Simon Says

Hours of Operation

"Simon Says" Early Childhood Center will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. No one will be allowed in the classrooms before 7:00 a.m.  Teachers that arrive early are there to prepare for their day and will not be allowed to provide supervision until 7:00 a.m. The center will close at 6:00 p.m. sharp.  The center is open for 10 hours and we feel it is within the child’s best interest if they spend no more than 10 hours a day in care.  We feel very strongly about this policy and will address any potential problems based on individual needs.  Unfortunate delays can occur; however we would expect to be notified in advance if you are going to be later than 5:00 p.m. 

However, even if you are late you will be issued a written warning which will be kept on file for that school year.  If you are late a second time, you will be charged $1.00 for every minute you are late, per child.  This is given to the teacher for overtime.  The teacher must be paid upon your arrival or no later than the following morning.  The teacher has the right to refuse services for that child until this is paid.  If you are late a third time the rate increases to $2.00 per minute and so on.  We encourage you to be on time so that this does not become a problem for you or the center.  Every Fall school year we clear everyone’s record and start over.

Enrollment

Enrollment for Preschool is open to all children ages two-and-a-half through five years of age that have been potty trained. If your child is of age, and is not yet potty trained please consult the director to discuss this situation.  The order in which we enroll children is:  Simon Says siblings, Parishioners of St. Simon Catholic Church (Mary Mother will also be recognized as parishoners), New Parishioners and then the public. "Simon Says" Early Childhood Center is a non-profit child care center which is affiliated with St. Simon's Catholic Church.  Due to our church related status, we are not state licensed. " Simon Says " Early Childhood Center will not discriminate on any basis including race, religion or sex.  The programs we offer are: 

• Infant\Toddler age 6 weeks- (Full time only) 3 and potty trained
• 3 to 5 year old part-time (M,W,F or T,TH) and full-time available (two day minimum required)
• School Age before and after school care
• Summer Programs for ages 6 weeks-12 years

Registration Fee

An annual registration fee of $35.00 is required for each child wishing to be considered for enrollment at  " Simon Says " Early Childhood Center.  This is a non-refundable fee, which will cover clerical and administrative costs. 

Deposit Fee

After your application has been approved each child will require a deposit fee which is equivalent to one week of tuition.  This fee must be paid upon entering the Center.  This fee will be held as a deposit and will be applied to the payment of your child's last week of tuition.  A two-week notice must be given for withdrawal from the program.  If a two-week notice of withdrawal is not given or if you enroll your child and decide not to attend, this deposit will not be refunded.

Tuition

There will be no reduction in tuition due to absences, holidays, school closing due to inclement weather or illness.  In the event of inclement weather we will follow the same closing as St. Simon School which is announced on KMOX Radio (Preschool Listing) and Channels 2, 4 and 5 (Alphabetical Order).  Each child enrolled full-time and year round in the Preschool Program will be eligible for five consecutive days of vacation which will be given without charge, annually.  A notice of vacation must be turned in to the office one month in advance. This benefit is not cumulative and can only be used once per year (the year runs from September-August). If you will be leaving for summer break you will not be honored a free vacation week.

Due to the current situation with the Covid 19 Pandemic, we will be following all CDC and South Coutny Health Department policies and procedures.   Our tuition policy is 50/50.  When there is a shut down due to an exposture (either student or staff member) the tuition rate for one week of the quarantine period will be at 50%.  

TUITION EXPRESS POLICY:

• Credit card payments will be initiated on the 5^th of each month and an additional 3% will be charged to your account for a processing fee.  Your credit card will be charged for the full month’s tuition on this date.
• Checking or a Savings account payments will have a couple of options to choose from.  Payments can be taken out in one lump sum on the 5^th or the 15^th of the month. 
• The other option is for ½ your tuition to be taken out on the 5^th and the other half on the 15th. Please make sure you mark the appropriate box so that we can process your information correctly.

Once this decision has been made, it will continue on that date each month.
The option you choose will remain the same each month and cannot be changed.  If you find out that this date does not work for you, we will provide you with one courtesy change.  Any changes made after that will be charged a $10 change fee. 

Once we have received your forms and have entered all of your information, you will receive an e-mail with a log in code and link to create your tuition express account.  You will need to enter your e-mail address during your registration in order to receive a receipt for your payment.  We strongly recommend that you create a tuition express account.

Benefits that you will receive with Tuition Express are:
 

• Tuition Express account log in where you can check and view your balance at any time.
• You can print receipts for your Dependent Care plan or for your tax returns at any time.
• You will receive an e-mailed receipt after payments are taken from your checking account or credit card.
• You will no longer have to write a check to Simon Says.  Making life more convenient for our families.

Arrival Procedure

Please check your child for any signs of illness before leaving home.  If your child is ill please call and inform the office that he/she will not be attending (see illness procedure).  Each child must be accompanied by an adult, who will sign the child in on the classroom attendance sheet.  You need to make contact with a teacher and if there are any special instructions for the day, this is the time to discuss them with the teacher.  If there is anything about the child which may be beneficial for both teacher and child please take time to explain.  We would appreciate your child being dropped-off no later than 9:00 a.m. This will provide smooth transitions and will alleviate any uncomfortable feelings of coming in, in the middle of an activity.

When your child is enrolled we encourage parents to stay with your child through lunch the first day.  On the second day we encourage the child to stay through naptime.  On your child's third day simply allow for enough time to help your child make the adjustment from home, to his/her new environment.  Never "sneak out" and always say "goodbye" reassuring your child when you will be back to pick him/her up.  An appropriate length of time to stay in the morning is about five minutes.  This will give your child time to become involved in an activity.  Staying longer will send mixed messages and will make their adjustment more difficult.  You can expect to see tears the first few days, which is completely normal. Our staff is always available to assist you, and they are aware of techniques, which will alleviate anxieties.  Parents need to relax also, as children will read into these emotions and will react accordingly. Keep in mind that we have an open door policy and you are always welcome. 

Departure Procedure

If someone other than the parents will be picking your child up from school we will require a written note (if possible) or a phone call to the office to inform us of this.  We will not release a child until we have permission from the parent and a Driver's license will be checked before the child is released.  We ask that the preschool children are not picked up before 3:30 - 4:00 due to the educational activities in the afternoon (appointments are excusable).  When leaving for the day, we encourage you to talk to the teacher and see how your child's day was. 

At this time the parent will need to sign the child out on the attendance sheet just as you did in the morning.  These procedures are designed to ensure the safety of the children in our center.  When you arrive allow your child to finish what they are doing, encourage them to clean up, and then it is time to leave. 

Parent Visitation

When a child enters our program, it is imperative for us to get to know the parents, as well as the child.  We would like to familiarize ourselves with the personal manner in which you interact with your child.

Please be sure to read the handbook carefully and ask a staff member if you have any questions.  The enrollment forms must be filled out and brought to school on the child's first day.  All medical information needs to be completed within thirty days of enrollment.

On your child's first day, plan to spend all morning with the child and stay until lunch is over.  The second day you may want to stay with your child until the child is oriented.  Each child will adjust at their own pace.  Listed under Special Items is what your child will need on their first day.

Parent Conferences

Parent-Teacher conferences will be scheduled throughout the year as teacher and parent feel necessary.  The staff performs a formal evaluation in January.  We encourage both parents to attend these conferences to ask and answer questions regarding the child's progress and development.

Parent Involvement

There will be a parent committee, which will be chosen annually and everyone interested may become involved.  Throughout the school year we go on monthly field trips.  Please feel free to attend.  Due to our not-for-profit status we will need help organizing various fund-raising events.  We want you to be a voice in your child's education.  For information please see your child's teacher.

Parties

We usually celebrate parties (Birthday, going away, holiday etc.) during the afternoon snack and we welcome your participation on your child's special day.  You may bring in store bought cake, cupcakes, cookies or other snacks. It is Mandatory that these products are nut free. Unfortunatley no homemade items are allowed in the building.  The items will be sent home if they are not store bought . Please try not to overdue it.  We discourage goody bags or party favors.  As an alternative, we recommend that you consider having your child bring a gift for his or her classroom.  These special items may include a book, games or puzzles.  This promotes giving and sharing.  Please feel free to contact your teacher for gift ideas.

Illness

If you child becomes ill, or contracts a contagious illness while at school, the parent will be notified immediately and the child must be picked up within thirty minutes.   We will also notify you if there has been possible exposure to a communicable illness.

If your child has a temperature between 100.5-100.9 we will be monitoring them for signs of illness and will be contacting you if we feel they need to be sent home.  They need to be completley fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication before returning to school.

If your child has three episodes of diarrhea, he/ she will be sent home and may not return until the condition has stabilized.   If the child returns and has one diarrhea episode we will require you to pick them up immediately. 

We reserve the right to send a child home if we feel they are showing signs of illness (glassy eyes, lethargy, loss of appetite, complaint of stomach or ear pain, etc.). We will try and isolate them so they can lie down in a quiet place until the parent arrives. 

It is necessary for working parents to have a back-up caregiver in the event that your child becomes ill.  There will not be any reduction in tuition due to absence because of illness.

The staff of "Simon Says" cannot administer non-prescription medication without the provided release form signed by the child's pediatrician.  Sunscreen and bug spray approval will also be on this form. 

All prescribed medication needs to be in the original bottle with the child's name and dosage clearly marked.  All medication that is brought to the center must have the proper form completely filled out and signed.  All medication that is administered will be recorded on the mentioned form, and kept on file. 

In the event that a child has been injured, an accident report will be filled out and will need to be signed by a parent and kept on file.  If the injury requires further treatment and the child needs to go to the hospital, the parent will be informed immediately. If the parents cannot be reached, we will then attempt to reach someone on the emergency list before assisting the child to the hospital.

Immunization
All children must be fully vaccinated or in the process of becoming fully vaccinated before entering the program.  The only excemption considered is for medical reasons.

Discipline

At "Simon Says" Early Childhood Center we try to structure the day so that the child is encouraged to act appropriately and discipline is kept to a minimum.  If discipline is necessary the child will be re-directed from adverse behavior to another area where he/she may discuss their difficulty.  We encourage them to use their "words" and to express their feelings and respect the feelings of others in an appropriate manner.  This technique is a positive approach to helping the child succeed in developing problem solving skills.  The staff is aware that they are a constant role model to the children.

Separated or Divorced Parents

The center will honor all legal documents regarding child custody and parental visitation.  If one parent is to have limited access to the child, we must have a copy of the custody ruling on file in the office.  The center will not intercede on behalf of one parent if the custody decision has not been specifically defined.  We cannot refuse a parent the right to take a child from the center unless that parent has legally been denied permission to do so.  In case of emergency, both parents will be notified.  The custodial parent will receive the first call.  Responsibility for tuition must be determined between the parents.  The center will not become involved with requesting payment from an ex-spouse.

Child Care Income Tax Credit

Many parents may be able to claim a credit against their federal income tax for a portion of the fees paid to “Simon Says” Early Childhood Center.  The income tax credit is generally available to taxpayers if the childcare expense is incurred to enable parents to work, or look for work.

There are various limitations and restrictions on the amount of the credit, which can be claimed on your federal income tax return.  Upon request, “Simon Says” will provide parents with an annual statement indicating the amount paid for childcare.  However, the employees of St. Simon the Apostle Church and School and "Simon Says" cannot provide you with tax advice.  If you have any questions concerning whether or not you might qualify for this tax credit, please consultant your tax advisor or the internal revenue service.

Some parents may be entitled to exclude from their income, payments made by their employers for childcare, under a dependent care assistance plan.  You should contact your employer to determine if your employer offers a dependent care assistance plan.

Safety of our Children

It is our ongoing commitment to provide you and your child with the safest, most caring atmosphere available along with annual inspections by Health and Fire officials.  Due to the current situation with the Covid 19 Pandemic, we will be following all CDC and South Coutny Health Department policies and procedures.  We will also make it a practice to go through Fire, Tornado, Earthquake and Intruder drills.  Mehlville Fire Department 314-894-0420 and The Health Department 314-612-5100.  All rooms will be clearly marked with evacuation routes.  We also require that our staff members are certified in C.P.R., first aid and AED usage (on site).