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Introduction to the Handbook and Policies

It is extremely important to me to provide quality childcare and to meet your child’s need for proper growth and development. I believe in fun and play-based learning. To provide the best quality care, I will always keep a smaller group so that each child gets the individualized attention that they require. Although I am licensed for 10, I do not plan on taking in more than 7 children (though I may based on daycare needs in Eden Prairie, current families expanding, to keep rates down for current families, etc...). Please keep this in mind when considering the rates for childcare. I will make every effort to keep your child happy and safe. Also, to promote his/her independence, to help him/her build a healthy self-image, to introduce rules and manners and to create and maintain lasting relationships/friendships. My goal is to provide a safe, supportive, caring, fun and nurturing environment and to meet each child’s individual intellectual, emotional, physical and social needs.

It is also imperative that both our rights, yours and mine, are respected. This handbook was written in an effort to avoid the misunderstandings that can make the daycare relationship difficult. It is important that both you and your child feel comfortable in the home you have chosen for care. If you are uncomfortable with or unclear about any of my policies, please bring them to my attention immediately so the issue can be resolved. Likewise, I’ll ask for your help in resolving problems your child may have in my daycare home. Let us work together to help your child learn and grow! Like they say, “it takes a village” …

Non-Discrimination Policy

I do not discriminate against any families in my daycare home. All children are welcome regardless of race, religion, national origin or gender.

Hours of Operation

 

Jeri’s Little Learners is open Monday thru Friday from 7:30am-5:00pm. Unless arrangements are worked out before hand, I will not be open before 7:30am and you will be charged for late pick up if you arrive after 5:00pm to pick up your child. **Please see rates**

Please have children dropped off no later than 9:00am. It is distracting for the group to have to stop their activities while I check in a child that’s being dropped off late. Infants start naps at 9:00am and that is also when we start quiet time and sit down to have snacks.

Daycare will be closed for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

You are welcome to come by at anytime. I do prefer that you set up a time to swing by if you'd ever like to pick-up early (especially during nap times) just so that I can have the group distracted with an activity or be extra quiet if other's are sleeping. If you ever decide to 'pop in' unannounced just to say hi or check on things, you will be required to pick-up your child. I understand wanting to check in sometimes, but it can be a big disruption to the entire group. Especially if you child sees you and thinks it's time to go home and you try to leave without them. Children will play off of one another's emotions and it can make or break the rest of our day as a group.

Rates

a) Infant Care: 6 weeks – 12 months: $380/week

b) Toddler Care: 12-24 months: $355/week

c) Pre-school: 2-5 years: $335/week

Please remember that you are paying for your child’s enrollment/spot in my care and not for attendance. If your child is absent for any reason such as illness, your day off, vacation, maternity leave, etc., you are responsible to pay your full tuition for those days.

I require a deposit of 2 week’s pay to hold your child’s spot. This deposit will be put towards your child’s last 2 weeks of care. You must give at least 4 weeks’ notice. This fee is non-refundable unless you cancel within 48 hours of signing up for care and it is more than 30 days before your child’s start date.

Payments can be made weekly, bi-weekly or monthly by cash or through the Brightwheel app that you will be required to have when your child is enrolled. If you wish to pay with a credit card, there will be a 3% processing fee. Payment must be made in full the Friday before each week of care. Late fees will be applied at the rate of $25/day if your payment is not received on time. 

Daycare closes at 5:00pm sharp. My family time is just as important to me as I know yours’ is to you. Therefore, there will be a flat rate late fee of $10 for the first 1-5 minutes late followed by $1/minute after 5:05pm that must be paid before care begins the following week. I have missed appointments in the past due to late pick-ups that I am still responsible for paying so it is very important to me to have children picked up on-time. I try my best not to close for appointments by scheduling what I can as late in the day as possible.

Fees incurred due to returned or non-payment of checks will be the sole responsibility of the parents. Any additional costs due to returned checks will be due within 3 days of notice and are subject to late payment fees of $5/day.

There will be a $100 application fee. This covers time, paperwork and supplies necessary when enrolling a new family.

Vacation, PTO and Sick Days

a) I will take 2 weeks of paid time off and 2 weeks of unpaid time off. One of the unpaid weeks will be the week between Christmas and New Years. This time will be used to visit family, take my annual required licensing classes and deep clean the daycare. Those weeks will be planned no less than 2 months in advance so that you have adequate time to plan for alternative care. My family lives in Hawaii and it is very important to me to get to see them each year. As the kids get older, it’s important to our family that our kids don’t miss school so we will try to plan trips around Eden Prairie school closures.

b) Major holidays will be paid time off. If the holiday falls on the weekend, daycare will be closed the Friday before or Monday after the holiday (I will let you know which as the time approaches).

1. New Year’s Day

2. Memorial Day

3. Independence Day

4. Labor Day

5. Thanksgiving & the Friday after

6. Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

c) When your family takes a vacation, that time will be paid at 50% the weekly rate. I must be notified at least 30 days before your vacation for this rate to apply. If your vacation coincides with my paid vacation time, that will be paid at 100% the weekly rate. Please remember that my rates are for your child’s spot in my care and not based on their attendance.

d) If I am unable to care for your child, you will not be charged. This would include me needing to schedule an appointment, sick days, etc...

e) I do have a substitute who has taken all of the required trainings to be here in my absence. I try my best to schedule appointments during a time that she is available so that there is no disruption to your schedules.

Clothing & Supplies

Parents are required to bring diapers and wipes for their child. Diapers are changed every 2-3 waking hours unless child has had obvious bowel movement and immediately after any naps. Both the child’s and my hands will be washed after each changing.

Parents of infants are asked to provide their own bottles, formula/breastmilk and pacifiers, if needed. Please be sure to label all items with child’s name.

Children over the age of 1 may bring 1 special item from home to have at rest time. This item can be a special blanket, stuffed animal or other loved item. It can stay at daycare all week, but I ask that you take the items home to be cleaned over the weekend. Please do not bring any toys/electronic devices from home. We will have plenty to play with here and it will be one less thing to have to carry around or look for at the end of the day.

To ensure dry clothing for your child, I require that you leave 3 complete changes of clothing in your child’s cubby. Kids will be kids and their clothes may get wet/dirty during play and spills/accidents may occur and I would like to be sure that your child is comfortable. We will try to spend time outside almost every day (weather permitting) so please be sure to bring the appropriate clothing for your child to participate in outdoor activities especially in the winter months.   I recommend bringing sunscreen for children over the age of 6 months.

I do not supply any over the counter medications. Parents are required to supply diaper ointment, pain/fever reliever, teething gel, sunscreen, etc., if needed. A medication permission form is required by MN law before I will administer any kind of medications.

Meals & Snacks

 

Children should be fed breakfast before arriving for care in the morning.

I will supply meals and snacks for children ages 12 months and older. That will include:

Morning Snack, Lunch and an Afternoon Snack.

Any special food due to dietary restrictions need to be labeled with your child’s name.

I will keep a daily log of all food/feedings each day. Meals will include servings from each of the basic food groups as defined by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

No medications are permitted to be put into the bottles.

Sleeping

It is recommended that all children in my care get a little sleep. Even if the child does not fall asleep, efforts will be made to encourage your child to get some rest. Playing and learning can be exhausting and resting will keep them feeling refreshed.

Infants will be placed in a portable crib. They will always be laid on their back. If they turn on their sides or tummy, they will be moved back to their backs. Cribs will be empty and the only thing that can be offered is a dry pacifier with nothing attached to it. If you wish for your infant to be swaddled, there will be a mandatory form for you to complete before care begins.

Toddlers and preschoolers will each be given their own little sleeping bags/mats. I will be sure that these are cleaned frequently.

Sick Children

Parents will be notified and need to pick up children when child:

a) has a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher

b) is vomiting

c) has diarrhea more than 2 times in an hour

d) has a severe cough

e) has chicken pox (until scabbed over)

f) has strep throat (until on medication for 36 hours)

g) has pink eye (until on medication for 36 hours)

h) any unusual rash (until diagnosed by a doctor)

I require parents to notify me within 24 hours of the diagnosis of a serious contagious illness or parasitic infestation. All parents will be notified the same day I am made aware of any contagious illness or parasitic infestation.

Immunization records must be provided for each child in care.

I require written permission and written directions from parents prior to administering any medication, diapering products, sunscreen or insect repellents (provided by parents).

Children must stay home and be monitored for 24 hours after getting shots.

Children cannot be medicated and then dropped off. If you medicate your child to mask a fever and try to hide it from me and then drop them off for care, that is grounds for immediate termination, and you will not be issued any refunds. I need to know anytime you give your child medication before being dropped off.

If someone at home (parent or sibling) is sick with any of the above symptoms that could be contagious, please keep your child home to keep it from spreading to daycare friends. 

Sick children will need to be home and fever/vomit/diarrhea free WITHOUT MEDICATION for 24 hours before returning to daycare.

Immunization

I am required to keep records of all children’s immunization records. If you choose not to vaccinate your child for personal / religious reasons, you will still be required to sign the immunization record form for your child and have it notarized for me to keep on file.

If, by the rare chance, there is ever a child reported to be sick with something contagious, DHS will be contacted, and we will follow all instructions that they recommend.

Children who are receiving any shots or vaccinations, must remain home to be monitored for 24 hours.

Anaphylaxis & Allergies

I am trained in CPR and First Aid as required by MN law for licensing. I am familiar with and adequately trained in using Epipens. If your child requires an epipen please be sure to leave it with them at daycare. If the prescription says 2 epipens, it is required that both epipens be left. This is for the health and safety of your child. If their allergy is severe, sometimes a second dose is required shortly after the first.

If your child has ANY KNOWN ALLERGIES, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SEVERE, I REQUIRE YOU TO LET ME KNOW! This will be extremely helpful when preparing meals and doing outdoor activities. 

Smoking, Drugs & Alcohol

There is no smoking, drugs or alcohol* (*during daycare hours) permitted on our property.

If a parent or anyone picking up a child seems to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, I will strongly suggest having someone else pick up the child. If the person insists on taking the child, the authorities will be notified. I will do everything that I feel is in the best interest of the child.

Transportation Plans

I do not ‘transport’ our kiddos. You are required to have the appropriate car seats/booster seats for your child when picking them up.

Authorized Pick-Up

When signing up your child for care, I will ask for all authorized people that can pick up your child. Anyone who is not the parent/legal guardian of the child is REQUIRED TO SHOW A VALID I.D. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Please notify me at the start of the day if someone else will be picking up your child that day.

Daily Activities

My daycare home is well equipped for children of all ages that I provide care for. The playroom and yard are filled with toys and designed to encourage children to play and develop both large and small muscles. Your child will have the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts, music, imaginative play, games and other activities. They will be encouraged to play in groups and individually. I will help them learn, grow and develop at their own pace. Activities are not rigidly structured, but rather informally scheduled to meet each child’s needs.

Discipline

When a child has done something inappropriate, I will always be sure to speak with them calmly and one on one about how to correct those actions. The discipline will be administered with love, be reasonable, fair and age appropriate. Your child will never be left alone for a time-out or made to feel embarrassed around the other children. Every situation is unique, but I have learned that with most acting out or inappropriate behavior, children just need a little more attention or are a little bored and need some redirection or little reminders to keep them on track.

Toilet Training

I am happy to assist you with potty training. Every child is unique and I am willing to work with each child’s needs. To be most effective, training must be consistent at home and in daycare. It must be a cooperative effort between parents and provider. I believe that every child’s timing for potty training is different, but they will let us know when they are ready. When the time comes, I use a small seat that fits over the regular toilet seat. For safety reasons, I ask children under school-age to leave the door slightly open while in the bathroom.

Parents are required to provide several pairs of training pants and extra changes of clothing. No child will ever be punished for accidents (even at the request of parents). Accidents happen. To minimize accidents, your child may be diapered at nap time. You may bring disposable training pants such as Pull-Ups. Children tend to have a better sense of accomplishment if they can dress and undress themselves, so please dress them in pull up elastic waist pants during the training period. No overalls, snaps or zips.

Emergencies & Closures

a) Medical Emergencies: If your child requires emergency medical care while in my care, I will call 911 and then notify you so that you may come to my home or the hospital, if need be. You will be responsible for any charges if emergency transport is needed. If your child is hurt to the point of possibly needing stiches, chokes and receives the Heimlich, faints/loses consciousness, etc., the event will be documented, reported to my licensor and I will strongly recommend seeking medical attention.

b) Other emergencies: If there is an emergency in the area or at my home, the daycare will go on lockdown if it is safe to be in the home. This would include, but is not limited to a stranger being on property, schools or other nearby businesses being on lockdown due to active shooters or dangerous persons, etc. The house will be completely locked up and the children and I will lock up in the daycare restroom until it is safe to come out. I will provide snacks and activities to keep the children safe and calm. You will be notified immediately if this happens and I will keep you updated as much as possible and notify you as soon as it is safe to pick up your child.

c) Fires: I do keep an up-to-date fire extinguisher in the daycare. In the event that there is a fire that cannot be put out with the extinguisher, we will evacuate to a safe place on the property and you will be notified as soon as we are at our safe zone. Your child will go through monthly fire drills with me so they learn to be calm during these situations and so that they are familiar with our safe zone.

d) Storms: In case of a storm, children will be brought into the restroom where there are no windows. We will wait out the storm and I will provide snacks and activities to keep children safe and calm until it is safe to resume our daily activities or safe for you to pick them up.

e) I do keep an emergency preparedness kit in my home that is always prepped and ready.

f) In the case of inclement weather, the daycare will follow the surrounding area schools. If schools close early, so will daycare. If schools are closed due to snow, daycare will also be closed. This is for the safety of you and your children. These days will be paid.

g) In the case that there is an emergency for me while I am caring for your child and I need to go to the hospital, my husband, Josh, is my emergency backup person. He has taken the required classes and undergone the background checks. You will be notified immediately if this happens and asked to pick up your child as soon as possible.

Termination & Notice Procedure

The childcare arrangement may be terminated by either party by giving notice at least 4 weeks in advance. Your deposit will be used for the last 2 weeks of care. Your deposit may not be used if you give less than 2 weeks’ notice.

I reserve the right to terminate with no notice and the deposit will not be refunded. This would be for situations such as a child biting other children or if there is some other form of inappropriate behavior that affects the health and safety of other children. I will make every attempt to help children correct their behavior and work with parents as well, but if it continues and we cannot find a resolution, termination may be required for the safety of other children in care. It also includes inappropriate behavior shown by parents or other people picking up/dropping off the child.

Covid Policy

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  1. To be eligible for care in my home, child must be free from COVID-19 symptoms. If, during the day, any of the following symptoms appear, your child will be separated from the rest of the children and you will be contacted to pick him/her up within the hour of being notified. Symptoms include:

    1. Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher

    2. Dry cough

    3. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

    4. Chills

    5. Loss of taste or smell

    6. Sore throat

    7. Muscle aches

    8. Diarrhea

    9. Headaches

           While I understand that many of these symptoms can also be related to non-COVID-19 issues, we must proceed with an abundance of caution during this Public Health Emergency. These symptoms typically appear 2-7 days after being infected so please take them seriously. Your child will need to be symptom free without any medication for 72 hours before returning to daycare.

  1. Your child will be required to frequently wash their hands according to CDC guidelines.

  2. You are required to notify me immediately if you or someone in your household tests positive for Covid. In the event that anyone at home is positive, daycare child may not attend daycare for 5 days. If someone else at home tests positive the 5 days starts over with that positive test.

  3. Please understand that while present in daycare each day, your child will be in contact with children who are also at risk of community exposure. No list of restrictions, guidelines or practices will remove 100% of risk of exposure to COVID-19 as the virus can be transmitted by persons who are asymptomatic and before some people show signs of infection. You play a crucial role in keeping everyone in the daycare safe and are responsible for reducing the risk of exposure by following the CDC guidelines.

  4. Should the daycare have to close due to COVID-19, you will be responsible to pay the full tuition for the first 1 weeks of closure. If daycare needs to remain closed past the initial 1 weeks due to COVID-19, you will not be required to pay tuition.

  5. Jeri’s Little Learners is not responsible or liable for the exposure or possible transmission of illness or communicable disease at the daycare. If your child is absent for quarantining due to COVID-19, full payment is required to hold his/her spot.

Grievance Policy

An applicant or license holder must have a program grievance procedure that permits persons served by the program and their authorized representatives to bring a grievance to the highest level of authority in the program (Minnesota Statutes 245A.04, subdivision 1d)

My grievance policy is: Good communication between parents and the provider is an essential part of any successful childcare arrangement. Each party should feel free to share concerns and ask questions. I welcome your questions and feedback so that together we can assure a happy, safe, and nurturing childcare environment for your children. If concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved between us, you may call the following agencies:

Hennepin County Human Services Family Child Care Licensing Unit

Shelley Gibbons: 651.263.0112

Mrs. Jeri Jean Rasmussen, Center Director

ADDRESS

7081 W 192ND AVE

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 55346

CONTACT US

1.800.346.0468

JERCARE2020@GMAIL.COM

HOURS

Mon-Fri: 7:30am - 5:00pm
Sat-Sun: Closed

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