Camelot Childrens Center
101 Camelot Dr. Suite 6 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (920) 922-9442
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of the Camelot Children's Center is to provide quality care for each
child that attends our center. The staff strives to make the center a positive and
nurturing environment.
The Camelot Children's Center seeks to enhance human potential and to develop
that human potential at an appropriate rate for each child. Our main effort is not
to accelerate the child's development, but rather to identify the stage the child is
in and develop it to it's fullest. Studies have found that the single factor correlating
with academic success in middle class children is self-confidence. Therefore our
program will teach the child, but more importantly we will promote positive self-esteem.
Although the Camelot Children's Center is not church affiliated we do emphasize basic
Christian attitudes in our daily routines. Prayers are sung before each meal or snack.
These prayers reflect many cultures and customs. Also, a basic Christian message
will be part of our holiday study and our approach to everyday living.
EDUCATIONAL GOALS
Individual Goals -Increase awareness and control of body and it's movement in space.
-Foster curiosity, understanding and control of environment.
-Express self verbally, artistically, musically and dramatically.
Interpersonal Goals -Social and emotional development.
-Understanding the feelings of others.
-Learn alternative problem-solving techniques.
-Learn cooperation and realize the views of others.
Cognitive Goals -Establishing developmental stages of each child.
-Assigning developmentally appropriate practices.
Experiences that enhance each child's sense of identity and that support group
identification will be provided through many and varied activities. Some of these
activities include self-awareness units, displaying of children's work, dramatic play
and verbal recognition by staff of each child's contribution.
Opportunities for each child to interact and socialize with peers, including those
who are different from him or her, and adults will be provided. Play areas such
as housekeeping, store and transportation provide places for socio-play to happen.
Also, the periods in each day are scheduled around various activities that allow
the children to be in groups for a variety of art and music experiences.
Activities such as "sharing time" will be developed. Stories, poems, rhymes,
finger plays, puppetry and music are a vital part of our self-expression and
communication development. Opportunities to be original and creative
and to make use of equipment not prescribed by others are encouraged.
Opportunity for individualized instruction and interaction is provided.
Large and small muscle development will center on the equipment inside the center
as well as the outdoor playground. Marching, skipping, jumping and games, which
facilitate motion or movement, are all part of the physical curriculum.
Intellectual growth is incorporated throughout the program. Activities involving shapes,
colors, numbers and letters, as well as family and community will be integrated into our
units of study. These learning opportunities will be provided according to the child's
level of development without unnecessary demand for achievement.
INFANT AND TODDLER EDUCATIONAL GOALS
Written information from parents will be obtained in a meeting prior to admission.
This information will help the staff schedule feedings, introduce new foods, help with
diapering and toilet procedures and help regulate nap schedules. Also important in
fulfilling child development needs will be an In-Take form that will be completed by
parents and updated every three months by staff and parents. These elements will
enable the staff to gain insights into better care and stimulation of the child. Continuity
between home and center is vital.
Forms required prior to the first day of enrollment are:
Enrollment
In-Take
Health History & Emergency Plan
Form required within 6 weeks of admission:
Immunization
Health Form - children under 2 years of age shall have an initial health exam
not more than 6 months prior to nor later than 3 months after being admitted to the
center. A follow-up health exam will be needed every 6 months after admission.
Daily sheets are used in each of the under 2 rooms to help coordinate care between
home and center. Parents start the sheet each morning with information about the child’s
night and morning prior to center arrival. Caregivers track the events of the day on
these same sheets and send them home at the end of each day for the parents to review.
Equipment in the infant and toddler area will be developmentally appropriate for the
children. A variety of toys will be available and a good mix of small muscle and large
muscle equipment will be on hand for play. Children who are non-walking or crawling
will be able to experience different areas because staff will ensure that they have frequent
changes in position and location. Each staff person who works with infants and toddlers
must meet the minimum requirement of 15 hours of training in infant and toddler care.
SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN
School-age children will be in attendance at the center before and after school.
They may also be in attendance during school breaks and vacation. The educational
goals of the center pertain to all the children who attend the center. Even though
school age children are in attendance for a shorter period of time, they still
require developmentally appropriate programs and activities. To ensure that
their needs are met, The Camelot Children's Center has on staff a teacher who
will coordinate their activities and programs. The director will review these
lesson plans on a regular basis to ensure that their needs are being met.
Each parent will provide a written plan or outline explaining how their child
will be transported to and from the center. This plan must be signed by the parent
and will be kept in the child's folder and in the center vehicles.
The Camelot Children's Center's main goal is to provide a safe and caring place for
children to learn and grow. We are also a business that must make decisions based
on financial needs. Although we would like to take all the school age children who
request our services, we know this is not possible. Therefore this policy will be used
to determine who will be served at our center when school age enrollment exceeds
our capacity. The criteria for deciding who can be involved in our before and after
school program and in our summer program will be as follows.
Criteria for determining enrollment:
1. School-age children who currently come before and/or after school.
2. School-age children with younger siblings in our program.
3. School-age children who have been previously enrolled in our summer program.
These school age children will be given priority (in stated order) over children who
do not meet one of the above requirements. Subsequent openings will then be filled
on a first come basis.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Activities will be scheduled with these elements in mind:
-Active and quiet time
-Indoor and outdoor time
-Protection from excess fatigue and over stimulation
-Free selection of individual activities or group activities
Children are never forced to participate in an activity, but are always encouraged to do so.
6:30 a.m. Center opens
6:30 - 7:45 a.m. Free choice activities
Breakfast is served to children who have not eaten
7:45 - 9:00 a.m. Children move into classroom areas before the start of preschool
Free choice activities continue
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Developmental Preschool Program
9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Morning snack
11:00 - 12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Nap or rest time
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Afternoon snack
2:30 - 5:00 p.m. Individual activities and playtime until children
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Snack time & activities
ADMISSION POLICY
The child must be at least 6 weeks of age but not older than 11 years to be enrolled
in the Camelot Children's Center. Children of all races, creeds, and national origins
are welcome to attend the center. The political and sexual persuasions, national
origins, and ancestries of the child and parent will not affect admission or discharge.
A waiting list is kept by the center administration to determine who will fill any
openings. Priority will be given to full time children and to siblings of center
enrollees. The center is licensed for 125 children. We open at 6:30am and close
at 6:00pm and are open all year round – Monday through Friday.
The following forms must be completed and remain on file at the center:
- Application for Enrollment
- Health Report signed by physician
- Health History & Emergency Care Plan
- Immunization Record
- Intake Form (children under 2 years of age)
- Parent/Center Contract
Children's files containing these forms are confidential and available to the
child's parent upon request.
We will release a child to only authorized persons – persons listed on the child’s
enrollment form or persons who have been identified by the parent or guardian
in conversation with the caregiver, by a written note, or by a personal phone call.
If the caregiver does not know the authorized person picking the child up then
the caregiver will need to view a picture ID of that person to verify their identity.
HEALTH POLICY
Objective: To maintain, protect, and improve the health of all children and to
reduce the risk of disease spread and childhood illness.
The staff will make a daily observation of each child for symptoms of illness as the
child arrives at the center.
Any evidence of unusual bruises, contusions, lacerations, or burns will be noted
on the child's record and reported immediately to the director of the center.
The director will notify the proper authorities immediately.
All staff members will know food allergies and other allergies of specific children.
There is a temporary isolation area that will be separated from the other children
yet still under staff supervision - office areas.
When signs of ill health or communicable disease are present temporary isolation
of the child will result until he or she can be removed from the center by parents
or designated contacts. We expect parents or designated contact to pick up ill
children within 30 minutes. NOTE - Make sure you have alternative care arranged
ahead of time for these emergencies.
Communicable Diseases - When a child is suspected of having a communicable
disease other than a common cold or flu, the Fond du Lac city health nurse will
be notified. Also, parents of exposed children will be notified to watch for signs
of illness. The child may be admitted without a statement from a physician if the
child was absent for the specified time of isolation appropriate for the disease.
Rest Periods
All children under the age of five years who are at the center for more than 4 hours
will need a nap or rest period. After 30 minutes of sleep or rest the child can have
quiet time through the use of equipment or activities which will not disturb the other
children who are sleeping. Children over the age of five will not nap or rest, but will
have a quiet time with toys, games or books.
Medication:
Signed, dated and written authorization by parent to administer medication
must be kept on file.
Prescription medication must be kept in original container and must be labeled
with the child's name, drug name and directions for use, date and physician's name.
Non-prescription medication must be labeled with the child's name. Authorization
form must be signed by parent and must include dosage and directions for administering.
A written report must be entered in the Medical Log for each dose of medication given.
Medication will be stored in two areas. Both of these areas will be inaccessible
to the children. One area will be in the refrigerator in a covered container
and the other area will be in the classroom cupboard in a covered container.
Common illness such as colds, flu, and diarrhea can spread quickly in a day care environment.
The Department of Health & Family Services defines some common illnesses and dictates
how these illnesses should be handled. We will be following these guidelines when we
exclude a child from the center:
“Reasons for exclusion from a child care center:
1. Any illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in program activities.
2. An illness that results in a greater need for care that staff can provide without
compromising the health and safety of other children.
3. The illness has conditions that may indicate a possible severe illness, e.g.,
persistent crying, lethargy, difficulty breathing, or increased irritability.
4. Fever due to illness.
5. Diarrhea due to illness.
6. Vomiting due to illness.
Definition of Fever: Greater or equal to 101° F
Definition of Diarrhea: Stools that contain blood or mucous, or are watery or less formed,
occur more often than usual, and are not contained by diapers or toilet use.”
If the condition begins while at the center, the parents or the emergency contact will
be called, and the ill child will need to be picked up immediately.
The child’s return to the center: If a child has had a fever, diarrhea or vomiting due
to an illness, we will expect the child to be symptom free (no diarrhea, vomiting or fever)
for 24 hours before returning to the center.
Please remember all the children who attend the center when you are considering
bringing a child. A missed day of work or having to make other child care arrangements
may be difficult to arrange or deal with, but it will surely be appreciated by the
parents and children who the attend the center.
Personal Cleanliness:
*Children's hands are washed with soap and water before eating and after toileting.
*Staff member’s hands are washed before handling food and after assisting with toileting.
*Extra clothes are kept at the center and children will be changed immediately
if their clothes become soiled.
*Soiled diapers are placed in a plastic lined, foot activated, covered container.
*Wet or soiled clothing or bedding will be changed promptly and put in a plastic bag
for parents to take home.
Sanitation:
- Toys and furnishings will be washed or cleaned when they become soiled.
- Eating surfaces shall be washed and sanitized before and after each use.
- The sanitation method is the use of sanitization approved by the DHFS.
Universal Precautions:
- Disposal gloves will be worn if staff comes in contact with blood-containing fluids or tissue.
- Gloves are removed and put in plastic bags to be discarded.
- Hands are washed with soap and water.
Accident or Injury:
*In case of serious injury, the Fond du Lac Paramedics will be called (911) immediately
and parents as soon as possible.
*In case of minor injury, the staff will treat with soap, water, and bandages and report
to parents in person or by written correspondence.
*An Accident Log Book will be kept at the center and each injury will be documented.
*In case of an injury while on a field trip or away from the center the above three
guidelines will be used.
Physical Examination:
It is the responsibility of parents to see that their child has had a physical exam by a
licensed physician not more than 6 months prior to or 30 days after admission to the center.
This Health Report must be signed by a physician and will be kept at the center.
Each child 2 years of age and older must have a subsequent physical exam at least once
every 2 years thereafter. Each child under 2 years of age will need a physical exam
at least once every 6 months after admission to the center.
Immunization:
The parent of each child must complete an immunization record. This form must
be signed by a physician and by the parent. It will be kept on file at the center.
As immunizations occur they will be documented on this form.
Special Health Needs:
A Health History & Emergency Care Plan (Plan) will be filled out for each child by
the parent. If special needs and procedures are required each child’s caregiver
will be aware of these needs and procedures by screening new enrollees and reviewing
present enrollees. To insure that this information is available to all staff members the
following procedures will be used. Every child that has a Plan that requires emergency
care will have that plan copied and put into a ring binder. This ring binder will be
duplicated for each classroom in the center. An assigned staff member will be in
charge of overseeing this process and insuring an updated binder is in each classroom.
At orientation new staff members will be briefed on this procedure
SIDS:
All childcare employees and volunteers will be provided with SIDS training prior to
working with the infants. All training participants are required to pass a written exam.
Documentation of this training will be placed in the individual’s file. Printed information
from SIDS Alliance Inc. will be distributed.
Training will include, but not be limited to the following:
*Infant sleep position – any position other than the back or use of devices for
positioning must have a signed physicians note on file.
*Placing babies on a firm mattress.
*Removing soft items from the crib.
*Keeping infants head uncovered during sleep and use of “tummy time” for
non-mobile awake children in care.
*Use of blankets requires the blanket be placed at the foot of the crib reaching
only to the infant’s chest and being tucked around the crib mattress.
COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS
The Camelot Children's Center views itself as an extension of each child's family.
We feel it is vital to communicate daily with parents and we welcome and encourage
parents to spend time in their child's room. Newsletters are sent home monthly.
Newsletters contain the child’s snack responsibility.
Parent/Teacher meetings are scheduled two times each year. These meetings are
held during the day as well as during the evenings to attempt to accommodate all
parent schedules. Teachers will discuss the child's adjustment to a day care environment
and will answer parent questions. If parents feel the need to have a conference at a
time during the year other than the scheduled conference times, please make
arrangements with your child's teacher. We encourage formal and informal talks
about your child's needs and growth. Upon arriving at the center, please tell the caregivers
how the past day or evening has been. We in turn will relay the day’s events to you when
you pick your child up.
CONTINUING EDUCATION & STAFF MEETINGS
Continuing education and staff meeting opportunities will be made available to staff on
a monthly basis. These meetings will cover a variety of subject matter pertinent to
childhood development including areas of licensing and compliance rules with the DHSS.
Records of these hours will be documented and kept in individual staff files. Staff is
responsible for accruing the required hours and for documenting them with the director.
Record of these hours will be on file and non-compliance will result in termination of staff person.
FIELD TRIPS
We rely on our parents for much of the transportation needed for our field trips. If you
volunteer to drive we ask that no siblings (older or younger) go along. We need you to
help supervise your child’s class and siblings would interfere with that supervision. If a
field trip is planned on a day when your child is not scheduled to be at the center your
child may still attend that trip. You will need to check with your child’s teacher to see
if there is room. If there is room your child may go along. If there is no room your child
will not be able to go along unless you can drive.
NUTRITION POLICY
Meal Schedule
Breakfast is served form 6:30 - 7:45 a.m.
Lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 P.M.
Snacks between 9 and 10 a.m., between 2 and 3 p.m. and between 5 and 6 p.m.
Provisions: The center will provide all meals and the afternoon snack. The “leader”
brings the morning snack for the day in each class. Snacks are to be nutritious. Lunch
will consist of food from the food pyramid:
Lunch will consist of at least one item from each of the following:
1. meat, poultry, fish, egg, cheese, or peanut butter
2. two vegetables or 2 fruits or one of each
3. cereal or bread
4. grade A milk
We ask parents to send dry cereal, microwave cereal or frozen breakfast food if their
child needs to eat breakfast at the center. The center will provide all juice and milk for
the breakfast meal.
Service: Staff members help serve food and sit at the table with the children. Children
are not forced to eat but are encouraged to try different foods. Food is not used as a
punishment or reward. Children are able to serve themselves as much as possible.
Food allergies and special diet information is made known to the staff by a special list
posted in the kitchen area and in each classroom. Everyone is required to eat the
lunches provided by the center unless it is impossible for the center to meet the special
needs of a particular child. In that case the child will be allowed to bring a lunch.
Safety: All food is purchased from commercial establishments. Dented, bulging or
leaking cans, or cans without labels are not used. All food is stored at temperatures
that protect against spoiling.
Meals: All meals are center prepared. The cook is responsible for menu planning
and grocery shopping when necessary. The menus are planned on a monthly basis and
are posted in the area by the sign-in table. Whenever possible the meals will be varied
and will reflect cultural and ethnic preferences of the children. The food service personnel
will have at least four hours of annual training in kitchen sanitation, food handling and nutrition.
Center orientation will be done using the state checklist.
Infant and Toddlers:
1. Formula is provided by parents and is in clearly labeled bottles with caps.
2. Nursing mothers will be welcomed at any time they may want to come to nurse.
3. Parents take unused Formula bottles home at the end of each day. If any formula
is left at the center the staff will discard it.
4. The parents provide baby food. Opened jars are labeled with the child’s name
and the date.
5. The Intake form will help update information on each child's feeding schedule.
Center information forms will record the child's food intake each day and will be
sent home with the parents.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
The center has an important role when providing positive guidance to children.
The following factors will help the children develop self-control, self-esteem and
respect for the rights of others.
The teachers and all adults at the center will strive to be positive models for guidance.
Much thought and discussion has gone into the set up of each area of the center and how
the children will use this area. This helps to create areas that are conducive to play
and cooperation by all. Children will have a voice in the structure and control of their
environment because children respond to rules better when they have a part in
establishing them.
The staff will work toward avoiding problems by anticipating problem situations
and avoiding them.. Ongoing evaluations of schedules and transition time will help
determine if the best possible guidance is being given to children. Through
experience, discussion, workshops, in-services and parental input the staff will be
made aware of positive discipline practices and warning signals that exist.
The proper action for avoiding and regulating the situation will be used.
Some discipline practices and considerations that are used at the center:
- Positive reinforcement of desirable behavior by staff
- Setting of clear-cut limits
- Re-direction of children when behavior is inappropriate
- Child's age is considered when establishing and enforcing rules
- Removal from the area if behavior is disruptive or harmful to others
Time-outs:
- Child is removed from the area for behavior that is disruptive or harmful to others.
- Child is placed in a designated area.
- The time-out may not exceed 5 minutes (1 minute per year of age)
- Use of time-outs is prohibited for children less than 3 years of age.
Prohibited punishments:
- No physical punishment is allowed.
- No punishment that is psychologically or physically humiliating to the child.
- No punishing for lapses in toilet training.
- No withholding of food or snacks.
- No physical restraint is allowed.
TERMINATION OF ENROLLMENT
Our goal is to provide quality care and a valuable program for the families that
attend our center. In order to do this sometimes it may be necessary for the center
to discharge a child for one of the following reasons:
1. The child or parent has needs that the staff cannot realistically meet.
2. Parents are uncooperative either in filling out or returning necessary forms
by the due date.
3. Fees have not been paid or arrangements to do so have not been made.
4. Failure to observe rules of the center relating to drop off and pick up of children.
5. A six-week probationary period will be used to evaluate whether a child has
become acclimated to our childcare environment. It may be decided that
placement is inappropriate at this time.
6. Ongoing evaluations will be made during a child’s enrollment at the center. If problems
arise or continue that cannot be tolerated a one-month probationary period will be given.
After one month parents and administrators will confer. It will then be determined if
the problem has been resolved or not. If not, the center reserves the right to terminate
enrollment of the child.
EMERGENCIES AND EVACUATIONS
The staff knows the signs of severe weather and if the situation arises these steps will be followed:
Tornado:
1. Turn the radio to Stations WFON 105.7 or KFIZ 1490 for weather information.
2. The children are taken to the center of the building away from windows.
3. Children sit with hands overhead and bend forward
4. The director returns to each classroom area to make sure all children have evacuated safely.
5. Windows are opened.
6. Children remain in safe area until threat of severe weather passes.
7. Tornado drills are practiced on a monthly basis April through October.
Fire:
1. Evacuation route for fire is posted in every room. Documented practices are held monthly.
2. Each staff member will be informed of his or her duties in case of a fire.
3. The children stop everything they are doing when they hear fire alarm sound.
4. Each teacher is responsible for her group and must know the number of children present.
5. The teacher takes files with child information with them.
6. Children do not line up but rather they gather together by exit and leave as the teacher says to.
7. Everyone walks out of the building and congregates in the parking lot.
In case of a real fire the children are taken to the corner of the parking lot and fire
department is called.
8. Person in charge checks bathrooms, closets, etc. for children and then shuts doors.
9. Each area of the center has a fire extinguisher that is checked twice yearly.
Emergency practices are performed monthly at various times of the day to insure that
children and adults know the procedures. These practices are documented in DILHR
Daycare Center Monthly Staff Inspection Reports by the director. These practices are
posted so that parents know about them and can talk to their children about them.
The staff will be in-serviced in the use of fire extinguishers on a yearly basis.
The director will check smoke detectors weekly on Friday afternoon. This will be
documented also.
Radio, batteries and a flashlight will be kept in the kitchen area. The director will
check to make sure batteries are in working condition.
BUILDING TEMPERATURES AND OUTSIDE PLAY
The building temperature during hours of operation will not be lower than 67° F.
During the summer months if the inside temperature exceeds 78° the air conditioning
will be used. If there is an extended loss of building service (whether heat, light, water, etc.)
the center will close. Parents will be called and children will be picked up as soon as possible.
We try to have the children outside each day. We expect parents to have all the
appropriate clothes for winter weather – boots, mittens, snowsuits, hats, etc. In the
same manner, parents need to dress their children appropriately for each season.
We will go outside with children over 2 years of age if the wind-chill is 10° F or above.
We will go outside with children between the ages of 1 and 2 years when the wind-
chill is 20° F or above. If the temperature is above 90° F, we will not go outside.
TRANSPORTATION POLICY
The center contracts with Nichols, Inc. for our busing services. Nichols transports
our children to school in the morning and picks up at the end of the day. We expect
our children to abide by the bus company rules and regulations to ensure a safe ride
for all. We will use the following guidelines to solve any behavior problems that arise
on the bus.
1. The child and parent will be given a verbal explanation of what unacceptable
behavior is occurring. We will try to implement an acceptable plan to correct this problem.
2. If the problem continues a second warning will be given and the child will be assigned
a seat in the front of the bus near the driver.
3. The third offense will mean that the child will not be allowed to ride the bus the
following school day.
If you would like to contact Nichols, Inc. about lost items or any other issues, please contact:
Pam O’Brien
920-929-8030 (daytime and after hours)
Fax 929-8039
To ensure each child’s safety the following policies will be used:
The center will have a list of every child that rides to school each morning and another
list of the children that return to the center at the end of the school day. The bus company
has the same lists that are faxed to them on the previous Friday. In the morning the
bus driver checks the list to ensure all children riding to school are accounted for.
As each child gets off the bus at his or her school the driver checks the child off the list.
When the last school is reached the driver will do a walk through of the bus and check
all seats. At the end of the day a similar procedure occurs. As the children get on the bus
at their respective schools the driver checks the child’s name. Upon arrival at Camelot the
bus driver releases the children to the center school-age teacher. This teacher and the
bus driver compare lists to ensure all children are accounted for. If a child were missing
the center teacher would call the child’s school and the parents until the absence is explained.
Each staff member at Camelot is oriented in this procedure upon hire.
LICENSING RULES:
DHFS Licensing Rules for Group Centers is available to all parents. The orange
rulebooks are located at each sign-in area in the back of the red attendance notebooks.
There are two sign-in books located near each entrance. Parents who bring their children
for childcare sign their children in and out daily. Each preschool teacher takes
preschool attendance daily.
Another rulebook is included with the center’s expanded policies, which are located in
the staff room. These are available to parents at all times. If any violation of these rules
occur the corrections will be posted on the bulletin board located outside the office.
They will be on yellow paper entitled “Non-compliance Statement & Correction Plan”.
Each classroom posts their lesson plans, notices, calendars, newsletters and menus on
a bulletin board by the door to their classroom.
PETS
We at the Camelot Children’s Center understand the value of pets in children’s lives.
Many of our classrooms have Gerbils and Hamsters as well as Guinea Pigs.
The volunteers from Healing Paws occasionally bring dogs and cats to the center
for weekly visits that may last for an hour or two. Also, many children and their
parents choose to bring their pets to the center to show during circle time on their
respective “leader day”.
The Department of Health and Family Services requires us to notify parents of the
presence of pets at Camelot. If your child has allergies or any “pet issues” that we
should know about, please advise.
Camelot Children’s Center, LCC
101 Camelot Drive Suite # 6
Fond du Lac, WI. 54935
(920) 922-9442
Owner: Elaine Unferth
Director: Dawn Kennedy
