Health & Safety Policy

Health & Safety Policy - Illness

We take every precaution to maintain health and safety of each student in our program. The first step in keeping our students healthy is to require that children have a recent physical exam and all necessary immunizations.

Our staff members have immediate contact with children when they enter our school in order to detect any noticeable health conditions. Staff members take annual training in infectious disease control and universal precautions for the transmission of diseases, per state regulations. Additionally, students and staff are required to wash their hands regularly throughout the day in order to prevent the spread of germs.

Even with all the precautions we take, viruses and other illnesses will still exist in a school environment. If a child contracts a communicable disease, the school will post a note at the front entrance. The note will state what illness has been contracted, the common symptoms of the illness, and the approximate incubation period.

If a child has a known medical condition (asthma, allergies, diabetes, etc.) parents are required to note the condition in the enrollment form. Teachers should also be notified of the steps to take if a problem occurs while the child is at school.

If a child has any one of the following conditions, the child will not be allowed to stay at the school

A contagious disease, not including a cold
Fevers of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher during the last 24 hours
Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
Draining sores or burns
Rashes unless diagnosed and determined to be non-contagious by a health professional
Accidents requiring immediate medical attention
Any condition that prevents the child from comfortably participating in program activities or that result in greater care for the child than what the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children

If a child exhibits any of these conditions while at school, the child’s parents will be notified to come and remove their child from the school until the above conditions no longer apply. While waiting to be picked up, the child may rest in a quiet area in order to minimize exposure to the rest of their class.

Dispensing Medication

Parents must complete a Medication Authorization Form before the school can administer any medication, to include over-the-counter medicine, to any student. Teachers may not give any type of medicine unless this form is completed. Parents should request the form, complete it, and give it & the medicine DIRECTLY to the staff member. The medicine must be in its original container with the label specifying the dosage and the child’s name.

In the Event of an Emergency

Beyond the medical health of our students, we also keep track of their physical safety. Our staff is trained in First Aid and CPR. First Aid kits are present in each classroom and in the dining area. If an accident should occur, one of our staff members will administer simple first aid. In the event of a more serious injury, an emergency vehicle will be called and the child will be taken to the doctor or hospital designated on the enrollment forms. We will call the parent or emergency contact immediately after the event. The teacher will create an accident report that includes the type of injury, the time it occurred, and what treatment was provided. Parents will receive a copy of this report.

Health & Safety Policy - Biting

Biting is one of the most common and most difficult behaviors in group childcare. It can occur without warning, is difficult to defend against, and provokes strong emotional responses in the biter, the victim, the parents, and the caregivers involved.

For many children, the biting stage is just a passing problem. Children try it out to get what they want from another child. They are in the process of learning what is socially acceptable and what is not. They discover that biting is a sure-fire way to cause the other child to drop what they are holding so the biter can pick it up. However, they experience the disapproval of nearby adults and eventually learn other ways of gaining possession of objects or expressing difficult feelings.

For other children, biting is a persistent and chronic problem. They may bite for a variety of reasons including teething, frustration, boredom, inadequate language skills, stress or changes to their environment, feeling threatened or to feel a sense of power.

No matter what the cause, biting in a group situation causes strong feelings in all involved. It does help, however, to be aware of the potential problem before it happens, and to form a plan of action if it does occur.

Our Plan of Action for Biting

For the biter:

Teachers immediately remove the biter from the situation using words such as “biting is not okay, it hurts”
They will not receive any additional attention that reinforces the biting or calls attention to the biter. Instead, we will direct caring comfort to the victim.
Staff members will redirect the child in alternative methods to express themselves Ex. “I can see that you want that truck, but I can’t let you hurt him. We don’t put our teeth on people”
We redirect the child. A time out may be necessary.
Parents will receive a written accident report. We will store a signed copy of the document in the child’s file and staff members will receive information about the incident on a need to know basis. No parent will receive the names of the children involved.

For the victim:

We will separate the victim from the biter
Administration of first aid to the bite
We will comfort the bitten child
Parents will receive a written accident report. We will store a signed copy of the document in the child’s file and staff members will receive information about the incident on a need to know basis. No parent will receive the names of the children involved.

If the biting continues:

Involved staff will meet with the Director on a routine basis for advice, support and strategy planning
We will chart every occurrence, including attempted bites, and will document location, time, participants, behaviors, staff present, and circumstances.
Parents of both the biting child and the bitten child will be notified of each incident. However, we will not divulge the names of either child involved in the biting incident.
If we notice a child has a biting habit, we will “shadow” them and redirect as necessary
Staff members will make every effort to prevent biting behavior
Teach non-biting responses to situations & reinforce appropriate behavior
Adapt the program to better fit the individual child’s needs
We will work with the children to teach responses to potential biting situations:
“NO” or “Don’t hurt me!”
Work together with parents of both biting children and frequent victims to keep all informed and develop a joint strategy for change
Hold a conference with the parents of the biting child to develop a written plan of action. Schedule follow-up meetings or telephone conversations as needed
Consider early transition of a child “stuck” in a biting behavior pattern for a change of environment, if developmentally appropriate
Prior to suspension, the parents of the biting child are notified in writing to prepare for the possibility that the child may be suspended from the program. We will help the parent make contingency plans should this occur.
If it is in the best interest of the child, center, and other children, the child may be suspended for the duration of the biting phase.

The Sequence of Biting Occurrences

The first time a child bites, the parent will be notified.
For a second biting incident, we will send the child home with a request for a formal parent conference to address the issue.
On the third biting occurrence, we notify the parent that further biting actions will result in suspension from the school
Four biting incidents will result in suspension from Precious Moments Montessori Preschool while the child is in the biting phase.

Health & Safety Policy -Emergency Situations

Transportation During Emergency Situations

In the event of a medical emergency, we will call the appropriate medical services to provide transportation.

Emergency evacuations will follow specific outlined plans according to the situation type. Transportation will be provided with parents.

*Please Note: Field Trips & Non-Center Activities are not a part of our program. We do not provide transportation to or from our program.

Unauthorized Persons Entering the School

We keep the door to the school closed at all times. Only authorized visitors and community partners may enter, at the discretion of the on-site staff.

Unauthorized visitors may not enter the school. The on-site supervisor will be responsible for addressing this situation. However, all staff members & parents/guardians are requested to inform the on-site supervisor when an unauthorized visitor is on the premises, including the outdoor areas.

The on-site supervisor will explain to the unauthorized person that the school is responsible for the safety and welfare of the children and that only authorized persons are allowed in the school and/or on the school grounds. The on-site supervisor will invite the visitor to return at a more suitable time.

Should the on-site supervisor or his/her designee determine that it is appropriate to allow an unauthorized person to be in the school and/or on its grounds, that person will supervise and monitor the unauthorized person by accompanying them during their stay.

The on-site supervisor may ask the unauthorized person to leave the premises immediately. If the unauthorized person does not comply with the request, the senior staff member will ask a second time. If the person does not comply, the senior staff member will call the police for assistance.