KIN and KIN Too Parent Handbook

Ninth Street KIN, Incorporated1006 Broad Street

Durham, North Carolina 27705919-286-7773 and 919-286-5432

September 1983

Revised January 2018

KIN (kin) noun A person's relatives; family kinfolk relevant, connected, related. Webster's New World Dictionary

Welcome to KIN and KIN, too! This handbook presents our policies and procedures. You will find more information in other sources; see Section 1.6. Your compliance with this handbook is a requirement of your contract, so please take a few minutes to read it carefully.

1. General Information

KIN is an early childhood program with educational and care components for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Our program is a combination of the early childhood educational preschool and the traditional child care center that provides care for the children of working parents. Because our society still wrestles with the biases of language, we do not refer to ourselves as a day care center. Our teachers are referred to as teachers and our work is the effort of a professional staff with our own well-developed curriculum based on current child development theory.

KIN was founded in 1983. It serves approximately thirty families with a staff of 10 teachers and 2 administrators. We are a nonprofit, North Carolina 501(c)3 corporation with a Board of Directors composed of parent representatives, alums and community representatives.

KIN and KIN, too both hold 5 star licenses from the State of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Resources. We care for children with special needs as well as typically developing children. Our program is open to all members of the community both as teachers and families.

1.1. Programs.

KIN has three functioning component programs:

The Children's Program delivers high quality care and education based on current research and theory in child development. We particularly tend to the emotional and social development of young children and provide a stimulating environment for cognitive and physical growth through curricula that stress the natural sciences and the creative arts. We are an inclusive program, dedicated to the value of each child.

The Parents' Program is designed to be responsive to the needs of working parents. Those efforts include a resource library, and a Parent Job program with opportunities to be involved in the Program. Parents are an integral part of this early childhood program.

The Teachers' Program KIN works hard to create a professional and stimulating environment that fosters the development of skilled teachers. We provide on-site and off-site staff development, strive to increase wages and benefits, and work hard to retain our dedicated staff.

The classrooms The original KIN is located at 1006 Broad Street. KIN, too is located at 1416 Broad Street. The original KIN is sometimes referred to as “Big KIN” to distinguish it from the KIN, too facility. Big KIN functions as 1 large classroom while KIN, too is arranged in three classrooms that serve three age groups. The KIN classrooms serve different children of different ages:

The Moon Class serves Infants. The group size is four and there are two teachers.

The Bird Class serves toddlers with a group size of five with two teachers.

The Water Class at KIN, too serves children two years of age with a group size of seven to eight with two full time teachers.

The Forest Class at Big KIN is a multi-aged classroom serving older two’s through five year olds. The house serves as one multi-age classroom with three full time teachers and one part time teacher with 16 children.

1.2. The Organization of KIN

The Executive Director of KIN and KIN Too is a part-time teacher as well as administrator and supervisor. The Executive director works mainly at KIN Too and oversees the Program along with the Director of KIN and creates the policies and procedures with the Board of Directors. The Executive Director is directly responsible to the Board.

Director of KIN - The Director works at KIN and is also a part time teacher.

Classroom Coordinator – Helps coordinate daily routines in the absence of the Director. The Classroom Coordinator works at KIN and KIN Too and are also full time teachers.

Lead Teachers are full time teaching staff, work directly with the children, and implement curriculum. They have experience and education in the field of Early Childhood Education.

Teacher Assistants are assistants to teaching staff and are supervised by teachers.

Substitute Teachers are lead teacher qualified and help out in the classrooms as well as fill in when a teacher is absent.

All Staff are certified in CPR, First Aid, SIDs and Health and Safety Training.

1.3. History

KIN was founded in 1983 by three women seeking a sane and innovative balance between children's needs and their own work needs. Two of the women were small business owners on Ninth Street in West Durham and the third was an early-childhood teacher operating an after-school program at a local preschool. Originally, KIN was designed to be supported by the business community of Ninth Street but it became apparent that after the initial support and interest, these small businesses could not regularly contribute to an institution that benefited only some of their employees. While they continue today to offer materials and support, they did not become the financial base originally hoped for. Nonetheless, enough families had come together who were committed to the idea that they opened the program in September of 1983. The start-up expenses were met by donations of time, materials and services and major community fund raising events. Tuition, personal contributions and loans got the business through the first two years and we quickly found ways to manage on the revenues of tuition alone. Fund-raising each year by parents and the Board of Directors augments the purchase of materials and supplies.

In 1989 KIN expanded its program to include an additional site on Broad Street to better enable us to offer care for one- and two-year-olds. In 1992, we added our last classroom, expanding the capacity of KIN, too.

1.4. KIN Philosophy

Our program is designed to foster the social-emotional growth and well-being of young children by providing them an environment that is secure, supportive, and affirming of their individual needs. A multi-aged setting with warm, stable relationships ensures that we can nurture and attend to each child in a thoughtful way. Our most basic goals are to nurture self-esteem and to provide children with guided opportunities to experience their feelings and the feelings of others. Additionally, we offer a developmentally sound, stimulating environment, encouraging children’s love of learning and curiosity and affording the acquisition of skills appropriate to their ages. A sensitive approach to children’s needs, solidly based in a developmental framework, is our forte.

1.5. Teachers’ Goals for Children

At KIN, we believe that children grow at their own pace and that each level of development is based upon the successful completion of the earlier stage. This directs our efforts as teachers to pay close attention to each individual child’s development and to see that we provide the opportunity for each child’s unique potential to be fulfilled. We also believe that children must have a secure and safe place from which to extend their development. To feel safe and secure each child must know that they are appreciated and respected for who they are and that they have a place in the context of both the larger natural world and the community of people. With these foundations in place, children have the best chance to develop to their greatest potential. Without those elements, the most thoughtful instruction will not benefit them. With these underlying premises guiding our approach, we outline the specifics of our goals for children within the framework of the four areas of human development: emotional, social, cognitive and physical.

Emotional

This area requires special attention with young children, because it is this area of human energy that must be sound and healthy in order for other areas to thrive. In early childhood we can, in small group sizes and with enough trained adults, consider children's individual needs and development. We will be striving to foster

the ability to recognize, express and name the range of emotions and experiences an acceptance that both "good" and "bad" are part of being a person a productive process of exploring independence and dependence that results in a child having a healthy sense of their own identity and the ability to have good nurturing attachments to adults a constructive exploration of "power", that all-consuming quest of early childhood and self-esteem realistic pride in accomplishments and a true acceptance of self.

Cognitive

The ability of the mind to extend and explore is already present in the youngest child. It is our responsibility to support it by fostering

children’s innate sense of wonder and curiosity about the world and how it works a basic understanding about learning, an acceptance of mistakes, and realistic expectations about accomplishments the specific nature of each child’s own intelligences an appreciation, enthusiasm, and skill in communication; enjoying language the ability to question and problem-solve creative energy for its own sake the appreciation of process over product, to place value and appreciation on all manner of creative expression an understanding of math concepts and their application in the real world of' objects the ability to focus and attend, to develop the skills needed to concentrate.

Physical

We nurture and support a healthy appreciation of children’s physical selves by encouraging

growth and development of strength, coordination, and balance the development of fine motor skills and abilities the development of gross motor skills and abilities the desire to explore and extend physical boundaries and abilities an understanding of children's unique physical make-up and how that relates to their other areas of development a child's own healthy awareness and understanding of their physical attributes and their body’s functions the learning of health and safety skills.

Social

This is a rich and complex process for very young children (and of course for the rest of us) as we explore the nature of relationships. Children’s inexperience and questioning behaviors can absorb our energies, but we must look beyond the behaviors to help children develop

an awareness and concern for others cooperation with others, the ability to take turns and to be patient true friendships and the ability to have constructive relationships with peers self-help skills appropriate to each child’s age and development so that children learn the satisfaction and responsibility of taking care of themselves the beginning of empathy, tolerance, and a willingness to participate in conflict-resolution an emerging sense of responsibilities to others, an interest in helping others that, again, must be considered with age appropriate expectations an ability to explore all the roles within a social group, to experience being upon occasion the leader, and at other times a follower.

Directors and Teachers are required by law to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect to the proper authorities of the state.

1.6. Communication with Parents

There are a variety of ways you can get information at KIN.

Daily Information You can expect a verbal report on their child's day, but parents' need for details vary. Please feel invited to tell your child's teacher of your interest and ask them for the information you want. We will tailor all communication to your needs and the time constraints of the teachers.

Documentation. If you have a question, the written documentation is the first place to look. This handbook contains information that is not dated. Other information may change from session to session, including:

• KIN calendar

• tuition and fee schedule (See Section 2.2)

• family directory

Posted information. Necessary and important information for parents is posted in three locations at each KIN.

The parent bulletin board has posted information about KIN and community events. It is very important that you check it to find out about school events, field trips, etc.

The front door also displays important and current information.

The classroom bulletin boards have the daily routines for each class and are posted in each classroom. Curriculum plans and other items of note specific to that class can be found there as well.

Internal mail. KIN has an effective internal mail system. Each family has a clothespin with their name on it. The parent clips, as they are called, hang on a line near the children's cubbies. This is where you will get handouts, memos, newsletters, flyers, notes from teachers, receipts, etc. You should check it every day! The parent clips can also be used for parent-to-parent mail.

Email. KIN has an email group or list-serve. KIN posts reminders about upcoming events and general information there. Parents can also use this to communicate with the KIN community at large. Parents are also welcome to email Kathie at kathiestephens.kin@gmail.com or Melissa at melissa.almers@gmail.com

Resource library. KIN maintains an extensive library of resources about child development, health and public policy. They are available to you to sign out and borrow. There are also

magazine articles and brochures of interest available. In addition we keep active files on many subjects about children and their needs that we offer. If you would like to check out a book, we ask that you sign it out and return it in a month. We have had problems with books not being returned to KIN and we ask that you return the book, or buy a replacement if it is lost.

2. General Policies and Practices

2.1. Enrollment Procedure

A parent initiates the enrollment procedure by submitting an Inquiry/Application form. (Section 2.2).

Our annual enrollment process begins in January. We begin calling families on the waiting list as soon as we have information about openings. At that time we are establishing enrollment for the upcoming academic year (late August through the following August).

Our waiting list is prioritized by the date of the Inquiry/Application form. Siblings of currently enrolled children are given higher priority. Because KIN is committed to maintaining classrooms that take into account a desire to balance the sex, backgrounds and abilities of all children, those factors may also be considered in enrollment.

Parent Orientation There is a new family orientation meeting in August of each year.

Enrollment forms - It is required by state law to have all forms in hand by the first day of attendance, however KIN requires all forms to be turned in on or before Orientation.

2.2. Tuition and Fees

Enrollment fee, and deposit. There is an Inquiry form on the website for your convenience. This begins the process that places families on the waiting list.

There is an annual enrollment fee per family of $200.00 due at the time of contract signing. A deposit, equal to one month’s tuition, is due at the signing of the original enrollment contract. The amount is less for additional siblings. These deposits will be refunded within 60 days of your departure from KIN after fulfilling your contract with KIN.

Enrollment schedules. KIN offers two enrollment schedules. The schedule time blocks are Monday through Friday 7:30–4, and 7:30–5:30. Infants are 8am only.

Tuition. The tuition depends on which enrollment schedule is chosen, and which program is required (Big KIN or KIN, too). Morning and afternoon snacks are included in the tuition fee.

Late pickup fine. A $1 per minute fine is charged for children who are picked up late, that is, after their contracted pick-up time. It also applies to children who are still at KIN after closing

time (Section 5.1), whether they are accompanied by parents or not. Repeat offenders are subject to increasing fines.

Miscellaneous charges. There are several incidental charges that may occur from time to time:

Returned checks. Parents must pay the amount the Bank charges for returned checks and replacement must be paid in cash for that time only.

Late tuition payment. Tuition is due on the first of each month. There is a $25 fine for tuition payments received after the fifth of each month.

Parent job. Families may choose to fulfill their Parent Job obligations by paying $30 for each hour not worked, however we would prefer your participation in the job program.

Terms. Tuition is paid monthly, due the first of the month. The amount is indicated on your contract. Checks should be made out to “KIN” (regardless of the location). You may leave your payment at either KIN office (Section 1.4, Internal mail) or mail it to 1006 Broad Street or 1416 Broad Street. Receipts are put on parent clips. Tuition is to be received by the fifth business day of each month, regardless of attendance. KIN does not invoice parents. If you need a statement, please request one. Other fees are due at the time they are billed.

Tax deductions. KIN will furnish you with a receipt for all charitable donations to KIN, as well as end of year Tuition tax receipts.

2.3. Contracts

Contract changes Parents are required to sign a contract for the academic year. Once the contract is signed, parents are liable for the full cost and amount of the time they have reserved. Parents may not sub-lease any part of their contracted time. For instance, if a family is planning on being out of town for two months, the family is still required to pay the contracted tuition amount. If parents wish to make any change in contracted time schedule after contracts are signed, the administration will try to make accommodations if available.

Withdrawal from KIN In the case of withdrawal from KIN, parents are still financially liable for the terms of the contract. The contract may only be mitigated by a decision of the administrative staff and the Board of Directors if another family is found to replace the time.

2.4. Calendar Events

Most events appear on the KIN calendar. Changes and additions will appear on the front door and on the list-serve or on your clip. (See Section 1.4.)

Board of Directors meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors are held every other month at Big KIN. Concerns or grievances from parents are considered by the Board only when those concerns have been introduced through the Grievance Policy (Section 2.9). Minutes are kept on file in the KIN office.

Scheduled closings. KIN closes for certain holidays, staff development days, a transition week in August, and parent-teacher conferences, so please consult your calendar. Monthly tuition is the same regardless of the closings during the month.

Unexpected closings. There may be emergencies from time to time which cause KIN to close. Monthly tuition remains the same. This includes but is not limited to:

Power Outage - North Carolina State law mandates closing if a childcare center is without power for more than two hours. Therefore, in the event a power outage during school hours occurs, we will contact parents and plan to close two hours after the power goes out. Of course if power returns before the two hours are up, we will cancel our closing.

Break down of Furnace or Air Conditioner – KIN will have repairs made as quickly as possible but will close for internal temperatures below 62f or above 80f. The NC State Childcare Law mandates that Infants 12 months and younger must have temperatures maintained between 68-75 degrees. Please understand that there may be an emergency closure for Infants only.

Parent/Teacher Conferences. We have two scheduled parent and teacher conferences each year, fall, and spring. Meetings are by appointment. We close for two days for each conference session. All parents are expected to attend a conference. Teachers will post the times they have available for these meetings on the parent bulletin board. The conferences are conducted at KIN and KIN, too; children may not be present. In addition, you (and your child's teacher) are encouraged to request a conference any time you have a concern or question.

Fundraising. KIN conducts three fundraising events per year. The largest and most important is the holiday greenery sale, held each fall. KIN also conducts a spring plant sale, as well as an end of the year annual fund drive. All Parents are strongly expected to participate.

Social gatherings. A few times a year staff plan daytime celebrations like Thanksgiving feasts and end-of-year goodbye parties. The Directors also plan a Fall and a Spring Pot luck at a local park.

Parent/Staff Workdays. On scheduled parent/staff workdays the parents and staff of KIN get together to do substantial cleaning and maintenance of the KIN facilities. This is part of the Parent Job program (Section 4.1).

2.5. Child Custody Issues

KIN will honor all legal decisions concerning the custody of children. We will make arrangements with your family as needed so that both parents may have access to information. We require parents to provide us with a schedule of the child's custody arrangements. The most important factor is to keep us informed so that we may best support your child.

2.6. Transitions

Joining the KIN community and leaving the KIN community warrant special consideration. Teachers work hard to support children in these very normal but nonetheless stressful transitions and we will include you in those plans. Parties, discussions, potlucks, picnics, photo books, and letters are all part of helping children and parents process what is happening. We ask parents to try to be sensitive to the importance of these activities and to share with us both your feelings and those of your child at home.

2.7. Discipline and Behavior Management

KIN's teachers believe that “inappropriate” behavior is most often the result of children’s social and emotional exploration and inexperience. Thus, our responsibilities as teachers dictate that we handle each child and each situation individually based on our judgment of the child's needs and developmental tasks.

“Inappropriate” behavior at our program consists of hurting people physically or emotionally. Abuse or dangerous use of materials is also not accepted. Children who are having difficulty managing their behavior within these guidelines may be redirected by a teacher or asked to enter into a discussion with a teacher about the behavior.

Our job is to support children's growth and development. We have the utmost respect for the fact that children need to make mistakes in order to learn. We hold their self-esteem as the foundation upon which all their future development is based. Any action taken to modify a child's behavior takes this presumption into account.

NC Division of Child Development Statement

Praise and positive reinforcement are effective methods of behavior management of children. When children receive positive, non-violent, and understanding interactions from adults and others, they develop good self-concepts, problem solving abilities, and self-discipline. Based on this belief of how children learn and develop values, this facility will practice the following discipline and behavior management policy:

1. DO praise, reward, and encourage the children.2. DO reason with, and set limits for the children.3. Do model appropriate behavior for the children.4. DO modify the classroom environment to attempt to prevent problems before they occur.5. DO listen to the children.6. DO provide alternatives for inappropriate behavior to children.7. DO provide the children with natural and logical consequences of their behaviors.8. DO treat the children as people and respect their needs, desires and feelings.9. DO ignore minor misbehaviors.10. DO explain things to children.11. DO stay consistent in our behavior management program.

1. DO NOT physically or emotionally harm a child in any way.2. DO NOT make fun of, yell at, threaten, make sarcastic remarks about, use profanity or

otherwise verbally abuse the children.3. DO NOT shame or punish the children when bathroom accidents occur.4. DO NOT deny food or rest as a punishment.5. DO NOT relate discipline to eating, resting or sleeping.6. DO NOT leave the children alone, unattended or without supervision.7. DO NOT place children alone for punishment.8. DO NOT allow discipline of children by other children.9. DO NOT criticize, make fun of ,or otherwise belittle children’s parents, families or ethnic

groups.

2.8. Developmental Issues

“Developmental issues” include separation from parents, toilet training, sleeping and eating problems, language and cognitive development, and normal emotional turmoil. These are all part of children's lives and therefore part of ours. We will talk with you about anything you feel moved to discuss. We have no restrictions or rules that ask children or parents to thwart normal growth and development. We have lots of resources, experiences and compassion.

2.9. Grievance Policy

If you have a question or concern about a KIN related issue, please see the chart below to determine the appropriate person with whom to speak. Please talk to the person listed first, if you then have further concerns you may go to the next person. In most instances (except staffing) you may speak to the Assistant Director or the Director - whichever is most comfortable.

Child/classroom issues: Teacher Director – Executive Director

Policy questions: Directors Board of Directors

Staffing issues: Directors

Policy and practice questions are referred to the Board of Directors as the court of last resort. The Directors will request the parents write a letter to the BOD. The letter will be read by the Directors at the next Board meeting and the issue will be discussed. The President of the Board will write a letter back to the parent(s) informing them of the Board’s decision within 30 days.

3. Health and Safety

3.1. Bottles and Diapers

State laws are very strict—for good reasons! All bottles of formula or breast milk must come from home already mixed and labeled with the child's name and date. At the end of every day the

bottles go home for washing. Diapers are to be provided by parents. Cloth diapers will be collected and sent home every day. Each child's diaper basket needs to be checked, restocked or emptied every day. All food for Infants must be supplied by parents with labels and dates.

3.2. Dropping Off and Picking Up Children

The adults who drop off a child at any time of the day must escort the child into the building and make verbal contact with a teacher. The child must be signed in and out. The same applies to pickups. Children will only be released to adults listed on their permission form. We know the children like to be more independent upon occasion but this rule is a critical safety issue. If your child is going to be absent or late please call to let teachers know. Please be sure to have your child at KIN or KIN too by 9:30 in order to be able to participate in the daily events. If you need to be later than 9:30 please let the Director know. KIN requests that parents understand the importance of children participating in daily events. Children may not be dropped off during nap hours.

3.3. Illness

In addition to State requirements, we rely on the authority of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association (AAP/APHA) National Health and Safety Performance Standards as detailed in the AAP/APHA book, Caring for Our Children. This book is considered to contain the most comprehensive health guidelines available for child care programs.

We also take in to consideration the well- being of all the children at KIN and KIN Too and developed the Illness policy accordingly.

If your child has been sick at home and is not yet fully recovered, please do not send him/her to school. We are ruthless about your child's health and the health of all the children at KIN. It is always important to know who is home ill so that we can monitor illness throughout the school, so please share with us the specific details of your child’s absence. We need to know symptoms and their severity.

Should your child become ill while at KIN, we will call both parents for up to thirty minutes. If you cannot be reached we will then call the emergency contacts you listed on your emergency card and require them to come and pick up your child. Please leave us accurate and up to date telephone numbers. Lethargy or discomfort that prevents a child from participation in program activities will result in a request to remove the child from the center even if diagnosis and other symptoms do not mandate exclusion. KIN staff will make judgments as to the general health of a child who is not participating in the day's regular activities and may send a child home under those conditions. KIN is not a suitable environment for sick children and the health of all the children is our responsibility.

Illness policy. KIN has a fairly straightforward illness policy. Children may be sent home for the following reasons:

Child feels too poorly to participate in normal center activities; e.g., consistently needs one on one care, excessive congestion which may affect child’s ability to eat or sleep comfortably, crying or fussiness, or needs to stay indoors.A child made irritable by illness is not only uncomfortable but often requires more time and attention than teachers can provide. Since an especially needy child will decrease a teacher’s ability to attend to the needs of the other children in the class, our teachers will use their discretion in determining whether or not a child feels well enough to participate at KIN.

Temperature at or above 100 axillary, 101 orally. For children under the age of 6 months the temperature is 99.5 axillary. At KIN, temperature will be taken by the axillary method only. Children may return after 1 full KIN day with no fever and no fever reducing medication given.1 full KIN day means if you are asked to pick up your child on Monday then the earliest they may return in on Wednesday as long as they are symptom free.

Two diarrhea whether caused by illness, food, food allergy, or medication. As the individuals who have experience identifying loose stools from “normal” stools, the decision to send a child home lies with the classroom teacher. A child who has two contained loose watery stools or one non contained watery stool will be sent home and will need to remain home until the child has been symptom free for a full KIN day after being sent home. Ex: If a child is sent home on Monday then the earliest they may return is on Wednesday providing they have been symptom free.

Vomiting, (one time) whether caused by illness, food, food allergy, medication, etc. Child may return after 1 full KIN day with no further vomiting.

Any concerning rash/skin infection must be diagnosed by a physician and you must provide a letter stating what the rash is, what it is caused by and if it is contagious.

Chicken Pox; child may return on the 6th day after on set of the rash OR when all blisters are crusted over and dry. In mild cases with only a few blisters that are crusted over and dry, children may return sooner and is at the discretion of KIN staff.

Impetigo; child may return after 1 full KIN day of receiving treatment but all sores should be lightly covered (Band-Aid) until dried up.

Ringworm; child may return after 1 full KIN day of receiving treatment.

Head Lice or nits present. Child may return after 1 full KIN day providing there are no lice or nits present and the child has been treated.

Pinworms; child may return after 1 full KIN day after receiving treatment

Conjunctivitis, eye drainage and/or significant reddening of the eye, both viral and bacterial. this may include watery, puffy, or mucus filled eyes. Child may return after a full KIN day of receiving treatment and with no symptoms.

Strep Throat; child may return after 1 full KIN day of receiving treatment with no further symptoms.

Hand, Foot and mouth is a common childhood illness and usually occurs in the summer or fall. Children need to be kept home for two days after the onset of the rash and can return on the third day providing there is no fever without a fever reducer. (Rash starts on Monday, then return on Thursday.

The above illnesses are the most common ones in Childcare. If your child contracts an illness that is not on this list please call the Director for information.

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A child should not be brought to KIN if she or he is unable to function fully in routine activities, including going outside.

We are aware that some symptoms of illness are not clearly developed in the morning at drop-off time. If a child develops symptoms of an infectious illness during his or her day at KIN, a parent will be asked to pick up the child as soon as possible (i.e., within one half-hour).

Please be understanding when asked to seek medical opinion regarding your child’s illness. From time to time, the director will request this even when parents feel that the above guidelines are being met. The intent will never be punitive or the action frivolous. Requests of this nature are made in order to promote the health of all children and staff at KIN. Please also understand that there are too many childhood illnesses to list in the handbook and that sending a child home lies in the discretion of the KIN staff. Feel free to ask questions if necessary. Thank you for your cooperation.

General Prevention. Because many childhood diseases are contagious before any symptoms appear it is important that all caregivers of young children practice preventive measures at all times. Our teachers are required by state health guidelines to wash their hands after entering the building, after using the bathroom, before handling food, after wiping children's noses or mouths and after changing diapers. The children wash their hands upon arrival, before all snacks and meals, after using the bathroom as part of their classroom routines and before departure. Children are also not permitted to share food or eating utensils. Toys that have been in children's mouths are placed in a container until the end of the day when they are disinfected with a bleach solution.

3.4. Medications

Regarding the administration of medications we must adhere to the latest North Carolina laws that regulate child care. No drug or other medication will be administered without specific

instructions from a physician or the child's parent or guardian. A Medication Form must be completed and dated for each day the medicine is to be dispensed. This includes any over-the-counter lotions or creams (i.e., diaper ointment). Information on the agreement must include the child's name, the name of the medicine, and the times and amount to be given. The parent must sign and date the form. When the medicine is dispensed, the hour is noted on the form and the teacher who administers the medicine must initial it.

All medications, lotions, must be brought to the center in their original containers and must be locked up while on the premises. We will not administer any non-prescription medications. If your child is too ill to participate in regular daily activities without medication then they should not come to KIN. Medication is not to be mixed with formula, juice, or food without specific instructions from a physician.

Any ointment, lotion, or creams that say on the label “Keep out of reach of children” must be locked up while at KIN. For example, back packs and bags cannot contain Desitin, Purell, or baby powders, even if we are not administering them here.

3.5. Meals

We serve nutritious foods at our morning and afternoon snacks. We serve plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables along with a healthy grain.

KIN provides morning and afternoon snacks as well as drinks for meals. Milk is provided at lunch and water at snacks. With the exceptions listed below, you may send whatever your child likes for lunch. Our snack menu is posted and we will write down any last minute changes. If your child has food allergies, cannot tolerate certain foods, or has specific food requirements, please let us know.

Lunch is a many-layered event. Not only are hungry children in need of food, but it is an important social and fine-motor event as well. Please send safe containers that can be manipulated by the children themselves. For lunches needing to be heated, please send in a microwave safe container and provide and ice pack for lunches needing refrigeration. By the way, kids love to get surprise notes from their parents in their lunch boxes.

Lunch guidelines. By state law we must ensure that each child has a healthy lunch. Each lunch should contain:

A protein. Peanut butter, cheese, cream cheese, beans, yogurt, etc. are acceptable as sources of protein as well as the more traditional meat and fish. There may be some years that KIN or KIN too may be nut free depending on any allergies present.

A grain. This can be bread, bagels, rice, or pasta or something similar.

A fruit and a vegetable. Popular veggies include slivered carrots, peas, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, and raw broccoli.

Prohibited items. Both because of state regulations, and our own concerns about health and safety we ask that you not send any of the following:

Candy and Popcorn. It can be a choking hazard, will cause dissension and jealousy among other children, and tends to cause kids to skimp on the healthy part of the meal.

KIN also asks that parents NOT send overly sweet lunches such as pudding, donuts, cookies as well as potato chips.

3.6. Inclement Weather

In the case of adverse weather, the Director will check with Board President and check weather forecasts and verify that the appropriate number of staff are able to safely drive to KIN. The Directors may take into consideration the decisions of the County School systems, other child care centers and businesses. The decision to open late or close for the day will be announced on wral.com and be emailed to the Parent list serve. If KIN needs to close early we will call parents as soon as the decision is made. Parents are expected to arrive on time for the early dismissal.

We encourage parents to develop a back-up plan with other KIN parents to combine resources in the event KIN is closed on a day that parents need child care.

If the total number of full days closed for Inclement Weather exceeds 4 days in a contract year KIN will remain open on one scheduled closed day. Any two days where KIN is open less than 5 hours will equal one full day.

4. Parent Participation

KIN's board of directors has evolved the following policies and practices to help support KIN through the efforts of our community of families, neighborhood businesses, and alumni. Research amply demonstrates that children have a richer and more meaningful experience in programs in which their parents are actively involved. Our community of families is KIN, and we work hard to include everyone in the children's experiences, both directly and indirectly.

4.1. Parent Jobs

This part of our program supports two goals—to structure ways that parents can be actively involved in helping at their child's school and to tend to the many tasks required to run two early-childhood programs. All parents are required to work a specified number of hours per quarter. These jobs include carpentry, painting, errand running, etc. Parent jobs help the staff keep up with maintenance of the house and make parents a visible part of the children's world at KIN.

Here is how the program works:

Parents are required to work three hours per family each quarter. The calendar quarters end the last day of November, February, May, and August.

When you sign up for a job, you are responsible for completing the job by the end of the quarter. When you sign up for a job, please do it!

Parents may elect to pay a fee (due by the end of the quarter) in lieu of all or part of their time. The current fee rate is $30.00 per hour. This revenue helps pay contract labor to work on the facility.

Excess work hours may be carried over for one quarter only.

Record your time in the Parent Job Notebook before the end of the quarter or you may be charged. You are responsible for keeping track of your hours. If a mistake is made in billing, simply correct the entry in the Parent Job Notebook and notify the Director.

Serving on the Board of Directors does not fulfill the parent job responsibility (see Section 4.2). Likewise, participating in subcommittee meetings by only attending the meetings does not fulfill the parent job responsibility. However, actual subcommittee work, outside of planning meetings, does count toward fulfilling the parent job responsibility (e.g., helping sort wreaths and trees at the greenery sale).

A parent/staff workday is scheduled each quarter. As the name suggests, parents and staff get together at the KIN locations to work. This can be a pleasant way to put in your hours and get to know the staff. The workdays also help us tackle larger jobs requiring many hands. Dates are posted on the front doors and parent clips, annual calendar and through email.

Parent participation can really enhance the quality of the Center without adding to the cost. It is also a wonderful way to keep in touch with what is going on in your child's life and to provide support for the staff that is creating a nurturing environment for the children. Please contribute of your time as generously as you are able.

4.2. The Board of Directors

Responsibility for the overall well-being of KIN and carrying out our mission resides with the Board of Directors. Board responsibilities include: that our long range goals are clear, that there are appropriate means for measuring our progress, ensuring the financial stability of the program and its adherence to applicable laws, and ensuring the safety and appropriateness of our learning facilities. Setting policy and addressing any other issues it deems important to the development and maintenance of excellence at KIN are also Board responsibilities.

The Board hires the Director who, in turn, has responsibility for carrying out Board policies. The Board is not involved in the day-to-day operation of the program. The Directors oversee the administration and daily operations of the school, including hiring and supervising staff, and is charged with developing and maintaining a curriculum that meets the children’s needs for learning and development. In addition, the Directors are primarily responsible for communication between the program, our parents, and the larger community.

An important role for parents at KIN is to become a member of the Board of Directors. The Board is made up of parents, community members, and the administrative staff. There is a maximum of 8 members including the Directors. Board meetings are open and parents interested in becoming members need only speak with the Directors. If there is an opening you will be invited to attend and the Board will vote on your acceptance. The Board meets every other month at 6:45 pm.

4.3. Fundraising

Because KIN's costs are tied to the flexibility and quality we offer to families, fundraising is an integral source of revenues for us as a non-profit organization. We rely on our community, much as other programs rely on charitable organizations to support them. Thus each KIN family is expected to participate in selling and volunteering time with the Greenery sale and the Spring sale. It takes many hands to pull off a successful fundraising event—and, of course, these are also great times to meet other families!

5. Classroom Details

This section covers classroom practices. It is not comprehensive—it only covers those most frequently talked about by teachers and parents.

5.1. Arrivals

State rules state that children must wash their hands upon arrival at KIN. Please include this in your morning drop off routine. After putting their belongings away, they may go in the handwashing sink and wash their hands. There are posters by each sink demonstrating the approved method of hand washing.

5.2. The Daily Schedule

Both KINs open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. The schedule reflects the needs of the children's care and education and varies from class to class. Schedules also vary with the season. A schedule is posted on each classroom bulletin board (see Section 1.4). The following schedule will give you an idea of what a KIN day is like, but check the bulletin board for your child's schedule. The schedule varies between KIN and KIN Too.

7:30 Arrivals and free choice.10:00 Morning Snack10:15 Group time

10:45 Free choice—small groups.11:45 Outdoor Play12:30 Lunch.1:00 Stories and rest time.3:00 Free Choice3:30 Afternoon snack.3:45 Story time

4:00 Outdoor Play5:00 Calming Activities5:30 KIN is closed

5.3. Linens

Rest time linens must, by state law, be fitted crib sheets labeled with the child's name. They must go home each Friday to be washed and returned each Monday. An additional small blanket may also be sent, or a small pillow, but the operational word is small—we have limited storage.

5.4. Clothing

Clothing can make or break a child's day! We expect your child to come to school in clothes that can get dirty. We encourage mucking around as a valuable part of education and development. Children who cannot participate in activities because of their clothing are frustrated and sad. We also require that all children have a shoebox full of extra clothing that fits and is in season. Anytime we send home wet or dirty clothes, the shoebox must be replenished with more appropriate clothing. Children's clothing is important because it is such a concrete extension of the child's own self—it is both traumatic to lose things and reassuring to change an uncomfortable wet child into their own dry clothes. Please send outerwear that addresses our firm belief that fresh air is healthy for children. Send mittens, boots, and hats as needed.

5.5. Off Premises activities/ in house Field Trips

KIN and KIN too enjoy taking walks around the neighborhood and to visit local businesses. The preschoolers enjoy walking to the fire station and having other educational programs visit them.

5.6. Children's Art

Art is a daily event for children at KIN and they generate a great deal of it! We will send art home via their cubbies or clips. These are precious and the result of great effort and we value them highly for the creative expressions they are.

5.7. Toys from Home

A toy from home may only be brought to KIN on the day of Show and Tell. The toy needs to be able to fit in the cubby. We recognize that objects carry a great deal of significance for children and we want them to be encouraged to share special items or treasures with their friends and teacher.

We distinguish between toys from home and nap items.

Please do not send toys with many small pieces, costumes, or coins. We do not allow weapons at school. Balloons and other hazardous items are prohibited.

5.8. Sun Screen

If you supply sunscreen for your child and fill out a permission form we will apply it to your child before going outside.

5.9. Toileting

We are equipped to help children acquire the skills of toilet training, but, based on good child development practices, we know that this is a highly individual event and requires closely coordinated efforts between parents and teachers.

We will never shame children because of toileting accidents, nor will we bribe them.

5.10. Labeling and Lost-and-Found

Please label your child's belongings. These include:

• Linens

• Lunch box

When soiled clothes come home in a bag, remember to replace the spare clothes with more clothes. We cannot be responsible for any clothing that is not labeled. There is a lost-and-found box located in the hallway at KIN.

5.11. Departure

We ask that parents be respectful of our schedules and arrive at least ten minutes before their scheduled pick-up. At pick-up times please check hooks and cubbies for art, dirty clothes, and if you are a parent at KIN, too the refrigerator for any used sippy cups or bottles, as well as the status of your child’s diaper bin.