The Summer Program Handbook

Central Baptist Church
Children’s House Daycare
Summer Program
Handbook

Welcome to
Children’s House Summer Program!

This handbook is designed to give all parents and students a deeper insight into the summer program. Although the handbook is designed to be a helpful guide, please direct questions about daily activities or your child’s behavior to your child’s teachers. Please feel free to contact us at anytime with questions or comments. We’re looking forward to a great summer ’08!

Children’s House Daycare
501 S. 4th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
(217)523-0122
www.cbcfamilies.org/childrenshouse
Michelle Clow, Director - michelle@cbcspringfield.org
Rita McCarthy, Assistant Director - rita@cbcspringfield.org
Angel Elston, Secretary - angel@cbcspringfield.org

Classroom and Program Information

Classes: Students are divided into two groups, defined by their age.
Children who are between the ages of 5-7 are in the younger class.
Children who are between the ages of 8-12 are in the older class. The younger classroom is located on the 2nd floor in the Noah’s Ark room. The older classroom is also located on the 2nd floor in the Central Station room across the hall. We will use the rooms for crafts, games, playtime, and other exciting adventures throughout the summer.

E-Mail: We would like to be able to contact you electronically through e-mail to eliminate some of the many notes and papers that go home.

Mailboxes: Each child has a mailbox slot located in their room. Please check their boxes daily for projects that may be sent home.

Set-up: Each room will be divided up into separate work areas. When the summer starts, feel free to roam around the room to observe what is being done and how your child is enjoying his/her day.

General Classroom Rules:
• No running in rooms or halls
• Use inside voices
• Please pick up game area(s) when you are done
• Please respect others and their belongings
• Hats stay in backpacks when children are inside the building
• Please take turns with game/toys

Merriam Hall: This room will be used when we need more space and also when the older and younger classes are doing things together. It will also be used for lunch and game area.

Playground: The playground is located on the Jackson Street side of the church. We will open the program outside on the playground. The playground is used by the entire day care, which means our younger friends play there too. Therefore we ask students not to use the small toys used by our younger friends. Children may bring outdoor toys for playground times. Please do not throw the balls against the church wall. Tire chips cover the playground for the safety and protection of your children, just a reminder we do NOT throw tire chips!

Morning Check-in: We begin our morning out on the playground until 9:00am then we go downstairs to have snack. If the weather does not permit us outside, then we will begin our days up in our rooms. Please bring your children to these places in the morning.

Sign-in/out sheets: Anytime you bring or pick up your child from the program you must sign the sheet. Each child has a space and a time slot for arrivals and departures. If you pick your child up for any reason throughout the day, and then return to the program you must sign in and out; even if it is just for a short while. The sheets are located where the teacher is located!
Guest Speakers: We may have guest speakers come to visit us here at C.H. If a speaker is scheduled, a note will be posted explaining who, when, and where.

Birthdays: All children are welcome to share their birthday with their class. Please note that DCFS requires that all birthday treats are store bought.
**Due to allergies, Children’s House is a peanut and rice free center!**
This is very important due to life threatening allergies. Please read all labels and check with the teacher for a birthday treat count.

Medicines: If your child takes medication, please sign it in with the morning teacher. Please leave the medication in the care of the morning teacher, as she will lock it up.

Movie Day: Every Wednesday is Movie Day! For the summer, we will enjoy movies in the youth lounge on the 3rd floor or at the Illinois State Museum. All movies will be “G” rated and the teachers will choose the movie of the week.

Toys from home: Children may bring a toy to play with during free choice time. If you have a toy that is very important to you, you may want to leave it at home where it is safe. Please label everything; this will save on confusion and less headaches. If there are problems with toys, the children may be asked to leave them at home.

Reading for pieces: We will have a reading challenge again this year. For every 50 pages a child in the older class reads, that child receives a caterpillar piece to add to the length of their own caterpillar. For every book a child in the younger class reads, they will receive a piece for their caterpillar. The piece will include the child’s name. For every piece they have earned, they will receive points. At the end of each month, they can use their points to shop in the Bug Shop. The Bug Shop will have small items from which to choose. Good luck!

Themes: Every week we will have a theme. The themes are:

June 2 - 6 Friendship Week
June 9 – 13 VBS Week
June 16 – 20 Science Week
June 23 – 27 Animal Week
June 30 – July 3 Seasons Week
July 7 – 11 World Traveler Week
July 14 – 18 Water Week
July 21 – July 25 Theatrical Weeks
July 28 – Aug. 1 Carnival Week
Aug. 4 – 8 Sports Week
Aug. 11 - 15 Music Week
Aug. 18 – 22 Wrap Up Week

Discipline Policy Statement

No physical punishment is used at our center although some form of managing a child’s behavior is necessary. This is done primarily through keeping the children engaged in a wide variety of stimulating activities, providing plenty of love and physical interaction, praising good behavior, accepting the child’s feelings and substituting one activity for another.

Implementation of Discipline

1. The teacher must provide well planned, interesting learning experiences, to help decrease the frequency of disruptive behaviors.
2. Positive reinforcement of good behavior is encouraged.
3. Discipline should be related to the child’s act, and should be immediate.
4. Shouting does not occur, physically going to the child and talking to him/her is essential.
5. When limits are necessary they should be clearly defined and consistently maintained.
6. Removal from the group to help a child gain control may occur.
7. No child is subject to corporal punishment or to verbal abuse for any reason.
8. In cases of extreme disciplinary problems, Children’s House reserves the right to dismiss a child.

Behavioral Management: We use a re-direction approach in our behavior plan. We will use a colored traffic light sign with clothes pins that will have each of the children’s names on them to help keep a record of each child’s behavioral pattern. There will also be a chart to place stickers rewarding good behavior. When their chart is full, they will get a prize. Each child will have three different behavior levels.
Green= Go, good day. At the end of the day a sticker will be placed on their chart.
Yellow= Verbal warning, slow down and talk about better choices. There will be no sticker placed on their chart.
Red= Stop, behavior has not changed and wrong choices are being made. Stickers will be removed from their chart. Parents will be informed at this level of their child’s behavior choice.

Written Rules for Children

1. At Children’s House, we care and respect ourselves, each other, and the environment around us.
2. We walk inside the building.
3. We sit on our bottoms on our chairs with our feet on the floor.
4. We use quiet voices inside.
5. We keep our hands and feet to ourselves and talk nicely to others.
6. We ask for a toy we want instead of taking it away from others.
7. We wash our hands when we enter the day care, when we blow our noses, when we go to the bathroom, and before and after we eat.
8. We use the buddy system while on walks.
9. No gun play, war toys, or violent videos are allowed at Children’s House.

Field Trips!!!

Money for Field Trips: All money should be paid by the first day of the Summer Program.

Field Trips: When traveling out of the center, each teacher will be responsible for their group. Children are expected to stay with their group at all times. We will still be implementing the behavior program while we are away from the center. Safety is the key and we expect children to listen and follow directions at all times.

Water Bottles: Please send a water bottle labeled with your child’s name on field trip days. Water bottles may stay at the center or taken home each night.

Field trip Rules:
1. Stay with your assigned adult, group, and/or buddy.
2. Respect yourself.
3. Respect others.
4. Respect property.
5. Follow the rules of the location we are visiting.
6. Be on your best behavior.
7. HAVE FUN!

Bus Safety: Before our first field trip, we will be discussing bus safety. We will be going on a lot of field trips and we need to know the proper way to board the bus and control our behavior while on the bus.

Bus Rules:
1. Please stay in your seat while the bus is moving.
2. Please keep hands and feet out of the aisle.
3. No gum, food, or drinks on the bus except for water bottles.
4. No toys (unless given permission).
5. Please use inside voices and be respectful to the driver.
6. Please do not climb over or under the seats.
7. When getting off the bus, follow your teachers.
8. THE BUS MUST BE COMPLETELY QUIET WHILE CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS.

Where We’re Going…

Swimming
Most Fridays at YMCA or Veterans Pool
(Please check calendar for dates)

1. While walking to the YMCA, one teacher will lead the line and the other will become the caboose. Two teachers will stand in the middle of the road to block traffic while the children cross the street.
2. The YMCA provides lifeguards.
3. The pool starts at 3 feet and reaches up to 9 feet. If the children would like to cross the rope, over into the deep end, they must pass the swim test. The lifeguards conduct the test before we enter the pool. The children must swim from the 3 foot wall to the 9 foot wall and back without pausing in order to pass the test.
4. The pool area is broken down into zones:
A. One teacher will sit out and monitor the dry area
B. One teacher will swim and monitor the deep end
C. One teacher will swim and monitor the shallow end
D. One teacher will swim and monitor the kiddie pool
5. Children must check in with the “dry” teacher when using the restroom.
6. Children must wear shoes when not in the pool.
7. Children will need to bring with them a beach towel and swimsuit or trunks (Goggles are optional). Please label everything!
8. If parents are picking their child up at the YMCA, please let us know so your child can bring his/her stuff with them.
9. NO DIVING OR JUMPING INTO THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL!

Parks
Every Wednesday but the Wednesday of water week at different locations

1. We will eat lunch at the park (lunch is provided by the center). *Please let us know of any allergies.
2. Children may not bring play equipment from home at the park. Children’s House will provide play equipment and the teachers will have planned activities while at the park.
3. Teachers will separate into locations, so that every child can be seen.
4. Children must stay at the picnic site until enough children have finished eating for the teacher to accompany them back to the playground.
5. We highly suggest no sandals on this day! The children play hard at the park and it makes it hard for them to run with their friends.
6. Again, the child must ask permission to use the restroom and will be escorted by a teacher.

Veterans Pool

1. We will be taking a bus to the Veterans Pool.
2. The Veterans Pool provides lifeguards.
3. The pool starts at
4. The pool area is broken down into zones:
A. One teacher will sit out and monitor the dry area
B. One teacher will sit out and monitor the deep end
C. One teacher will sit out and monitor the shallow end
D. One teacher will sit out and monitor the kiddie pool
5. Children must check in with the “dry” teacher when using the restroom.
6. Children must wear shoes when not in the pool.
7. Children will need to bring with them a beach towel and swimsuit or trunks and sunscreen. Please label everything!
8. If parents are picking their child up at the pool, please let us know so your child can bring his/her stuff with them.
9. NO DIVING OR JUMPING INTO THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL!

Bowling
Strike & Spare East

1. Bring socks that day.
2. Please do not bring your own bowling ball.
3. Each teacher will be assigned a group to monitor.
4. Children must stay in the alley area.
5. No playing in the game/locker area.
6. Ask permission from a teacher to use the restroom.

Ice Skating
Nelson Center

1. Children must stay in the rink area; no playing in refreshment area.
2. No running or playing on bleachers or in game area.
3. Please ask to use the restroom.
4. One teacher will stay off the ice and be located on the main floor to help.
5. Please bring warm clothes, including socks and gloves.

Putt-Putt
Boulder Creek Fun Park

1. We will golf in groups.
2. Children must let a teacher know if they need to use the restroom. Please try to use the restroom before or after we golf to avoid leaving the course.

Knight’s Action Park

Everyone will be going to Knight’s Action Park this year. The children will be eating lunch at the park which is included in their activity fee at the beginning of the summer. The teachers and volunteers will be given a group to watch. It is sure to be a great day of fun in the sun!

Henson Robinson Zoo

We are going to take a journey to the zoo. We will search for various animals, some of which we see driving down the street, others that we can only see during a safari in the jungle. We can’t wait!

Illinois State Museum

We are going to the museum three times for their summer movie program. The first time we go, we will also check out all of the new exhibits.

Roller Skating
Every Tuesday at Skateland South

1. You may bring your own skates. Skate rental is included in the price whether you have your own skates or not.
2. At least one teacher will sit out of the activity and monitor the main floor.
3. Please wear shoes or skates at all times.
4. When a student goes to the restroom, he/she must tell the teacher on the main floor, and only one student at a time in the restroom.
5. NO PLAYING IN THE RESTROOM!
6. No playing in the game area or locker area.
7. Everyone must wear socks.

A COUPLE OF EXTRA TIPS TO HELP MAKE
THE SUMMER GOES A LITTLE SMOOTHER!

• Please invest in a book bag for your child. It will help keep things organized and keep order in the classroom.
• Please go over the rules with your child prior to summer. We will be reviewing them, but it will help for them to have a prior knowledge of what to expect.
• Bring extra clothes in the backpack if your child is prone to accidents.
• No food may be brought into the center from home unless approved by a doctor due to food allergies. Those foods should be clearly labeled with name and date. The appropriate form needs to be signed by a doctor and dated.
• We will serve breakfast between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. depending on field trips.
• Since we have some children with life threatening food allergies, we are a peanut and rice free center. Please do not bring any snacks that have nuts or nut products or rice or rice products in them or made on a belt with peanut or rice products to the center.
• Lunch is at 11:30. If you are arriving late to the center be aware that lunch can only be held until 11:45.
• When picking up your child, there will be a bulletin board by the office telling you where your child’s class is located.
• We would appreciate donations for the Bug Shop. Items would be little gifts and gadgets (ex: stickers, unopened Happy Meal toys, etc.).
• We will be spending a lot of time outdoors, so please send a water bottle and sunscreen, labeled, with your child’s name.
• Sunscreen should be applied before your child arrives especially field trip days.
• During outdoor excursions sunscreen will be reapplied every 2 hours. If your child is very sensitive to the sun please consider providing a hat and possibly a t-shirt for them to wear over their swim suit/trunks.
• Some activities start at 8:45/9:00 A.M. (check your calendar), please have your child here in time for the bus.
• If your child will be absent please call by 8:30.
• No Heelies (Tennis shoes with wheels built into the soles).
• Label everything brought into the center.

Open Door Policy: Children’s House has an open door policy for our families. We welcome any and all parents and grandparents to join us in our daily activities. The more the merrier.