Early Learning Family Handbook

Classes start and end at their scheduled times.

• ECFE families should plan to arrive with enough time to enter the building, have your child use the restroom, and wash their hands before class.
• All other Early Learning programs will generally drop off and pick up outside the building. Please arrive five minutes before the end of class to ensure a timely pick up.
  ○ Timely pickups are important for children to feel secure and for staff to meet other responsibilities. Updated September 1, 2021 7
  ○ If families have ongoing difficulty picking up their child on time, a meeting will be scheduled to make a plan for timely pickups.

To help students be safe on the bus:

• Children must wear bus tags with their name and correct drop-off information every day for the entire year. It is recommended that children wear a bus tag and have a copy of the tag attached to their backpack. These tags will be provided to families before the first day of school.
• Preschool children are required to sit in the front seats of the bus.
• A designated adult must be with a child at pick-up and meet the child at the bus stop for drop-off.
  • If there is no one at the bus stop, the driver will keep the student aboard and complete the rest of the bus route. Then the driver will make a second attempt to drop-off at the child’s assigned bus stop. If the bus driver is unable to drop off the student to an adult at the bus stop on the second attempt, the student will be taken back to their school or to the New Hope Learning Center. Staff will continue to try to reach parents/guardians and emergency contacts.
  • If families have ongoing difficulty bringing their child to and from the bus stop, a meeting will be scheduled to make a plan for timely hand-offs.
• ECSE students may have different bus expectations. Please connect with your student’s special education case manager for more details.

Robbinsdale Area Schools use controlled entrances to support safety within school buildings. Please join us in our efforts to ensure the safety of every child in our building by:

• Following parking lot traffic flow signs.
• Holding your child’s hand in the parking lot.
• Never leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
• Keeping hot beverages out of the reach of children and not bringing them into a children’s classroom.
• Refraining from using mobile devices/cell phones while in the building.
• Leaving personal food outside of the building; our buildings are allergy-aware.

Minnesota state law requires that immunization records be on file in the school office before the first day of school. Children may not attend the program until the immunization record or documentation of a legal medical or conscientious exemption is received.

The district asks all families to provide a completed Student Health Form (English) (Spanish). Health information is collected to provide for student’s health and safety at school. This confidential data will be recorded in the student’s health record. It will be shared with school and emergency personnel on a need to know basis. You are not legally required to supply this information, but lack of data may impact planning for your student.

The school nurse is responsible for situations involving student medication. All medications (except EpiPens) will be kept in the nurse’s office. All medications, including EpiPens, must be registered with the school nurse. The nurse will ensure the EpiPen is secured in a locked box within the classroom that is not visible to students or visitors.

For more serious accidents or injuries requiring medical attention, First aid will be administered and parents/guardians will be contacted to pick up the child to be seen by a physician. If the parent/guardian is unable to be reached, emergency contacts will be called. If the accident/injury requires immediate attention, 911 will be called. Parents are called after 911.

By enrolling your child, you agreed to hold harmless and release the school district, its officers, employees, and volunteers, from any claims for damages or injury to your child, yourselves or property, which may arise from your child’s participation in program related activities. The release and hold harmless clause does not apply to intentional or negligent acts of the school district, its officers, employees, and volunteers that cause harm to your child. By enrolling your child, you agree that the school district will NOT be responsible to pay any deductible on any insurance your family may have, if a claim is made that arises out of your or your child’s participation.

Families are advised to notify the program within 24 hours when their child is diagnosed with having a communicable disease. Communicable diseases will be reported to parents the same day the information is received. A fact sheet will be provided to families by way of posting the fact sheet in a prominent place and emailing the fact sheet to parents/guardians. Additional information can be found in Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools Manual.

All staff are mandated reporters, which means if they suspect a child is in danger or has been abused or neglected in the preceding 3 years, they are required by law to file a report with authorities. Staff are also mandated to report women who are pregnant and are known to, or believed to be using a controlled substance. See Robbinsdale Area Schools Policy 414 Mandated Reporting.

If you are bringing your child into the building for class, please have your child use the restroom or change diapers before class starts. Changing tables and child-sized toilets are located in each restroom. Wrap soiled diapers in a plastic bag for disposal. Everyone must wash hands before entering the classroom.

For Adult & Child ECFE classes: When a child requires a diaper change or has an accident, a staff person will call the parent classroom and the parent/caregiver will assist the child. Everyone must wash hands before entering the classroom.

For All Other Classes: If a child needs to use the restroom during class, a trained staff person will accompany the child.

Children who are learning to use the toilet should be sent to school wearing a fresh disposable diaper or pull up. Cloth diapers are not permitted. If your child has frequent accidents during class, we ask that you send your child to school wearing a pull up as they continue to master this skill. Building confidence helps children feel more comfortable at school and often leads to success in independent toileting in a shorter time frame. Licensed parent educators are a great resource for families who are seeking information or support about independent toileting.

If a child soils their clothes or requires a diaper change during class, the school nurse or a trained staff person will assist the child. Please keep a change of clothing in your child’s backpack in case of accidents. The school also keeps a limited supply of extra clothes for children. Soiled clothing will be sent home in a plastic bag with a note attached. Children who are using diapers or pull-ups need to have extra diapers/pull-ups and wipes in their backpack every day.

If your child requires diaper changes or soils their clothing and you are uncomfortable with trained staff assisting your child, please contact the office to make a plan for how our program can best support your family’s needs.

Spending time outdoors each day helps children stay healthy and attend to learning. Teachers use the resources below when deciding when it’s safe to take children outside.

• Excessively Hot or Cold Weather: Weather Watch See appendix A.
• Air Quality Index (AQI): Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools.
• Check current AQI in real time at www.airnow.gov

Every year, each school conducts lock-down, fire, and tornado drills. Staff have emergency training and safety plans for emergencies. Evacuation routes and shelter areas are posted on building maps throughout the school.

We follow recommended best practices to support infant safe sleep. The safest place for an infant to sleep is on their back in a crib. Parent educators share information about our program’s practices around safe sleep for infants on or before the first day of class, and encourage families to adopt safe sleep practices at home and school.

Some caregivers and children can be anxious about or have had little practice being apart. Our experienced staff have many ways to support children and families when it is time to separate during class drop-off. Here are a few tips and approaches that help the separation experience be successful.

• Prior to the first day of separation, plan together as a family. Get everyone on the same page so everyone understands when, where, and how the separation process will occur. ECFE teachers can help families make a separation plan to support our younger learners.
• Some distress or crying is typical for some children. Your child’s teacher will support your child through the calming process.

Since 1975, community volunteers have been essential partners in our district's schools and programs by enhancing the learning experience of preschool through adult learners. Children are always with a licensed or qualified staff member and are not left alone with volunteers. Any volunteer whose child is not in the class must first apply to the VIP Program. Questions can be directed to the VIP Specialist at 763-504-6994.

Eating together as a group is an important way to build social skills. Meals and snack times offer many opportunities to learn.

• Staff members sit and talk with children or do so while serving or assisting children.
• Our sites are “Nut/Allergy Aware Zones.” We are not “Peanut Free” as we cannot guarantee that a visitor won’t enter the building with nuts or other allergens. However, we ask that families do not bring snacks with nuts. Teachers will work with parents, the school nurse, and administration to determine if any classroom modifications are needed to make sure that students with food allergies can participate fully in class activities. For food allergy information and resources, please see the FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) website.
• Healthy snacks are provided by the program.

Robbinsdale Area Schools is committed to the health and wellness of its students. Schools hold non-food celebrations per Wellness Policy 533. If families would like to acknowledge a child’s birthday or other event at school, they are encouraged to do so by:

• Donating a book to the classroom library and/or having a family member bring and read a book to the class.
• Bringing a t-shirt for classmates and teachers to sign.
• Providing non-food prizes such as small school supplies (pencils, erasers, stickers, etc.).
• Organizing a game for the classroom.
• Volunteering in the classroom.
• Visiting the class and talking about how birthdays are celebrated in your culture.
• Sharing your favorite story/fable/myth from your culture. Being creative—come up with your own ideas to celebrate at school without food (talk to your child’s teacher ahead of time about your idea).

Photos and videos may be taken during class time for the following purposes:

• evaluations, research, or staff training
• creation of educational materials
• promotional materials for print, radio, television, electronic, or social media.

Families who do not want photos or videos of their child shared, must complete a Request to Withhold Information form, which is available in the office. Teachers and staff will receive a list of families in their classes with an active Request to Withhold Information form.

A concern over a program practice or procedure should be shared with the staff involved as a first step. If you are not satisfied with their response, please contact the appropriate program coordinator. If concerns remain, please contact the Director of Early Learning.

The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is a great way to get involved and all families are invited to join PAC or one of its subcommittees. This group works to inform other parents, legislators and community members about early education, school district issues and other community concerns that affect children and families. PAC meetings are held monthly during the school year. Please visit the PAC webpage or call 763-504-4170 for more information.