Policies

Eligibility

UUMDS accepts children of parents of any religion, race, ancestry, or national origin. Ages accepted are as follows:

  • Infants: Must be at least six weeks old
  • Toddlers: Must be one by September 30
  • Two year classes: Must be two by September 30
  • Three year classes: Must be three by September 30
  • Four year classes: Must be four by September 30

Summer care is also provided for older children as space allows.

Hours

The day school is opened from 7:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Parents are asked to call the day school office if their children will be arriving after 8:30 so that they can be included in our lunch count.

Emergency Closure

If possible the Day School will remain open except for previously scheduled holiday closures. When public schools are closed because of epidemic, extreme weather or other emergency situations the day school may close as well. Parents should check with the director or another staff member on the morning in question.

Tuition Policies

Tuition is due on the first of each month and must be paid in advance. If not paid by the 7th, a $25.00 late fee applies. If tuition is not paid by the 15th, the child will be excluded from school until the balance is paid in full.

In order to hold a place for a registered child at the beginning of a session, full payment each month of monthly tuition is required. This policy applies to unborn infants as well as any other children unable to attend at the beginning of the session.

UUMDS strives to keep tuition affordable and therefore fees are figured at the minimum possible to cover the average monthly expense associated with keeping the day school operating. For this reason, tuition fees must be paid regardless of whether the child attends and there is no reduction in tuition when the school is closed for holidays. Tuition is owed for two weeks after a child is withdrawn unless parents provide two weeks advance notice of withdrawal.

Registration fees are in addition to the monthly tuition charges and are not applied toward tuition payments. Registration fees are nonrefundable. The initial registration fee is charged to help defray expenses which are not a part of the regular monthly operation of the school. These expenses include the purchase of office and cleaning supplies and other materials for classrooms.

Late pick-up fees

If a child is not picked up on time, a “late pick-up fee” will apply. Late pick-up fees are $1.00 for every minute the parent is late. After the 3rd late pick-up the late-pick up fee will increase to $5.00 per minute.

Vacation Credit:

  • Vacation days are days that the parent does not pay tuition and the child does not attend school. The school must be notified in advance of vacation.
  • Twelve-month day care children will receive 10 vacation days annually. These begin June 1 and end May 31.
  • Nine-month day care children will receive 7 vacation days annually. These begin when school starts in Aug and end May 31.
  • Summer-only children are not entitled to vacation days.
  • If vacation credit was used and the child is withdrawn before the end of the session, the parent is required to repay the vacation tuition.

Sibling discounts

Special rates are available for two or more siblings enrolled from the same family.

Attendance

Our teachers develop a curriculum and classroom routine that assumes all children will attend regularly. If a child will be absent, please notify the school by 8:30 a.m. Tuition is due regardless of the absence of the child.

Food

If your child’s diet is restricted because of allergy or for any other reason, please notify your child’s teacher and the day school director.

A mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack of juice or milk and crackers, cookies, or similar food is served each day.

Children are served a hot, nutritionally balanced lunch each day. Menus are posted outside the Day School Office and each classroom weekly.

Children should eat breakfast at home before coming each morning.

Naps

Children are required to rest each afternoon following lunch. Each child should bring a small blanket & pillow labeled with his or her name. The blanket & pillow will be sent home every Friday to be washed.

Health and Sick Policies

Each child must have a complete physical check-up prior to enrollment and must maintain up-to-date immunization records.

The day school staff is prohibited by state law from administering medications. Our license also prohibits us from providing care to sick children and we therefore ask parents to keep children home when they are sick. Children will be sent home from school if they have a temperature of 101 degrees or if they have vomiting or three or more loose stools.

Children who are sent home or kept home because of illness should stay out of school until they have been at home for 24 hours without fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Please notify the school if your child has been exposed to, or contracts a contagious disease.

Discipline

UUMDS staff members encourage appropriate behavior in their classrooms using a system based on time-outs and positive reinforcement.

The following methods of discipline are prohibited:

  1. physical punishment, corporal punishment, verbal abuse or threats; cruel, severe, unusual or unnecessary punishment; derogatory remarks about family members of children or about the children themselves.
  2. discipline of one child by another child or by a group of children.
  3. deprivation of meals or snacks or any part thereof for disciplinary reasons.

When a child is removed from the group for disciplinary reasons, he/she will never be out of the sight of a staff member.

Any form of punishment that violates the spirit of these standards of discipline, even though it is not specifically forbidden, is prohibited.

Clothing

To avoid loss, parents are asked to label all sweaters, coats, hats, extra clothes, and any other item that needs to go home with their children.

When you dress your child for school each day, remember that children are allowed time for free play every day. In good weather the children go outside on the playground. Pants or shorts are recommended for both boys and girls. Children are also encouraged to help themselves, and therefore clothing should be easy to put on or remove.

Flip flops and other shoes with no back are not allowed because they are a hazard on the playground.

Children who are not potty trained are required to use disposables diapers.

Show and Tell and Bringing Items to School

There are no scheduled show & tell days. Children are invited to bring books, and G-Rated DVDs, and VCR movies any day. Children are not allowed to bring toys or other items to school. This policy protects against loss of items and also insures that younger children in your child’s class or early room are not exposed to toys that are unsafe for their age and developmental stage.

Birthdays

Parents are welcome to bring special snacks to celebrate their children’s birthdays in the classroom. Parents are asked to make arrangements with their child’s teacher in advance. We ask that parents do not send birthday gifts for their children or their children’s classmates to school. Birthday invitations should be distributed at school only if every child in the class is invited.

Visitors

Parents are welcome to visit the school at any time during regular school hours while their child is enrolled.

Evacuation

Evacuation of the school, if made necessary because of hazardous material or other emergency, will be to First Methodist Day School located at 812 Kirkman. Their telephone number is 433-4570. If the school is evacuated, you will be notified by telephone as soon as possible. Our second evacuation site is St. Luke Simpson United Methodist Day Care Center located at 1500 Country Club Road. Their phone number is 474-0728. Evacuation and other emergency procedure are posted outside the day school office.

Biting Policy

The Biter

  1. The biter is reprimanded for hurting another child.
  2. The biter is placed in time-out. The duration in minutes is equal to the number of years in the child’s age.
  3. Before rejoining the group the biter is counseled by the teacher.
  4. The biter’s parents will be informed of the incident.
  5. If the child continues to bite, a conference will be held with parents and staff. A joint course of action will be determined.
  6. If all of the above fail to control the biting behavior, a second parent/staff conference will be held and the child may be removed from the school. The day school will assist in every way possible to make a smooth transition.

The Bitten Child:

  1. The bitten child is comforted by the teacher.
  2. The wounded area is cleaned with soap and water.
  3. If no skin is not broken, ice is be applied to the area to reduce pain and swelling. If skin is broken, parents will be notified immediately.
  4. The parent will be informed at pickup time of the child being bitten and the care received.

Fire Drills

Fire drills will be held monthly through out the year. We will send home a note with your child on the day a fire drill is held so you will be aware of this event.

Authority

Authority for the school is vested in the Day School Committee of the University United Methodist Church. This committee formulates all of the policies for the school.

Day Care Licensing

Parents are advised that our day care program is licensed by the State of Louisiana as a Louisiana Class A day care. Should you have significant, unresolved licensing complaints, you may call the Department of License at 504-922-0015.

Suspected Abuse

Any suspected abuse and/or neglect of a child in a day care center must be reported in accordance with La.R.S. 14:403 to the local child protection agency. The local telephone number is 337-434-1544 or 1-800-348-kids.

Photographing Children

A written consent form will be obtained from a parent prior to releasing any information, recordings and or photographs from which their children might be identified, except that any information, recordings, or photographs may be provided to authorized state and federal agencies with no prior notice to or consent from parents.

Contacting the School

The Day School telephone number is 478-4347. In case of emergency and no one answers the Day School office line, you may call the kitchen at 477-7422 or the Church office at 477-2003.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UUMDS POLICIES AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE THE OFFICIAL UUMDS HANDBOOK.