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This Section includes information on some of the details and center policies that families need to know.

Absenteeism	Fire Drills	Medication	Snow Day Policy
Arrival	Fundraising	Nutrition	Special Friends
Behavior Management	Health Care Policy	Parent Conferences	Subsidized Slots
Contract	Hours	Parent Involvement	Transition of Children
Departure	Illness Procedures	Children's Records	Transportation
Emergency Procedures	Items Needed	Referral Policy	Tuition
Enrollment	Late Pick-Up	Returned Checks	Vacation Policy
Family Advisory Board	Medical Records	Scholarships	Withdrawal/Termination

The Center is open year-round from 8:00 am - 5:30 am., five days a week, except for the days listed on our calendar of closings.

All policies regarding enrollment stem from our central commitment to the continuity that is associated with full-time programming. By the time youngsters enter our Kindergarten, many of them have been at the Day Care Center for three years. The richness of relationships, of curriculum and of inquiry evolves, in large measure, from the fact that our children are in a long-term, and stable community of learners. Because we are a full-time, year-round school, we have fixed costs that do not fluctuate with related fluctuations in families' schedules (for example, see section entitled Vacation Policy). While some families choose to have children attend school four, instead of five, days a week, or five, rather than nine and a half, hours each day, they understand that there will be no reduction in their monthly tuition payments.

Enrollment begins with the receipt of your application, hopefully, at least one year prior to an expected start in our program. The Parent Coordinator will contact families from the wait list if spaces become available throughout the school year. Enrollment plans for the summer and fall begin in February each year. Parents from the Center are polled as to their plans and then parents from the wait list are contacted as space permits. Prospective parents are scheduled to visit the appropriate class and to meet with the Parent Coordinator to discuss the placement. This is to ensure that the Center is able to meet your specific requirements and is the type of setting that best suits the individual needs of your child. After enrollment plans are definite and a start date has been arranged, parents are encouraged to schedule visits with their child prior to the start date. In this manner, the child becomes accustomed to the class and teachers gradually and the transition to the full-day setting is much less stressful.

The first few weeks of school are designed to facilitate a smooth adjustment to the Center. During the first week of school, new children attend the Center for two visiting half-days accompanied by a parent. These two half-days are a time for child and parent to acclimate to the new setting and begin to form bonds with teachers as well as other children and parents. Child and parent should feel free to explore the classroom environment together, and when a child appears comfortable the parent can move from participant to observer.

After the two visiting half-days, the child will attend full days for the remainder of the week. We encourage parents to pick up their children a little earlier than will be normal during this transition period if at all possible to aid in the adjustment. Given parents schedules, however, we do realize that this may not be possible in all cases. New Family Welcome Letter

The following items must be supplied for each child. Please make sure that all items are labeled with the child's full name so that lost articles can be returned to their proper owner immediately.

• Complete change of clothing, including underwear and socks, to keep in the child's cubby at all times
• A small blanket and small pillow for nap time. These must be clearly labeled with child's name.
• Winter: raincoat for rainy days, rubber boots, hat, mittens, snowpants or snowsuit, warm coat. Please make sure each morning that your child is appropriately dressed for winter, as outside play is part of our daily curriculum and it is expected that all will participate. Playground and outdoor play is cancelled only during extremely adverse weather conditions.
• Summer: swimsuit, towel, water shoes, or extra sneakers.

All clothing and shoes should be sturdy and comfortable. The clothes your child wears should be easy for him/her to put on and take off, and washable. Children do play with a variety of materials and clothing will surely become soiled as they learn through a hands-on program.

Clothing donations are always appreciated. The Center tries to maintain a supply of spare clothing for emergencies but this supply becomes depleted quickly. Any and all donations of outgrown clothing to this supply will be greatly appreciated.

Toys should not be brought to school. However, dolls, stuffed animals, books or tapes are welcome and appreciated. Please do not send anything that should not be handled as children share what they bring with the other children.

It is the Center's commitment to provide high quality care and nurture a stable environment, which fosters the opportunity to develop strong bonds between all who share this community. So that all involved understand our commitment to this goal, it is required that families as well as teachers sign a one year contract renewable yearly by mutual consent. The contract, to be signed by a parent upon acceptance of a slot for their child, covers the 12 month period of September 1st through the following August 31st. If a child's start date at the Center is prior to September 1st, the length of the contracted time would be extended to include the additional weeks created by the earlier entrance date.

It is very important that a parent consider all aspects of this commitment. Though the Center is aware that changes can occur in family circumstances, overall, these changes occur rarely. The financial obligation for the 12-month contract would remain until the space was enrolled with another child. Parents should also read the related sections on vacation policy, enrollment, and withdrawal/termination in the handbook. Please feel free to speak with the Parent Coordinator with any questions you may have regarding the contract.

Tuition is based on all families contracting for a twelve-month, full time placement at the Day Care Center (see the Vacation section for policy regarding time away from school). There are three tuition categories at the Center: private tuition, scholarship, and subsidized slots. Tuition is payable on a monthly basis and is due in advance or on the first school day of each month. It is very important that tuition is paid on time as all monthly bookkeeping will be done and sent to the University's Bursar's Office before 5:00pm on the sixth day of the month. The continuation of monthly tuition payments, as opposed to paying once a semester in advance, is contingent on families meeting their tuition payments in a timely manner.

With the aid of the Parents Advisory Board, we have established the following late policy. There is a grace period of three school days for all tuition payments. Payments received on or after the fourth school day of the month, unless specifically authorized in advance by the school's Director, will be considered late. Late payment fees of 1% (12% annual interest) or $10.00, whichever is less, will be assessed each month, or any part thereof, that a payment is late.

Any family who is late in paying their tuition for either two consecutive months or for two out of four consecutive months must then pay for the following two months tuition in advance.

All checks returned for insufficient funds are considered late tuition payments. There is a $5.00 fee for the re-processing of checks returned for insufficient funds.

Kindergarten Tuition
Families not affiliated with Tufts, whose children are enrolled in kindergarten, pay their full tuition (based upon a twelve-month tuition obligation) in ten equal installments from September through June. A two-week vacation allowance, if applicable, will be deducted from your June tuition installment. All other tuition policies described in the section entitled Tuition apply, as stated, to non-Tufts affiliated kindergarten families. Tufts affiliated families with children in our kindergarten may pay their tuition in twelve monthly installments after signing the applicable release form.

A $5.00 fee will be charged for each check returned for insufficient funds. Money is payable to the Office. This money will be deposited in the Children's Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Each family is required to pay a deposit equal to one-half of one month's tuition upon enrollment. Should a new family decide not to send their child once the deposit has been paid, the Center must be notified one month prior to the start date. The deposit will be refunded when and if the vacant space is enrolled provided there is no unpaid gap in enrollment.

For returning families, the deposit will be updated each year should tuition rise, and will be applied toward your tuition for the last August your child will be enrolled at the Center.

The Center maintains two contacts with the Office of Child Care Services (formally the Department of Social Services) for Title XX subsidized child care slots. These slots are for families who meet established federal and state guidelines for eligibility and need. Tuition is on a sliding fee scale, which is based upon family size and gross monthly income. If you feel you may be eligible for such a slot, please contact the Parent Coordinator who will discuss the details with you and determine your eligibility for such a slot.

The Tufts Educational Day Care Center is committed to maintaining an economic mixture of families served by the program. To meet this goal, the Children's Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at the Center. Each year the Center tries to award scholarships to families who cannot afford the cost of full tuition and who are ineligible for state-funded subsidies. However, the availability of the money to support these scholarships rests directly on the events that are sponsored throughout the year by the fundraising committee and through the efforts of family members who work to support these events. It has become increasingly difficult over the years to raise money, but through the combined efforts of all our families we hope to be able to continue to offer financial assistance through the Children's Memorial Scholarship Fund. Scholarship applications are available in April of each year for the following school year. We encourage all families who feel they may be eligible for assistance to complete an application when they are available. Please see Fundraising for further information.

During the early years of the Center's history, a need was recognized to provide Center-based financial assistance to some of our families. In an effort to meet this need, the Children's Memorial Scholarship Fund was established. With monies generated by the efforts of all our families and spearheaded by our Fundraising Committee, the Center has been able to award scholarships each year to several families to help defray a small portion of their monthly tuition costs. In this time of economic uncertainty, the scholarship fund has also been used to aid families experiencing short-term financial difficulty due to cutbacks and job loss.

This financial assistance can only continue through the fundraising events, organized and run by families, that are held each year to generate funding for our scholarship pool. It is only with the efforts of all of our families that funds continue to be raised. Therefore, it is expected that every family will participate in fundraising events, and it is estimated that our needs will be met if each family donates twenty hours per year to our fundraising efforts.

Due to the wide variety of skills, talents and schedules that exist among our families, it is obvious that families will choose to participate in many different ways. Some families may choose to coordinate a specific event that will involve all of their hours while others will choose to support each event in a small way. The most important aspect is each family's commitment to the overall fundraising efforts.

The morning schedule in each classroom is designed specifically to aid in the daily transition from home to school and to allow as much flexibility as possible to individual families. Therefore, it is required that children arrive at the Center each morning between 8:00 - 9:15 a.m. During this time, less structured, open-ended 'free-play' activities are planned. This allows teachers the freedom to greet each arriving child and parent, aid in the child's transition into the activity of the class according to his/her arrival style, and aid in the good-bye process.

Shortly after this time, many classroom transitions begin to take place such as clean-up, snack and group times, which make it difficult for a teacher to be available to an arriving child. It also does not allow an appropriate "buffer zone" for the child to once again acclimate to the group setting at his/her own pace. Therefore, we ask for the parent's cooperation in scheduling arrival each morning between 8:00 - 9:15 a.m.

Should you be unavoidably late, please notify the Center at (617) 627-3412 prior to 9:15 a.m. Parents must escort their child into the classroom each day and help the child settle into an activity.

A child may be released only to those persons authorized in writing by the parent. Each family will be required to complete an Authorization and Consent Form listing all such persons. This permission form should be updated when necessary throughout the school year. The Center will refuse the release of a child to any person other than those on file. Teachers will also ask to see identification for any person they have not met before, even if their name is on file. Parents must also notify the teachers in advance when an authorized person will be picking up their child. If your family has made shared arrangements for pick-up with another family in the event of lateness, please make sure each family is authorized on the other's form and the teachers are aware of this arrangement. For your child's safety, please bear with us as we take the above precautions. In addition, it is extremely important that parents make verbal contact with the child's teacher upon arrival to pick up the child.

If a late pick-up occurs, the parent will be asked to sign a slip to verify the date and time of pick-up. One copy is given to the parent and the other is retained and kept on file at the Center. All families will be allowed two late pick-ups without penalty. On each of the third, fourth, and fifth late pick-ups, you will be fined $10.00. After six late departures, it will be unfortunately necessary for you to find alternative placement for your child. Any night you arrive at 6:00 p.m. or later, you will be charged a $20.00 fee. Fines are payable to the Front Office with your next tuition payment. Please do not give the fine your child's teacher. Please be advised that the Center closes promptly at 5:30 p.m. The above policy was established by the Parents' Advisory Board, with much care and consideration given to all families. We ask your cooperation on this manner.

If your child is going to be absent, please notify the Center prior to 9:15 a.m. It is important that all children attend school on a regular basis, as frequent absences disrupt their daily routine and make it difficult for them to benefit fully from the curriculum. For Title XX children, all absences are recorded and only a limited number of absences are allowed per month. If absences exceed this limit, it is required that your need for day care be reassessed and a decision made as to whether or not your child can remain in a Title XX slot. It is very important that children only be absent when illness makes it necessary.

Each family is entitled to two weeks tuition-free vacation time during each twelve-month period. Parents may deduct one-half of one month from their monthly payment during or after the time their child is on vacation. If the two weeks are taken during different months, please deduct the one-half of one month's tuition after the second week has been taken. Parents are responsible for paying tuition for all weeks other than the two vacation weeks allotted. Please let the Staff Assistant know in advance and in writing when you will be taking your tuition-free vacation. Parents on Title XX slots are contracting with the state for a full year. Therefore, these parents are not allowed any tuition-free vacation time and are responsible for twelve months full tuition.

Parents who wish to take additional vacation time during the Summer (consisting of July and August only) must notify the Center by returning the form for Summer and Fall Enrollment, which is sent to all families in February of each year. The deadline on this form (usually March 1st) is non-negotiable. Parents are fully responsible for summer (July and August) tuition even if the child will be vacationing. The summer tuition will be rebated based solely on the revenue generated by the early enrollment of children scheduled to begin school the following September. In past years, the amount of rebates for families taking extended vacation in July or August has ranged from one-quarter to three-quarters of full tuition. All children who begin at the Center during the summer are also enrolled for the new school year in order to maintain the continuity of the program.

If your family will be applying for an extended summer vacation, the two weeks tuition-free vacation time should be credited to this vacation and not used during the academic year.

Should a family's plans call for them to be away for longer than two weeks during the academic year (September through June), their financial obligation remains fixed, as the nature of the program does not allow for a child's replacement through short-term enrollment.

Please remember that only the months of July and August are considered for extended vacation rebate. Time taken off during any other month will not, in any way, reduce your full-tuition obligation.

Family Withdrawal
As you are aware, the Day Care Center is a 12-month program to which parents are required to make a full commitment, as are our teachers. Each family must sign a contract for the full year. It is this commitment that allows children, families and teachers to form exceptionally strong bonds at the TEDCC. The departure of a child affects each of us who are members of this close community. In the rare case where a family must withdraw their child from school due to unavoidable circumstances, we ask for immediate written notice at least one month in advance of leave-taking. During this period, we will prepare your child and the rest of the community for the departure.

Changes in tuition obligations, should they result from unscheduled withdrawal, are made in conjunction with the Parent Coordinator, the Director and the Dean. (See section entitled Contract.)

Center Termination
The Center has only once terminated and never suspended a child. However, the Center would seek to place a child in an alternate program if our program could not meet his or her needs. By definition, this would mean a special education or therapeutic setting.

The process of determining that a child would be better served in an alternate setting would involve a thorough evaluation and referral to the appropriate Special Education Department. The decision would be made after exhausting all possibilities of maintaining the child in our program. The parents, due to the nature of our referral plan, would be fully involved in this process and would therefore be a party to the decision. Written documentation of the entire process and the decision to terminate would be provided to parents and included in the child's file. The termination would be a transfer from this program to the program determined by all to be a placement designed to meet the specific needs of the child. The child and parents will be fully supported during this transition and the teachers would be available as resources to the child's new teachers.

Regardless of the reason for a child to leave our program, the child would be well prepared for this transition as is developmentally appropriate. As a staff, the teachers have developed an entire curriculum devoted to creating a seamless transition for any child who leaves the Center for any reason. This involves preparing all the children for the change and celebrating the child leaving in a myriad of ways including creating a good-bye book, thereby giving the child a "piece" of us to take with him/her and hosting a good-bye party. The child leaves the Center secure in the knowledge that he/she was a vital member of the group, will be missed when he/she has left, and moves on with all of our best wishes.

The Center must have a record of telephone numbers for each parent and another adult who would respond in case of an emergency, and for the family's pediatrician or other doctor. Any change in the emergency telephone must be reported to the Center immediately. It is imperative that up-to-date numbers be maintained, as emergency medical services cannot be offered to your child in the absence of consent from a parent or legal guardian.

In the Event of Illness
If a child becomes ill during the day, a teacher will contact a parent. Though we know it may be difficult to rearrange schedules due to sudden illness, it will be necessary for a parent to pick up a child as soon as possible after being contacted. Teachers will notify a parent when a child looks or behaves in a way that is clearly different than normal. Examples of this are when a child appears unusually tired, pale, seems confused, irritable, indicates pain, fever, discomfort, distress, or exhibits inconsolable crying. If a parent cannot be reached, one of the emergency contacts listed on the child's emergency card will be called. A set of emergency cards are located in each of the classrooms and two sets of emergency cards are located in black file boxes on the Front Office desk and the Parent Coordinator's desk.

In the Event of Emergency
A staff person will immediately contact the parent as another staff person contacts the Campus Police at x66911. Campus Police will transport the child and a teacher to the nearest emergency facility, either Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford or Somerville Hospital, where the parent will meet them. If a parent cannot be reached, an emergency contact person listed in the child's file will be called. The teacher accompanying the child will bring the medical authorization form signed by the parent from the child's file.

Field Trip Emergency Procedures
Each group will carry a set of emergency cards and a Center cell phone with them on all field trips. In the event of an emergency, the teachers will contact the nearest rescue squad, the parent and the Day Care Center. A teacher would accompany the child to the nearest facility and would remain until full care has been given.

In the case of mild illness, the child will be made as comfortable as possible and transported back to the Center. The child's parent will be contacted to pick up the child.

Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse
Each year a portion of a staff meeting is devoted to discussing signs of abuse/neglect and procedures of reporting. This discussion is facilitated by the Director and Parent Coordinator. Each member of the staff is mandated reporters and shall report suspected abuse and neglect. Any teacher who suspects that a child has been abused or neglected will confer with the Director and/or Parent Coordinator who will assist in filing a 51-A report and will document all reports made. This report shall be made to the Department of Social Services as soon as possible but within 24 hours of the suspected abuse or neglect. The applicable local DSS office should be notified. The Malden Area office can be reached at (781) 388-7100 and the Cambridge/Somerville Area office at (617) 520-8700. If possible, staff will inform parent of the report and provide appropriate family support in dealing with the situation. It is in the best interest of the child that such a report would be filed and maintaining open communication with the family will clearly be of help to the child.

The Director or Parent Coordinator will immediately contact Office of Child Care Services if a report they have involves allegations of abuse or neglect of a child while in the care of the Center or during a Center related activity or if they learn that such a report has been filed. The Center will cooperate fully with all investigations of abuse or neglect providing all requested information in a timely manner. Should an allegation of abuse or neglect be filed against a staff member at the Center, said staff member would be reassigned to a position which did not include working directly with children until such a time that the DSS investigation was completed, the allegation was unsubstantiated and until such time as Office of Child Care Services requires.

Day Care Centers are required by Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services regulations to have a written Health Care Policy covering specific items. This policy must be posted in all classrooms and as of May 1997 parents must be given a copy of certain portions of this policy. In order to meet this new regulation, the center has re-written this section of the handbook to incorporate the required information.

Management of Infectious Diseases
The Center does not admit mildly ill children. Only children who are well enough to participate in the full range of curriculum activities, including outdoor play, should be in attendance. We have established this policy in an effort to maintain as healthy an environment as possible for all members of our community. Children with the following signs and symptoms will be excluded from care:

• fever with stiff neck, lethargy, irritability, or persistent crying
• fever of 101 degrees or higher; child must be fever free for 24 hours to return to school
• diarrhea with signs of dehydration, blood or mucus in stool or culture results positive for shigella, salmonella, campylobacter or giardia
• vomiting
• contagious stages of pertussis, measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella or diphtheria
• untreated infestation (scabies, head lice, etc.)
• undiagnosed rash
• abdominal pain that is intermittent or persistent
• difficulty in breathing
• lethargy
• other conditions as may be determined by the Director or Parent Coordinator

Any child who exhibits any of these symptoms should not be brought to the Center. If a child exhibits any of these symptoms while in care, the child will be made as comfortable as possible and placed in an isolated area to rest quietly on his/her mat under the supervision of a staff member. A parent will be contacted to pick up the child and arrange for further care by a physician if necessary.

Children who have been excluded from care and have been in the care of a physician can return when the physician has determined that no serious health risk exists for the child or others. For children who have not been in the care of a physician, the child can return when symptoms have passed and the child feels ready to again participate in the day's activities. The Director and Parent Coordinator will aid in this determination if necessary. Any child who was excluded with a communicable disease must have a doctor's note to return to care. When a communicable disease has been introduced into the Center, the health care consultant will be immediately contacted for specific advice on the particular disease. These instructions would be followed at the Center and be disseminated to the parents and would include notice of the disease, symptoms to be alert to, steps to take if symptoms are noticed, and precautions to take to prevent further spread of the disease.

Care of Mildly-Ill Children
The Center does not provide care for children who are mildly ill. Children who return to school following an illness must be well enough to participate in the full range of classroom activities, including outdoor play. Any necessary maintenance medication will be administered following established procedures. Any child who becomes ill while in attendance will be cared for as previously indicated.

As required by Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services, each child must be examined by a licensed physician prior to enrollment in group child care and a health form, signed by the physician, must be on file at the Center. The health record must be updated on a yearly basis with a new health form included in the child's file each time.

In addition to the health exam, a complete immunization history must be on file prior to the child's start date. This immunization history must include each of the following vaccines with the proper number of doses. For those children 2.9 - 4.9 yrs., required are 4 diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP); 3 Polio; 1 measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); 3 Hepatitis B; and 4 Haemophius influenza B (HIB). In addition, at least one lead screen with date and results must be on file. For those children entering Kindergarten, regulations require a 5th DTP, 4th Polio and 2nd MMR.

Please review your child's immunization record to verify that all required vaccines and tests have been administered and your child is eligible to enter group care.

Office for Child Care Service regulations (7:05:2(a)(b)) are very specific regarding the administering of both prescription and non-prescription medication.

Therefore, given these regulations under which the Center must operate, and the tremendous responsibility involved in the administering of medication to children, these are the Day Care Center guidelines:

Only maintenance medication will be given out by the staff, i.e., medicine that is essential for the child after he/she has recovered from an illness, or that a doctor has prescribed on a regular basis. In the case where a child is not well enough to participate in the full curriculum of the classroom, (including outdoor play), the child must be kept home. Please call if you need help in defining maintenance medication.
• Parents must fill out an Authorization for Medication Form for both prescription and non-prescription medication.
• All non-prescription medication can only be administered with written order of the child's physician. Though we understand that it is not convenient for parents to adhere to this rule, it will be enforced by the Center at all times as it is directly mandated by Office of Child Care Services regulations. We appreciate your cooperation in complying with this regulation.
• For children who arrive at the Center via methods of transportation other than with a parent, the parent must hand the medication and authorization form to the driver, who in turn will give them directly to the teacher. Children are not to handle medication.

Below are the specific policies for each type of medication:

Prescription Medicine
Requires both written physician authorization, which may include the label on the medication and parental authorization, which must include the name of the child, the name of the medication, dosage, number of times per day, and duration of medication. All medication must be in its original containers, marked with the child's name, name of drug, and directions for its administration and storage. After each dosage is administered, the medication log will be filled in, with the time, date, dosage, name of child and signature of staff member administering the medicine. Once the course of medication has been completed the medication log will become part of the child's file. Any unused medicine will be returned to the parent.

Non-Prescription Medicine
The Center cannot administer non-prescription medicine without the written authorization of a physician. The authorization must include the name of the specific child, name of medication, dosage, and criteria for administering and storage. This authorization will be accepted as a standing order valid for one year from the date it was signed. Parental authorization is also required for non-prescription medication and will also be valid for one year when directed by the physician.

Prior to administering medication as directed by a valid standing order, staff will attempt to contact a parent unless doing so will delay urgently needed care. In all cases the parent will receive verification each time a non-prescription medication is administered to a child. This notification will become part of the child's file.

Topical Non-Prescription
Topical medicines can be applied with written parental authorization only. This authorization will be valid for no more than one year from date signed and must state specific non-prescription topical medication and criteria for administration. Those topical medications applied to wounds, rashes, or broken skin must be stored in the original container, labeled with the child's name and used only for an individual child. Parents must be notified prior to administering and written notification must be given in each case. Those topical medications such as sunscreen or bug spray not applied to open wounds, may be generally administered to children without specific advance notice or later written notice as long as a valid written parental authorization is on file. All medication, whether prescription, non-prescription, or topical will be stored as directed for the specific medication. If refrigeration is required, the medicine will be stored in the refrigerator in the door tray marked "Medicine. All containers must be enclosed in a sealed plastic bag. All other medicine will be stored in the classroom in a secured, high wall cabinet specifically identified for this use. All medication will be returned to the parent when treatment is complete or at the end of the school year for all standing orders. It will be the parent's responsibility to transfer medication and appropriate authorizations to the child's new teaching team.

The following procedures govern the referral of families to social, mental health, medical and additional educational services.

Any concern regarding the status of a child in any of the above areas is discussed by the entire classroom teaching team. The teachers will review the child's record, observe the child in the normal classroom setting and record specific behaviors and situations that create the concern. The concern is then shared with the Director and Parent Coordinator and a synopsis is written. If the concern can be met by current staff expertise, a plan is immediately formulated by the team and Director. The team will meet with the child's parents to discuss the concern and the plan for action.

If an outside referral is required, written parental consent is obtained and the appropriate University affiliated professional will be contacted. If the concern relates to outside resources not affiliated with the University, the teaching team will meet with the parents to suggest an appropriate resource. If the concern relates to Chapter 766, our Special Education Coordinator and Director consults with teaching team and parents to devise a plan that can be implemented in the classroom. If further action is required, assistance will be given to the parents in contacting the child's school system and initiating the CORE evaluation process. All referrals are synopsized in written form, maintained in the child's folder and documented in a central log.

The Special Education Coordinator will follow-up the referral, with parental permission, and contact the agency or service provider who evaluated the child for consultation and assistance in meeting the child's needs at the Center. If it is determined that the child is not in need of services, or is ineligible to receive services, the Center shall review the child's progress every three months to determine if another referral is necessary. The Special Education Coordinators will be responsible for coordinating services, and the teachers are responsible for implementing and facilitating services received by the child, which may include therapists, consultants, and others involved with the child's final education plan. It is the Center's belief that such a system enables the parents and child to be fully supported as they deal with those areas of concern.

The following is a partial list of referral services used as resources by the Tufts Educational Day Care Center:

1. Faculty of the Tufts Department of Child Development



2. Faculty of the Tufts Department of Psychology



3. Faculty of the Tufts School of Medicine



4. Faculty of the Tufts Dental School



5. Somerville Mental Health Center
   (617-623-3278)



6. Tri-City Mental Health
   (781-397-2100 / 781-397-2020)



7. Massachusetts Department of Social Services



1. Malden Area Office
   22 Pleasant Street
   Malden, MA 02148
   (781-388-7100)



2. Cambridge/Somerville Area Office
   810 Memorial Drive
   Cambridge, MA 02139
   (617-520-8700)



8. Medford Public Schools - SPED Dept.
   489 Winthrop Street
   Medford, MA 02155
   Sandra Brenman
   (781-393-2232)



9. Somerville Public Schools - SPED Dept.
   8 Bonair Street
   Somerville, MA 02145
   (617-625-6600)



10. Cambridge/Somerville Early Intervention Unit
    12 Maple Avenue
    Cambridge, MA 02139
    (617-491-0600)



11. Department of Education
    Division of Early Childhood
    350 Main Street
    Malden, MA 02148
    (781-388-3300 x839)

1. Corporal punishment shall not be used, including spanking.



2. No child shall be subjected to cruel or severe punishment, humiliation, or verbal abuse.



3. No child shall be denied food as a form of punishment.



4. No child shall be punished for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet.

The plan for discipline at the Tufts Educational Day Care Center is in accordance with the Office of Child Care Services regulations. In all cases, discipline will be consistent with the developmental and emotional needs of the child. The following guidelines will be used:

1. If a child is attempting to injure another child or him/herself, the teacher will enforce the termination of the behavior if necessary by removing the child from the activity, removing the activity from the child, or, in extreme cases, holding the child so no injury will occur.



2. In other cases where discipline is deemed necessary, the teacher will first talk to the child and, if necessary, with warning, ask the child to play in another activity area, and if the child refuses, remove the child to another area.



3. In all cases, explanation will be given to the child in language he or she can understand to explain why the behavior is inappropriate, and to reinforce the concept that even if the activity is inappropriate the child is not a "bad child".



4. All teachers will, during either their undergraduate education or during their Master's Degree work at Tufts in the Department of Child Development, take at least one course related to issues of behavior analysis and management.

The above is the formal policy of the Center as required. The basic policy is that the rules and expectations in each classroom are designed given the developmental stage of the children. The children are in an emotionally safe environment; safe in that they know the rule is that children's bodies, feelings and work should not be hurt. They know that everyone, teachers and children, should treat everyone else with respect. They know that if this does not happen, they have a responsibility to find a way to take care of the problem with the help of a teacher. Teachers are continually role-modeling behavior for children and helping children negotiate with one another. Operating in an active classroom setting with a group of children on the same developmental level does mean that problems do arise, (being upset or angry is not a problem; these are emotions that people feel), but the children learn that there are more socially acceptable ways of handling these emotions than others. They are aided in their efforts to develop more self-control and are empowered to participate in the development of strategies to do so. Children's ideas are frequently sought in handling individual and classroom issues. They are keen observers and can be quite insightful in formulating strategies or creating classroom rules to handle specific issues. We welcome questions from parents regarding discipline in the classroom and we know the subject is important to parents as you deal with similar issues at home. Behavior management is truly a joint effort between teacher, child and parent.

The Center has a contract with the University Dining Services, which provides us with a light breakfast, a full lunch and an afternoon snack. Please note that the light breakfast is served mid-morning and is not intended to take the place of the child's breakfast at home. The Center's Nutrition Aide is responsible for ordering the food from the menus provided by Dining Services and serving the food to the classes at their scheduled times. Food portions and varieties are in accordance with the recommendations of the National Research Council, Federal Bureau of Food and Nutrition.

In order to encourage children to try a wide variety of foods, we ask that parents not send in food for the children. However, in the event of dietary restrictions due to medical or religious reasons, it is sometimes necessary for parents to send in an appropriate substitution for lunch. Therefore, a weekly menu is posted in each classroom. Please check the menu and plan to send in a substitute for that part of the meal which the child cannot eat while allowing him/her to be served the remaining items of the meal. In addition, if there is a particular food listed on the menu that your child absolutely will not eat, you may choose to send in a substitution. Due to limited space in the Center's kitchen, meals sent into the Center should be kept in the child's cubby if at all possible. Please let a classroom teacher know that an alternate meal has been sent. On special occasion such as birthdays, parents may arrange with teachers to bring special snacks if they wish.

Arrival and Departure
This plan has been formulated with the safety needs of the children as our primary concern. Due to the age of the children in the program, parents are responsible for the transportation of the children to and from the program. It is very important that parents use extreme caution when walking in the parking lot. Children should be supervised closely at all times and should never be allowed to run ahead of a parent or play in this space as they walk in and out of school.

In order to alleviate any possible confusion that may arise when both parent and teachers are present at the same time, the Center has established the policy that parents are responsible for their child whenever the parent is on site. Teachers will aid in the separation/transition issues that may arise, but parents will assume overall responsibility from the teachers upon arrival at school. It is important for parents to remember that children must be supervised at all times and should not travel from one area of the school to another without an adult. At morning arrival but especially during evening departure, parents must pay particular attention to this detail. Parents must let the child and teacher know exactly what the expectations are for the child. For example, if the child's class is on the playground when a parent arrives for pickup, the child must either remain on the playground where the teacher retains responsibility for the child if the parent enters the building or the child must accompany the parent inside and remain with the parent. Children should never travel from the classroom back to the playground or to any other area such as the Learning Pantry without a parent. Other safety rules, such as walking in the hallways should also be observed by parents and children. If teachers observe that a child needs help in establishing a safe departure routine, they will offer assistance to the parent and work with the family to develop a routine that feels safe for all involved.

Upon morning arrival, parents must accompany their child into the classroom and settle their child into an activity. Some parents establish a morning ritual or routine with their child in order to make the transition smoother for the child. It is extremely important that the parent always tells their child and the teacher when they are leaving. Teachers are a great resource for parents and are available to help both the parent and child with the separation should the need arise.

Upon afternoon arrival it is very important that a parent makes verbal contact with their child's teacher immediately. Please remember that a child may be released only to those persons authorized by the parent with advanced written permission. The Center will refuse the release of a child to any person other than those on file. Teachers will also ask to see identification for any authorized person they have not met before. Please understand that these precautions are necessary for your child's safety.

Field Trips
Field trips are an integral part of our program. Many field trips are local and will be taken on foot or on the University Shuttle bus that is equipped with seat belts. Parents will be asked to sign a blanket permission slip for local field trips upon enrollment. For other field trips, specific permission will be asked for each planned trip. These field trips will be via public transportation or hired bus. Any hired bus used by the Center will be equipped with seat belts. Private vehicles will never be used to transport children on field trips. For emergency procedures, please see section titled Procedures for Illness or Emergency.

As of April 1993, the Center's snow closing policy has been revised. With input and advise from the Family Advisory Board, it was decided that the Day Care Center will close for snow only if Tufts University has closed. Please listen to WBZ 1030 AM for a listing for Tufts University. There will be no separate announcement for the Day Care Center. (Since 1984, Tufts has closed on average less than one day each year.)

Fire drills will occur bi-monthly in accordance with Office of Child Care Services and Tufts University regulations. The drills are conducted by the City of Somerville and the University's Safety Office and a written record of all drills is kept on file at the Center.

Special Friends is a program that matches Tufts undergraduates with children at the Center. Founded in 1986, the Special Friends Program was designed to enhance the learning and social experiences of our children. Each year, students from the Leonard Carmichael Society (our University service organization) volunteer and are interviewed to become Special Friends. The interview consists of a lengthy meeting where volunteers complete a detailed questionnaire that provides their general contact information, special interests, and information pertaining to their experiences with children. Together with the information we receive from parents concerning their preferences, and information from the child's classroom teachers, the Special Friend Coordinators pair every child in the Center with a Tufts student.

Special Friends are scheduled to visit together for two hours one day each week for the academic school year. Both the "Big Tufts Special Friends and the TEDCC Special Friends develop a close relationship under the guidance of the classroom teachers. This experience provides the undergraduate volunteer with a chance to gain experience while making a difference in the life of a child. For children, the Special Friends program provides more of the special attention that each child needs to grow and learn. With their Special Friends they build trusting relationships and negotiate a variety of interpersonal situations within the nurturing environment of the classroom. Special Friends is a wonderful program for all involved.

Parents are the first and most lasting influence upon how a child feels about herself/himself. Day Care is a shared process, and we encourage you to share in the day-to-day activities of the Center; meals, field trips and class visits. We would like you to share your ideas, traditions, recipes and even yourself or any other way that you would enjoy. Parents are an important piece of our community and are welcomed into the Center and classroom at any time.

As your child will be spending a major portion of his/her days at the Center, we want to make sure that parents are kept informed of all that is happening both in the classrooms and the Center. Each family has a mailbox located just outside their child's classroom. From time to time you will receive various classroom notices, memos, agendas, and minutes from the Advisory Board meetings, tuition receipts and other information pertaining to the Center's operations, educational programs or special events. Please check your mailbox daily. If someone other than a parent transports the child to/from school, please arrange with that person to deliver the notices home in a timely manner. Children who come to school on the bus will carry their mail home. On some occasions, especially important information may be sent home via the postal service. Notices are also posted at each classroom and Center notices are posted on the front door. It is very important that parents are well informed about what is happening at the Center.

An important aspect of the Center's communication with parents is the parent conference. This is the most formal way in which a teacher will share information with a parent. This process involves one of your child's teachers completing a detailed report which explores the full range of your child's development and includes all areas of growth: social, physical, emotional and cognitive. The conference report is a way of 'capturing' your child on paper at this point in time. Parent Conferences for most children take place twice a year, usually January and June. For children on educational plans or when deemed necessary, conferences will occur every three months. Teachers will prepare the conference form and give a copy to the parents at least one day prior to the actual conference. This will allow parents time to read and reflect on the report and formulate questions to ask and thoughts to share with the teachers. The original report will be signed and included in the child's file after the conference. The actual conference will be scheduled for approximately one hour and is a time for parents to have the undivided attention of the teacher to discuss a very special person your child!

The information contained in your child's file is privileged and confidential. The file is only accessible to those staff who are directly involved with your child. You as a parent have access to your child's record at anytime. Information in the file will only be released with your written consent. A written log will be maintained in the child's file, which will indicate the name, signature and position of person releasing the record and date; what information was released; and the signature of the person who received information. Parents have the right to add information to the file and have the right to request deletion of information from the file. Most information contained in a child's file with the exception of conference reports is supplied by the parents and includes the required forms which must be updated each year.

The Board meets monthly, usually on the second Monday of the month, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm in the conference room adjacent to the Center. Child care is always provided as a service to our parents, with children being cared for in the Blue Group classroom by Center GTAs and work-study students. An agenda is sent to families prior to the meeting and all families are invited to attend any or all meetings. Board meetings are a great way to learn about life at the Center and to share ideas on a variety of topics concerning your children. We hope you will be able to join us at these meetings.

Roles of the Family Advisory Board
The Board shall have the power to form set committees and to establish fundraising procedures, and to implement fundraising activities. Additionally, the Board shall, through its advisory functions, play an important role in the operation of many aspects of the Center.

1. On advisory issues, the opinions and vote of the Board shall represent a referendum to the Center Director. This referendum will be a significant factor when decisions are made regarding Center policy and during deliberations between the Director and the University administration. Some advisory functions which the Board might address are:



1. the timely review of the composition of the Center's population;



2. the review of proposed major changes in Center policy;



3. the review of proposed major changes in Center environment such as renovations;



4. the role of families in relation to the Center; and,



5. the role of the Advisory Board.



2. The Advisory Board shall, whenever possible, assist the Director in the appointment of parents to search committees for teaching and administrative positions.



3. The Board shall have the power to define and establish parent committees.



4. The Board shall be responsible for fundraising functions with the assistance of the Parent Coordinator.



5. The Board shall serve as a channel for families to air and resolve issues of general concern.



6. The Board shall serve as a channel to inform families regarding existing Center policies.



7. The Board shall serve as a channel to facilitate family involvement in the Center.



8. The Board shall serve as a channel to inform families regarding changes in Center policy.



9. The Board shall be informed by the Center administration of any significant changes in the Center policies and operations. When possible, this will occur during the decision-making process.

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