Policies

Casita de Montessori owner and operator, Ana Rivas, reserves the right to revise policies and fees as deemed necessary. Parents will be given two weeks notice of any such changes. Contracts will be renewed and signed by both the provider and parents at the beginning of each calendar year.

Enrollment, Withdrawal

The following forms must be completed before your child enters care at Casita de Montessori:

  • signed contract and policies
  • health forms and immunization records
  • authorization to leave care
  • medical treatment authorization
  • emergency information

A two week deposit must be made prior to the first day of attendance which is applicable to the last two weeks of care when given the appropriate notice.

A two week notice must be provided in writing in order for the deposit to be applied to the last two weeks of care.

All children enter care for a three week trial period. After the trial period, two weeks’ notice must be given by the parent or provider, if either party wishes to terminate care.

An enrollment fee of $25 is due along with the deposit.

Hours and Fees

Operating hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Early drop-offs and late pick-ups may be arranged with Casita de Montessori owner and operator, Ana Rivas, for an additional fee. Extra hours must be stated in your contract before the care is given.

Please make sure your child arrives by 8:30 a.m. every day in order to take advantage of the full program and avoid interrupting other children’s activities.

Please pick up your child by 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise specified in your contract. The fee for late pick-up is $10 for every ten minutes a child is in our care after hours.

Payment is due on Friday for the coming week. If payment has not been received, we cannot accept your child.

Child care fees are subject to change, with one month’s notice given to parents.

A $20 fee is due for non-sufficient funds on checks.

Vacations, Holidays and Other Absences

I take 5 days of paid vacation annually, and we observe the major paid holidays. A calendar of holidays and vacation dates for the coming year will be provided for all parents by December. 15 of the prior year.

If you take a holiday or vacation, you must still pay for care since I will be reserving your child’s space. Please give notice for planned and unplanned absences.

Illnesses are unpredictable. Shall a medical situation arise with me, I will notify you as soon as possible if and when Casita de Montessori will close for the day. As there will always be other staff assisting, Casita de Montessori can continue to operate as long as I, the Licensee, Ana Rivas, am present in the facility.

Snacks and Meals / Nutrition

Casita de Montessori provides a morning and an afternoon snack. Nutritious, organic (as much as possible) breakfast meals are available for an additional fee of $3/meal and are served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Nutritious, organic (as much as possible) lunch meals are available for an additional fee of $5/meal. All meals are prepaid on the Friday prior to the week of attendance. A calendar of the next week’s menu is provided every Friday.

Parents are expected to pack a nutritiously balanced meal for their child if one is not purchased with Casita de Montessori.

No artificially sweetened drinks are allowed in the environment. No overly salty and overly sweet foods are allowed in the environment (examples: chips, cookies, fruit gummies, fruit wraps/leather ). Please limit artificial flavors. Casita de Montessori believes in the importance of creating healthy eating habits early in life.

All Infant Program food must be labeled with your child’s name and the date. All food containers must be picked up at the end of the day.

Clothing and Supplies

Please label all clothing and belongings (including food containers, undergarments, and hats). Please limit accessories. Dress your children in comfortable clothing that support their growing independence by avoiding snaps, buttons, buckles, and stiff fabrics.

Please provide a full change of clothing that may be kept at Casita de Montessori while your child is enrolled. If your child is new to toileting, see me.

Parents are responsible for providing diapers and wipes for their children. The fee for diapers and wipes used out of my supply is $1/diaper used and $1/day of wipes used.

Health and Safety

Children will be excluded from care if they have any of the following conditions:

  • Fever over 99*F taken axillary
  • Two or more cases of diarrhea in a day
  • Vomiting
  • Mouth sores
  • Unexplained rash
  • Redness of the eyes
  • Discharge of the eyes
  • Head lice
  • Thick yellow or green discharge from the nose
  • Persistent cough
  • Unusual fatigue

Please prepare a backup plan for care when your child is sick.

If you are notified that your child is ill, please pick him/her up as soon as possible within 45 minutes of notice.

Your child may return to school after one day being symptom free.

A signed authorization and doctor’s prescription is required for administering ALL medication. Over-the-counter medication requires a signed consent form filled out and signed by the parent/guardian.

If a child should get seriously injured during my care and require medical treatment, I will notify the parent as soon as possible. In life-threatening situations, I will first call 911 and then notify the parent/guardian as soon as possible. If the parent cannot be reached, I will provide the signed Medical Authorization form to medical personnel.

Infants up to 12 months of age are placed on their backs for sleep.

Authorized Release

Your child will only be released to individuals whose names are stated in the Authorized Release form. Identification checks may be required. Children will not be released to minors.

Emergency Plan

In the event of an emergency Casita de Montessori staff and children will relocate at a location disclosed to you at the time of enrollment. A secondary location is also provided in the case that the first location is compromised.

Special Needs

Every reasonable effort will be made to provide care for children with special needs. 

Confidentiality

Personal information about children in my care and their families is strictly confidential.

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any cases of suspected child abuse.