Credit or make up days will not be given for any missed days. If your child

does not attend at least 1 hour of care in a month, the full portion of fees will be the

responsibility of the parent/guardian as this affects the Affordability Grant offered by the

government.

Withdrawal from Program: There will be a one-month probationary period where a childÕs

care may be terminated immediately with no penalties, by 1

Class Childcare. After

one complete month of care, written notice of withdrawal must be provided at least

45 days in advance. For each month of attendance full fees will be processed on the 1st

of the month dependent on when notice is given. To alleviate unnecessary extra costs,

notice should be given on the 15th of the month. If insufficient notice is given full fees

will be processed on the 1

of the month via PAD. If insufficient notice of withdrawal

affects the Affordability Grant, parents will be responsible for paying the full portion of feeÕs.

TUITION, ASSOCIATED FEES & PAYMENT TERMS

Registration Fee: An annual Registration fee of $50.00 is charged per child upon registration.

Increase in Fees: The Program reserves the right to adjust childcare fees at any time in the

year. Families will be provided with at least 1 month written notice to change in childcare fees.

Payment of Fees: Full payment of childcare fees are due on or before the first day of your

child attending. Each month after, fees are due by the 1st of the month by Pre-Authorized

Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT). A Pre-Authorized Electronic Funds Transfer form will be

provided at your time of enrolment and is to be completed and provided to the Program.

Late Payment: Fees are processed on the 1

of each month. For returned EFT payments (NSF),

a $42.50 NSF fee will be applied in addition to the outstanding monthly program fee. Please

note that two NSF payments within the same month will result in the immediate termination of

childcare services.

TUITION, ASSOCIATED FEES & PAYMENT TERMS

Drop-In & Associated Fees: 1st Class offers drop-in care at some of our locations. Drop-in care

is not guaranteed and is based on sufficient staff to maintain ratios and licensed space

availability. Drop-in fees can be paid on or before drop-in day or in the centre on the day of

drop-in.

Late Pick up Fees: We ask that you make every effort to pick up your child before

program/centre close time. We understand that certain situations or emergencies might arise

that can cause delays in pick up, please contact program/centre Director as soon as you can. A

late pick-up fee of $1 per minute will apply for the first occurrence. For the second and any

subsequent late pick-ups, the fee will increase to $2 per minute. To maintain records, parents

are required to sign a late pick-up slip. If we are unable to contact you during this time,

emergency contacts listed on your registration will be used to arrange a pick-up for

child/children prior to contacting children services. Continued late pick-ups could result in

termination of care.

Bussing Notification Fee: Children in OSC who ride a 1

Class bus are subject to a $10 no

notification fee if we are not informed in person, by phone or by email that your child will not

need to be picked up from school.

Fall/Winter/Spring Break Fees: During school breaks we will offer full-day care at an off-

site facility if we are unable to access school locations.

OSC (Grades 1-6): Advance registration is required to guarantee a space with a fee of $50

per day. If you do not register in advance and require drop-in care, space will not be

guaranteed and will depend on availability. Drop-in care will be charged at our standard drop-

in rate of $75 per day.

Kindergarten Children: There is no additional fee for kindergarten children to attend during these

break days. Registration is still required for staffing purposes.

General details will be sent prior to each break with registration links opening thereafter.

GENERAL SUBSIDY & AFFORDABILITY GRANT

INFORMATION

Alberta Affordability Grant Reductions Ð Kindergarten & Childcare Programs: Alberta

Affordability Grant reductions are automatically applied to all childcare and kindergarten

program invoices. Families are not required to apply for the affordability grant. The grant is

applied for and paid directly to 1st Class based on your childÕs registered childcare space.

Grant eligibility is determined by your childÕs registered schedule (full-time or part-time) and is

invoiced according to your specific program location and registration type.

Please note that OSC children in Grades 1Ð6 are not eligible for Alberta Affordability Grant

reductions. Additional subsidy information for OSC families is outlined below.

Important Attendance Requirement: If your child does not attend a minimum of one hour of

care within the month, your family will no longer qualify for the affordability grant reduction

for that month. In this case, families will be responsible for repayment of the full grant amount,

which will be processed on the next scheduled payment date via PAD. There are no exceptions

to this policy.

Alberta Child Care Subsidy Ð OSC Grades 1Ð6: Families enrolled in OSC care for Grades 1Ð6

may be eligible for Alberta Child Care Subsidy support based on a personal application and

provincial approval process.

Subsidy eligibility is determined by:

Household income

Approved care hours

Alberta Child Care Subsidy program requirements

Families can review eligibility details and apply directly through the Alberta government website:

Alberta Child Care Subsidy Program

All OSC families will also receive a facility-specific ÒQuick FactsÓ subsidy information sheet along

with their confirmation of enrolment package.

Subsidy Processing Details: Your first monthÕs fees must be paid in full, even if your subsidy

application is still pending approval.

Subsidy amounts are applied beginning in your second month of care, once your approval appears

on the operator subsidy report.

Attendance is submitted one month behind, and payment is typically received from the Alberta

Child Care Subsidy program approximately 15Ð21 days later.

Example:

September care is paid to the program in October

October care is paid in November, and so forth

Once subsidy payments are received, your account will be reconciled and any future payments

adjusted accordingly.

Any overpayments will remain as a credit on your account. For example, June subsidy payments

are typically received during the third week of July.

Subsidy credits will remain on file and may be applied toward summer care fees or used to reduce

your September fees when your child returns to the program for the new school year.

If your child terminates enrolment and will not be returning in September, any remaining subsidy

credit balance will be reimbursed once the subsidy funds have been received and processed by

the program.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

MEALS AND SNACKS

1st Class does not provide meals or snacks. If we have a special event or celebration where we

provide food to the children, families will be notified in advance of the type of food that will be

provided. We will try to find alternatives for children with specific diet restrictions and if we

are unable to do so, we will notify families and they can send their child/children with their own

meal or snack.

Please Note: We are a Peanut/Nut free facility.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Healthy habits will be practiced with children e.g. Children are encouraged to wash and dry

their hands before and after meals, after using the toilet and after messy activities.

• Staff will inspect the room and outdoor playground before the children arrive to ensure that

it is safe and clean.

• All toys and equipment will be disinfected if needed during the day or at the end of the day.

• Cleaning products will always be locked up and away from the children.

• Electrical outlets will be covered (where applicable).

ILLNESS

If your child is sick or displaying symptoms of illness, please keep them home. Children should

not be at school or childcare if: Child is vomiting, has a fever, diarrhea or a new unexplained

rash or cough.

Children will require greater attention than can be provided without compromising the care of

the other children in the class. If a Child is displaying any other illness or symptoms that may

indicate they pose a health risk to the other children and the teacher, please keep them home.

This includes:

1) Vomiting - child should be kept home 48 hours from last time vomiting

2) Diarrhea - child should be kept home 48 hours from last diarrhea

3) Fever - child should be kept home until fever free for 24 hours without medication

4) Unexplained rash - child should be kept home for length of time recommended by a

physcician, until rash is gone or they can return with a doctor’s note stating that

the rash is not contagious

5) New/persistent cough - child should be kept home if they have a new unexplained

cough

6) Consistent runny nose - child should be kept home if the runny nose is green/

yellow/thick and consistently runny as this potentially means infection - if nose is

clear and runny they are welcome to attend.

7) Generally not feeling well - if your child is generally not feeling well, lethargic and

not able to participate in the program they should not attend.

8) Child has been prescribed antibiotics - child should be on the antibiotics for 24

hours before returning - once they have been on the antibiotics for a minimum of 24

hours they can return and we are more than happy to give your child their dose of

antibiotics during the day if needed - a medication form is required - please talk to

program director or supervisor.

9) Your child potentially has a contagious infection that you are waiting to hear results

about - they should not attend until results are back and confirmed that they are

safe to attend.

If your child becomes ill at our program, you will be contacted to pick up your child immediately.

We ask that you pick up within an hour of the call, otherwise we will move on to calling your

emergency contact.

When a child is sick we do our best to keep them away from the other children so as not to get

others sick. When children are sick they require greater attention that what we can provide at

the centre. If your child is sent home sick we ask that you follow the same above

protocol. Children must be symptom free for 24-48 hours (dependent on the illness) prior to

returning. For example, if we send your child home at 3pm with a fever on Tuesday they

would not be allowed to attend on Wednesday as we require your child to be symptom free for

24 hours.

We thank you for following our illness protocol in order to keep all children and educators safe

and as healthy as we can. We understand this may disrupt your work but appreciate

your understanding when we call to have your child picked up. It is in the best interest and

safety of your child as well as the rest of the children in the centre.

If your child should require an ambulance in the case of an emergency, any expenses incurred

is the responsibility of the parent/guardian and not that of 1st Class. If your child requires

first aid, it will be provided by program staff, if the situation is deemed an emergency by 1st

Class staff and 911 is called, parents are responsible for the associated costs as per our illness

policy.

OUTBREAK OF ILLNESSES

Outbreak of Illness/Communicable Disease: An outbreak is deÞned as a sudden rise or incidence

of a disease. Alberta Health Services requires childcare programs to report an outbreak if

there are 2 or more incidence of a specific disease in a program.

In the case of an outbreak at any of our Program/Centres, we will inform all families and provide

information relating to the illness/disease.

Thorough sanitization practices will take place daily during the time of the outbreak. Child/

Children will be excluded from the program until symptom free (24 to 48 hours as instructed by

Health Services) or advised by the family physician.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

COMMON ILLNESSES

Common Cold: Symptoms include mild cough, runny nose, sneezing and possibly fever. Your child

can attend the Program if they are well enough to take part in all activities including outdoor

play. If they are running a fever, are lethargic or generally unwell they should remain at home

as this is in the best interest of your child and the other children in the Program.

Pink Eye: Symptoms include swollen eye lid(s), itchy sore eye(s) and yellowish puss like discharge.

As it is contagious, children must be excluded from the Program for at least 24 hours after

their first dose of antibiotic treatment.

Strep Throat & Scarlet Fever: Symptoms include a fever, sore throat, pus on tonsils, tender

nodes in the neck and sometimes a fine rash develops known as Scarlet Fever. A child may return

to the program after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, if they are well enough to participate in

all Program activities including outdoor play and they are fever free.

Hand Foot and Mouth: Symptoms include fever, sore throat, grey coloured sores in mouth,

blisters on palms, fingers, soles of feet and/or diaper area. It is contagious and causes illness

within 3 to 7 days after exposure. A child may return to program after contagious period and

child has no symptoms which is usually after 10 days.

Head Lice: Head Lice and their eggs (nits) can be seen at the nape, and behind the ears. They

can vary in colour from white to brown to dark grey. The eggs are tiny round or oval shapes

that are tightly attached to the hair near the scalp and do not slide up and down on the hair.

Frequent scratching may cause broken skin or sores to form on the scalp. The damaged skin may

weep clear ßuid or crust over, and it may become infected. In response to infection, the lymph

nodes behind the ears and in the neck, may become tender and swollen. Following the

recommendations from www.MyHealth.Alberta.ca, children with head lice can return to the

Program after their Þrst treatment of head lice medication. ConÞdentiality should be maintained

so as not to embarrass a child who has head lice.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINE

If a child has any allergies or requires medication while at our programs, we require parents to

complete a medical form, to have written consent on file for the administration of medication.

The medication must be in its original labeled container and will only be administered according

to the labeled directions. Parents are expected to complete medication forms accurately to

protect against any instructions that could be misunderstood. Staff must ensure that documents

are accurate before any medication can be administered. It is the parent’s responsibility to

inform staff of any medication that has been administered while child is not attending the

Program such as prior to arrival.

When administering medication, the staff member must ensure all information below is recorded:

a) the name of the medication.

b) the time the medication was given.

c) the amount of medication given.

d) document their name and initial.

All medication is stored in a closed safe box that is not accessible to the children and any

emergency medication is stored in an area not accessible by children.

INCIDENT/ACCIDENT REPORTING

Children are active and curious. It is not uncommon for young children to experience cuts,

scrapes, and bruises while running, jumping, and playing. All 1st Class staff hold valid certiÞcation

in Standard First Aid and Child CPR and have been trained in emergency procedures. Anytime

your child has an accident, 1st Class staff will record the details on the 1st Class Incident form

and details will be discussed with parents.

In the event a more serious incident involving your child occurs, 1st Class staff have been trained

to respond based on the severity of the injury. 1st Class staff will either call emergency services

(911), parent/guardian or your designated emergency contacts to take your child for medical

evaluation.

Serious incidents are reportable by 1st Class to our Licensing Unit within 24 hours of the Director

becoming aware of the incident.

KEY POLICIES

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Drop off or pick up of your child(ren) may vary depending on each program, this will be

communicated to you before child’s start date. Please note that, during these times, licensing

ratios are maintained as usual, so our staff will be letting children in from the designated pick-

up point and letting children out the doors depending on drop off and pick up protocols in place

for each program.

Arrival: The School programs open at 7am and Our Childcare Centers open at 6:30am

(opening times may vary depending on location). Children will not be accepted any earlier

than opening times as per Alberta Child Care Licensing Regulations. Parents must walk their

child to doors or drop off point and check in with staff who will sign the children into the

program and follow all check in protocols. Children need to be signed in as they arrive, this is

not only a legal requirement but ensures that we have a record of all children in attendance

each day. Before leaving, ensure that communication has been made with the staff and your

child has been signed in. Please always keep your child with you, especially when exiting your

vehicle in our parking lot. Do not leave children, regardless of their age, unattended in your car

when dropping off or picking up. Lock your car, as we cannot be responsible for any personal

belongings taken from your vehicle while it is on our property.

Picking up your Child: Parents should come to the designated doors and notify program staff

via doorbell or texts/call on arrival, staff will not bring children to the doors or send children

out to parents. Please remember to let the staff know your child is leaving and make sure your

child is being signed out as you leave the program. Once transfer of care has taken place and

the possession of the child has changed over, all responsibility lies with the parent. We ask that

you make every effort to pick up your child before 6:00pm in our school programs and

before closing in our centres (see Centre times), otherwise late fees will come in to effect.

See our late fees policy and procedures.

Releasing your Child: We will only release children to their parents/guardians and the

authorized persons listed on your child’s Registration form. We require any release authorizations

to be given to us in person or writing prior to releasing your child to any persons who are not

listed on your emergency contact. Government issued photo identification must be shown for any

person not previously known to us before we can release your child. If a parent/guardian wishes

1st Class to release their child to anyone under the age of sixteen (16) e.g., Siblings, a

written permission or a completed self-departure form will be required.

INDOOR & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Sun Smart: We aim to promote a positive attitude towards skin protection and take effective

measures to ensure the children’s safety from the sun. Staff will guide children to apply and

reapply sunscreen when needed prior to outdoor play and will help younger children with your

permission. Sunscreen and insect repellent must be supplied by the parents/guardians in the

original bottle, labeled with each child’s full name. Please provide a hat for your child each time

they attend, and our educators will ensure that your child is wearing it prior to going outdoors.

Cold Weather/Winter: During the winter months, outdoor play/activities will be weather

permitting. Outdoor play/activities will be reduced to 15mins - 30mins (depending on children's

physical and developmental abilities and needs) when temperatures are between -12 degrees

Celsius and -18 degrees Celsius with the wind chill. The weather will be monitored by the staff

using the Weather Network APP before going outdoors and during outdoor play/activities.

Summer/Hot Weather: During extreme heat, outdoor play may be limited at the discretion of

the Program Director. Our educators will ensure that children are always well hydrated and

given the option to cool down as needed.

Appropriate Clothing: Your child will participate in many different activities, and it is important

that they are dressed in appropriate clothing. Children are encouraged to wear proper footwear

and comfortable casual clothes, which are suitable for climbing, running, or painting. It is the

parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure the child wears appropriate clothing for all weather

conditions, especially if your child/children walk to school.

Indoor Shoes: All children in our Program are required to have a pair of indoor shoes. All shoes,

both indoor and outdoor must be fitted securely to the child’s foot. Please keep in mind that

during outdoor play your child is running around and climbing on the outdoor equipment, so outdoor

shoes should be appropriate for this type of play.

Field Trips: On occasion, our Programs may plan trips to special places for children.

Parents/guardians will be informed in advance of any planned field trips. A release form for each

field trip or excursion will be provided to the parent/guardian to authorize their child to engage

in the event. All consent forms regarding Þeld trips must be received prior to date of trips. If

your child does not bring in a consent form, they might not be permitted to participate. If you

decide not to send your child on a Þeld trip, you will need to find alternative childcare for your

child as our educators cannot be left at the Program to accommodate a 1:1 ratio.

Educators will review all the safety policies with the children and parent/guardian volunteers.

They will prepare the children for the trip by explaining where they are going, why, and what

directions they need to follow.

Outings Local Parks & Neighborhood Walks: Whenever we leave the program for a walk or to

any of the community amenities, the Program will communicate to parents, the location of the

outing and the estimated time of return.

INDOOR & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

TRANSPORTATION

1st Class meets or exceeds strict government regulations concerning driver qualifications, vehicle

safety and emergency equipment as well as insurance. For some 1st Class Programs that children

will require transportation, communications will be sent to parents prior to start date.

Walking Children to School Ð Weather: 1st Class plans to walk the children as required; it is not

this policy’s intention to prevent children from attending school. 1st Class leaves the decision of

walking children to their respective schools completely up to the discretion of Program

Director/Staff, knowing that the decision will be made with full consideration towards the safety

of children and educators.

Weather monitoring will begin by Program management at -18 degrees Celsius (with wind- chill)

using the Weather Network APP. Considerations for wind-chill, weather advisories and distance

to schools will be taken into consideration in the decision to walk children to school or remain at

the Program. If the decision to walk the children to school is made, Program Directors and

educators will use caution and best judgment to ensure children are dressed appropriately to be

taken outside.

If the temperature (including wind chill) drops below -32 degrees Celsius, the decision to withhold

children from walking to school will automatically be enforced due to the safety of our children

and educators. If the decision to withhold children from walking/transporting to school is made,

reassessments can be made throughout the day by periodically checking the weather and

monitoring for rise in the temperature. The decision to continue with the afternoon pickup will

be made on this basis as well.

GENERAL CORPORATE POLICIES

Appropriate Language: Parents/guardians and their guests must use appropriate language while

in our program or program premises. Foul language of any kind is not permitted in our program,

which includes our parking lots and playgrounds. Continued use of inappropriate language may

result in termination of childcare services.

Technology: Computers and access to the Internet provide tremendous opportunities for after-

school learning to reinforce necessary skills as well as to complete homework and school

assignments. Technology provided in programs such as TV, video, computer and I-pads may be

used, provided they are educational, encourage creativity, solve problems and to support and

extend program activities. On movie days, families will be notified well in advance through

calendar or emails, movies will be G-rated and will be limited to 2 hours for the full day program

and ½ hour for the regular after school programming day.

Cell Phones and Electronic Devices: Children are to keep cell phones or any electronic devices

at home including iPads, iPods, handheld game systems, etc. If these items are brought to the

Program, we ask that they are stored in your child’s backpack. Please note that children will

not be allowed to use these devices in the Program and 1st Class will take no responsibility for

the loss or damage of any of these devices.

Celebrations: We encourage parents/guardians to let their children share special celebrations

with us at the program. If you would like us to celebrate any occasion with your child, please

talk to our educators.

Children with Diverse Needs: Our goal at 1st Class is to meet the individual needs of the

children within the structure of our program, while maintaining a healthy and safe environment

for all the children and educators. We will make reasonable accommodations to offer children

with additional needs full and equal enjoyment of our programs and services in the most

integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

Community Resources: There are a variety of community services that support the needs of

families whose children have extra challenges, behavioural, physical, or social/emotional needs.

Your Program Director can assist you in accessing these types of services. If you are interested

in family education opportunities speciÞc to the needs of your child, we will be happy to share

information on community services available in your area.

Lost Property: Please check the lost property bin regularly. Labeling all your children’s clothing

including socks, shoes and underwear assists our educators in locating the owner.

GENERAL CORPORATE POLICIES

Non-Discrimination Program: The Program has a non-discriminatory and non-biased policy. We

welcome all children, families and appreciate the opportunity to learn about various cultures and

backgrounds. It is our policy to provide an environment that is free of discrimination of any type

including discrimination based on race, colour, religion, gender, origin, age, disability or any other

characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of our Program’s operations.

Personal Toys and Valuables: It would be appreciated if children did not bring toys or valuables

from home unless they are required for a special event. No toy weapons or actions Þgures of

any kind that promote violence are to be brought to the Program. Toys from home can become

lost or broken and it saves a lot of heartache if these items are left at home. Comfort toys Ð

soft toys or a blanket are more than welcome when applicable.

Photograph & Video: From time to time, children will be included in photographs taken by staff

at 1st Class and used for documentation and display within the Program. By signing the last page

of this handbook on the section “photos in the centreÓ you acknowledge that 1st Class can use

and reproduce photographs taken of your children to post inside the program.

Class will also occasionally share pictures from our Programs on our 1

Class Facebook page,

however we ensure that photographs shared online do not include the childrenÕs faces unless we

have consent from their parents/guardians. By signing the section “photos for Online mediaÓ you

acknowledge that 1st Class can use and reproduce photographs taken of your children for display

on our website and any 1st Class Online social media platform.

For advertisement purposes on our website, we will contact you for permission before using any

photographic images of your children.

Resolution of Disputes: 1st Class staff and management are committed to connecting, partnering

and engaging parents to provide the best possible care for each child. Daily conversations benefit

the child, family, and the staff. They help provide consistency for the child and support staff to

understand the child and therefore plan for their success and give families the opportunity to

be part of their child’s day.

If issues, or concerns arises, we encourage you to attempt to resolve such matter directly with

your Program Director. Our educators and directors together with the family and Management

will work as a team to reach a resolution in a timely, conÞdential, fair and consistent manner.

It is expected that all concerns and issues will be resolved in a respectful manner keeping in

line with the 1st Class Values (Caring, Honesty, Inclusiveness, Respect and Responsibility).

Smoking: Smoking is prohibited on all Program property, including parking lots and playgrounds.

No one is permitted to smoke anytime with or in the presence of a child or in view of the

Program.

GENERAL CORPORATE POLICIES

Students & Volunteers: 1st Class accepts students/volunteers from local colleges and/or high

schools to learn and have first-hand experiences working with children. Students/Volunteers

must comply with 1st Class policies and procedures and follow the employee code of conduct

when volunteering at any 1st Class location. The following policies are in place for placement

students and volunteers:

¥ No child is to be supervised by a person under 18 years of age.

¥ Only paid personnel over 18 years of age will have direct, unsupervised access to

the children.

¥ Students and volunteers are not counted in staffing ratios at any time during their

placement at the Program.

¥ All students/volunteers must have a current criminal reference check, completed

within the last 6 months of hire.

¥ Students and volunteers are never left alone with the children.

Threats and Threatening Behaviour: We have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for

our personnel, the children we serve, and other adults. Therefore, we have a zero-tolerance

policy regarding threats or threatening behaviour in our Program, whether the threat comes

from a child or an adult, and regardless of who is the target of the threat. This includes, but is

not limited to, threats to do physical harm to someone or threats to retaliate in anyway. Violation

of this policy may result in immediate withdrawal from the Program.

Annual Program Evaluation Policy: Families, staff, children and the community can participate

in evaluating our programs by completing the on-line survey on our website. These surveys are

a very important component in each program's review process, management uses the feedback

to review performance of every component of our programs. This process helps us engage in

ongoing monitoring and evaluation processes involving staff, children, families and community

members to support continuous quality improvement.

Policy Change: Each year, 1st Class reviews and revises the guidelines and policies outlined in

this handbook to ensure childcare standards continue to meet or exceed the requirements setup

by our licensing bodies. Should our policies change, we will provide you with notice of

changes/modiÞcations that will impact you and your child in writing.

GENERAL CORPORATE POLICIES

Programs Closures: Our programs will be closed during the following statutory holidays.

New YearÕs Day - Victoria Day - Remembrance Day

Family Day - Canada Day - Christmas Day

Good Friday - Thanksgiving - Boxing Day

Other closures in our school programs include when we have no access to program spaces in our

schools, this includes:

Truth and Reconciliation Day

November fall break (dependent on school access)

Winter break (closed for CCSD) (CBE-dependent on school access)

Easter Monday

First Day of Spring Break

For these program closures, drop-ins might be available at our childcare centreÕs dependent on

registration numbers. Details of registration and centres available for drop-in will be sent out

via email.

EMERGENCY POLICIES

INCLEMENT WEATHER, NATURAL DISASTERS,

MEDICAL/BUILDING EMERGENCIES AND LOCKDOWN

1st Class trains all staff, volunteers, and students on placement during their orientation and

annually on emergency procedures including how to respond to personal injuries and medical

emergencies, building emergencies (power failure, ßood), Þre drills and evacuation, inclement

weather, threats from criminal activity (lock-down) and natural disasters. In the event your

child is involved in an emergency you will be contacted directly by 1st Class Management. Once

a month, the Program conducts a fire drill. The aim of these drills is to ensure that in the event

of an emergency, the children can be evacuated quickly and easily. If you are present at the

Program during the Þre drill, you are encouraged to participate in this procedure. The emergency

response plan is posted on the walls in the schools and available on our display boards.

EVACUATION

In the event of a Þre/emergency, the Program Director will inform the educator in charge that

the Program will be evacuated. If it becomes necessary to remove the children from the

property, each Program has an emergency evacuation (muster point) site. An emergency

evacuation plan is displayed in the building. If 1st Class is unable to reach you directly they will

call the emergency contacts you have identiÞed in your child’s registration package. 1st Class

will also endeavour to post information on our website, and or Facebook accounts. Depending on

the nature of the emergency, 1st Class staff and children may have to relocate to an alternate

location until you can pick up your child.

SECURITY THREATS AND LOCKDOWNS

In the event there is a security threat in any of our Program or near our Program, 1st Class’s

policy is to lock-down the location. This includes, but is not limited to, locking all external entry

points such as doors and windows and no one will be permitted to enter or exit the building under

any circumstance. Please note that our first concern is the children’s safety. Cell phone usage

by personnel is not allowed during a lock down, and we ask that you refrain from calling the

Program as they may need to keep their main phone lines open to emergency services.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

If an accident or onset of serious illness should occur, 1

Class will:

a) immediately initiate appropriate first-aid treatment, and where it is deemed necessary,

call 911.

b) contact, by phone, the parent(s)/guardian or emergency contact person if the parent

cannot be contacted.

c) if an employee is leaving the site with a child, or if an ambulance is called, employee will

report to the Program/Centre director, or if not available, the management, on an

urgent basis.

d) Accompany the child to the nearest hospital emergency room, taking the portable

current record of emergency information. Upon arrival notify the hospital staff that the

employee is not the legal parent or guardian.

e) DO NOT provide any consent for medical treatment of the child. Notify the hospital

staff if it is known that a child belongs to a religious denomination that objects to

certain medical procedures.

f) Remain with the child until relieved by the parent/guardian.

Please Note that any expenses incurred under these circumstances noted above will be

charged back to the parent/guardian. 1st Class accepts no financial liability or otherwise

in any injury deemed a typical childhood injury such as injuries from trips and falls during

play, loss of tooth etc.

COMMUNICATION DURING EMERGENCIES

Our primary concern at all our programs during an emergency is the safety and well-being of

the children and personnel. Our personnel are trained in case of an emergency and are keeping

your children calm and following our policies based on the emergency. NotiÞcations will be sent

by email in the event of severe weather, emergencies, power outages or any other situation

where the Program will be closing or unable to open. Parents/guardians may receive an email or

calls from management in the event of an emergency. We will advise what we know of the

situation, where the children are relocated (if applicable), and what procedures are being taken.

If parents/guardians are required to pick up the children, we will advise this as well. We ask

that you refrain from calling the Program as they may need to keep their phone lines open for

emergency services. You may reach Company contact if you need more information.

Please note that if you have Opted Out of receiving electronic messages, you will not

receive notiÞcations in case of an emergency. 1st Class may resort to use of social media

(such as posting to Facebook pages managed by the company) to further ensure as many

outlets as possible to communicate are available to parents/guardians.

CLASSÕS CORPORATE STANDARD LICENSING

It is 1

Class’s corporate standard that every Program be licensed. Provincial licensing sets out

the minimum standards that must be met in a licensed childcare program to ensure that the

health, safety and developmental needs of children are met.

PROVINCIAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

Provincial licensing requirements and strict enforcement of standards are in the best interest of

all children. Our Programs meet or exceed applicable licensing regulations and standards. These

standards relate to our facility, educators, health and safety procedures, nutrition,

educator/child ratios, and record keeping. Our Programs are subject to inspection by provincial,

health, fire and licensing officials. It is the right of the provincial licensing agency, as well as

Child Protective Services, Social Services or Children and Family Services to perform their duties

as follows:

¥ Privately interview children and/or educator without prior notice or parental/

guardian consent.

¥ Inspect, audit or request a copy of child and educator records, without prior notice

or parental/ guardian consent.

¥ Observe the physical condition of the child, including conditions that could

indicate abuse, neglect, or inappropriate placement and if determined necessary,

provide protective custody and /or have a licensed medical professional physically

examine the child.

Our programs have carefully developed systems to ensure the comfort and protection of your

child. As a parent/guardian, you can always expect our Programs to adhere to all the provincial

regulations governing safety, health, nutrition, learning and child/educator ratios. Our inspection

reports are posted on the parent board and available upon request from the Program Director.

Our goal is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all children with programs to suit

each developmental level. We welcome your comments and suggestions that may help us achieve

these goals.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

ALLEGED INTOXIFICATION/UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL/SUSPECTED

MEDICAL CONDITION AUTHORIZED PICK UP

1st Class has a legal responsibility to the extent possible to not release a child to an authorized

person who seems to be unable to adequately care for a child. If a staff believes that a pick-

up person is impaired or appears to be having a medical episode, the Program Director or staff

will offer to call a relative/friend to pick up the adult and the child. If the pickup person is

driving a vehicle, the staff will explain that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is

not only against the law but 1st Class is obligated to ensure the safety of the child(ren) and

adult. If the alleged person chooses to get into the vehicle with or without the child, the staff

is obligated to notify the police immediately.

SMOKE-FREE, DRUG-FREE AND ALCOHOL-FREE ENVIRONMENT

1st Class is a smoking-free, drug-free and alcohol-free environment. To protect children and limit

second-hand exposure, smoking or vaping, smoking of cannabis is prohibited on all 1st Class

premises and playgrounds. This policy applies to all staff, substitute staff, service providers,

parents and volunteers of the program.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

Information pertaining to a child and their family is always kept conÞdential. Occasionally,

records may be reviewed by regulatory agencies for information that may be pertinent to a

child’s well-being or requested by a legal subpoena. The children’s files are otherwise confidential

and monitored only by the Program Director and Management, child’s information will not be

released without parent’s consent.

CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS

If you have a legal agreement outlining custody or restraining arrangements, please provide the

Program with a copy for our records. Our Programs will only abide by what is outlined in the

custody arrangement. Parents/guardians are kindly requested to notify the Program Director

immediately if these legal circumstances change.

MANDATED REPORTING OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT

As caring and concerned childcare educators, we take our responsibilities seriously. Abuse and

neglect, whether physical or emotional, can happen in all types of families, from all walks of

life, and in varying degrees. When abuse occurs, both children and parents/guardians are victims

and need support, understanding and help. Our educators have been trained to recognize the

signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. Furthermore, the law requires us to report all

suspected cases of abuse or neglect.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

TERMINATION OF CARE

1st Class has the right to terminate the service of childcare without notice, should you, or

your child threaten the safety or welfare of others at the Program which may include another

child or personnel. All families must abide by the Operational policies of the Program and all

policies set forth; failure to do so may result in termination of childcare services.

www.1stclasschildcare.ca

FORMS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND RELEASE OF LIABILIT Y

I, the undersigned, as the parent or legal guardian of

Do hereby give my full consent and approval for my child to participate in all activities at 1

Class

Childcare programs in centers, classrooms, gyms and school/program playgrounds.

I understand that there are certain risks of damages and injuries inherent in the participation of my child in

these activities and I hereby accept these risks on behalf of my child.

I understand that it is my child’s responsibility to abide by the rules and regulations imposed on the

children by the Program Educators for the safe conduct of activities in the gym and on the playground.

I hereby, for myself and on behalf of my child, agree to save and hold harmless and fully indemnify 1

Class After Class/Childcare management and staff from any and all liability for any personal injury or injury

to any third-party child resulting from my child’s participation in the above-mentioned activities.

I hereby release 1

Class After Class/Childcare/Childcare Innovative Solutions and its entire staff from

all liability for any injuries that my child may sustain because of any activities that take place at 1

Class Childcare facilities, Classrooms/Gym and school/program playground during designated

childcare hours.

I have received and read the 1

Class Parent Handbook in full and fully understand the policies and

procedures entailed in the handbook and understand my requirements regarding my child/children.

also

give

consent

receive

electronic

messages

from

Class

including

Program

updates,

important

information

emergency

communications.

Parent / Guardian (1) Printed Name

x __

Date Signed

Parent / Guardian (2) Printed Name

x _

Date Signed