Family Handbook
Mission Statement
At Angels & Rascals Roundup; Christian values are an integral part of our curriculum where children are encouraged to discover the individual strengths and unique talents. We believe that loving God and respecting others is important to providing a learning environment that is emotionally secure, physically safe, and fun!
“For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,”
-Proverbs 6:23
101 W Roundup Rd. Payson AZ 85541
Monday – Friday
7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
928-363-1475
Email: angelsandrascalsroundup@gmail.com
Website: www.angelsandrascals.org
Owner: Mitch Culp
Revised: 6.10.2024
Welcome to Angel’s & Rascals Roundup!
We are delighted that you have chosen our center to provide for the needs of your child. Upon enrollment, you and your family are required to complete an intake appointment where the family can visit our center, meet the teachers, and become comfortable with the new environment. This will allow the staff to learn better about the needs of your child.
The Family Handbook has been written to describe our program, philosophy, policies, and all the practical details that go into making each day as happy and successful as possible. Please carefully read this handbook and keep it for future reference. The staff at Angels and Rascals Roundup would be glad to address any of your questions or concerns. Once again, welcome!
Our Philosophy
We believe…
• Children are precious and must receive care from adults who are capable and caring--whose values enable them to be excellent role models.
• Children should experience numerous positive learning milestones, leading to an increased sense of competence and independence.
• Children's play is extremely vital to healthy physical development, acceptable social skills, and cognitive growth.
• Teachers, drawing upon their training and experience, must create an age-appropriate educational environment which carefully guides children from one developmental level to another.
• Parents contribute to and enhance the quality of care offered at Angels and Rascals Roundup Daycare.
Angels & Rascals Roundup welcomes those of diverse faiths, ethnic origins, and race.
While diversity may include different faiths, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity it is not limited to just these areas. We believe that diversity also includes the different physical, cognitive, and social abilities that one possesses. We strive to create a developmentally age-appropriate classroom environment that not only reflects each child’s unique abilities but also encompasses their home culture and experiences as well.
“Train up a child in the way he/she should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
--Proverbs 22:6
The Organization
Angels & Rascals Roundup LLC was founded by Oscar & Peggy Culp. Their dream was to provide a Christian based childcare program for the community of Payson, AZ. They also wanted to provide an opportunity for people to begin a career in Early Childhood Education. Unfortunately, Oscar Culp passed before the daycare could open. Peggy Culp and their son Mitch Culp officially opened Angels and Rascals on August 1, 2019. In 2023, Peggy Culp’s daughter, Kim Walker took over daycare management.
Licenses
Angels & Rascals Roundup is licensed and regulated by the State of Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS), the Department of Economic Security (DES), Gila County Health, and First Things First Quality First (FTF), Program. DHS inspection reports are available for viewing in the daycare office or at 150 N. 18th Ave., suite 40, Phoenix, AZ 85007, 1-602-364-2539.
Liability Insurance Provided by Carrier
Angels & Rascals Roundup carries child care liability insurance per State requirements. Evidence of liability insurance is available on-site for viewing at parents’ request.
Parent Welcome Wall/Resources
In the front lobby we have several walls dedicated to information for parents including rates, policies, emergency guidelines, lunch menu, family handbook, and facility information such as upcoming holiday closures or changes to our center policies or procedures.
We provide a number of resources to best support our staff and families. On our “Parent Resources” wall, there are numerous different brochures, fliers, cards, and general information that we use to ensure all families have access to anything they may need. We are actively continuously seeking more resources for support.
Hours and Holidays
Angels and Rascals Roundup is open the following hours, for 12 months a year:
• 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.
We are closed on the following holidays:
• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• “Black Friday” (day after Thanksgiving)
• Christmas.
If a holiday falls on a weekend the Director may choose whether Angels & Rascals will be closed the Friday prior or the Monday after. Some other holidays may be subject to closure if it is reported that many students may not be planning to attend that day. If this happens, we will issue a letter out to all families asking if they would be needing care for that day, specifically; more information on this can be seen in the “Unexpected Closures” section on page 9.
Our Staff
Per Arizona Department of Health Services requirements, all staff are required to:
• Be able to obtain and have a level one fingerprint clearance card with three-month eligibility check-ups.
• Be tested and provide a negative TB test.
• Provide a written statement testifying to being current on all necessary immunizations.
• Earn a High School Diploma / GED (all staff) and have proof of at least six months of experience in a licensed childcare facility, school, or closely related field (for lead teachers).
• Pass an intensive background check provided by the Department of Child Safety.
• Take a Childcare Orientation and eleven classes which teach the basics of Childcare.
• Continue to receive a minimum of 18 hours of training in the field every year.
• Have professional development training every month.
• Must obtain a CPR/First Aid certification as well as a food handlers’ card.
• Responsible for updating their Arizona Workforce Registry accounts with training and certifications.
Mandated Reporting
We are responsible for and obligated to protect the children in our care.
Once a child is signed in, we will care for each of their needs until they have been officially signed out by a guardian. If any teacher, aid, or administrator has any reason to suspect a parent or guardian is under the influence of drugs or alcohol we reserve the right to refuse admission to a parent until an arrangement is made for a designated (sober) driver to take the child home safely.
AZ Revised Status#13-3620 of the Criminal Code enforces all persons with a fingerprint clearance card and/or works in a childcare facility to report to the authorities if they reasonably believe that a minor is a victim of abuse or neglect. This includes (but is not limited to) physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and medical abuse or neglect. There is also an obligation to report to Child Protect Services or alert the authorities if they have knowledge of, or observe a child being subjected to conditions that would reasonably result in harm.
We understand that everyone has their own parenting style of discipline, however, yelling, hitting, grabbing, or dragging your child while in the view of any of the staff anywhere on the premises is not acceptable and will be documented or may warrant reporting. We work hard to maintain a calm, nurturing environment for the students and staff and hope all parents can respect that.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Angels & Rascals Roundup complies with the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all requirements imposed by it. No person shall be excluded from participation, denied benefits, or otherwise be subject to discrimination in the provision of care. This policy applies to children and employees. When it comes to special needs children, we offer as much support as we can, but it is still possible that we may not have all the proper resources necessary to support the child.
Our Program
Angels & Rascals Roundup provides a variety of programs for children aged 1 - 10 years old, including:
• All-day Care
• Part-time Care
• Before/After-School Care
• Pre-school Classes
• Pre-Kindergarten Assessments and Classes
• Seasonal programs are provided for school-age children in the summer and during breaks.
Admission Requirements
New families are required to provide:
- ADHS Emergency Information and Immunization Card: all important information about the enrolling family.
- AZ DES About Me Questionnaire : give us information that helps us support your children.
- Topical Meds Permission Form : can we apply diaper cream, sunscreen, bug spray?
- Student Schedule : What days/times should we expect them?
- Vehicle Verification Form : whose vehicle should we expect to see in the parking lot?
- Policy Agreement Form/Photo Release Form : have you read the family handbook, do you agree with our policies/ can we photograph your child and what can we do with the photos?
- Copy of current up0to0date immunizations or religious/personal exemption form.
All required forms must be completed in full of signatures that resemble the one on the guardian’s driver’s license or ID.
All families must:
- Complete an intake appointment : this allows us to know how to best care for your child(ren) and which milestones your child(ren) are ready to work on with their teacher as well. Intake appointments help our team set goals for the children and lets us know how we can support each family.
- Sign their children in/out using the kiosk in the front office, or…
- Fill out the sign in/sign out sheet marked by your child’s last name to first name in the binder (if applicable) with the actual time of drop off/pick-up (not rounded).
We do not give every family physical copies of the family handbook due to printing costs and/or constant renditions and updates to the handbook, etc. You can find the most updated version of your handbook on our website, www.angelsandrascals.org, our Facebook page, or in the front office on the “Parent Resouces” wall.
Emergency Contacts
In the event of an emergency, the only time the provided emergency contacts will be called is if guardians are unable to be reached. Emergency contacts will be called in the order which the guardians provided them on their child’s enrollment forms. Guardians must provide the center with a written notice if someone other than themselves will be picking up their children that day.
Phone permissions may be given by guardians about another person coming to pick up their children. This process may be done if the family writes down a “Phone Authorization Code” which can be found on the bottom of the “Emergency Information and Immunization Card” form. Administration will ask the guardian for the code to authorize the change of pick-up.
If you need to add a phone authorization code to your files, please let the office know.
Procare
Once you download the Procare mobile app, you can stay up to date on your child’s daily activities, milestones, and more! We can send you photos and videos of your child, as well as keep you in the loop on upcoming events and time-sensitive information. We hope to use Procare to also update parents on needed diapers, wipes, clothes, incident/daily reports, and so much more.
The app also offers several “contactless” ways to check your child in and out. This helps us limit in-person interactions and unnecessary foot traffic in the center so we can better ensure the health and wellbeing of you, your children, and our staff. It is worth noting that all your child’s information is confidential, even on the app you are the only one who can see it.
You will receive an email from Procare with a unique 10-digit code and instructions on how to download and log into the app. It should also give you a pin that you will use to sign your children in and out every day on our new, electronic kiosk which will be in the front office.
You may see a question prompt for you to answer on the kiosk when you are signing your children in with their code, and always make sure you sign with your signature after you “clock them in.”
If parents should choose to pay with card for our center’s tuition or annual enrollment balances, then they may have administrative processing fees each time they pay that can be up to $7.00 for each transaction. Families who opt to pay with cash will not have this fee, but families can only pick one form of payment as help us keep our books balanced properly. If a family would like to switch to a different form of payment, they must give a week’s notice so the administration can properly adjust their families invoices.
Tuition Policy
The center operates off a schedule-based tuition policy. At the time of enrollment parents will fill out a schedule that tells the center when to expect their child and how to charge them. This should be specific to the days and times of drop-off and pick-up as close to the best of the family’s knowledge. Parents need to give notice and receive permission prior to making changes to schedules. Weekly tuition will be determined by the number of days your child is signed up for and is non-refundable. Parents will be charged for scheduled hours, regardless of the days not in attendance.
Angels & Rascals Charges a yearly Program/Registration Fee of $100 per child upon enrollment and every August after that.
*Special needs children are on a case-by-case basis. The Center Director must be consulted on all/any special needs of children prior to enrollment so we can provide the best care possible.
Weekly tuition payments in full are due on the first day of the week that your child attends!
Communication
Enrolling your child in our daycare and preschool program is more than the purchase of a service; it is a partnership involving mutual commitment of both parents and teachers.
Proper communication between our families, teachers and staff is extremely important to us. Teachers may communicate with parents, verbally, with written notes, or through Procare about:
1. Any needed diapers, wipes, or a change of clothes.
2. If the child used the potty and the content in which it was.
3. If the child had eaten all their food.
4. Their child’s general moods or a quick description of their behaviors.
Any other information (or if information needs to go into more detail), the family may schedule a parent-teacher meeting to discuss any concerns or have an update on how their children seem to be doing in general. These meetings may also involve the Director, Owner, and/or an aid that has worked closely with the child in the classroom. Please note that it is not an appropriate time to talk about the child’s behaviors in the middle of the classroom with other children or parents around; please try to set appointments when it comes to personal, private discussions.
When a parent has a concern, we will take every step to help resolve the issue as promptly as possible, keeping the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff as a priority. Trying to express concerns to the teachers in the middle of the classroom could cause the teacher to focus more on what the guardian is saying rather than the functionality of the children (who must be the main priority). The classroom is not safe or an appropriate space to give information. While The Angels & Rascals staff are always open to suggestions and feedback to improve the way we serve you and your family, please be mindful of the time which any information is given to staff members.
Any question, comment, or concern can be given to the Owner, Billing Clerk, Assistant Director, or the Director.
You may submit any or all information through:
1. Written documentation (note placed on front desk).
2. Phone call/voicemail: 928-363-1475
3. Email: angelsandrascalsroundup@gmail.com
4. Schedule an in-person appointment (using any of the above mediums).
Verbal notice about schedule changes or changes in pick-ups/drop offs are not considered “formal notice,” and will not be accepted by the Director. If you have any changes, you need to provide written documentation (every time).
This should include the:
- Name of the person picking up
- Date written and date of change is to be expected
- Time
- Phone number
- Vehicle type
- Your signature.
Written documentation can be:
- Letter (printed or handwritten)
- Updated Schedule Form
- Officially updating the “pick-up” admission list.
It is worth noting that all forms of communication with the director are documented and placed into student files. This includes (but is not limited to) emails, phone calls, letters, and in-person discussions.
The Director’s primary form of contact is email, so please make sure we have your most current email address and check it often. Please also watch for notices posted in the office, the “sign-in” book, on the entrance door, and other various places.
It is not appropriate for any parent or staff member to text or have one-on-one contact about their child or any children enrolled or has once been enrolled in the center (unless family). While no one can stunt developing relationships, it is against staff policies to discuss children, events, conversations, or staff’s personal lives (gossip) that take place or have to do with this center. If there is necessary information that needs to be given to parents about their child, a form will be submitted with all the necessary information; anything further can be discussed with the Director at a scheduled meeting (not in passing, in person).
To further note, we cannot push to change anything if we are unaware of any concerns, questions, or discomforts. Any families who have concerns or any need for clarification, they may receive through the director. We consider failure to communicate with the director about necessary information or important concerns about your child or their care a violation of our policy.
Transportation/Field Trips
Angels & Rascals Roundup does not provide any type of transportation service. If field trips are planned, a permission slip must be signed.
Public School Bus System
Angels and Rascals currently allows school-aged children to attend before and after school while the public school’s bus comes to pick them up in the mornings and drop them off in the afternoon. Guardians will need to initially sign the children into the center and fill out a permission slip which permits the staff to sign the children in/out (without the guardians needing to be here) to put them on/get them off the bus, only. This does not permit any staff member to sign the children in or out for removal from the center for any reason, nor does it permit any staff member to be the child’s “emergency contact.” It is the parents responsibility to let the public school’s bus barn know when they will not need to be picked up from our center, or if changes need to be made to their route. Please note that it takes three days to accommodate any adjustments to the bus barns routes, so please try to make that change as soon as you can. The phone number for the bus barn is: 928-472-5880.
Drop Off & Pick Up
Guardians are expected to accompany their child into their classrooms. The staff are glad to assist you and your child at your drop-off time. Teachers will not assume direct responsibility for your child until they are signed in.
Only the individuals listed on the Child Information Record will be allowed to enter the center. We will request picture I.D. from any unfamiliar person. If there is any concern, or if they are not on the list, the staff of Angels & Rascals Roundup reserves the right to deny a person's request to pick-up a child. If you need to add someone to the pick-up list, please let us know before someone else is planning to pick your child up. Verbal consent for someone to take the child off the premises (who is not on the list) will only be accepted if the parents offer the “Phone Authorization Code” they placed in their child(ren)’s paperwork.
Parents are expected to assume full responsibility for their child once they sign their child out, however, for your child’s safety please do not allow your child to exit the gates or leave without being accompanied.
Your child has waited all day to see you and is excited when you walk in the door; at pick up, please put away your cell phone and give your full attention to your child.
Signing In/Out
The center is now utilizing the ProCare app for all signing in and out procedures. Families who enroll will receive a special code (one per permitted contact) to sign the children in/out of the center. In the front office there is a kiosk where the families can type in their child’s code that lets the staff know they are in attendance. If any parent permits a new person to sign the children in/out, the staff will check their ID when they come to collect the children and give them their own code to sign the children in/out of the center. More about this can be seen under the “Communication” section of the handbook on pages 6-7.
If at any point the system is malfunctioning or not running, there will be a sign in/sign out book on the counter in the office; each child has their own Sign-In/Sign Out Record. Parents are responsible for signing children in and out daily with the exact time in hours and minutes along with their full signature; and they must be identical to the signature written on their child’s enrollment packet. Moreover, all persons given permission to pick-up and drop-off students must sign out in their full first and last name, legibly. This procedure is extremely important for attendance records and safety measures in emergencies and is mandated by AZ DHS & DES.
Attendance Policy
We are open from 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., while parent pick-up is at 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. Each classroom has a strict classroom schedule that causes us to prefer your children to be in attendance often and on time to participate. Most of the major events in the classroom start around 9:00 a.m. and complete about 3:30 p.m. We ask parents to arrive before 10:00 a.m. unless communicated through the parents’ initial schedule. Often a child who comes later than 10:00 a.m. may be asked to leave the center as they may cause a disruption in the flow and functionality of the classroom (this is often at the teacher’s discretion). It also may cause your child to miss lunch or must immediately enter nap as soon as they walk in the room (which is hard on the child and other children trying to rest).
A child must be in attendance consistently to hold their spot, or they may be subject to losing it (please see the “Withdrawal Policy” for more information). To “hold a spot” in the roster, a student’s tuition needs to be paid in full each week. Please ensure that there is proper communication to understand the needs of each family. Please see the “Vacation and Sick Time” policy section on page 9, for more information on our attendance policy. It is worth noting that the center also creates staff schedules from what families report they need for care. It is crucial that children are present for the scheduled times and contact the center for any unexpected absences, so the facility is adequately staffed.
There are Unexcused and Excused absences, unexcused absences are when a family does not notify the center of their child(ren)’s expected or emergency absence before their scheduled time (or within a few hours). Unexcused absences tally up in total toward our Withdrawal Policy found on Page 16.
Unexpected Closures
Angels & Rascals Roundup typically follows the public school schedule when it comes to “snow days,” which includes closures and late starts apart from a few hours (i.e. they may have a two-hour delay while we may have a three depending on the staff who live outside of Payson’s city limits). On a rare occasion, our center may be forced to close due to a situation beyond our control (e.g., ice storm, electrical outage, no water service, or staff shortage). Every attempt will be made to avoid this at all costs. If unavailable, we will inform parents of an emergency closing, as soon as possible.
Unexpected closure updates may be reported via email, phone call, and possibly text depending on the circumstances, so please continue to check every communication outlet.
In cases where there is a high demand for days requested off by staff, the Director will create a “closure form,” for parents to fill out, indicating everyone who absolutely needs care. The decision will be determined on a majority basis. If this is not done in a timely manner (within two or more weeks), an additional closure day will not be permitted. It is worth noting that this will only take place around the holidays.
Vacation and Sick Time
Angels & Rascals Roundup allows (1) week of vacation (non-attendance) per year at no charge to the parents. These must be taken in full week increments and are based on the number of days your child is scheduled to be at the center.
For example: If your child is enrolled for one day a week, their vacation credit would be for one day at no charge to the parents.
We also allow 5 days for illness (non-attendance) per year at no charge to the parents, these may be taken one day at a time. Parents must request vacation/sick days in writing to receive the credits. If you choose to take sick days, you will only be charged for the days your child is in attendance that week. Vacation and sick days go from January 1st to December 31st each year and unused days do not carry over to the next year.
Custody Papers
As per AZ DHS regulations, the guardian who enrolls a student has full legal say as to who is permitted to pick-up and drop-off their children (or anything else to do with the child’s care when enrolled in the center); this includes parents who have full legal rights to their children. If the enrolling guardian documents that an opposing parent/guardian cannot pick up their children, we must abide; regardless of what the custody reports say. (This includes married couples). This is due to whose signature we have on file.
We do not need any custody papers, protective orders, or reason from the enrolling guardian as to why any person cannot have contact with their children while on the premises. In cases of disputes, where custody paperwork, protective orders, or divorce orders are provided, we will initiate a “lock-down” and contact the police and the enrolling parent/guardian. The child will remain within the facility while the dispute is handled off premise.
In the instance where paperwork to support a “non-contact” request is not provided, we will notify the enrolling parent immediately and the child may not be removed until both parties have arrived and come to an agreement off the premise.
Families Rights and Responsibilities
All guardians on their child’s enrollment paperwork are allowed on the facility during our hours of operation. They have full access to their child(ren)’s classroom(s), playground(s), kitchen, office(s), restroom(s) if they are in direct pertinence to their child(ren) who are enrolled.
It is worth noting that Payson is small, and the state (AZ-DHS) does not allow us to discriminate against any permitted parent when it comes to their rights to access the center their children attend; this includes families with criminal records. No parent/guardian/permitted person should be in any classroom other than that which their child is enrolled in, or the classroom they quickly must pass through to get there.
On another note, we encourage families to volunteer as much as they would like to. We believe children thrive far more when teachers, administrators, and parents all work together to attend to their upbringing. Parents may email, call, or speak directly to the Director (per appointment) for any needs, concerns, or questions they may have and hope that they do so.
Policies & Procedures for DES Families
Angels & Rascals Roundup is a State licensed facility and accepts recipients of The Arizona Department of Economic Security Child Care Assistance Program. It is the family’s responsibility to complete the appropriate paperwork and abide by all DES guidelines for continuing coverage.
Parent Payment Plan
1. At the time of enrollment parents will fill out a schedule sign-up sheet indicating the specific days and times that their child will be in attendance. Weekly tuition will be determined by the number of days your child is signed up for and is non-refundable.
2. It is the responsibility of the parent to pay for any tuition costs not subsidized by DES. As well as any days missed outside of the five absences provided by DES. This includes the yearly enrollment fee.
3. Payment for all services is required in advance on the first day of the week that your child attends day care. Daycare services may be denied for non-payment unless other arrangements have been made.
Charges for extra hours of service.
The following policy applies to DES subsidized parents who utilize extra hours of service:
When the DES subsidized parent utilizes daycare services that are inconsistent with their DES contract (i.e., when a parent is not working, more days than authorized), the parent will be charged the regular rate for that child’s classroom.
Policies & Procedures for Quality First Families
Quality First is a program that trains the staff in increasing quality care for the children and families in the center. One of the other benefits to being on this program is that it offers scholarships to a designated number of families a year that need care but make too much to qualify for DES assistance.
For those families, they must go through the qualification process with the director who would take over as their case worker for the program. There is a limit on how much the Quality First scholarship is willing to pay for each program per age group.
For a full-time rate, Quality First typically only covers nearly 19 days per month, to where any additional days the child is in attendance may result in an increase in the family’s tuition for that month. The family may be charged a “start-up rate” at the beginning of their scholarship-enrollment based on the schedule the family provides. This rate may include any additional days for the months that go past 19 days, if the child is on a Monday-Friday, monthly schedule.
More explanation about this policy can be discussed with families qualified for the program.
Daily Requirements for Classrooms
Everything should be marked with your child’s first and last names!
Little Lambs:
1 Year Olds (walking):
• Need enough diapers and wipes brought in to get them through the day.
• Change of clothes (appropriate for season/weather) : NOT flip-flops, crocs, sandals.
• Safety Items (if applicable) like blankets, binkies, or stuffies
• Personalized Diaper Cream, sunscreen, and bug spray
• Hat for Outside
Little Angels:
Two Years (24 months – 30 months):
• Need enough diapers and wipes brought in to get them through the day.
• Change of clothes (appropriate for season/weather) : NOT flip-flops, crocs, sandals.
• Safety Items (if applicable) like blankets, binkies, or stuffies
• Personalized Diaper Cream, sunscreen, and bug spray
• Hat for Outside
Little Rascals:
Two/Three Years (30 months – 3 years and 11 months):
• Need enough pull-ups and wipes brought in to get them through the day.
• Change of clothes (appropriate for season/weather) : NOT flip-flops, crocs, sandals.
• Underwear for toilet training
• Spare shoes in case of accident
• Safety Items (if applicable) like blankets, or stuffies
• Personalized Diaper Cream, sunscreen, and bug spray
• Hat for Outside
• Pull ups are only required for this classroom.
Little Lions:
Pre-School/School Age (4 – 9 years 11 months) [potty trained]:
• Change of clothes (appropriate for season/weather) : NOT flip-flops, crocs, sandals.
• Backpack for schoolwork.
• Personalized sunscreen, and bug spray
Curriculum
Teachers are encouraged to incorporate God and biblical scripture into their lessons as often as possible.
Our facility practices most Holidays while holding Christian boundaries; we encourage diverse cultural teachings that are both age appropriate and line up with our philosophy as a childcare facility.
Every classroom conducts evaluations and assessments from the CDC and Pathways checklists for age-appropriate milestones (this should be done upon initial enrollment as well). The teachers then create lessons plans around what each student’s developmental needs are.
We encourage children to take their own time to complete tasks, try new things, and decide when they are ready to learn new skills (especially toilet training).
In our Pre-School classroom, they work toward Kindergarten readiness in mental, social, emotional, and physical areas. We hope to work close with parents about student’s needs and getting them all the care possible to start school off great.
Diapers and Toileting Training
Parents must supply all diapers, pull-ups, wipes, and diaper cream. We do have an “emergency stash” of diapers and wipes. We will ask parents if the brand/size we have on-site is safe for their children to use in any instance which permits it. Once the child’s own diapers and wipes have been restocked, diapers will be taken and used to replenish “emergency stash” for others to use. If any parent needs diapers or wipes due to financial conflict, please speak with the director about alternatives to the policy.
Our teachers are experienced in working with young children in toilet training. It is essential that the parents and teachers communicate about the needs of the child and work together to make this developmental milestone positive and successful.
We recommend during training your child be dressed in "user-friendly" clothing. Overalls, zippers, and snaps are difficult for small children to manage, especially in a hurry! While toilet training, parents are to provide pull-ups as diapers are not easy to pull up and down at the toilet. We will also need a change of socks, pants, and underwear. Sometimes spare shoes can also be helpful if a child has an accident.
Meals and Nutrition
Angels & Rascals Roundup provides breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack daily that follows the U.S.D.A. and AZDHS food plans.
Breakfast is served between 7:00-7:45 am, lunch between 10:45-11:30, and snack anywhere from 2:00-3:45 pm.
If a child has a diagnosed food allergy, the center will need to have a signed copy of it from the child’s doctor; with that, the center may then provide an alternative for the children to eat.
If a child’s allergy is “undiagnosed” or if it is preference based (vegetarian, vegan, sugar-free, etc.) the parents will need to provide that alternative for their children to eat. Food menus are posted in the front office, kitchen refrigerator, and classroom walls. Parents may take photos of the menus and plan their child’s meals as needed.
Birthdays
Parents are welcome to send in prepackaged (store-bought) treats to share with their child's classmates on birthdays or special occasions, or even attend the celebration. Some classrooms have strict allergy guidelines so for the health and safety of all children, please inform the Director in advance to see what kind of treats are permitted.
If a birthday is to be celebrated away from school and the entire class is not invited, please mail the invitations to those families directly (our center may not distribute names, numbers, or addresses of any families). If the entire class is invited, ask the teacher to distribute the invitations to your child’s classmates.
Discipline and Guidance
We believe that conscious discipline is necessary for the safety and wellbeing of each child and is a means of teaching and instilling a sense of what is safe, natural/normal, and positive. We believe in natural and age-appropriate consequences as the most authentic form of discipline and pursue those consequences through calm tones and positive words, and phrases. When it comes to dealing with behaviors in children, nothing is ever black and white. When there are behaviors that appear to be outside of the control of the teacher’s knowledge, the center seeks support from outside resources. We work closely with:
· Anti-Expulsion-AZSteps program to create Action Plans to support the teachers, who then support the students to make positive nurturing behaviors.
· First Things First, Quality First program teaches the staff how to properly run and set up a classroom to help minimize certain behaviors and assist in overall classroom functionality.
· Arizona Early Intervention Program (AZeIP) who offer different therapeutic needs for toddlers 1-2 years of age. They offer speech, occupational, play, and social therapies, etc.
· Lil Longhorns (Westerly) Preschool accepts children over the age of three to be evaluated for any needed individualized education plans (IEPs) and offer further therapies through their center for three hours a day, four days a week for qualifying families; those children may attend both centers.
· Birth to Five Helpline : 877-705-KIDS, gives us resources we may be unaware of as well as listens and offers suggestions for support which are always backed up by studies and information they can provide.
Parents will be notified about changes in their children’s natural behaviors and may be asked to fill out a consent form to allow us to support their children through the AZ Steps program. It is worth noting that this is a required part of the expulsion process, however it does not mean it will result in expulsion of the child; we aim to keep children in the center to offer them continued support. The reasons a family may be expelled from the center can be found under the “Withdrawal and Dismissal Policy” section on page 16.
Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI)
Our staff members complete a yearly CPI course that teaches how to spot crisis in children and families, and how to engage and support them in both verbal and physical ways. Our teams are trained in knowing how to calm a situation when it starts and take preventative measures before it becomes dangerous. If it does happen to reach a point where a child may be at risk of harming themselves or others, the staff is also trained in giving the children supportive holds to calm them and help them regulate their emotions. After discussing with DHS compliance officers, Quality First coaches, and FTF representatives; it was jointly agreed that it was the safest decision to know how to de-escalate a crisis induced situation as they can sometimes be unavoidable.
Copies of Documentation
If you are the enrolling guardian/biological parent on file, you have a right to access your child’s information. Any sort of incident, ouch reports, and daily reports should be available to parents within a few days of the incident, if not the exact day. Reports can be on paper, through email, or from ProCare.
Staff typically anecdotally document events as they see them and need to be typed into an official document upon permittable time, we try to prepare them within the same week. When documents are completed, they should be uploaded to ProCare and parents may be able to access them through their child’s account.
If any guardian prefers physical copies of documents, some records often need preparation. Often there are multiple children’s information on one file (especially in an incident report) for these types of files, we must take the time to redact them to ensure the safety and confidentiality of other students.
For physical copies, we have certain fees:
- Redactment Charge: $1.00 per document (blacking out private information)
- Black and White Copies: $00.13 cents per page/copy
- Color Copies: $00.60 cents per page/copy
An invoice will be created for the family requesting prints before any documents are prepared. Phone photographs are never an option.
Photography and Publicity
Photographs of the children in our program may be taken from time to time and may appear in newspapers, magazines, brochures, publicity materials, social media, our website, and/or educational training. Your permission for photographs of your child and how they may be used (even without compensation) can be found on the “Policy Agreement” page for this handbook which requires your signature.
Staff Hired by Parent
We understand that families may need care outside of the days or hours we have set at the center. We also strongly discourage our employees from making independent childcare arrangements with families at the Center. However, if you enter into an agreement with an Angels & Rascals Roundup employee to babysit for your family outside of the Angels & Rascals Roundup normal work hours; the care must take place somewhere besides the daycare facility and with full knowledge and understanding that the sitter enters into an agreement as a private citizen and not as an Angels & Rascals Employee. We cannot and will not take responsibility for our employees while away from daycare, outside their working hours, and will not be liable for their acts or omissions when not on our property, including the transportation of children. You may be required to sign an acknowledgement waiver to this effect.
For the sake of everyone’s safety, unless family or friends, we do not allow any staff member to be placed on any child’s “emergency contact” form. This includes giving any staff member the ability to offer transportation to any enrolled child (excluding family), due to our “Transportation and Fieldtrips ” policy found on page 7.
Reportable Illnesses
Some Childhood illnesses are required by law to be reported to our local Health Agency. In the case of a contagious illness in your child’s class, we will post a notice on the information board in the office and email parents about the symptoms, ages, classrooms affected and how to reduce and prevent spreading.
COVID-19
We are implementing and following the CDC guidelines and First Things First Health Consultant’s recommendations. Please inform daycare as soon as possible if you, your child, or any family member has been exposed to COVID-19, so appropriate measures can be taken. Children exposed to a positive Covid 19 case must quarantine for 5 days or bring in a negative Covid test result dated 48 hours after exposure. This is to ensure the safety of all children and staff of Angels & Rascals Roundup.
*If questions arise about the appropriateness of a child's return to the center, the final decision will be that of the Center Director.
Medication
ANGELS & RASCALS ROUNDUP will not be administering medication at this time. If a child needs medication, it is the parents responsibility to come and give it to their children or keep them home until they are well enough to attend the center without needing to be under medication. This includes breathing treatments, Tylenol, or any other over the counter medications for pain, infection, or inflammation. Cough drops, teething gels or suckers are also not permitted.
We only permit the use of diaper creams, sunscreens, and bug sprays that are provided by the parents per each child’s own needs.
Injuries, Accidents, Emergencies
Every consideration will be taken to ensure the safety of your child while in our care. Should an injury occur, Basic first aid will be performed, an “Accident, Illness, and Injury” form may be completed.
The report will be completed and signed by the adult witness. A copy of this report will be sent home. A parent or guardian will be notified regarding any injury that occurs while your child is in our care.
In the event of a major medical emergency or accident, the center teacher or Director will call 911 first. The child will be transported to the hospital noted on the Child Information Record (or the closest hospital). The parent/guardian will be called immediately.
Health and Safety
You are the best judge of your child's health and we trust you will not bring a sick child to the center. However, if while in our care your child becomes ill, displays an unknown rash, has green/yellow drainage from their eyes, nose, or ears, runs a fever of 100 degrees or more, has diarrhea, or acts out-of-character; your child's teacher will consult the director and you may be called to come take your child home. When called, you (or an alternate emergency person) are expected to come within 30 minutes. This is to protect the health of your child and his/her classmates. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
All staff members are trained in how to handle and prevent the spread of pathogens. The Department of Health Services and the CDC provide guidelines for all childcare centers when it comes to certain illnesses that we must abide by. This flipchart can be found on our website under “Communicable Illness Guidelines.”
The following criteria may be considered in determining if your child must go home:
· Unknown rash.
· Fever of 100° or higher.
· Highly contagious conditions such as head lice, chicken pox, strep throat, pin worms, mumps, impetigo, conjunctivitis (pink eye), etc.
· Diarrhea or vomiting (more than two loose, watery stools). Consideration will be taken if your child is allergic to certain food/drink products or on medication.
· Persistent cough for an extended period (cough suppressants and/or allergy medications are not recommended unless prescribed by a doctor)
· Child is inconsolable and can hint at pain or discomfort (i.e. constipation, earache, tooth pain etc.).
· Child is acting outside of their regular behaviors without reasoning as to why.
DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILDREN IN IF THEY HAVE:
· Vomited or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
· A fever of 100° or higher.
· An unknown rash (especially one that you are concerned about).
· A persistent cough (especially a barking cough).
· Yellow or green drainage from any facial cavity.
Especially, do not bring your child in if you know they are sick!
It is important for parents to communicate about their child’s behaviors in the mornings, evenings before, and weekends so the teachers may know what to expect when it comes to their behaviors. The staff also try to do their best to let the parents know how their days go so they may know what to expect in the evenings.
If your child is too ill to play outside with his or her class, or participate in regular classroom activities, then your child is too ill to attend the center.
Your child may return to the center after:
· Providing written verification from a doctor to the center.
· Fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of Tylenol, or other fever reducing medications.
· In the case of chicken pox, when all the lesions are scabbed over.
· No longer have diarrhea or are vomiting.
· In the case of head lice, can return after inspection by a doctor, and it is deemed to be free of lice and all nits (eggs) are gone.
· In the case of a contagious illness, your child should see a doctor and written permission from the doctor is required to return to the center.
Doctors’ notes must come from the pediatric office provided on the child’s enrollment paperwork. General Urgent Care visits will not be accepted. This is due to the constant instances where Urgent Care often misdiagnoses symptoms that have led to outbreaks in the center.
In the circumstance of outbreaks such as RSV, COVID, Influenza A/B, or any other communicable illnesses your child may be required to be tested if they show any minimum of symptoms before they are permitted to attend.
It is worth noting that the attendance of children with symptoms is at the discretion of the administration.
Withdrawal and Dismissal Policy
We work closely with the AZSTEPS program who give advisement on the best way to go about dismissals/expulsions and seek prevention (if applicable). In the act of concern for disenrollment, we will fill out an “Expulsion Prevention Affidavit” to ensure each specific case has a consultation from an Expulsion Prevention Caseworker to give guidance on the best approach to each matter.
Each case may have different recommendations and it is possible that families may have 0 days – 2-week notices about withdrawals of their childcare. We often follow the guidance of the professionals who support us.
Two weeks’ notice is a basic requirement before withdrawing a child from our center. Your account must be paid in full before withdrawing—including your child's tuition for that two-week period. Refunds will be provided within a reasonable amount of time at the parents’ request.
If any child is not in attendance for more than ten business days without notification and payment in full, they will be disenrolled and re-enrolled only if space is available or added to the waiting list.
In certain circumstances it may be necessary for the Director at Angels & Rascals Roundup to discontinue a child’s enrollment. This decision is based on the best interest and wellbeing of all children and staff at Angels & Rascals Roundup Daycare. Incident reports will be filled out on all serious behavior infractions.
Termination may be the result of the following possible reasons:
· Abuse of children, staff, or property by any member of the family (child or adult).
· Disruptive or dangerous behavior by child or parent, including by not limited to fighting, yelling, cursing, or talking about inappropriate topics in front of other children in the center.
· Physical and/or verbal abuse of staff or children by parent or child.
· Non-payment or excessive late payments of tuition and fees.
· Lack of attendance without communication (at Director’s discretion).
· Continued violations of Angels & Rascals Roundup policies by children or parents.
· Child has special needs that we cannot adequately meet with our current staffing patterns, after exhausting the resources we already have.
· Continuous infestation of head lice.