Parent Handbook & Admission Policies

 

Children's Cottage serves children from 6 weeks old through Kindergarten.

We are open year-round Monday through Friday from 7 AM until 6 PM.

We accept applications throughout the year for immediate or future enrollment.

Infants & Toddlers:  6 weeks to 24 months old

We have one care giver for every 3-4 babies for very personal care.  At this young age we do not know if your baby may have any food allergies so parents provide all the food and formula for their infant.  Mothers are encouraged to breast feed if they want to and are able to during the day.  We provide baby wipes and parents provide baby's diapers.  We have found that the more days baby is at the center each week the faster they will bond with the care givers and get accustomed to their surroundings.  Part-time schedules for infants are discouraged, since the routine is not consistent and bonding is hampered.  The "Honeybees" are the youngest infants and they have their very own special room within sight of their own crib.  They eat and sleep as they need to, on their own schedule.  Care givers note when and how much they eat on a daily basis.  As babies begin to walk, they transition into the "Caterpillar" room which is right next door.  There is a daily routine in this room, with toddlers having a nap time on their own mats after lunch.  Our center has 20 spots total for these 2 rooms. 

Infant Monthly Tuition:  6 weeks - 24 months 

5 Days (Mon-Fri)                  4 Day Schedule                  3 Day Schedule                 2 Day Schedule

      $1275                                     $1080                                      $840                                  $625

 

  Infants by the week:  6 weeks - 24 months

 5 Days (Mon-Fri)                  4 Day Schedule                  3 Day Schedule                2 Day Schedule

        $295                                        $250                                         $195                                  $145

 

 

 

Preschool Monthly Tuition:  2 years to 6 years old 

A "Regular Day" is 4.5 hours or more          A "Half Day" is any 4 hours or less 

                                       5 Days                  4 Days                  3 Days                  2 Days

Regular Days               $779                     $735                    $593                     $430

Half Days                      $584                     $549                    $470                     $340

 

Preschool by the week:  2 years to 6 years old 

A "Regular Day" is 4.5 hours or more          A "Half Day" is any 4 hours or less 

                                       5 Days                  4 Days                  3 Days                  2 Days

Regular Days               $180                     $170                    $137                     $99

Half Days                      $135                     $127                    $109                     $79

 

Drop-in care is $60 for a regular day and $50 for a half day for preschool if space is available.

Annual Registration is $100.  New families can get 50% off registration with our internet special.

If your young preschooler is not yet potty trained, we will do it as part of our program!                          

Parents provide diapers and we provide the baby wipes. 

Tuition is paid in advance and may be paid weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, or by arrangement. 

We accept checks, cash, Visa, MC, Amx, Debit Cards, and ACH Debits with a voided check. 

Enrollment may be terminated by parent if parent gives the center a written 2 week notice. 

Center may terminate enrollment with a 2 week notice for non-payment or if center determines program is not meeting the child's needs.

Families will receive a 10% discount for each additional older child enrolled with us. 

After 6 months, families may take a week vacation and not pay when their child does not attend. 

Limit 1 week vacation per calendar year. 

Parents pay the same tuition if their child is sick or does not attend since we hold their spot for them.    Tuiton remains the same for the few times that we close throughout the year for holidays. After 6 months enrollment families may take a vacation week when their child will not be attending.  Many families take this week during December since we close for Christmas week.  Limit 1 week per year.

Holiday Closings 

New Year's Day

Martin Luther King Day

President's Day

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Thanksgiving & Day After

Week of Christmas

 

Our sick policy

• Keep child home if they are vomiting more than one time until symptom free for 24 hours
• Keep them home if they have a fever of 100 degrees or more until fever-free for at least 24 hours
• Keep them home if they have diarrhea more than two times until symptom free for 24 hours
• If they have a body rash until the rash goes away or a doctor's note says it is not contagious
• Keep them home if they have lice or nits until there are none left in their hair on our inspection
• Keep them home if they have conjunctivitis (pink eye) until they start eye drop medication

As children are dropped off each day at our center, please let us know if they are not feeling up to par, haven't slept well, or anything that concerns their well-being.  We visually check each child to see if they appear to be their normal healthy self.  We may take their temperature if they don't look well.  The child is accepted and signed in when they appear to be in good health.  If your child becomes ill or injured at our center we will call you.  If they have one of the items listed above, we will expect you or someone you designate to come and pick your child up.

We want your child to have a wonderful early care & educational experience.  Try to have some "back-up" lined up in the event that your child is ill and cannot attend school.  If your child is sick we do not want you to bring them to our center because they might get other children sick.

 

Our School is Safe & Secure

• No strangers are allowed on our property at any time
• Every child in care is supervised at all times, including visual supervision
• New parents who want to tour the school may do so by appointment only
• New parents touring will be accompanied by a staff member at all times
• Positive ID must be presented for child pick-up until we personally know you
• All staff have cell phones and many will give parents their cell numbers
• We do fire drills / evacuations every month
• We have an emergency disaster plan on file with the state and posted on site
• All staff have FBI background checks and fingerprint clearances before hire
• Staff have CPR and First Aide training that is continually re-certified 
• As an added safety precaution, we lock our classroom doors
• We lock the parking lot gate as we deem appropriate for safety
• We review, update, and change our security as needed to remain safe

 

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

• Practical Life
• Social/Emotional Development
• Language Lessons
• Mathematics
• Sensorial
• Science Experiments
• Art & Music
• Cooking
• Craft Projects

  

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES in our Infant Center (6 weeks to 24 months) include:

• Sensory Activities
• Story Telling & Finger Plays
• Music & Movement
• Fine & Large Motor Skills
• Art & Finger Painting
• Spanishwith Babies
• Sign Language

 

Children's Cottage is a member of the Professional Association For Childhood Education.

Children's Cottage is also a long standing member of the Napa Chamber of Commerce.

 

We do not transport children or go on field trips with the exception of walking with the older preschoolers once in a while to the playground of the Alta Heights Elementary School which is located almost across the street from us.  We also are able to pick up kindergarteners enrolled at Alta Heights Elementary School.

Since we do not know if infants are possibly allergic to certain foods, parents provide all the food and drink for children who are less than 2 years old.  After 2 years of age, our preschool provides 2 healthy snacks in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon.  Parents provide a simple lunch for their preschooler.

A State enrollment form known as the Physician's Report (Lic 701) is one of the required forms to enroll your child in a licensed child care center.  We need that form signed by a physician within 30 days of enrollment.  It covers such things as your child's hearing, vision, development, language/speech, dental, allergies, asthma, etc.

When we review the Physician's Report and interview the parent with the child one or more times we begin to understand the state of the child's health and physical & emotional development.  If we determine that our program is a good match to meet the child's needs and there is space available, then we enroll the child.  As the child progresses through our program, we continue to assess that we are meeting their needs.

 

Discipline at our center is based upon a state form called Personal Rights.  You get a copy of this form when you enroll your child and it is also posted right outside of our office.  One of the things stated in this form is that any child enrolled in a child care center should be "free from corporal or unusual punishment."  We agree that no child should ever be punished by hitting or spanking.  In our Preschool we redirect the children to more positive, constructive activities and practice "using our words" to resolve conflicts.  We also like to "catch the children being good" and validate them ("I like the way that Johnny is lining up").

From time to time Children's Cottage may use images of the children for school brochures, E-Newsletters, or on the Children's Cottage website or Facebook page.  If a parent or legal guardian does not agree with this please let our Director know and we will not use your child's image in these ways. 

If a Children's Cottage employee performs work or services beyond their employment hours for a parent, guardian, client, or non-client of Children's Cottage, it is understood and agreed that the employee does not represent Children's Cottage in doing this work or performing these services and that Children's Cottage is in no way responsible or liable for this work, service, or the actions or behavior of the employee.  This may include, but is not limited to music lessons, babysitting, house sitting, transporting minors or others by car, bus, or public transit.