ILLNESS AND EMERGENCY POLICY

It is our policy to encourage and promote good health and hygiene for all the children in our care. This includes monitoring the children for signs and symptoms of communicable disease such as chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, hepatitis, diarrhoea, vomiting and fevers of 102F or over.

With the welfare of the sick child in mind and in the interests of the remaining children in our care, if  a child is ill, then the parent/guardian will be contacted and requested to collect their child as soon as possible.Please notify us in advance if your child is going to be absent for whatever reason. Do not bring your child to RCN if she/he is unwell. If your child is unwell due to an infectious disease then he/she must be kept at home until the risk of infection to others has passed.

If a child becomes unwell every attempt will be made to contact their parent/guardian. Please ensure thatwe have up to date contact numbers.

If we cannot make contact with the parent/guardian the Education Director or Co-Director will assume responsibility for seeking medical help and if necessary, take the child to hospital, along with all the child’s relevant details from the personal records folder.The staff must be convinced that the child has returned to good health before re-admitting the child.

In the case of a serious accident occurring, if emergency medical assistance is required, this will be sought by dialling 911 and asking for an ambulance.

FIELD TRIPS AND CHAPERONE POLICIES

We encourage parents’ to participate during field trips by acting as Chaperones. As Chaperones, parents help ensure the safety of all children (not just their children) for the entirety of the trip.  Generally, the Group Teacher or Education Director will assign each Chaperone a proportionate number of children. The Chaperone is expected to perform a head count of their group before entering and leaving the event location, assist the children during toileting, purchasing of food, souvenirs, etc.  The Chaperone must stay with the group until it returns to the school.

If, in the interest of the children, the Group Teacher or Education Director finds it necessary to end the field trip early, the Chaperone must return with the group to the center. AT NO TIME SHALL A CHAPERONE LEAVE THE GROUP WITH HIS OR HER CHILD.  Noncompliance with this policy will result in the denial of the opportunity to Chaperone future trips.

MEDICATION

RCN’s certified MAT employee can administer medication, including aspirin and cough syrup to any child, but must have written authorization from the doctor and the parent to do so.

Moreover, containers for prescription and non-prescription drugs must be clearly labeled with the child’s name, the name of the medication, the dosage, the administering schedule, the prescription date, and the name and telephone number of the child’s physician. All medication must be in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacist.  This applies to inhalers, which must be brought in the original box with pharmacy label attached.

RCN ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR THE ADVERSE EFFECT TO A CHILD OF ANY MEDICINE THAT IS PRESCRIBED BY THE CHILD’S PEDIATRICIAN AND/OR AUTHORIZED TO BE DISPENSED BY THE CHILD’S PARENT.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

Children in a classroom are encouraged to play together as a community.  Communication and sharing are reinforced by the teachers.  At RCN we believe that discipline can be handled through communication, understanding, and redirection.  Often, simply distracting a child changes his or her focus and lead to a more positive behavior.  When this is not effective, a “time-out” may be used.

In “time-out,” a child is isolated, allowing him or her time to think about and readjust his or her actions.  At no time will the “time-out” be used as a “punishment” (e.g., putting the child in the corner or allowing him/her to sit for more than two minutes.)  The teacher uses this time to discuss with your child what would have been appropriate behavior, prior to re-introducing the child to the play situation.  These behavior-management techniques reaffirm your child’s value in the classroom “community,” and encourage a positive behavior change.