Administrative Information
School Calendar
The official school year runs September through mid-May. We follow the same schedule as St. Johns Public Schools(SJPS) for vacations and breaks. If there is a district wide closure for professional development or conferences, Rainbow Place will also close. If an individual school within SJPS closes, but the rest of the district remains open, we will remain open. If there is a schedule change, we will post it 1-month prior to that date or as soon as we are notified.
NOTE: We reserve the right to close school for any reason in the event of an emergency or crisis.
Inclement Weather
When the public school determines a SNOW DAY we will cancel as well.
If the public school has a delay due to FOG or SNOW, Rainbow Place will CANCEL MORNING session. We do not make up school days.
Tune into channel 6 for notifications. You will also receive a text/email and it will be posted on our Facebook Page.
Please use caution and drive when you feel it is safe to do so.
We will cancel school any day that a tornado warning is in effect during school hours. Please see that your child is picked up as soon as possible. The children will be taken to the designated area posted in the crisis management outline.
Credit is NOT granted for tornado, fog, snow or delays/cancellations.
Miscellaneous Information
Dress your child in comfortable clothing they can manage independently. We will be going outside daily as long as air temperatures are above 32 degrees and the weather is appropriate for safe play.
Children should be delivered to and from the Rainbow Place Preschool entrance. Parents are responsible for their children until they have signed them in on the sign-in sheet and they are in the care of a staff member.
We ask the children arrive no sooner than 5 minutes prior to their start time and depart no later than their class end time. If we do not receive advanced notice to the daily, a $1 per minute late fee will be aded to your tuition total after 11:30am and 3:30pm.
Clinton Bus Transit
If you choose to transport your child through the Clinton Transit (Blue Bus) System, you will need to contact them regarding enrollment at 989.224.8127. Once your child is scheduled, please inform us IN WRITING of the exact days your child will utilize their transportation.
Your child is our responsibility once they step off the bus upon arrival and until they are properly seat belted prior to departure.
We utilize our attendance sheet upon arrival to verify their presence. IF a child does not arrive we will then compare our list to that of Clinton Transit to see if there was a cancellation. If your child is absent, please contact Clinton Transit and Rainbow Place to confirm the reason why and to avoid being charged for a scheduled trip. It is then the responsibility of Clinton Transit to do a bus check verifying that the child is not on the bus. At this time, we will process with a telephone call to you questioning your child’s absence. Rainbow place is not responsible for items left on the bus such as coats, mittens, backpacks, etc. Thank you for your cooperation.
Field Trips
We also enjoy taking field trips throughout the year. We rely on parents to provide transportation on field trip days. (If this is not possible for you, grandparents, aunts, uncles or someone special is welcome to transport and accompany your child.)
You will receive one months’ notice prior to off-site field trips. There may be an additional charge for field trips.
Student Health and Wellbeing
Illness
Please report any communicable diseases (Measles, Chicken Pox (Varicella), Strep throat). We will inform you via email with information regarding the incubation period, signs, symptoms, and suggested remedies of the reported communicable disease.
We fully understand how difficult it can be to find alternative arrangements for a sick child. However, it is in the best interest of all children involved to keep your child home until there are well enough to participate in our daily activities. This includes being fever/vomit free for 24 hours.
Ill children are not allowed to stay in the preschool class due to the risk of contamination. If a child is ill, a teacher must call the parents to pick the child up. All staff members should watch for fever, diarrhea, pink eye, ringworm, rashes, heavy nasal discharge, lice, etc. A list of illnesses and when a child may return to the program is found in the student handbook.
This list is not all inclusive. If there is an illness or malady that a child experiences that is not on this list and that could be detrimental to the safety and well-being of the other children and/or the child's presence in the classroom, the parent/guardian will be notified to pick up the child.
Prescription Medication
Prescription medication can only be administered with prior parent consent. The medication must be in the original container with all labels clearly legible.
Hand Washing
Proper technique for washing hands is an essential step in prevent the spread of illness. At Rainbow Place, we teach all students the proper method to wash hands as recommended by the CDC and hold both students and staff accountable to follow proper hand washing procedures. Students will wash their hands prior to snack, if they cough/sneeze directly on hands, and after they handle/touch a pet. We will also teach students to sneeze/cough into the crook of their arm as an additional step to stop the spread of germs.
Cleaning/Sanitizing of Equipment, Toys, and Surfaces
Staff are trained in proper sanitizing methods. We use Clorox Bleach Cleaner for surfaces and let the area air dry. Dress up clothes, pillow and stuffed animals are laundered weekly in hot water. Commercial sanitizers used will list that they are safe for food and contact surfaces. All door handles are sanitized daily. Equipment is sanitized daily and or weekly.
Food Services and Nutrition
Rainbow Place is a “Nut Free” education center. It is our goal to provide the children in our care healthy snack choices once a day. Our approved snack list is listed in the open house information packet. A child will not be deprived of their snack while in attendance. Daily snacks are posted on the magnetic board in the snack room. Children with special dietary needs are welcomed to bring snacks weekly or daily.
Health Care Related Resources
In addition to our health care resources located on our parent information wall, parents can access health related information through the following websites. You can also contact local medical professional, health departments, and the American Red Cross.
Injury
Serious accidents or injuries
In the event of a serious injury, the child will be attended to and an ambulance will be called. The parents will also be contacted.
A staff member will remain with the child until a parent arrives.
A full report will also be given to childcare licensing.
Minor injuries (i.e. bumps, bruises or minor cuts)
Staff should report to the parent any accidents that may have happened to the child while in care. An accident report will be filled out by the staff member who witnessed the accident and it will be signed by the lead teacher.
Any major bumps or bruises that a child receives at the center will be treated with ice.
Any scrapes or minor cuts will be washed with soap and water and covered with a bandage.
Our Boo-Boo Report will be sent home for these small occurrences.
Handling Bodily Fluids
Rainbow Place Staff are educated regarding sanitary precautions including exposure to children’s bodily fluids. All staff are required to complete Blood Borne Pathogen Training and implement those practices. Latex gloves are required when in contact with bodily fluids such as urine, feces, blood, and secretions. Proper removal and disposal of contaminated gloves, clothing, etc. are practiced.
Illness Related Refunds
If your child is ill for two or more consecutive weeks, credit will be given for a maximum of 2 weeks.
Student Behavior
Discipline Statement
Behavior that is dangerous to your child or others around them, and/or destructive to equipment or property is NOT permitted. All disciplinary action will be presented in a positive manner to encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation of all children in our care.
We Will
Encourage use of words over physical expression.
Allow each child to express their feelings verbally.
Find a solution to the matter at hand.
Encourage kindness, sharing, and polite responses.
We Will Not
Hit, spank, shake, bite, pinch, or inflict other forms of corporal punishment.
Restrict a child’s movement by binding or tying them.
Inflict mental or emotional punishment such as shaming, humiliation, or threatening a child.
Exclude child from snack, outdoor/gross motor activities, or any daily learning experiences.
Confine child to an enclosed area.
Withdrawal Policy
Initial Intervention
If in the event we determine a child’s behavior is interfering with the normal operation of the preschool program; harming others and/or themselves; we will request a conference with the parent(s). At that time, we will determine alternative methods to help alleviate unsafe choices such as redirecting negative behavior and encourage communication with words over physical expression. We will communicate with you to ensure our methods are consistent between home and school. In our last attempt to avoid dismissal, parents will be given the option to attend class or provide individual care for their child each day.
Withdrawal of Student
If we have exhausted all options, we will then determine that withdrawal is necessary. There is no reimbursement of tuition for the remaining days in the current month.
Parents and Volunteers
Parent Involvement
Our goal at Rainbow Place is to work closely with parents and families to obtain active involvement in each child’s development.
Our commitment to you includes:
An open house prior to the first school day to introduce Rainbow Place to your child.
Monthly Newsletters distributed with important dates and activity information.
A parent information board with up to date research advice and information on Early Childhood Development & Education.
Assessments during the months of January and May that give you an insight to your child’s growth at preschool.
Events and observations will be written in a positive manner that respect who your child is as an individual.
If we feel there may be an area of concern throughout the year, we will contact you. You are always welcome to email, call or schedule a parent teacher conference.
We provide an open-door policy for you to visit, reserve days for birthday treats, traditions, talents, or assist in daily activities. We appreciate having you in class.
Volunteers
Parents and volunteers shall not have unsupervised contact with children within the Rainbow Place preschool program. Volunteers will be directly supervised by Rainbow Place staff that has been deemed eligible by CCBC (Comprehensive Childcare Background Check).
Legal Information
Licensing
Our center maintains a licensing notebook of all Licensing Inspection Reports, Special Investigation Reports and all relative Corrective Action Plans. The notebook will be available to parents to view during regular business hours and can be found in the bin located next to the Parent Information Board. Child Care Center Rules and Regulations, Licensing Inspections, and Special Investigation Reports from the Past 2 Years are available on the Bureau of Children & Adult Licensing websites are www.michigian.gov/michildcare.
Failure to Pay
In the event of 2 weeks of no payment, without prior arrangements agreed upon with Rainbow Place, your child will be dismissed.
Abuse and Neglect Policy
All information concerning children and their families will be kept confidential. All conversations concerning children and their families will only be discussed in private between Rainbow Place staff members.
All staff members are mandatory reporters and are required report any suspected abuse or neglect immediately to the proper authorities DHS.
