Welcome to All Stars Montessori, L.L.C.

This is your All Stars Montessori Parent Handbook.  Please keep it handy to refer to if you have questions regarding our goals, policies or procedures.  If you have any further questions that you do not feel we have answered herein, please feel free to discuss it with one of our staff.  Health and Safety policies listed in this handbook were taken from the Health and Safety Policies manual provided by Health Consultants for Child Care.

All Stars Montessori is a non-denominational for profit childcare center offering education to all children regardless of race, creed, color or sex.  Children with special needs may be admitted to the program if their needs can be accommodated within the current program structure.  In all cases, a child must be able to participate and substantially benefit from the program without risk to themselves and other children.

Each member of our staff has been carefully selected based on their specific qualifications, education and genuine love and concern for children.  Each staff person’s credentials meet or exceed State Department of Human Services licensing requirements.  We are pleased that you have entrusted the care and nurturing of your child to us.  We intend to take that responsibility very seriously.  We hope to maintain an open and honest relationship with you and we ask that you do the same with us.  Our goals can be summarized as follows:

1.       To maintain a relaxed and home-like atmosphere that is loving and caring in which children feel safe and secure.

2.       To meet each child’s physical needs while encouraging independence and self-care.

3.       To encourage curiosity within each child, serving as guides and helpers as each child discovers and explores, enabling them to gain independence.

4.       To offer a wide variety of activities using the Montessori curriculum, including:  practical life, sensorial, language, math, art, music and movement, science dramatic play and geography.

5.       To provide ample opportunity for the use of large motor skills for indoor and outdoor activity.

6.       To be supportive of parents, encourage parent involvement and foster open and honest communication while using tact and discretion.

7.       To provide a nurturing environment in which children have respect for others and respect for themselves.

Montessori Philosophy

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that the goal of early childhood education should be to cultivate in each child the natural desire to learn.  All Stars Montessori has adopted this goal and with its Montessori curriculum and teaching methods, offers an environment which stimulates and supports each child as an individual.

Dr. Montessori aimed to nurture all aspects of students – the intellectual, emotional and social.  The content of the All Stars Montessori program therefore consists of diverse activities:  drawing, reading, dancing, building, washing, counting, sorting, problem-solving, cooking, talking, sharing and listening.  It is our belief that we can help children develop self-confidence and fundamental learning skills.  Above all, we offer an enjoyable, safe and exciting place for children to spend their day.

All Stars Montessori – outline of polices and procedures:

Hours –                        All Stars Montessori is open Monday – Friday, from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm

Please be respectful of these hours and be on time to pick up your child.  Late pick-up fees will be assessed in the amount of $1 per minute after 5:30 payable directly to the staff person who stayed late with your child.  This policy will be strictly enforced for the benefit of your child as well as our staff and their families.  All Stars Montessori staff has the right to call the police in any case where you have not come for your child or notified us of an unavoidable emergency by 6:15 pm.

Child Supervision –     While children are in the care of All Stars Montessori, they will be under direct supervision at all times.  The following ratios are maintained throughout the day:

-                      infant ratio of 1:4 (ages 6 weeks to 12 months)

-                      older infant ratio of 1:4 (ages 12 months to 24 months)

-                      toddler ratio of 1:7 (ages 24 months to 36 months)

-                      preschool ratio of 1:10 (ages 36 months to Kindergarten)

-                      school age ratio of 1:15 (ages Kindergarten – 5^th grade)

There will be up to 11 infants, 8 older infants, 14 toddlers, 40 preschoolers and 15 school-agers in the center.

Registration Fee –       Upon registration, we require payment of a $75.00 non-refundable registration fee.  We will also ask for a deposit in the amount of one week’s tuition which will be applied to your child’s last week in attendance if two week’s notice is given.

Tuition –                      Tuition will be determined at enrollment time and will be based on the age of your child and whether they will be enrolled on a full time or part time basis.  All Stars Montessori reserves the right to make adjustments to tuition based on changes in the program and/or cost of living.  We will provide you with at least 60 days notice prior to making any tuition changes.  We appreciate your consistent and timely payments.  If delinquent payments become a problem that cannot be corrected, All Stars Montessori reserves the right to terminate services.  There will be a $30 fee for checks returned as NSF.

Families with more than one child in attendance will receive a 10% discount on the tuition for the second and subsequent children enrolled.

Payment –                   We are able to accommodate individual preferred payment schedules, including weekly, every other weekly and monthly.  Your tuition and payment schedule will be outlined on your signed contract. Payment will be due prior to the time of service.  (Fridays for weekly and bi-weekly payments and the 1^st of the month for monthly payments.) Monthly tuition will be prorated for enrollments in the middle of the month.  We will charge late fees for tuition that is not made in a timely manner as outlined in your contract.

Other fees –                From time to time, your child may be participating in a field trip, special project or other activity that requires additional expenses to be covered by you.  You will receive written notification of these activities in advance.  All Stars Montessori may also use various fund-raising projects from time to time. 

Enrollment Forms –    Medical information must be current and complete, and immunization records must be up to date upon the first day in attendance.  All Stars Montessori requires that your child’s physician, dentist and preferred hospital be listed on our records.  You will be provided with the following forms to complete upon enrollment: registration form, contract for enrollment, immunization record, health care summary, health history, permission to administer, general travel authorization, photo/media release and emergency authorization.  For infants and toddlers there is also an Infant/Toddler individual profile form.  We will update your file periodically.  You are required to provide updated medical information or immunization records to the center as changes occur.

Termination –              We ask that you provide a two-week written notice prior to withdrawing your child from All Stars Montessori.  Any tuition fees already paid will not be refunded.  Behavior or health issues which may affect the safety, health and general well-being of other children at All Stars Montessori may result in termination of enrollment.

Holidays –                   All Stars Montessori generally observes the following paid holidays each year: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  If any of these holidays fall on a Saturday, the preceding Friday we will be closed.  If any of these holidays fall on a Sunday, the following Monday we will be closed.  We reserve the right to make slight changes to this schedule on an annual basis depending on the calendar.  We will also be closed the Thursday and Friday before Labor Day for staff workshop and preparation for the upcoming school year.

Vacation –                  We ask that you provide as much notice as possible when your child will be taking a vacation from the center so that we can schedule staff accordingly.  Each child, after 12 consecutive months of enrollment, will be allowed one-week vacation without payment of tuition.  This is to be used at once as one full week, not individual days.  Your child must be on vacation from the center to receive the vacation from tuition.  If you do not use your vacation during the 12-month period, it will be lost.  It cannot be carried over to the next year.  Prior to 12 months of consecutive enrollment, any time that your child is absent from the center tuition will need to be paid in full.

Illness –                       We will take every precaution to safeguard your child against illness.  Children should not be sent to school with any of the following symptoms:

-          Chicken pox, until all of the lesions are crusted over

-          elevated temperature (100 degrees or higher)

-          vomiting or diarrhea

-          undiagnosed rash or rash attributable to a contagious illness or condition

-          sore throat

-          severe cold or respiratory problems

-          undiagnosed drainage from eyes

-          any bacterial infection for which 24 hours of antibiotics have not been completed

      (Including, but not limited to: strep throat, impetigo, lice, ring worm, scabies and other contagious infections.)

-     significant respiratory distress (fast, difficult or different breathing; uncontrolled coughing or wheezing)

-          unexplained lethargy

-          any situation in which your child requires more care than staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of the other children in their care

Your child may return to school after 24 hours of being symptom and fever free without fever reducing medicine (i.e., Tylenol, Motrin, etc.).  If your child has been taking over-the-counter medication for three consecutive days, you will need a doctor’s note in order for them to return to school.

If your child should come down with any of these symptoms while at All Stars Montessori, you will be notified and expected to pick your child up within one hour or make arrangements with someone on the emergency form to pick up your child.  In the meantime, your child will be isolated from the rest of the children and cared for by a designated staff person.

For infants with colds or respiratory viruses, our staff will use bulb syringes to clear the infant’s nasal passages, especially prior to feedings.

Please notify All Stars Montessori of any communicable (contagious) disease that your child has contracted so that we can inform other parents.  Each individual classroom will inform parents when a communicable disease has been identified in the child’s class.  If the illness occurs in more than one classroom, we will post information on the bulletin board in the front.  Information regarding the incubation period, early signs to watch for and exclusion recommendations will be noted.

Attendance –              Because staff assignments are based on daily enrollments, we are unable to extend any credit for absences.  Please notify the school by 9:00 am if your child will not be in attendance.  For this same reason, we ask that you adhere to your regular scheduled hours.  If there is an instance where you will need extra hours for your child, please let us know in order that we can staff accordingly.  For part-time schedules, extra hours will incur extra charges.

Communication –        It is very important to keep open and clear lines of communication between parents and caregivers.  Teachers, Assistants and Aides caring for your child will be available at the end of each day to touch base on how your child’s day went and to notify you of any concerns. Lead Teachers will conduct parent-teacher conferences periodically throughout the year. Never hesitate to contact us to set up a time to meet.

Parent Visits –             Parents of enrolled children are welcome to visit the center at any time during hours of operation.  We also ask that you remain aware that drop-in visits by parents can often be disruptive for your child, your child’s teacher and the other children.  If you would like to visit, please let us know in advance so that we can assist you in ensuring that your visit will be the as non-disruptive as possible.

Security –                    A security card is required to gain entrance into All Stars Montessori.  Two of these cards will be provided to each family upon enrollment.  Extra cards or replacement cards are $5 each.  We ask that you sign your child in and out when you drop them off and pick them up.  We also ask that you ensure that a staff person acknowledges your child’s arrival and departure.  We will release a child only to the parents or authorized persons listed on their emergency form.  If for any reason someone other than you or persons listed on the emergency form will need to pick up your child, we will require prior written notice.  For safety reasons, we cannot accept a phone call as proper authorization.  We will ask for identification from any person other than the parent who is picking up the child. 

Behavior Guidance –   The adults at All Stars Montessori respect each child’s dignity in all of their dealings with them.  Most children respond immediately and in a positive way to quiet, firm guidance and redirection from an adult.  Physical contact in guiding a child is avoided unless it is necessary to restrain the child in order to prevent them from harming themselves or another child.  We try to stress the positive side of the issue and keep the words “no” and “don’t” to a minimum.  Occasionally, some form of a “time out” is necessary.  This is when a child is briefly separated from the rest of the group to help the child understand the consequences of their undesirable behavior.  A record of separations will be kept at the school.  No child may be separated from the group unless less intrusive methods of guiding the child’s behavior have been proven ineffective.

These less intrusive methods must insure:

·     that each child is provided with a positive model of acceptable behavior;

·     be tailored to the developmental level of the child;

·     redirect the child or group of children away from problems towards more constructive activities in order to reduce conflict;

·     protect the safety of all children and staff persons;

·     and, provide immediate and directly related consequences for a child’s unacceptable behavior.

If a child displays persistent unacceptable behavior and has to be separated from the group five times or more in one week or eight times or more in two weeks, the following procedures will need to be followed:

1)       A parent/teacher/director conference will be set up to discuss the specific problem, brainstorm for a solution, share ideas and set written behavior strategies and consequences agreed upon by all parties.

2)       In the event that the behavior persists, a second conference will be arranged to appraise the situation, recommend professional guidance (psychological, physical, etc.), reset written behavior strategies and set up a follow up conference.

3)       At the follow up conference, data will be obtained from any outside sources that were consulted and an evaluation will be made whether All Stars Montessori is capable of facilitating the recommended treatment.  If so, the specific behavior strategies will be put into effect and behavior will continue to be monitored.  If not, the child will be asked to leave the center.

Fire, Weather and–      All Stars Montessori is equipped with fire extinguishers, smoke alarms and well-defined

other emergencies      plans for fire, severe weather and other emergencies.  Fire drills will be held each month.  All Stars Montessori will close due to weather or other circumstances if Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan, District 196 closes.  Please watch the news broadcasts or listen to the radio broadcasts in the event of questionable weather.

Child Abuse                 All Stars Montessori is legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect

and neglect –               to the proper authorities.

Chemical Use –          All caregivers, including teachers, assistants, aides or substitutes are prohibited from abusing prescription medication or being under the influence of a chemical that impairs the individual’s ability to provide care.   Anyone who is giving care to your child will be made known of this policy and expected to fully comply.

Medication –                All Stars Montessori will administer only dated, labeled, prescribed medication or parent authorized over-the-counter medication.  The medication must be in its original container and be immediately placed in the designated location for medicine in each classroom.  Under no circumstances can a medicine be placed in a child’s backpack, lunch box or diaper bag.  We also require a medical authorization form to be completed each time your child is to receive any type of medication.   All Stars Montessori will have these forms available for you to complete upon request.  Over the counter medication will be administered according to the manufacturer’s instructions unless written instructions are provided by the child’s physician or dentist.

Allergies –                  Allergies can be very common among young children.  If your child has an allergy, please discuss this with All Stars Montessori staff so that we can make sure the necessary precautions are taken.

Medical emergency – In the event that a medical emergency occurs, we will administer first aid, call 911 and then contact you.  If the emergency involves a poisoning, the Poison Control Center will be contacted.  We require written authorization for emergency treatment to be on file prior to attendance.  Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville is the closest hospital to All Stars Montessori.  Staff will not transport children, but will remain with a child who is being transported to the hospital in the event that the parent or other authorized emergency contact is unavailable.

Minor Accidents –       You will be notified either by phone and/or written explanation in the event that your child experiences a minor accident.  Accident/injury reports will be kept on file at All Stars Montessori.

Meals/Snacks –            Breakfast and two nutritious snacks will be provided by All Stars Montessori each day.  Cold cereal with milk will be offered for children arriving prior to 8:00 am. 

                                    For your convenience, fresh, pre-packaged lunches that meet dietary guidelines will be delivered by a USDA certified company each day for a small fee.  These lunches will be refrigerated upon arrival each morning and heated as necessary at lunchtime.  At the beginning of each month, you will be provided with a menu from which to make your selections for that month.  Payment can be made separately or along with your tuition.

If you prefer, please feel free to send a packaged lunch for your child.  Please be sure that your child’s lunch meets dietary guidelines.  We ask that you cut up the food at home in order that it is ready to be served to the child allowing for minimal direct contact with the food by our staff.  If you are sending food that needs to be reheated, we ask that it is already pre-cooked and only requires a brief period of reheating. 

All Stars Montessori will provide milk with lunch.

Field Trips –                 All Stars Montessori will be going on field trips, walks around the neighborhood and other outings throughout the year to enhance the children’s learning experience.  We will provide you with a general travel authorization form to sign that will permit your child to go on unannounced walks to parks or other areas near the school. This form will be kept in your child’s file and updated annually.  In the event of a field trip, you will be notified in advance and asked to sign a specific field trip permission slip. Information on field trips will be provided to you in advance.

Birthdays –                   A birthday is a special event in a child’s life.  We acknowledge this at our group time and will have a special day designated for each child’s birthday celebration.  If you choose to bring a birthday snack to share, only packaged treats purchased from a store are allowed.  Because bakery items typically do not list ingredients, these are not allowed.  Also, be sure to check with the Director or with your child’s teacher(s) to be sure there are not food allergies in the classroom.

Clothing/Personal        Your child will participate in many activities, both indoors and out.  It is important that

Belongings –                they be dressed in comfortable, durable, weather appropriate play clothes that will handle food spills, paint, sand and water play. We will be taking children outside daily if the temperature is not extremely hot or extremely cold.  Please make sure that your child has weather appropriate clothing (dressing cool in the summer and warm and dry in the winter). Also, please send a labeled bottle of sunblock during the summer. Shoes must be worn at all times.  Please keep in mind that tennis shoes are recommended as sandals, flip flops or other open toed shoes may lead to injury.  Also, per licensing guidelines, drawstrings on children’s outwear must be removed to prevent strangulation.

We ask that each child keep at least one extra set of clothing at school, stored in a bag and clearly marked.  This will enable your child to finish the day comfortably if they happen to have a spill or an accident.  Please label your child’s clothing, especially their winter outerwear.  All Stars Montessori cannot be responsible for lost items such as hats, mittens, etc.  For children that are still in diapers, please ensure that your child always has a sufficient supply of diapers.  The toddler and infant rooms ask that each family send one package of wipes per month.  If your child has sensitive skin and you prefer that only one type of wipes be used, please notify your child’s teacher.  Due to licensing restrictions, we will use only disposable diapers, not cloth.

Please discourage your child from bringing toys or personal belongings to school.  These items tend to be distracting, can create sharing issues with their playmates or get lost.  All Stars Montessori is always happy to encourage a child to bring their favorite book to be shared with the class during story times.

Pets –                           In order to protect all children at the center from various allergic reactions, fears and other safety issues that may arise, we ask that your child does not bring a pet to school.

                                    In the event that the Teacher of the classroom would like to provide an opportunity for the children in that class to learn to raise and care for a domesticated animal, a permission slip will be provided to each parent before hand.

Research, etc. –           As part of your child’s enrollment, you will be asked to complete a Photo/Media

Public relations           Release form that will indicate what, if any, permission we have to use your child’s image in advertising, informational or other community publications.  In the event that All Stars Montessori, its staff or other licensed or authorized agency requests permission to research, obtain data, or publish information on any child in the center, parents will be notified in advance and asked to sign a separate release.

Health Consultant –     All Stars Montessori has contracted the services of Health Consultants for Child Care.  The nurses from HCCC will assist the center in forming and maintaining Health and Safety Policies that ensure the highest level of safety is maintained at the center.  They will also be making monthly visits to our infant room as a service to our teachers as well as the parents and babies.

Privacy Rights –           The data requested on the Registration and Emergency Authorization form as well as other information kept in your child’s file at All Stars Montessori will be kept confidential.  Access to this information is provided only to the Directors and the Office Manager, DHS Licensing, and your child’s teacher(s).

Procedure                    you speak first to your child’s assistant teacher or Lead Teacher. If you are uncomfortable discussing the issue with them, or if no suitable resolution is reached, please bring the issue to the attention of the Director or Tracy Magnuson and/or Denise Muir.  You are always free to contact the Licensing Division at anytime throughout this process.

MN Dept of Human Services, Division of Licensing: 651-296-3971

This handbook is not intended to be all-inclusive.  All Stars Montessori reserves the right to make changes, additions or subtractions to this handbook without prior notice except where otherwise specified.