Kinder & OSC Parent Package

Child Family Profile

The following questions are designed to assist Steps Academy members of staff with information about your child to provide the best, most appropriate care. This information is confidential and will not be shared. These questions are meant to initiate mutual trust and respect with families that will develop into a strong, cooperative partnership between parents and Steps Academy.

Steps Academy works with families from many cultures and backgrounds and always tries its best to accommodate the needs, customs and preferences of all families.

An integral element of the multi-cultural events and practices Steps Academy recognizes throughout the year is that input is received from families on anything specifically important to them. The following comment sections are not mandatory but are definitely encouraged.

If a child consistently presents a continued challenging behaviour, the staff are asked to document the occurances and have the parent sign the bottom of the behaviour form.  The staff also have a classroom ABC (Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence) form for tracking behaviours and looking for consistencies in the possible cause which helps give the teacher more insight to be able to work on finding strategies for prevention.

Conversations with yourself as the parent are also very important in finding ways to support through some of these behaviors so we ask you to also be involved in working with teachers and your child to come up with appropriate solutions.

Physically aggressive behaviour, such as biting, kicking, hitting etc. cannot and will not be tolerated. To protect all of the children and encourage acceptable behaviour, instructors will intervene immediately if a child becomes physically aggressive.

Steps Academy staff will make every effort while children are in our care. However, Steps Academy reserves the right to terminate care if after these efforts, it is determined that Steps Academy cannot meet the child's needs.

With respect to a child in the program, Steps Academy will under no circumstances engage in the following:

• Inflict or cause to be inflicted any form of physical punishment, verbal or physical degradation or emotional deprivation
• Deny or threaten to deny any basic necessity 
• Use or permit the use of any form of physical restraint, confinement or isolation
• Inappropriate Behaviours

 

Lillio

Lillio is a software program that allows us to share photos and videos of your child with you. Lillio is used daily for communicating updates and information about your child and the centre which will be sent directly to you using the email you provided us.

If you choose not to receive photos, you will still receive updates and information about your child and the program through Lillio. This is our prime method of communication, and it is your responsibility to make sure you are checking the app frequently to ensure you do not miss any important updates.

**Regardless of your choice, your child's photo may appear in our Centre Newsletters, as well as the TV or Smart Board in the front lobby.

Sometimes other children in the center may be featured in photos, videos or stories of your child. By giving your consent, you agree not to share photos or video of any child, other than your own, outside the program without permission.

I give permission for my child, to be photographed/appear in video, while attending Steps Academy for:

I understand that it is my responsibility to update this form if I no longer wish to authorize one or more of the above uses. If you grant permission for use of photos and if at any time, there is a photo that you wish to have removed please contact the office and we will edit or remove the photo.

 

**No child names will be displayed by Steps Academy**

Please note, for the health and security of all families we reserve the right to make assessments regarding children's health. As a preventative measure we may err on the side of caution within our assessment to avoid the spread of illness/disease. Some of the more common symptoms may be:

• Pain - any complaints of unexplained or undiagnosed pain or discomfort
• Fever (100°F/37.5°C or higher) Sore throat or trouble swallowing
• Unexplained diarrhea or loose stool combined with nausea, vomiting or abdominal cramps.
• Nausea or vomiting
• Severe itching of body and scalp
• Frequent coughing 
• Pink eye
• Constant nasal drainage (not clear drainage)

Children can return following a 24 hour symptom-free period without the aid of fever reducing medication unless otherwise specified in our Illness Policies.

You are required to keep (or take) your child home when your child:

1. Is suffering from one or more of the above symptoms
2. Is not well enough to participate in the activities at Steps Academy including outdoor time

Please review the Illness Policies in the Parent Handbook for more detailed information.

Parents will inform Steps Academy within 24 hours of a diagnosis of a serious illness or contagious disease of a communicable nature in the family. This is to protect all families who attend Steps Academy. Failure to do so is grounds for immediate termination of care.

Prescription medications will only be given to a child in care with the following conditions:

• Parent provides written permission to Steps Academy complete with full instructions regarding dosage and times of day to administer prescription medication. (Forms are available online for this purpose for parent(s) to complete.)
• All prescribed medications must have the child's name clearly indicated on the prescription bottle.
• If sending a over-the-counter medication please know we will not administer a medication that reduces fever and ensure you have the correct dosage amount. 
   

 

When a child becomes ill, they will be able to rest in a designated quiet and comfortable area and will be closely supervised until the parent/guardian arrives.  

Parents will be notified immediately and agree to begin making alternate work arrangements or arrangements for alternate care. If your child is seriously ill, you or an alternate must come for the child IMMEDIATELY. If parents cannot be reached, the emergency contact list will be consulted.

Please apply sunscreen to your child prior to them attending our centre each sunny day.

Health and Safety guidelines do not allow us to accept aerosol sunscreen into our facility. Please send your child with a cream-based sunscreen.  Ensure that the sunscreen you send your child with does not have any nut-based oils or ingredients.

If you do not want your child to wear sunscreen please indicate this on your child's Parent Package. If you choose for your child to not wear sunscreen please keep in mind that there is potential for sunburns when there is no additional sun protection. We have lots of outside time during the summer months and remind all children to take breaks in the shade, drink lots of water and offer water play as mush as possible as well.

In more extreme weather, we also adjust outdoor times to better suit the outdoor needs during that time, such as doing longer walks during the cooler part of the day in the summer and shorter times as the temperature rises in the afternoon.

I give permission for the staff at Steps Academy to apply a sunscreen product, which I have provided, when my child will be playing outside during the months of June to September. I understand sunscreen may be applied to exposed skin, including but not limited to the face, tops of ears, bare shoulders, arms and legs. I will apply sunscreen before my child arrives to Steps Academy in the morning.

A parent or guardian must authorize up to 3 individuals to pick up their child from child care Authorized individuals will be required to present valid identification and provide the “ safe word” to pick up any child from our care. This is in addition to the parent/guardian.

All alternates without a code word or ID must report to the office at pick up. To avoid any unnecessary delays or confusion, please ensure you have relayed the safe/code word and reminded your alternate to bring ID when picking up.

Release of a Child

Children are dismissed and signed out when a parent/legal guardian is present. Students will not be dismissed to anyone other than a parent/legal guardian or previously approved pick-up person, unless prior written permission is granted, and proper identification is provided with your child's safety word.  Parents must notify Steps Academy by phone or in writing if there is a change or an addition to who will be picking up their child. 

If you are notifying by phone, please have your safety word from the parent package ready for the admin team as you will be asked to provide this at this time as well.  Once a person is added to the pick-up list, this change will be documented in the student’s file. Steps Academy must be informed prior to the person arriving for pick up that authorization has been given.  Ensure whoever is picking up that they know the safety word and have photo ID available to provide at pick up.  This will remain the practice until the staff become familiar with this person.  It is the responsibility of the parent to update their approved pick-up list as necessary and a form for this can be found on our website under the forms tab.

Once a parent/guardian or approved pick-up person has picked up their child, the centre is released of liability and the responsibility of the child is returned to the parent.

 

Unauthorized Pick Up

The parent/guardian is required to notify Steps Academy in writing (personal email) if someone else, other than the authorized persons, will pick up their child. Please provide name, phone number, and description of the person. The person will be asked to show photo identification and will need to have been provided the “safe word.”

 

Custody and Related Court Orders

Steps Academy staff cannot become involved in the marital or custody issues of enrolled families. If a custody or court order exists, a copy of the order needs to be placed in the child's file. The guardian is responsible for providing up-to-date and accurate information concerning the legal guardianship of the child. Without a custody or court order on file, Steps Academy staff cannot deny access to the non-enrolling parent. If the non-enrolling parent is not listed on the pick up list, the policy on “Unauthorized Pick Up” will be implemented (see above).

 

Please provide the names and phone numbers of 3 additional persons to contact in case you cannot be reached:

*Please note these contact individuals should have knowledge of the code word you have listed below*

I agree that all the above-mentioned persons have provided their consent to be named on my Emergency Contact List at Steps Academy.

I give permission for my child to participate in Community Walks.  Information about these walks will be posted on the classroom door.  This information will include a map of the route taken, the number of children and staff on the walk as well as the departure and return time.

 

Safety Measures taken by Steps Academy Staff during this trip:

• First Aid Kit in Transport bag
• Portable records of all children
• Office informed of location, time, route walked and number of children
• Any medication and forms that may be required to be administered during the child’s time with us
• Frequent head counts
• Ratio always maintained
• Rules discussed prior to each trip
• Inform the office of the walking route and location
• Posted walking route and location on classroom door
• Cell Phones for any necessary communication and photos 

I give permission that my child may be given emergency First Aid treatment by a staff member of Steps Academy.

In consideration of allowing the previously declared participant(s) to begin participation in Steps Academy activities, while on the premises and property of said centres, the undersigned, for themselves, and/or being the legal and acting guardian of participant(s), acting for themselves and on behalf of the participant(s), release and hold harmless Steps Academy, its owners, employees, and agents of and from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the participant and/or the undersigned while in or upon the premises upon which Steps Academy is conducted, or any premises under the control and/or supervision of Steps Academy, its owners, officers, employees, or agents or in route to or from and of the said premises, or while at any premises or place when activities sponsored by or participated in by Steps Academy, its owners, officers, agents or employees.

✓ I understand that Steps Academy will take all reasonable precautions to provide care and safety.

✓ I acknowledge the potential of unknown risks and I voluntarily assume the risks inherent in the transportation outlined.

✓ I release Steps Academy from and agree not to sue for any claims I or my child may have arising from, or in connection with, any bodily injury, property damage, or loss, which my child may suffer from any cause whatsoever.

✓ I release Steps Academy from, and agree not to sue, for any bodily injury, property damage, or loss, which my child may suffer resulting from Acts of God, or the activities or the acts or omissions of any other organization or individual over whom Steps Academy has no direct control.

The responsibilities of the parent/guardian are as follows:

✓ This form is required to be completed in order to authorize that Centre personnel can transfer children on the bus.

✓ If you arrive after 8am you may be responsible for transporting your child to school. 

✓ At home, discussions with your child regarding bus safety rules, the importance of getting ready quickly and the meeting space as discussed with the staff are necessary.

✓ If a child is required to be on school grounds before or after school for an activity, it is the parent’s responsibility to arrange for pick up and drop off of their child.

✓ Parent/Guardians MUST inform the centre if their child will not be taking the bus with us. (This includes any changes to their attendance, activities or if the child was picked up by someone else.) The absence form is on our website Stepsacademy.ca and is accessible through your phone. You are able to include any information you wish in the Comments section of the form.

✓ Verbally informing a staff member of an absence is NOT considered proper communication of information. The online form is the ONLY acceptable form of absence communication.

 

All absences from transportation must be reported to Steps Academy via the online absence form.  There is also a policy form that must be signed for your child to be transported to and from school. 

Failure to report absences, resulting in Steps Academy calling parents/guardians/emergency contacts, will result in a fine and possible termination of transportation services for the remainder of the school year. 

Fines are as follows:

• First Warning – $25.00 Cash Penalty
• Second Warning – $50.00 Cash Penalty
• Third Warning - $50.00 Cash Penalty PLUS suspension for five continuous registered school days.  Your child will still be accepted for attendance at Steps Academy, but parents will be responsible for arranging to and from transportation.
• Fourth and Final Warning – Suspension from our transportation program for the remainder of the school year

 

All fines must be paid prior to your child's next day of transportation and should be paid by e-transfer to accounting@stepsacademy.ca Please include your child's name in the MEMO SECTION of the payment to ensure it is tracked to the correct child.

The responsibilities of the child care centre are as follows:

✓Under severe weather and/or road conditions when the bus will not be transporting children, the centre will contact parents via email to inform them. There will also be online updates through the First Steps Facebook page. Calls will be made to the children’s schools to inform their offices our buses will not be transporting children. Steps Academy regularly updates the school offices with a list of the children we transport so they would be immediately aware of the children affected.

✓ All staff will follow centre policies and procedures as well as the Alberta Child Care Regulations for ratios, supervision and transportation.

✓ Staff will remind children of where the meeting spot is and what to do if they are unable to find our staff. We will inform any new children as to where the meeting spot is for their school and show them the vests that staff are required to wear to ensure they are easily visible.

✓ Staff will have a cell phone to reach parents or the centre director if required.

✓ Staff are trained in First Aid and will have a first aid kit on the bus as well as in the evacuation bag, along with emergency contact numbers and the portable records of the children.

✓ Staff will do frequent head counts and confirm the attendance of children.

✓ If a child has not been reported absent by their parent(s) and staff are unable to locate the child within 10 minutes, staff will implement the following protocol:

✓ Bus crew staff will call the appropriate Steps Academy centre office.

✓ The office staff will call both parents in turn; if no answer, staff will call the emergency contact person on file. During this time, the bus crew at the school grounds will ask the child’s school office if they are able to confirm an absence. (This is not always a guarantee, as the school has its own privacy rules that may result in them not being able to share this information.)

✓ If no answer from either parent or the emergency contact on the first attempt,
we will contact the police as the child will be considered missing

 

By signing below you are agreeing to the terms, conditions and penalties outlined above.