Our Statement Of Purpose

The Little Acorn Patch (LAP) was created to provide a safe, nurturing and academically stimulating environment for children without regard to race, sex, color, creed or handicap providing we can meet the needs of the child.

Our objectives in fulfilling this purpose are:

Each child is unique: we strive to meet individual needs through structured activities, discoveries, understanding, compassion, support, security, and respect.
Children learn through experience: we provide many activities which encourage social interactions, expression of feelings, and self-concept.
Children excel at what they enjoy most: we strive to instill a yearning for knowledge in each child by encouraging curiosity, providing rich and stimulating experiences, and expanding their horizons.
Children are encouraged to speak standard English and to improve verbal skills in order to gain self-confidence.
We educate through stimulating activities to improve sensory manipulative skills, problem solving abilities, and to develop good listening skills.
Our Pledge For Children

We at LAP Pledge to:

Listen to your child(ren)
Communicate with your child(ren)
Teach your children to be good role models by being a good role model
Spend time building your child(ren)’s self-esteem
Educate your children in mind and body
Work to provide your children with tools to problem-solve
Meet your child(ren)’s and other parent’s needs
We pledge to stand for children

Policy

Notice Of Withdrawal/Termination
LAP requires a written notice of withdrawal at least 2 weeks prior to your withdrawal date. We reserve the right to charge you 2 weeks tuition following your withdrawal date if proper notice is not given. Absent credit cannot be used as notice for withdrawal.

The Little Acorn Patch will work to meet the special needs of each child. However, we reserve the right upon written notice to the parent, to terminate any child whose need for special attention becomes a concern for the safety and wellbeing of other children or the staff at the center. If enrollment must be terminated in the middle of the week, we will refund a portion of the tuition fee, prorated on a daily basis. We will make every effort to give one week’s notice; however, we reserve the right to enforce immediate termination.

Celebrating Birthdays And Other Special Activities
If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday or assist in the celebration of a special activity, here are some helpful hints:

Check with your child’s teacher for appropriate time, what to bring, and how many students are in the class.
Please help us keep the party low key.
Do not send in favors such as noise makers, hats, balloons, prizes or presents for the children.
Taking pictures is certainly encouraged.

Health And Illness Policies

We know that children in child care are susceptible to the transmission of germs. Prevention is an important key. Please encourage your child to wash his/her hands upon entering and leaving the center.

In order to stop the spread of communicable diseases and to maintain the health of all our children, the Department of Health requires that all parents inform the Little Acorn Patch if your child or any immediate household member develops any reportable communicable disease within 24 hours or the next business day. A copy of all communicable diseases is found in your child’s file. Please follow the exclusion policy in your enrollment package and arrange for the child to be picked up as soon as possible if (s)he becomes ill at the center, this will reduce the transmission of illness throughout the school.

Please keep us up-to-date when immunizations are given so that we may keep a copy of these records on file. We are required by law to have yearly physicals and recent immunizations on file in our center on each child enrolled under the age of 5 years old and every two years for children ages 5-12.

If your child becomes ill at the center recording a fever/temperature of 101° F or higher taken under the arm, or your child has 3 or more diarrhea/vomits, you will be called to arrange for your child to be picked up as soon as possible. The child will be separated from the other children until departure from the center. Your child can return to the school when they are symptom free for 24 hours, or the following day with a doctor’s written permission.

Please keep your child home when the child is unable to participate in group activities or if the staff cannot effectively care for the child without compromising their ability to care for the health and safety of the other children in the group.

Communicable Disease Chart

Benefits

Vacation/Absent Credit/Sibling Credit
Each child will receive a credit of 50% off their regular weekly tuition fee for a written authorized absence of one full calendar week (Monday through Friday). This credit may only be used twice during your enrollment year, not calendar year. The vacation credit does not accrue from enrollment year to enrollment year. Parents must notify LAP in writing when the vacation is to be given. Your account will not be credited until you return from your vacation and attendance is taken to verify your child has been absent the whole week. Vacation credit is not given for holidays, partial week absences, or if you have an outstanding balance on your tuition. In addition absent credit cannot be used as notice for withdrawal.

Sibling credit is 20% off of the lowest tuition amount. This is applied to students enrolled in a full day program only. Twenty percent (20%) discount does not apply to: Holidays, School Closings or Siblings not enrolled in regularly schedule programs.