Policies

Snacks & Lunches

Our longer school day allows us to share snack and lunch time together. Children are required to bring their own snack and lunch each day to class. All food must be non-perishable (no access to refrigerator or microwave) and labeled properly as to identify the child it belongs to. All unused portions will be placed back in the original container and sent home with the child. If a child is sent to school without a proper snack or lunch, the parents will be called and asked to make arrangements to provide food as soon as possible. We ask that all snacks be peanut free so the children can safely eat with their small groups. We do provide a Peanut Free Table for lunch.

Clothing

Children are encouraged to wear comfortable and casual clothing to class each day. Clothing should be easy to take off and put on for bathroom breaks. Tights, belts, and suspenders are cumbersome to the task at hand. Soft sole shoes are necessary to prevent slips and trips in the classroom. We know that accidents happen, and because of this, we ask you to provide a change of clothes just in case. 

Children have outside play scheduled daily if temperatures are above 35 degrees. Children do not go outside in inclement weather. Clothing should be weather appropriate. Coats, hats, mittens, boots, and umbrellas need to be labeled with your child’s name. 

Sign In / Sign out

Each child must be signed in and out every day they attend the program. The Creative Preschool is responsible for your child after they are signed in at the classroom. This responsibility is relinquished when your child is signed out at the end of the day.

Transportation

Parents initiate the formation of their carpools. If a child is to go home with anyone other than their parent, sitter or authorized person from their registration form, the school must be notified in writing.

Vehicles must be parked in the parking lot in designated parking spaces and children must be accompanied to and from the classroom. There is NO PARKING / LOITERING on Oakwood Drive directly in front of the building for drop-off. Any child arriving late to class will be greeted, assisted in putting belongings away and ushered to get involved in the group.

Late Pickup Policy & Fees

LRPRA understands that emergencies and accidents happen. However, teachers need to be able to count on leaving their jobs promptly to take care of their commitments. Timeliness contributes greatly to a child’s sense of security and belonging to the class, and it is a good standard to set.

A late fee will be added to the child’s account and may be paid with tuition. The fees charged for late pickup are as follows:

5 - 10 minutes late$10 charge
11 - 20 minutes late$20 charge
21 - 30 minutes late$30 charge
Each minute past 30additional $1 per minute

There will be no exceptions or warnings. If a parent/guardian is late for ANY reason, a charge will be issued. This "No Exception" policy makes it easier for the Association to apply the late policy to everyone consistently and fairly. If this becomes a frequent problem, the Association reserves the right to dismiss a student from the program. If a parent/guardian cannot pick up a child promptly at dismissal time, please make arrangements for someone to do so.

Illnesses & Medication

An ill child will be identified by two or more of the following symptoms: fever, runny nose, watery, red, or inflamed eyes; cough, vomiting, sore throat, skin eruptions or rash; diarrhea, or any other actions that are uncharacteristic for the child. 

In the event a child arrives to class ill or becomes ill during the duration of class, a parent will be notified so the child can be taken home. In an emergency where neither the parent/guardian nor an emergency contact can be located immediately, the Creative Preschool will be authorized to obtain immediate medical care.

Medication shall only be given to a child with written authorization from a parent AND doctor via necessary forms found on the website as required by our state licensing. All medication must be labeled with the child’s name, name of the medication, dosage amount, times to be given, and adverse reactions. All medication must be in the original container from the pharmacy. Medication shall be kept in a locked container out of children’s reach.

A child’s parent/guardian agrees to inform the Creative Preschool within 24 hours or the next business day after the child or any member of the immediate household has developed a reportable communicable disease, as defined by the State Board of Health, except for life threatening diseases which must be reported immediately.

Accidents

Accidents do happen. When they do, an accident report is filled out, detailing the accident and measures taken. A duplicate copy of the report will be given to parents and kept in the child’s file.

Parent / Teacher Conferences

We plan a Parent/Teacher Conference in March for our Pre-K classes. This allows you to gain some insight into the progress your child has made during their year with us. This can assist you with your decisions about kindergarten registration, which can be helpful if your child is on the younger side.

Behavior

The structure of our program helps minimize behavioral issues. We encourage the use of appropriate manners in each aspect of the day. We understand that children come to the classroom with differing degrees of adaptability to situations, so we help the children develop the right attitude with practice and guidance. Some examples of behavior modification in the classroom include redirection to another activity and area of the room, separate project space, opening a conversation on the child’s level to see if something is bothering them or brief time-out to find appropriate manners. If problems persist, the teachers and director will confer with the parents to determine the best course of action. If necessary, staff may decide that dismissal from the program is best. If there are significant delays in development, we take advantage of Preschool Child Find through the Prince William County school system by arranging observation or a developmental screening.

Weather Related Closures

The Creative Preschool will make the call on weather closures, meaning we may not always follow what Prince William County decides. Parents will receive email announcements from the Preschool Director regarding delays, full-day closures or early dismissals.

Emergency Contacts

It is possible childcare providers and even parents may be unaware of an early school closure. We will attempt to contact parents and emergency contacts to follow in the event a child is not picked up when there is an early dismissal. Please be sure all emergency contacts are up-to-date and reside within a 30 minute radius of the Creative Preschool.