Parent Handbook
Parent Handbook
This handbook for parents explains the philosophy, purpose, policies, and practices of the Legacy Learning.
Conferences
Conferences will be held once a semester. If for any reason a parent desires a special conference, please call the office.
Schedule of Operation
LLC’s year is January through December. Class hours are from 7:00am- 5:30pm for the Martin and Wingate campuses and 6:30am-5:30pm for the Perryville campus.
Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures
Upon arrival/departure each day, please sign in/out in your child’s classroom. All K3 & Pre-K children should be in their classrooms prior to 9am daily to limit classroom disruption of activities and educational programs. If parent plans on dropping off after 9am, we ask that you inform the teacher of the late planned arrival time to assist the teacher’s planning of activities and meal counts for the day.
A child who is left at the center after 5:30 p.m. is considered late. A warning will be issued the first time a child is picked up late. On the second and subsequent times a child is picked up late, a $1.00 per minute late fee will be charged. Payment of late fees will be deducted with next draft. Parents should notify center as soon as they realize they will be late.
Notice from the parent is required if a child is to be picked up by an unauthorized person or if a child is to go home with another child. The person must show picture ID for verification.
Weather Related Closing
LLC will be closed due to inclement weather on the same days as the public school district in your community. When your community public school district announces an early closing due to inclement weather, parents are requested to immediately pick-up their children. There is no credit or tuition changes for weather related closings.
Enrollment Fee
A non-refundable enrollment fee is due upon registration and insures your child a place in the program.
Payment of Tuition
Tuition will be drafted from your bank account weekly on Friday. Tuition will be paid in advance, thus your tuition will be for the following week. If a draft is returned, there will be a $35.00 NSF charge added to your account. After 3 NSF's, Legacy reserves the right to remove your child from the center. If tuition remains unpaid because of a returned draft, the child will not be allowed to return to LLC until the balance is paid in full. If tuition isn't paid on Monday, a $25 late fee will be automatically applied to your account and will continue weekly until the invoice is paid in full. There will be no credit or tuition changes for days your child is absent.
Holiday Closing
LLC will be closed for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Wednesday-Friday for Thanksgiving, 3 days at Christmas. There is no credit or tuition changes for holiday closings.
Withdrawing a Child
Two weeks written notice is required prior to withdrawing a child from the program except in the case of serious illness or accident. Failure to give the required notice results in a charge of 2 weeks of child’s tuition.
LLC reserves the right to dismiss a child for reasons of non-cooperation, late payment of fees, or inability of the child or parent to adjust to the LLC program, as determined by the Board.
Tobacco and Alcohol-Free Campus
Legacy Learning is a tobacco and alcohol-free campus. Contact the Director to learn more about this policy.
Immunizations
LLC is required by the Child Care Licensing Unit to have an updated copy of your child’s immunization record on file. LLC participates in the Immunization Network Please inform the director when your child receives immunization updates.
Illness at Home
Children with fever, constant coughs, heavy nasal discharge, vomiting, diarrhea, or unknown rashes should not come to school. A child must be free of all signs of communicable illness for at least 24 hours before he or she will be allowed to return to LLC. Please notify the director or your child's teacher if your child has a communicable illness so other parents may be informed.
Illness at School
Should a child become ill at LLC, a parent will be contacted to pick-up the child. Should the parent be out of reach, emergency persons listed for the child will be contacted. Children must be picked up within 30 minutes after being notified.
Medication
Prescription medications will be given with your written permission on a form provided by the Director. The form must be completed and medication administered by the director or child’s teacher. Please inform your child’s teacher about the medication. Medicine must be in the child's name and in the original container. All medication must be given to the teacher and locked up. No medication of any kind may be left in the child’s bag.
Emergency Medical Care
Should the Director determine that a child requires emergency medical care, the child’s parent will be contacted for instructions, then the doctor will be called. The Director or designee will provide transportation to the specified medical facility. The child’s medical records maintained at LLC which include a parent’s signature will accompany the child. Parents will receive a copy of an accident report if his/her child is injured at school.
First Day at Center
Before your child begins attending LLC, set up an exact enrollment date. Children often cry the first few times they are left. Try a brief goodbye. Delaying departure is hard on the child and the parent, as both become more upset and reinforce each other’s fear feelings. If your
child is upset when you leave the center, feel free to call the Director to check on your child’s progress. We will call you if your child does not settle down. Most children quiet down quickly when they are reassured by the teacher and become interested in the classroom activities and other children.
On the first day, you should bring the following items:
• Registration papers, completed and signed
• A complete change of weather appropriate clothing
• Wipes and Diapers or extra underwear
• Sheet and blanket
Lunch
At LLC, we strive to provide our children and staff with fresh healthy ingredients with as few processed foods, as possible. We use fresh fruits and vegetables regularly and ask that our teachers eat the same foods as the children for meals and snacks. Family style meals will be served to encourage language development through communication.
Allergies: LLC understands that many children have special dietary requirements due to food allergies. Please provide a list of items to which your child is allergic. If your child has special dietary need, we request that you approve the meal and snack items.
Rest Time
A daily rest period is provided for all children following the lunch period. Children under a year old will be placed in cribs. Children age 12 months and up will lie down on cots. Parents are responsible for providing a sheet and blanket.
Outdoor Play
As required by DHS, all children spend time outdoors each day. At LLC, we encourage outside time for all areas of learning, thus children will spend a good portion of their day outside, weather permitting. If a child cannot go outside for at least 1 hour per day due to illness, the child should not be at the center.
Enrichment Activities
Children participate in planned enrichment activities appropriate for their age and level of development. These include Interactive & Creative Story time, Music, Art, and Movement classes.
Field Trips
Appropriate field trips for the Pre-k class may be planned. Parents will be notified before the dates and time of the trip. Prior to any field trips, a field trip form will be sent home for parent’s signature. Parents are requested to attend at least one field trip a year to help with supervision. The ratio for field trips is 1:5.
Birthday Celebrations
We love celebrating birthdays and sharing a special time of fun and song. If treats are sent, please check with your child's teacher to assure enough is brought for the entire class and allergies are not affected.
Community Outreach
LLC believes it is important for children to learn about helping others and to practice what they are learning. Learning to help others takes place daily as children interact among themselves as well as with staff. Throughout the year children and their families also have the opportunity to participate in projects that support the wider community. Community support is encouraged by such activities as collecting canned goods for local food pantries and raising funds for needs.
Special Programs
We ask that you please try to bring your child to special activities and programs during the year. The children and teachers work very hard to prepare for special activities and enjoy sharing them with family and friends.
Clothing
Children should be dressed in clothing that is comfortable, easy to manage by children and adults, and that can withstand outside play and messy activities. Outer clothing should be marked with the child’s name.
Toilet Training
If your child is in the process of toilet training, please notify the teacher. Some things that are important to share with the teacher: words he or she uses, how often he or she goes to the bathroom, and if he or she uses a potty-chair. It is our policy to see that children go to the bathroom before going outdoors, and that the children are not scolded or shamed should they wet or soil their pants. Please send extra clothes including a pair of underwear in a Ziploc bag with their name marked on it.
Parent Involvement
We are dedicated to giving the children a quality day. We promote parental involvement and encourage parents to come and observe their children and their teachers at any time. We also encourage parents to attend field trips. All parents are required to attend the parent meeting held in August of each year.
Communication with Teachers/Staff
Teachers/staff should not be contacted directly by telephone, text message or social media during non-work hours. During work hours, calls or messages will only be returned during a designated time. In case of emergencies, messages for your child’s teacher may be left by calling the office. The message will be relayed to the teacher by the Director or designee. If you have any concerns or questions which you would like to discuss with your teacher, the parent should schedule a meeting through the Director. We will use the brightwheel app for daily communication.
Safety and Security
Your child's safety is a top priority at LLC. Entry will only be granted through key FOB access or video/buzzer access. Our facilities meet or exceed fire codes and we have video surveillance throughout our children's areas. We have carefully developed preparedness plans that ensure every child is always accounted for. All our staff and volunteers undergo background checks and our staff is trained in first aid and CPR. As an additional safety policy, please remember to post only your child’s picture to your social media accounts when posting pictures of LLC activities. Preparedness Plan LLC has a detailed plan for emergencies. If you would like to see a copy, feel free to request a copy from the LLC Director. In the event of an emergency, children will be relocated to Child Safety Recalls pertaining to children are located on our website.
Reporting Suspected Licensing Violations If you suspect that Legacy has licensing violations, you can call Central Office at 501-682-8590 to place a report. Your children may be subject to interviews by licensing staff, child maltreatment investigators, or law enforcement officials for the purpose of determining licensing compliance or for investigative purposes. Child interviews do not require parental notice or consent.
Behavior Policy
LLC is committed to an approach of directing children toward positive acceptable behavior in a well-planned, interesting learning environment. Acceptable or desired behavior will be reinforced with praise. Inappropriate behavior will be ignored when possible and the child will be redirected to another activity. Teachers will provide reasonable rules with logical consequences for breaking those rules. Discipline shall be consistent and appropriate to the child’s level of understanding. Should repeated unacceptable behavior occur, the child will spend an appropriate period away from the group. The period away from the group shall be one minute per age of the child, not to exceed five minutes. The area away from the group shall be specified by the teacher, but not in an area associated with eating, sleeping, or restroom facilities. If a child shows destructive or harmful behavior on a regular basis, a conference will be held with the child’s parents, teacher, and the Director. Redirection will be used with children under two years of age. Corporal punishment will not be administered at our Center. However, if undesirable behavior continues after all previous steps have been carried out, dismissal of the child may occur.