Information

Information for new Families

  • Parents should make sure that all personal belongings are labeled with the child’s name.
  • For children who are not yet toilet-trained, additional items of clean clothing may be required; soiled clothing and cleaning items will be sent home for cleaning and replacement.
  • Sleeping bags and blankets will be sent home at the end of each week for cleaning.
  • Parents will be notified when their supplies of diapers, wipes, ointments, etc… are running low.

The following represents items that each child will need throughout the day

  • A blanket and small pillow or sleeping bag for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners
  • 2 pair underpants or training pants, shirts and socks appropriate to the season, old clean adult shirt(button down or T-shirt) to be used as a paint smock for toddlers and preschoolers
  • Diapers for infants, pre-toddlers, and toddlers as appropriate
  • Diaper changing items (ointments, wipes, zip-lock plastic bags for diaper disposal, etc…) for infants , pre-toddlers, and toddlers as appropriate
  • 3 bibs for mealtime for infants and pre-toddlers
  • Bottled baby food, bottles, nipples, caps, formula, etc… for infants (Nursing mothers desiring to nurse at the center must notify us so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged
  • Labeled lunch box with nutritious lunch, juice, snacks, and (preferably) disposable utensils. Food and drinks are refrigerated, when necessary or requested, we are prepared to heat foods in a microwave oven
  • Safety drinking cup with lid for pre-toddlers and toddlers
  • Blanket (flannel or other type), 3 crib sheets, mobile for crib and personal toys for infants
  • Back-pack or book bag for all children over 3 years old

Tuition

  • All custodial parents and/or legal guardians are required to sign a Fee Agreement prior to enrolling their child in Step By Step Learning Centers. We accept cash, check, or money orders for tuition payments. All cash payments must be handed to the administrators of the schools. Your canceled check will serve as your receipt for payments made by check. There will be a $30.00 fee charged for tuition checks returned by the bank. Returned tuition checks will not be re-deposited. Parents will be responsible for reissuing a second check, including the returned check and late payment fees. If at any later time the bank returns a parent’s check, all future tuition payments must be made by cash, certified check, or money order.
  • Timely payments are essential for continued enrollment by Step By Step Learning Centers. Non-payment of tuition is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. Tuition payments are due no later than Friday 9am prior to when care is given. Payments can be made before this, but will be considered late after this time. A late payment fee of $10.00 will accrue each day tuition is late. After one week of non-payment of all fees, participation in our program will end. It is essential to the success of our program that we enforce this.
  • There is no credit given for unscheduled vacations, scheduled holidays, child illness, or for closings due to emergency situations.
  • Step By Step Learning Centers offers two free vacation weeks per year 90 days after enrollment into the programs. This is available to full time children who have paid tuition on time. We also offer one free vacation week per year 90 days after enrollment into our programs for children enrolled part-time who have paid tuition on time. Two weeks written notice must be handed in to the administrator of the school or placed in the tuition box.

Confidentiality

  • Within Step By Step Learning Centers, confidential and sensitive information will only be shared with employees of our centers who have a “need to know” in order to appropriately and safely care for your child. Confidential and sensitive information about staff, parents and/or legal guardians, and children will not be shared with other parents; employees of Step By Step Learning Centers are strictly prohibited from discussing information about a child with a parent/legal guardian other than their own. Step By Step Learning Centers strive to protect everyone’s right to privacy.

Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and/or Neglect

Under the Child Protective Services Act, mandated reporters are required to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. The employees of Step By Step Learning Centers are considered mandated reporters, under the law. The employees of Step By Step Learning Centers are not required to discuss their suspicions with parents prior to reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities, nor are they required to investigate the cause of any suspicious marks, behavior, or condition prior to making a report. Under the act, mandated reporters can be held criminally responsible if they fail to report suspected abuse or neglect. We at Step By Step Learning Centers take this responsibility very seriously and will make all warranted reports to the appropriate authorities. The Child Protective Services Act is designed to protect the welfare and best interest of all children.

As mandated reporters, the staff of Step By Step Learning Centers cannot be held liable for reports made to Child Protective Services which are determined to be unfounded, provided that the report was made in “good faith”.

Causes for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect include, but are not limited to:

  • Unusual bruising, marks, or cuts on the child’s body
  • Severe verbal reprimands
  • Improper clothing relating to size, cleanliness, or season
  • Transporting a child without appropriate child restraints (i.e. car seats, seat belts, etc.)
  • Dropping off or picking up a child while under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol
  • Not providing appropriate meals including a drink for your child
  • Leaving a child unattended for any amount of time
  • Failure to attend to the special needs of a disabled child
  • Sending a sick child to school over-medicated to hide symptoms, which would typically require the child to be kept at home until the symptoms subside
  • Children who exhibit behavior consistent with an abusive situation

Withdrawal Policy

  • Two weeks written notice is required when withdrawing a child for any reason. If the proper notice is given any unused tuition will be refunded within 30 days of the withdrawal. If the required notice is not given, parents will be charged tuition for the two additional weeks. The parents and child, following their last day of enrollment, are not permitted to re-enter the school without prior permission from the administrator.

Attendance Schedule

  • Parents who wish to change their child’s days or times of enrollment must submit a request to do so a week in advance of the proposed change. This also pertains to temporarily adding days. CHanges in children’s attendance schedules require staff scheduled to change in order to ensure safe ratios within the classroom
Than You for choosing Step By Step as your Learning Center provider!
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