Our Policies

Programs

Our center comprises two programs. The Nursery Program for children between the ages of 6 weeks up to 2 years old while the Preschool & Upper Preschool Program is for children between the ages of 2 years old through Pre-Kindergarten entrance. We are a privately owned and operated Christian Center working with a rigorous Academic Curriculum as well as the Creative Curriculum. We believe that no child is too young to learn with the use of developmentally appropriate activities.  The content and experience offered vary according to the age of the children.  Each day children at our center complete a Bible-based activity during their day. We develop children’s educational and spiritual capacities along with their abilities to grow, learn, play, and explore the world around them.

Hours of Operation
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center’s regular hours of operation are from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday except on Holidays, Staff Development Days, and inclement weather days when the City of Alexandria Public School system is closed.

Arrival & Departure

Upon arrival parents are required by state law, to leave their child in the care of a staff member. Children must be signed in on the attendance tracking tablet, brought to their class, and left in the care of a known teacher or staff member.  Your child must also be picked up from their class and signed out on the attendance tracking tablet at the front entrance to the center at the end of each day in care. Childcare payments are for the contracted drop-off and pick-up times and cannot be adjusted for late arrival or early pickup.  Late drop-offs do not translate for late pick-ups. It is your legal right to be admitted to the center at any time your child(ren) is in care at GBELC. On days when the parent(s) choose to keep their child at home, for vacation, doctor appointments, sick days, or personal reasons the center must be notified, and those days cannot be deducted from the tuition.

Great Beginnings Early Learning Center will not release your child to anyone, other than those authorized on your child’s registration form, without written authorization from the parent. Valid State ID (Identification) will be checked for ANY person we do not recognize on sight and for all emergency contacts.  Children will not be released to other children, i.e. older brothers and/or sisters unless that sibling is at least 16 years old. Please do not allow your child to leave the building ahead of you or walk unattended on the street.  Your cooperation will help ensure the safety of your child.

 

Daily Admittance
To maintain a quality group care program and ensure proper program planning, parents are required to notify the center by email no later than 9:00 am if their child(ren) will be coming in late. If a child arrives any time after 10:00 am without the center having been previously notified, the child will not be able to join the class that day and the parents will be informed that their child must return on the next school day. The educational progress and cohesive learning of our students is our top priority and the center takes this mandate seriously. There will be no tuition refunds issued in cases where admittance is denied due to lateness without prior pre-notification by the parent(s).

 

Classroom & Staffing Ratios

Great Beginnings Early Learning Center maintains staff-to-child ratios in the classrooms that are mandated by the State licensing department and designed both to provide proper attention and maximum safety. The current ratios are as follows: Lambs, 1 Caregiver to 4 Infants; Ducks, 1 Teacher to 5 Toddlers; Penguins 1 Teacher to 8 Preschoolers; Upper Preschoolers, 1 Teacher to 10 Students.

 

Continuity of Care

Great Beginnings Early Learning Center strives to hire and maintain professionals dedicated to the childcare field. The goal of the center is to have staff available to help maintain the safety and care of all the children. The availability of appropriately trained staff in each classroom is the center’s top priority. While the center cannot guarantee that a classroom will have the same set of staff members always, we do assure continuity of care by ensuring that there is an appropriately trained and capable staff member in each classroom where children are cared for.

 

Temporary Reassignment of Children

For brief periods and out of administrative necessity, the center may temporarily reassign a child from their regular classroom or group to another classroom or group. Administrative necessity is when there is no other reasonable option available. For example, we may combine classrooms during the opening and closing hours of the day since drop-off and pick-ups do not necessarily occur at the same time every day and it may not be practical or feasible to staff all the classrooms at those sporadic times. Children will never have a permanent classroom reassignment without the parent’s prior notice and consent. When combined or reassigned, ratios are determined by the age of the youngest child in the classroom.

 

Classroom Transitions

When children meet the age and criteria for advancement to the next age group or classroom, the center will begin the process of transitioning them to the next class. The transition process is initiated with a notification to the parents of the transitioning child and typically starts about a month before the qualifying birth date. The process is designed to be a gradual increment of time spent with the children in the next class up, whenever ratios allow, with the plan being for the child to join that next class permanently when they are comfortable being in there the entire day. During the transition period, parents may receive daily sheets from both classrooms their child spent time in that day. When the transition is complete, the child’s monthly tuition payment will change (if applicable) on the 1^st of the next full month following the month where they became permanently placed in the new class.

 

Sibling Priority

Currently enrolled families receive sibling priority placement for new additions to their family either through birth or adoption. To take advantage of this special privilege, families expecting a new addition must notify the center’s management of their intent to exercise the sibling priority option at least 6 months ahead of the time when care for the new family member will be needed. Whenever necessary, the center may increase a class size temporarily to accommodate a new sibling from a currently enrolled family to ensure that care is always available for families that already have children enrolled in the center.

 

Established Lines of Authority

At Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, the Center Director is directly responsible for the day to day management and supervision of the center.  The Director reports to the Owners as well as the Virginia Department of Social Services through the Licensing Inspector assigned to the center. The Director may also designate this authority to an approved designee such as the Assistant Director or other managers/supervisors.

The established lines of authority at the center starts from the teacher’s assistant/aides, who report up to the Lead Teacher. The Lead Teachers report up to the Center Director either unswervingly or through an approved designee. In certain cases, such as an incident involving suspicion of child abuse or neglect, the center staff is not required to follow this line of authority as State laws require them as “mandated reporters” to report such suspicions directly and confidentially to Child Protective Services.

 

Staff

From our Caregivers in our Nursery Programs up to our Preschool Teachers and their Assistants, all our staff who work directly with the children are specially chosen for their dedication to meeting the educational, spiritual, social, and developmental needs of children.  Each member of our staff meets or exceeds the qualifications set by state licensing standards. Our staff also participate in continuing education programs and training sessions designed to further improve their teaching skills and understanding of child development and early childhood education. All staff meets the requirements set forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Department of Social Services. Screenings include verification of credentials and references, medical clearance, FBI, fingerprint, criminal background check, and Child Protective Services check.

 

Infants
We provide a nurturing atmosphere to encourage children’s physical, emotional growth & development.  Building a feeling of security and positive attachment in an infant is our most important task.  Parents will be responsible for providing diapers, bottles, pre-mixed formula, and baby food. Each infant’s clothing, blankets, crib sheets, bottles, and personal effects must be labeled with the infant’s name. Perishable food items like formula, breast milk, and solids must also be labeled with the child’s name as well as the date. Unused perishable items will be sent home or disposed of daily.  Your child must have extra pairs of clothing, bibs, and crib sheets at the center each day.  Soiled items will be sent home for cleaning at the end of each day and in such cases, a new set of extras must be provided the following school day.

Pre-School Curriculum
We utilize a rigorous Academic Curriculum (Abeka) designed by the Pensacola Christian University as our primary curriculum to encourage the healthy adjustment of children as they enter the community of learning. We also use the Creative Curriculum as a supplement. There’s a focus on providing tools for them to learn sharing, compassion, patience, honesty, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our curriculum is carefully designed to meet each child’s individual needs as we involve all our children in the learning process.  Staff also incorporate techniques into the program as a supplement to the curriculum. Weekly Lessons include activities to enhance skills in
• Pre-and Beginning Reading and Math
• Biblical understanding and character building
• Nature & Science
• Arts & Crafts
• Fine and Gross Motor Skills
• Music & Dance
• Social Skills & Recreational Play
Please feel free to check the lesson plan for your child’s class so that you can be aware of their learning and can enrich your child’s experiences each week.

Art
Here at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, Art activities are a very important part of fostering and expressing creativity in your early learner.  This may take the form of free expression with crayons or paint or may be a teacher-directed craft.  Emphasis is always on the process, not the finished product.  It is most important that the child create their work of art.  The children in all our classes have weekly structured art time when they work on specific art projects that are often in line with the week’s lesson plan.

Technology
The Upper Preschool classrooms have tablet centers where children spend time working with approved mobile applications to supplement the curriculum, enrich their learning, and enhance their fine motor skills. The tablets in use by the children at GBELC are strictly for educational purposes only, not recreation. Parents must understand that abuse or unauthorized use of GBELC tablets may result in disciplinary measures including loss of use privilege and financial restitution resulting from non-accidental damage of any of the devices. All technology devices used at the center for educational purposes will be “kid-safe” and have appropriate learning activities/programs for each preschool age group.

Enrichment Activities and Programs
Great Beginnings partners with several Independent Enrichment Program Providers and allows these providers to offer and have their programs conducted at the center for interested parents. The enrichment activities provided by these programs are conducted by the trained staff of each respective program and not by Great Beginnings employees or staff.  Parents who register their children for enrichment programs such as music, language, musical instrument training, sports, gymnastics and/or dance must do so directly through the Independent Program provider and will be responsible for communicating directly with the Independent Program Providers and not through the center. Great Beginnings provides a space in the center for the children to participate in these enrichment activities and is not responsible or liable for the supervision, performance, experience, or management of the Independent Enrichment Programs. In registering their children for Independent Enrichment programs, the parents agree to hold Great Beginnings harmless for any accidents, injuries, or other negative experiences that may occur from their children’s participation in these Independent programs.

 

Music & Movement
Children are given many opportunities to express themselves through music and dance within the weekly lesson plans. The children sing, dance, and participate in creative movement exercises that provide opportunities for rhythm, listening, and self-expression. Music Discovery classes are provided weekly in both our nursery and preschool classes by an Independent Music Instructor and are paid for by GBELC. In the classroom, the children may sing and move to DVD’s and CD’s or participate in other activities using various forms of instruments, music, and movement.

Field Trips and Special Activities
Field Trips are activities that are planned off the center premises. Currently, we conduct field trips in our upper Preschool classes only. Field trips are both fun and educational.  All field trips are posted, and a signed permission slip will be required before any child may participate in a field trip. In cases where a cost is included, payments for the field trip is to be paid in advance.  Parents are welcome to accompany their children on field trips but must provide their own transportation.  Some children may not be allowed to attend field trips if they’re not appropriately dressed, do not have a parent-provided child restraint system such as a car seat or booster seat, or if their behavior compromises the safety of the child and/or the group.  Parents will be informed if their child does not attend a scheduled field trip for which they gave permission.

Outdoor Group Activities
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center’s policy is to take children outside for at least an hour daily so long as the weather permits. Please note that your child must be able to participate in the daily group activities including the outdoor time to remain in care at Great Beginnings each school day. To make this happen, please ensure your child is appropriately dressed each morning for the weather and allow an extra set (jacket, sweater, gloves, and hat) to remain in the cubby at school each day. Children will be taken on walks in the neighborhood with their classmates in center-provided strollers or walking harnesses. They will go down the back streets from the center to no further than Queen and South Alfred St. Children in the Preschool classes may go to local parks and playgrounds such as the Charles Houston Rec Center, Founder’s Park, or Oronoco Bay Park by the Waterfront.  Additionally, in the summertime children will have water play at the center. Children will not be allowed to be picked up or dropped off while their group is out on a walk. Please remain at the center and check in with management to obtain an update on the return time from the walk. You must check your child in and out at the front door tablet upon arrival and when leaving the center each day. If your child is unable to participate in the normal group activities, for whatever reason, you will be notified and may be asked to bring the needed item, pick up your child or keep them at home until they can engage in the normal group activities for each day. Parents, who enroll their children at the center, do so understanding the above-stated information and their responsibility for their child regarding group activities, outdoor time, walks, and summer water play. Parents agree to hold the center harmless for the conditions of the community/weather outside the center and agree to have their child appropriately dressed and ready to engage in the normal group activities to participate remain in care at the center each day.

 

Rest Time
After lunch, a rest period is provided for 16 months to 5-year-old classes from 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm. To protect your child’s health, we provide a sanitized cot.  Parents will need to furnish a small, age-appropriate blanket and sheet with the child’s name clearly marked on it.  Blankets and sheets should be taken home weekly for cleaning. Rest time is a requirement of the state regulations but if children do not disturb other children they are not required to go to sleep. Parents may not drop off or pick up their children during the scheduled rest time.

 

Discipline
We believe that your child should have a healthy self-esteem.  A healthy self-image comes from positive experiences like being praised for good behavior and repeatedly experiencing success. Our Guidelines for discipline are fair, consistent, and encourage children to make wise decisions.  At Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, discipline consists of positive reinforcement, redirection, or “sit and watch”.  The use of physical or corporal punishment is against the policy of the center and the law.

 

Electronic Communication
We believe in keeping the communication lines open between center management and the families that attend our center. Great Beginnings will at its discretion utilize the most effective means of communication to reach a parent or legal guardian. Such means include electronic mail (e-mail); telephone calls, Voice messaging, Text Messaging, or other forms of Instant Messaging.

 

Staff Solicitation and Fraternization
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center strives to maintain a professional client-provider relationship between our staff and enrolled families. As such, GBELC strictly prohibits any form of staff solicitation, especially for childcare services, between its staff and its enrolled families without express consent from the Director. Any such solicitation which occurs without express consent from GBELC management may result in the termination of the erring family’s child care contract. GBELC also discourages parents from befriending staff on Social Media, inviting staff to social events or activities that take place in a parent or legal guardian’s home.

Food
GBELC is a NUT-FREE center! We provide a catered hot breakfast, hot lunch, and afternoon snack for children in the Toddler Class up to Preschool (these are children who can eat table foods). Our meals are provided by fully licensed catering services specializing in highly nutritional meals for early learners. Parents whose children must have lunch provided from home due to dietary or religious reasons cannot be reimbursed for the cost of the catered meals.  Meals from home must be provided in a temperature-controlled container labeled with the child’s name and the date. All uneaten portions will be disposed of at the end of each day unless otherwise instructed in writing. Breakfast time ends promptly at 8:45 am so the children can transition to circle time and begin the day’s program. Children arriving at the center at 8:45 am or later need to have already had breakfast at home.

Please check with the Director before bringing food items to be shared with the other children at the center.  Due to Health Department Regulations, all food items brought into the center for sharing must be from an allergen-free commercial source. Arrangements can be made with the Director if you would like to bring in snacks or cupcakes for a birthday party or special event. These celebrations require a 2-day notice, so the center can have time to get other parents’ consent for their children to participate in the eating portion of the celebration. While birthdays may be celebrated at the Center, presents are not to be exchanged.

 

Clothing and Center-Deemed Inappropriate Attire
Children are permitted to wear comfortable, safe shoes and clothing in any color, style or design of their choosing so long as outfits and dress attire do not contain any derogatory slogans or dark and scary symbols such as skulls, violent images or other inappropriate characters. Please label all clothing and personal articles including nap time objects.  Please bring an extra set of clothing to be kept at the center.  Soiled clothing should be taken home and replaced with a fresh set the next day.  If dressed in a way deemed inappropriate or scary to others, the Center has the discretion to have the parent bring a change of clothing and to request your child not wear those items to school again. The center is also not responsible for lost or soiled clothing.

 

Behavior Intervention/Modification
To maintain a quality group care program and to ensure the safety of all children in care; Great Beginnings Early Learning Center reserves the right to remove from our program any child whose behavior in any way threatens the safety, security or wellbeing of the other children in the group. Unacceptable or unsafe behavior that falls under this policy includes but is not limited to biting, pinching, scratching, hitting, shoving, sexually suggestive behavior, spitting, kicking, obscene behavior or the use of expletives, bullying, threats and any other form of physical contact or behavior that could result in harm or intimidation of other children in the group. While keeping all the children safe is the center’s top priority, we will make every effort to work with families whose children are exhibiting such challenging behavior(s) to get the behavior modified so that the child can be safe in our group care model with active engagement both at home and school. However, in instances where behavior modification fails for whatever reason, the center will have no other option than to terminate care. In severe cases or instances deemed highly unsafe or inappropriate by management, the center may terminate care immediately with or without prior notice or reports.

 

Enrollment Requirements and Forms
In compliance with state regulations, all enrollment paperwork must be completed, and on file in the Center BEFORE your child can attend the center. These forms include an enrollment agreement, tuition agreement, child registration, health forms, and a notarized custody declaration (if applicable). We must view a Birth Certificate or hospital birth letter as identification for your child and verification of parental rights before they can be accepted into care. Medical forms including up-to-date immunization records, physician’s statement, necessary emergency medical contact information, and emergency medical authorization must be provided at enrollment. We must also have ongoing documentation whenever your child receives shots at a well-visit and annually for physical exams. Your child may not be admitted into care until all of these forms are received.  All forms are updated periodically as required by law.

 

Tuition and Enrollment Fees
A non-refundable enrollment fee is due upon the successful enrollment of your child into the center. A new enrollment fee will be due with each new school year.  The center also charges a non- refundable Materials Fee per child in the Nursery and Preschool programs which are due at initial enrollment or in 2 installments (September & March) each year. Enrollment and Materials fees are not refundable.  If you should withdraw your child during the year and return later, a new enrollment and materials fee will be charged. Tuition payments are due to the center on the payment schedule agreed to by the parents.  Holidays and other scheduled closings are counted as a day present.

 

Methods of Payment
All tuition fees are due and payable in advance on your child’s first day of attendance in the given month or week.  Tuition is charged on the 1st of the month for those who elect to pay monthly and, on the 1st, & 15^th of the month for those who elect to pay semi-monthly. All payments must be by ACH debit or Credit Card. Credit card payments will include a 5% credit card processing fee. A $50 Unsuccessful Payment Fee will be charged for all unsuccessful debits or returned payments. Accounts more than 5 days past due will be charged a $50 past due fee bi-weekly until the payments are caught up. The center reserves the right to deny admission to any family whose tuition is 2 weeks past due until the balance has been paid in full. Statements for all payments received during a billing month are emailed to parents at the end of the month.

 

Vacation for Students
You may remove your child from the center for vacation, however, notice is appreciated for planned absences for a period greater than one week. Full tuition is still required to maintain your child’s enrollment at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center. For this reason, there will be no reduction in your tuition for absenteeism or vacation. Excessive absenteeism is discouraged as children who miss out on school activities may be academically impacted or disrupt the group care learning of their peers when teachers must spend individual time in trying to catch them up on the educational aspects they missed while absent.

 

Holidays & Closings
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center observes all federal holidays including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.  Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.  In addition to these, the center is also closed for Inauguration Day, close early the day before Thanksgiving, are closed the day after Thanksgiving, on Good Friday, the Monday after Easter, Christmas Eve, the day after Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The center also closes for three (3) staff development days once in the Spring, Summer & Fall. If a holiday falls on a weekend, please follow the federal government’s closing schedule for that holiday.  An annual holiday schedule will be provided to you. There is NO tuition reduction or adjustment for any holidays, staff training, or other closings regardless of the reason or nature of the closing.

 

Inclement Weather Closings
Great Beginnings follows the inclement weather closing schedule for the Alexandria City schools.  If Alexandria Schools are closed, Great Beginnings Early Learning Center is closed. If Alexandria Schools have a delayed opening, Great Beginnings Early Learning Centers will open at 9:30 am. If Alexandria Schools close early, we will close at 4:00 pm. Parents, Guardians, and Staff will always be notified of our operating status during inclement weather by text messaging. There is no tuition reduction or adjustment for inclement weather closings.

 

Late Pick-Up Notices & Fee
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center assesses late fees of $25 per child (twenty-five dollars) per 10-minute increments for any pick-up after the close of business. There is a minimum late fee charge of $25 per child regardless of if a child was picked up less than 10 minutes after closing. The maximum late pick-up fee is $100. Additionally, parents who pick up their children later than the contracted times listed on their tuition agreement will also be subject to a late pick-up charge of $25 per 10-minute increments.

Late pick-up fees are automatically added to the center’s next scheduled payment cycle and debited from the tuition account on file with the center. These fees are not tax-deductible and excessive late pick-up may result in termination of services. Please do not leave children or pets unattended in the car while you drop-off or pick-up from the center. Please note that if your child(ren) is still at the center without notification, 60 minutes after the close of business, GBELC is mandated to contact Alexandria Child Protective Services along with the local authorities and the Department of Social Services.

 

Absenteeism and Suspension or Termination of Care
To maintain a quality program and proper staffing, please notify the Center by email if your child will be absent on a scheduled day of attendance. Parents have a legal right to enter the center at any time during operating hours to visit with their children. Regular Daily Attendance in our Preschool is a requirement as we are working with a progressive curriculum that requires the students to have an active learning model that will start to prepare them for Kindergarten entry once they get into the Penguins program. All enrolled preschool children should arrive at school no later than 9:30 am to ensure children are tracking along with their teachers and peers and can stay abreast of the learning requirements for the daily and weekly lesson plan. Children who miss several days of the curriculum may not be able to keep up with the learning concepts that are introduced in the lesson plan daily, and thereby fall behind their peers in their learning as Great Beginnings’ operates under a group care model and is not equipped to provide private tutoring because of tardiness or absenteeism.

 

Bringing Personal Items from Home
Please do not bring toys or personal items from home unless specifically requested for “show and tell” by the teacher or is being used by the child at rest time to make him/her feel more emotionally secure.  We strongly advise against sending your child’s special items to school and do not condone jewelry, scary, dark, or violence-related toys or symbols at school. These include skulls, crossbones, action figures, guns, or other items deemed visually inappropriate by the center. Teachers will confiscate such items and return them to parents at the end of the day.  Personal toys can be easily lost or broken and can become sources of conflict between children. Other toys or items may also pose a choking hazard for younger children. The center will not be responsible for personal toys brought to the center and their condition if lost, damaged, given away, or taken home by another family.

 

Lost articles
The Center will not replace lost or damaged articles.  If your child brings money or something valuable to Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, the teacher or Director must be informed so that they can be kept until the parent can pick them up the next school day from the Director’s Office.

 

Injuries
The staff at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center makes every effort to ensure the safety of your child. However, accidents may still occur.  In caring for your child, we realize that you will want to be aware of your child’s injuries or illnesses that occur at the center and as such will make every effort to notify you when such events occur. Such notification may be done by phone call, email, or text message depending on the severity of the situation or extent of the resulting injury. In the case of a minor accidental injury, we will administer first-aid. In the case of a serious accidental injury, we will make every attempt to contact you for instructions and will call 911.  If we cannot reach you in a serious medical emergency, we will call your emergency contacts as well as your Physician’s office.  Please ensure that the contact information for your emergency contact and your child’s physician is updated on all forms and with center management.  Your signed emergency medical release will also assist us in getting prompt medical attention in case a parent or guardian cannot be reached. The Center’s main concern is and will always be the health and safety of your child. A report will be provided to you for signature and kept on file for any accident, incident, illness, or injury at the center. Copies of all such reports are available to you upon request. All child information is confidential as is the identity of any other children involved and cannot be disclosed as required by law. Great Beginnings is not responsible and will not be liable for payment or reimbursements of any cost incurred during providing the needed medical care to an injured child regardless of the cause of the injury.

 

Parking
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center utilizes 2 loading zones provided and approved by the City of Alexandria, on North Washington Street for drop-offs, and on Wythe St for pick-up. There is also free 2-hour parking on all the side streets around the center except for the hours of 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on weekdays when the North Washington street parking lane is used as an HOV lane.

Parents may not leave their cars unattended in the loading zones and may not park for extended periods over the allotted times in the free parking spaces. Great Beginnings Early Learning Center is not responsible for any citations, tickets, damages, towing fees, or losses that arise from parking around the center.

 

Medication Policy

A valid and current Medication Authorization form signed by both the parent and the child’s physician is REQUIRED for the administration of any prescription medication to any child while in care at the center.  For non-prescription or over-the-counter medication, the administration will be consistent with the manufacturer’s instructions. All medication in the center must be left in the custody of the Center Director by the child’s parents. Under no circumstances may parents leave their child’s medication in the classroom or with a Teacher. All medication at the center may only be administered by the Center Director or any other staff member that is trained and certified to administer medication. Parents that are unable to fully meet the center’s medication administration requirements are permitted to come in during the day to personally administer medication to their child.

 

Topical Applications Policy
Topical, over-the-counter products such as Sunscreen, Insect Repellent, and Non-Prescription Diaper crème may be administered by Staff so long as parents provide it in its original, unexpired packaging with their child’s name legibly and permanently written on it. A current copy of the center’s authorization form for non-prescription, over-the-counter skin products must also be on file for such administration.  Staff will administer these topical applications according to the manufacturer’s instructions only and will send the products back home if the packaging becomes damaged or if the expiration date on the topical application becomes illegible.

 

Illness
Parents must notify the center immediately, within 24 hours or on the next business day if a child or anyone in your household has been exposed to or has contracted a reportable communicable disease outside the Center.

Children or other affected family members must remain away from the center until they have been symptom-free for a full 24-hour period without the aid of medication. Policies and guidelines related to the spread of communicable diseases and illnesses in the center have been developed with the help of the local health department and local health practitioners to protect the group as well as the health of your child. Your child should be kept at home if he/she shows any signs of illness.  If they have or have experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours, they must to be kept at home and away from this facility:

• A fever of 100* orally or 99 under the arm.
• Signs of a newly developed cough or a severe cough.
• Diarrhea, vomiting, or an upset stomach.
• Unusual or unexplained loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, or a headache.
• Any discharge or drainage from the eyes, nose, ears, or open sores.
• At the center’s discretion if a child is inactive, lethargic, or not acting themselves.

If children develop any of the above symptoms while in care, their parent(s) or guardian(s) will be contacted and must arrange to pick up the sick child as soon as possible but no later than 1 hour after being contacted by the center.  A child who leaves the center sick must remain away from the center until they have been symptom-free for a full 24-hour period without the aid of medication. In any case, the sick child may not return to the center until the 2^nd business day following the day on which they left sick. The only exception to this is with a physician’s note certifying that the child is not contagious and is not medically excluded from group care. We appreciate each family’s cooperation with this policy. If you have any questions concerning this policy and whether your child should attend, please call the center at 703-520-9966 or contact the Director by email for further clarification.

Great Beginnings Early Learning Center has permission to take such reasonable measures, as are in the judgment of the center, necessary for the welfare and safety of all the children in care. In the case of emergency medical care, all medical bills are to be sent directly to the parent(s) or guardian(s). In the case of illness or accident, when a parent, guardian, or emergency contact cannot be reached by the center, emergency medical personnel will be called who at their professional discretion may decide that the child in question needs to be transported to the nearest hospital or medical center. In the case of such transport, a staff member will accompany the child on the ambulance and any medical expenses incurred will be the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s).

 

Release
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center reserves the right to use pictures, images, and expressions of students in publications, informational brochures, on our website or flyers, and other communications. By enrolling your child at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center, you give express permission and consent for the center to use your child’s images or pictures and expressions in publications, informational brochures, flyers, communications, or Great Beginnings materials without compensation to the child or family.

 

Parent Comments
We are always interested in hearing and welcome your comments regarding the care and education that your child receives at Great Beginnings Early Learning Center.  Your child’s teacher and the Center Director should be the first contacts for a parent’s constructive criticism. Management has an open-door policy and can be reached at the center, via phone, email, or in person at your convenience. The use of expletives is never appropriate for addressing others or resolving concerns and may result in a meeting with Management or outright termination of your childcare contract.

 

Building Access, Safety & Security
The safety of all the children in care is the number one priority of Great Beginnings Early Learning Center. The Center has a front door Access Control System that is monitored and maintained by Johnson Controls, Inc. Each parent or guardian enrolled at Great Beginnings is provided with a key fob on their first day of school for a rental fee of $10.00 per fob. For safety and security purposes, the keyfob is NOT SHARABLE OR TRANSFERABLE. Other than the custodial parent or guardian to which a fob has been assigned, every other person coming into the building MUST ring the doorbell, have their ID confirmed, and be escorted by a GBELC staff member. Parents are strongly advised not to let anyone in the front door even if you know them. If your key fob fails to open the door as described, please ring the doorbell for assistance. Upon leaving the center, all parents or legal guardians that are issued a key fob must return it within 5 business days otherwise the replacement cost will be debited from the account on file. The rental and or replacement costs for the key fobs are not refundable.

Please note that the key fobs have been programmed to function during regular business hours when parents and children are legally allowed in the building so be sure to check your time to make sure you are not trying to access the building before or after the posted hours of operation. Please keep your key fob safe always and notify Great Beginnings IMMEDIATELY if you lose or misplace it. The charge to replace a key fob is $25.

The center is also equipped with a 24-camera CCTV system that monitors all activity throughout the center at all hours. The cameras and recording from the CCTV system are the exclusive property of Great Beginnings and are used for maintaining child safety as well as quality assurance and training. The camera recordings are stored digitally for up to 30 days and then recycled. The center reserves all rights to the footage from the cameras and is not obligated to share or view the footage with parents or staff.

 

Emergencies, Fire Drills, and Building & Site Evacuation

In the case of fire drills or other emergencies requiring building and site evacuation, the Center Director or designee will sound the alarm after which the Lead Teacher in each class will make a quick assessment of the situation in the classroom and any injuries, if applicable, to the children or adults. The teacher will perform a headcount to ensure that all children are present. The Director or Designee will evaluate the evacuation route to be sure that it is clear of obstructions.

The Director or Designee will give instructions to evacuate via the intercom, walkie-talkie or verbally. If possible and time allows, the teachers and aides in each class will have children take their jackets and coats.

The Director or Designee will gather all pertinent information, healthcare supplies, and essential documents and take the following items:

• disaster supplies which are stored in the supply closet
• class/staff attendance sheets and visitor sign-in sheets
• children’s emergency and medical information/supplies
• Director or Designee’s cell phone and a walkie-talkie
• emergency evacuation bag

Staff will assemble children 2 by 2 to evacuate the building (preferably with one teacher leading the children and another teacher following behind). Young toddlers will be evacuated by adults carrying them out of the building or walking with them hand in hand while infants will go in the evacuation cribs. The Director or Designee will also call 911.

The teacher for each class will perform a headcount, take attendance, and report it to the Director or Designee. The teacher will have the children sit down if possible. If safe to do so, the Director or Designee will search the building for anyone missing.

If there is a gas leak or other incident that requires individuals to be located further away from the center, the Director or Designee will have teachers move the children to the designated safe location. The Director or Designee will evaluate the situation with the help of responding agencies (fire, police, etc.) and determine when or if it is safe to re-enter the building. If not, a determination will be made as to remain at the Charles Houston Recreation Center until it is safe to re-enter the building.

The Director or Designee will notify parents immediately if evacuation looks to be long-term or if children are moved to the Recreation Center. The Director or Designee will also report the incident and relocation to the State Licensing Inspector. The Director or Designee will complete a written incident report at the earliest opportunity. All parents will be notified of the incident(s) as soon as possible.

Site Evacuation
If it is determined from the onset that a situation requires that the center is evacuated, and that staff and children need to be moved, we will move everyone to the designated safe location. To initiate an evacuation, the Director or Designee will sound the alarm after which the teachers for each class will pair children together with a designated teacher or aide and will perform a head count before and after meeting at the designated safe location. The Director or Designee will call the appropriate agencies (fire, 911, paramedics); gather all pertinent information, healthcare supplies, essential documents and bring the following items to the alternate sites:

• disaster supplies which are stored in the supply closet
• class/staff attendance sheets and visitor sign-in sheets
• children’s emergency and medical information/supplies
• Director’s cell phone and a walkie-talkie
• evacuation bag

Children will walk with the teachers to the designated safe location. If they are unable to walk, they will be carried or pushed in the strollers or evacuation cribs. Once at the designated safe location, the teacher will take headcounts and attendance again and report it to the Director or Designee. Teachers must remain with their group of children until the children are picked up by parents or emergency contacts. The Director or Designee will continue to communicate with parents and coordinate pick-up of children. The Director or Designee will report the incident to DSS and the State Licensing Inspector. The Director or Designee will also complete an incident report at the earliest opportunity.

 

Child Abuse
Child abuse and neglect are against the law in Virginia, and so is a failure to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect If center management or staff suspect a child has been abused or neglected, the law requires that a report is made immediately without consulting the parent.  Persons making reports in good faith are protected by law from liability, and their identities are kept confidential. Persons making false and malicious reports are open to the scrutiny and discretion of the criminal justice system. To report to The Center for Alexandria’s Children, call the special toll-free Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-552-7096 or 703-838-0800, voice or TDD).  You can also call (703) 838-0800) or visit the Center for Alexandria’s Children website at www.centerforalexandriaschildren.org. Please contact the center Director about any questions or concerns you, as a parent, may have regarding possible abuse or neglect of a child.

 

Termination
Great Beginnings Early Learning Center reserves the right to remove a child from our program with or

without notice, prior communications or meetings with parents if we have concerns that the child in question may threaten the safety and educational well-being of others in their class; may hurt themselves or others; are bullying, sexually suggestive, threatening, physically or emotionally intimidating; are excessively absent from school; unable to track along with their peers (since we operate under a group care model); if we feel we are not

capable of providing the appropriate care for their needs; or for any good cause reason as determined by the center.

For families to terminate their child care agreement, they must provide a written 30-day notice to the Administrator. If you choose to terminate your child care contract without the appropriate written notice, you will be responsible for paying for the remainder of the notice period which will be debited from the account you designate on file with the center.