Statement of Non-discrimination
The Children's Garden is available to all persons without discrimination of any kind. The only time a child's enrollment will not be accepted is if the parents or caregivers feel that the center's services cannot meet the needs of the child.
Confidentiality
Persons having access to the children's records will not discuss personal information regarding the children and the facts learned about the children and their relatives. This does not apply to: the parent or a person authorized in writing by the parent to receive the information; any agency in planning for the child when informed written parental consent has been given; authorized agencies. A parent has access to all records and reports maintained on his or her child.
Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting
Staff who know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected may contact the county department of social services.
Enrollment Procedure
After you have expressed an interest in your child attending The Children's Garden, we will point you to an application form. You are asked to read the website information thoroughly and carefully and ask questions when they don't understand. Then, please make an appointment to visit the center so that you can experience what the center is like and we can start to get to know each other. Please read Visitor’s Guideline prior to your visit. Enrollment is complete after handing in your application form and paying the application fee and the first month's fees. This process can differ depending on many variables but we can facilitate as smooth an enrollment as possible. Please feel free to ask questions at any point.
Closings
The Children's Garden will close when: it is not possible for the staff to get to the center due to bad weather, there is staff sickness or highly communicable sickness, the facility has no water, or when a director calls a snow day. You will be emailed and called between 7:30 am and 8:00 am and told if this is going to happen. Your account will be credited $20 for the season. Make up snow days will be added at the end of the year.
Days Off
There will be no preschool through the months of June and July unless there is summer program. There will be a 4-6 week Winter break. There will be no preschool on Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday. There will be no preschool on Tuesday and Wednesday after Easter.
Please see the Yearly Schedule for specific dates.
Winter Hours
The Children’s Garden starts at 9:30 am on very cold mornings and end at 12:30 pm. December, January, and February are likely to have winter hours.
Scheduling and Contact Numbers
Center opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm Mari Ohta: 585-397-7477 (Cell). Pick up time is between 12:15-12: 25 pm. For the benefit of everyone please do your best to arrive and leave at the stated times. Late arrivals can mean missed opportunities for your child and late departures can mean overextended teachers. If you are consistently late at pick up time we will work with you to help you improve your time keeping skills. (We do not charge late fees, but gladly accept a high quality dark chocolate instead.) We are legally only allowed to care for your child no more than four hours a day.
Payment
Payment is made on a monthly/semesterly/yearly basis. Payment is due by the 1th of each month, however, if it is all possible, please consider paying a month in advance. This helps the center to have a financial cushion. Monthly fee is based on the annual cost of taking care of your child/children. Please understand when a child is absent due to sickness, a family activity, bad weather, etc. you are still obligated to make the full payment. Exceptions are made in extreme situations such as a serious sickness or death in a family. Direct payment is preferable to cash or check. Please make the check payable to “The Children’s Garden”. Please see Forms and Fees page for more information.
If you need an financial assistance, please see the scholarship information.
Dismissal Policy
If the parent and the caregivers mutually agree that placement is inappropriate, enrollment may be terminated. In the event that parents and staff are unable to come to a mutually agreeable plan after identifying and processing an issue, the center reserves the right to cancel the enrollment of the child for one or more of the following reasons:
1. If a child has special needs that the staff members are unable to adequately meet.
2. If nonpayment repeatedly occurs.
3. If a parent repeatedly does not observe center policies.
4. If physical or verbal abuse of children or staff by a parent occurs.
Toys from Home
We recognize that young children often have a beloved blanket or sleeping companion that brings them comfort and security. This can be especially so for children under three. As long as their beloved is not too contrasting from the toys we have we welcome letting the little ones bring them as they make their transition from home to center.
We ask that other toys that don't fall into the category of beloved toy be kept at home. Toys from home are more difficult to share than center toys and they often create unnecessary conflicts. When a child has something special that they want to show the other children and teachers, then they may do so on show and tell day (see daily schedule).
Sickness
Please do not send your child to preschool if he/she has had any of the following in the last 24 hours: a fever higher than 99°F; vomited or had diarrhea; pink eye, pin worm, head lice or other communicable disease including Covid-19. We would appreciate a text or call 585-397-7477 to say that your child will not be attending on a sick day. We do not administer any medication at The Children's Garden.
