Bullitt County Y Summer Day Camp Parent Handbook

IT’S THE SUMMER TO DISCOVER YMCA of GREATER LOUISVILLE WELCOME TO THE BULLITT COUNTY SCHOOL-AGE CHILD CARE SUMMER CAMPS! We are excited that you have chosen the Y! We know how important it is for you to have safe, convenient, affordable, quality child care while you are at work. We offer a planned, comprehensive program designed with the child and working family in mind. The YMCA maintains the highest standards for the safety and well-being of the children enrolled. Programs are conducted in accordance with YMCA operating principles and philosophy.

The program is conducted by caring Y staff members, who are background screened and trained to meet the needs of children and provide positive adult role models. Safety is one of our primary objectives but your child will also have fun!

Program activities include crafts, sports, indoor & outdoor games, field trips, snack time, and other creative activities.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT At the Y, we believe all kids deserve the chance to develop to their fullest potential by focusing on self awareness, self confidence and self worth, interpersonal relationships, character development, physical skills, and health & nutrition. At Y summer camps, kids will participate in the Summer Reading Program, make new friends, learn new skills and most importantly, learn how to be themselves.

HEALTHY LIVING At the Y, we give kids the opportunity to exert energy, discover who they are and what they can acheive, and be accempted among each other. We help children learn to make healthy choices. Water is our drink of choice and our snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables and are monitored for sugar, fat grams, and calories from fat. Kids stay active at Y camps with games, sports, swimming, and plenty of outdoor physical activity to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY At the Y, we support and strengthen families by increasing a sense of community and sharing common values. We celebrate diversity by working together and supporting each other. We encourage learning about and caring for the environment and provide opportunities for community service projects.

FIELD TRIPS/ TRANSPORTATION The Y will provide transportation for all field trips during full days. Transportation to and from the child care site is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. It is also your responsibility to arrive promptly on field trip days in order for field trips to remain on schedule. We cannot allow children to be dropped off at a field trip location. Signed field trip permission forms are required for children to participate in planned trips.

PAYMENT PROCEDURES Registration fees are non-refundable. Weekly fees are to be paid by automatic bank or credit card draft. Draft authorizations need to be submitted prior to the first day your child attends. Drafts will occur each Wednesday for the current week, unless otherwise scheduled through our main office. Please note that if you are presently on automatic draft for the school year, we still need authorization for your summer draft. If you know that your child will not be attending what you registered for, you can contact our office by noon on Tuesdays to change a draft for that current week. If you do not inform our office of a change by Tuesday, adjustments will be made the following week.

The Y will mail out tax statements each January for the previous year. Please keep copies of cancelled checks and receipts for IRS reporting requirements. The YMCA’s tax ID number is 61-0444843.

RETURNED CHECKS/DRAFTS A fee of $25 will be charged for any checks returned by your bank or for any returned drafts including credit cards. Should you have a financial question, contact our main office.

SPIRIT PROGRAM At the Y, we believe that everyone deserves equal access to our programs and we offer a income-based sliding scale rates through the Spirit Program. Applications for assistance are available through our website at www.ymcalouisville.org or at your local Y branch. Submit all applications for financial assistance with School-Age Child Care to our main office or to your Site Director. The Spirit Program is only available to those that do not qualify for 4-C or another 3rd party subsidy.

ENROLLMENT AND CUSTODY At the time of enrollment, parents are to provide legal documentation of any parties who are not to have contact with a child enrolled in Y programs. Paperwork must be court ordered and indicate who is the primary residential parent or if both parents have shared parental custody. Please notify your Site Director of any unusual circumstances. In order to provide the safest care for your child, the above must be followed. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

SIGN IN AND SIGN OUT Drop off and pick up for your child will be at the parent table located at your site. Please bring your child to the checkin table when bringing them to the program. YMCA Policy dictates that all children must be signed in and out by an appropriate parent or guardian. Please make sure that all required information is clear and legible. Anyone picking up a child must be 18 years of age and may be asked to show proof of identification at anytime. Please be prepared to do so. This policy is in place for the safety of your child, exceptions will not be made. YOU WILL BE CALLED IF YOUR CHILD DOES NOT HAVE AN APPROPRIATE ADULT SIGN THEM IN AND OUT.

WHO CAN PICK UP MY CHILD? For each child’s protection, no child will not be released to anyone other than the persons authorized to pick up the child on the enrollment form. As a precaution, the staff will request photo identification at the time of sign out until they are familiar with you and the people on your pick-up list. Any changes to the pick-up list must be in writing, phone calls are not accepted. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

For your child’s safety, should any person who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol arrive to pick up your child, our staff will be required to contact another person on your child’s registration form. If no one is available, we are required to call law enforcement.

LATE PICK UP All sites close at 6 pm. Late charges are $1 per child per minute late and begin accumulating at 6:01 pm. Late fees are due at the time of pick-up. We strongly urge you to have additional emergency numbers and people authorized to pick up your child. Children are kept at the YMCA site until 7:10 pm. Every attempt will be made to call the parent(s) and all emergency numbers listed on the registration form. At 7:10 pm, if all efforts to contact someone have been unsuccessful, we will notify the proper authorities.

ILLNESS To ensure the health and well being of children in our program, please do not send your child if they have a contagious illness, infection, or fever of 100 degrees or higher. If symptoms appear while in the program, you must make arrangements for your child to be picked up from the program immediately.

MEDICATION In order for the Y to dispense medication for your child the following must happen: • A medication form must be filled out daily in order to dispense. Your Site Director has this form.

• Medication must be in the original bottle for the person it was prescribed, with the dosage for the day only.

• The parent or guardian must bring in the medication and give it to the Site Director.

Over the counter medication will only be dispensed with a note from a physician on letterhead. Please give this note to the Site Director along with your daily permission to administer.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD IS INJURED? If your child is injured, the Site Director or acting Director will take whatever steps necessary to obtain emergency medical care. These steps may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Attempts to contact a parent or guardian.

2. Attempts to contact persons listed on the emergency information if parent or guardian cannot be reached.

If we cannot contact you, we will do any or all of the following: 1. Call an ambulance or paramedic.

2. Have the child taken to an emergency hospital in the company of one of our staff members.

Sickness and accident insurance is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

CAMERA CELL PHONES Please refrain from bringing any camera cell phones into any of the Y programs. Because this technology may be used inappropriately, the Y prohibits the use of all camera cell phones in all of our programs. Children carrying cell phones will be asked to turn them off during program hours. The Y cannot be responsible for lost or stolen phones brought to the site.

PERSONAL ITEMS / ELECTRONIC DEVICES We discourage personal items from home such as music, electronics, toys, games or other materials. Please ask that your child leave such items at home. We cannot be responsible for lost, broken or stolen items.

SCREEN TIME At the Y, we feel strongly that there are many positive and healthy alternatives to watching movies or playing video games.

Therefore, we are committed to only allowing screen time if it is educational and/or activity based.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT Our staff wants to work with you and your child to have the best experience possible. Occasionally, there will be behavior problems. In most instances, we will try to redirect behavior or remove the child from the conflict. If a problem persists or is severe, our staff will speak to you or write a behavior note explaining the incident with room for your comments. If the problem has not been resolved, you will be asked to meet with the staff and your child to come up with a resolution. In extreme cases, your child may be suspended or terminated from the program (i.e. a violent act against another child or staff member). These two alternatives are a last resort because we know this would be an inconvenience to you, the working parent. Please help us to resolve any behavior problems so that we may offer a safe and happy environment for all children.

SUSPICION OF CHILD ABUSE It is our legal obligation to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the Child Protective Services Unit. Any suspicions will be reported immediately with the child’s safety and well being as sole consideration.

HOUSE RULES

• Speak for yourself, not for everyone else. Each person has the right to say what they think and feel.

• Show respect for everyone. Listen to others with respect. Every person is important and though you may not agree with everything they do or say, everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

• Avoid put-downs. Verbal and non-verbal put-downs hurt people even when they might appear to not be affected.

Non-verbal put-downs can include facial expressions, gestures, side conversations, and even unconscious looks. Treat everyone the way you would like to be treated yourself.

• Bullying of any form is unacceptable. Bullying incidents will be considered as inappropriate behavior and subject to disciplinary measures.

• Take responsibility for yourself. Each child will learn as much as he/she chooses to learn. The leader only creates the environment in which learning might take place. The participant is responsible for him/herself.

• No chewing gum is allowed during program hours.

• Children should not bring sharp objects, electronics, cell phones, candy, or toys to the site.

All children enrolled in our programs are expected to follow the rules established by the Y for the purpose of safety of the children in the program. Please cooperate with us in stressing the importance of healthy and safe behaviors in the program.

Your cooperation and support help insure that all children have a fun and safe experience in the program.

YMCA OF GREATER LOUISVILLE The Bullitt County YMCA School-Age Child Care Programs are under the direct supervision of Executive Director June Daugherty. We strongly encourage and invite parental participation and communication. All programs have an open door policy and we hope you to take an active roll in your child’s day.

To better serve the needs of our community, we want to know how you and your child feel about the program. We will distribute family surveys during the summer for you and your child to complete.

Please respond as honestly as possible. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated. The YMCA of Greater Louisville is committed to offering quality care for all families in the community it serves and shares.

OUR MISSION To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Bullitt County YMCA School-Age Child Care Services PO Box 846, 409 Vine Street Shepherdsville, Kentucky 40165 (502) 955-6433

Thank you for the choosing the Y for your child care needs!