Policies

OPEN DOOR POLICY

FOR KIDS ONLY ACADEMY has an "Open Door Policy", which means you are welcome to visit your child at any time of the day, share an event or something the child has done recently, give support to parents when needed, and create an environment with a positive messages about the family, where the families can receive when they enter the building and classroom is that this is also a place for them.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

In FOR KIDS ONLY ACADEMY, we view discipline not as a means of punishing a child who has acted inappropriately, but rather as means of teaching a child. Positive discipline teaches children where the limits are set, how to maintain control ever their bodies and how to problem solve in the event of conflict.

Discipline is most effective when it follows logical consequences. The consequences for behavior have to make sense to the child. If a child is throwing sand outdoors, it is logical to tell the child that the sand stays in the sandbox and that if gets thrown again the child will have to find somewhere else to play. But let's no leave it at that. Get the child involved in a discussion about what would happen if all the sand was thrown out of the box. A little bite of nonsense and humor doesn't hurt either. If this child was simply told to leave the sandbox after having thrown sand, would he/she have learned by the experience?

In life there are also many natural consequences. Unfortunately, these are hard to teach because a child will often get hurt waiting to find these out. Telling a child to stay away from a hot oven because they might get burned, or to walk on the sidewalk because thy might fall and get hurt if thy run are examples of natural consequences. Children need to be warned of these, but an adult needs to take precautions to make sure that they do not happen.

Since the purpose of discipline to teach, more verbal children should be encouraged to talk to their peers when conflict arises . A child who was stuck by a peer should be encouraged to teel that peer that they do not like to be a hit and that it hurts.) This helps children to empathize with one another's feelings and really see the results of their actions. We do not ask a child to apologize for their actions. Generally, they are not sorry for what they did. If they are truly sorry, they will apologize on their own.

HANDLING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS POLICY

In FOR KIDS ONLY ACADEMY agree discipline should be an essential element of education at home as well as school. Self-discipline and character develop as a result of love, guidance and mutual respect. At times it becomes necessary to discipline each child in order to discourage behavior, which is deemed destructive or unacceptable. We adhere to the regulations outline in the State of Florida Children Family Child Day Care Standards Booklet, which states:

Discipline is not to be severed, humiliating o frightening.
Discipline shall not be associated with food or toileting.
Spanking or any form of physical punishment is prohibited.

Good behavior is rewarded by immediate commendation or granting of special privileges. Unacceptable behaviors are only handled by “REDIRECTING” the child to an alternate or new activity.

Whenever we encounter persistently poor behavior, a parent-teacher conference is schedule in order to unite insights and provide the best possible resolution. For the safety and welfare of all children, our center reserves the right to suspend and/or remove the child from the facility.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

In OUR CENTER we do not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, sex or handicap.

It is our goal to provide children with a sense of trust in the world away from home, joyful memories of special friendships, and incite perpetual interest for acquiring knowledge. Our staff members are experienced early childhood educators and caregivers dedicated to the academic, emotional and physical well being of every child.

UNUSUAL INCIDENTS POLICY

In case of some unusual incidents our policy is as follows:

Severe thunderstorm:

Staff remains in the classroom with children. Weather alert radio utilized.
Hurricane - Know in advance - prepare classes.
Tornado Watch (Tornado in area):

Staffs remain in classroom/hallways with children.

Weather alert radio utilized.
Custodial Disputes:

All court order disputed must be presented in writing and must remain in child file for duration of order. Staff member will be notified by director of changes of custodianship of children in class.
Building evacuations:

Utilize fire drill procedures.
Dangerous situations:

Report to Director immediately.

Number Four's (4) is used to document all other unusual children incidents.

STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida)

Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence , acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship.

Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.

Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student's potential.

Employees will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.

Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:

a) Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety.

b) Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit

of learning.

c) Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.

d) Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student's academic program.

e) Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.

f) Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights.

g) Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race,

color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background

and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from

harassment or discrimination.

h) Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.

i) Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.

Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, of students, of parents, and of the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:

a) Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.

b) Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.

c) Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.

d) Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual's performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.

e) Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

Training Requirement

All instructional personnel and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.

Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators

All employees and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language , drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to Mrs. Maria Del Valle Flores. Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to Mrs. Maria Del Valle Flores.

Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in our parent information board and on our Web site at www.forkidsonlyacademy.com

Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect

All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment. or neglect. Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.def.state.fl.us/abuse/ report/.

Signs of Physical Abuse The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries; broken bones; or burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries. Signs of Sexual Abuse The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear. trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area,or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed , gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home. Signs of Neglect The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention. Patterns of Abuse Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors . While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.

Liability Protections

Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by law, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203) An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)

These procedures ensure that we can provide the best and most positive learning environment for all our children. By teaching the children discipline, self-control and respect at an early age we contribute to the development of positive social skills.