Parent Handbook

In any community, and in the routine and regular process of daily living, there are inevitably situations and conflicts that arise and are potentially negative for individuals or for the community. It is critical that long before conflict arises, an environment that fosters mutual respect, tolerance, clear and honest communication already exists. The emotional health of a school is determined not by the absence of conflict, but by its quick and intelligent resolution.

Pettengill Academy is committed to responding to all family grievances within 24 hours and resolving these as quickly as possible.

Concerns and grievances are most effectively addressed within the school. If a concern arises, you should discuss the issue with the School Director. If you are unable to resolve the issue or need further assistance, please contact us at our Home Office.

Pettengill Academy was established to provide high quality childcare and to be the smart choice for childcare.

Our mission is to teach our students independence, self-reliance, have a sense of community while developing skills necessary to succeed in their future while gaining a caring and respectful attitude towards each other.

We do this in a safe, healthy and nurturing environment with home style meals. Pettengill Academy is dedicated to continuous improvement as well as supporting our teachers in their ability to deliver ongoing high quality early childhood education.

Pettengill Academy is an extension of each student’s family. We are driven by Excellence and are guided by our Core Values.

We use a whole child approach so our students learn and develop in a nurturing, safe, loving and fun environment.

Families will feel trusted and confident with the decision in choosing Pettengill Academy.

9 am Drop Off
All students must be dropped off before 9 am, otherwise may not be able to attend for the day.
*includes Summer

Tuition Payments
All payments are due on Fridays and are for the following week.

Group Care
Pettengill Academy is a group care facility. Our teachers care for groups of students in our classrooms and must attend to the needs of all students in the classroom.

Well Care
Pettengill Academy is a well-care facility. Students who are sick will be sent home.

Food Allergies
Students who have Soy, Sesame and any Nut Allergies are required to provide their own food ( Lunch and all snacks )

Interpretation for English Language Learners
In the event interpretation is needed for someone who is an English language learner, please have them visit the following website and they can access a Directory of Qualified Interpreters :

https://211maine.org/interpreters/

If they are unable to do so or need further assistance, dial 211 and a specialist will assist them.

Disclaimer: 211 Maine is not responsible for the quality of the interpreter services provided.

Policy and Procedures

Your family's journey with Pettengill Academy will most likely start with an email or a phone call. Someone from our Administrative Team will reach out to try and schedule a tour as quickly as possible. Once you have toured our school and campus you will receive an email containing the next steps.

*We do recommend to call or email as soon as you know you want to enroll, spots don’t stay available for long.

That email will contain the forms listed below, we do require for you to fill them out and return to Pettengill Academy along with the Yearly Registration Fee ( charged once a Quarter ). Once you have paid the Enrollment Fee and turned in the Enrollment Forms. We cannot guarantee that a spot will be available for your student on the day you desire as enrollment is based on availability and may be subject to the Priority Enrollment rules of the school. The school will invite you to visit with your student to have a playdate in your students classroom ( except during times of a public health emergency ). During the visit you will have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the first day and classroom. Pettengill Academy does have an annual, per student registration fee.

Pettengill Academy is proud of our efforts to reduce paper waste and as such we email all enrollment forms to families after tours. If you need assistance with getting any of these forms please ask and we can help you with that.

We do ask for seven days from the date enrollment papers are turned in to ensure we are properly prepared for your student.

During the enrollment process, you must complete additional forms. These forms include :

• Enrollment form with enrollment fee (Please fill out all lines completely)
• Contract and Financial Agreement (Please fill out all lines completely)
• Medical Authorization and Consent form
• USDA Eligibility form ( regardless of eligibility )
• A family picture for your students classroom
• Most recent immunization record
• If required, Allergy Health Care Plan or Asthma Plan as prepared by the students physician

Allergy Health Care Plans are required to be prepared by the student's physician otherwise they will not be accepted

You will also be expected to read the Family Guide and Handbook. Parents and families are responsible to update information with the school as it changes ( ie - phone numbers, work information, change of authorized pick ups or change of medical information including allergies ).

In order to secure appropriate staffing we do ask you to provide the specific days of care needed for your student recognizing that you may need to change these periodically. Any adjustments on a continued basis to this schedule will require approval by the Director and an updated Enrollment Agreement.

Tuition is due every Friday in advance for the following week with no deductions for any absences, holidays, illnesses or closures due to inclement weather, power outages or other situations beyond our control. If tuition is not up to date by the start of business on Monday you will be charged a late fee of $25 per payment until tuition is paid in full.

Ways to make a payment :

• Online : pettengillacademy.com and click on the MyProcare Online Parent Portal link
• Auto : ACH

In the event of any questions or issues with the use of a tuition payment assistance program, please contact :

Chantel Pettengill

207-241-0046 or chantel@pettengillacademy.com

Payment assistance programs including but not limited : Subsidy, FEDCAP, Transitional.

Student’s should be picked up at their scheduled time. Because it can be distressing for a student to be left in the care of others after hours, late pick-up should be considered an unusual occurrence. Please allow enough time to arrive at the school, pick up your student, and leave the school before closing time, repeated instances of late pickups may result in termination of services.

After 5:30pm, Pettengill Academy charges an evening rate of $20 every five minutes, per student. The evening rate will be assessed to your account. It is important that student’s be picked up before closing time. If a student is left at the school after closing time, we may call to try and reach you and if unable to do so we may call the numbers listed on the Enrollment form. If no one has come to pick up a student 1 hour after closing, we may need to contact the local police department.

Example 1 : 5:30 - 5:35 = $20 / 5:35 - 5:40 = $40 / 5:40 - 5:45 = $60

Example 2 : If you pick up at 5:41 pm your late fee will be $60 per student, so if you have 2 students picked up at 5:41 pm your late fee will be $120.

In order to provide sufficient supervision and to appropriately schedule our associates, families are asked to carefully adhere to the schedule for their students. Any schedule change requests be made in writing to school administration at least one month in advance. If you have an emergency and need to alter your student’s schedule, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Please call the school if your student is going to be absent or arrive after 9:00 am. If we do not hear from you by 9am, your student will not be able to attend that day.

Late arrivals should be infrequent. At 9am most of our classrooms are beginning their days with Circle Time and Learning Centers and they will miss out on educational opportunities. We also verify attendance during this time and that attendance is used for student counts during Fire Drills.

If your student has a contagious illness, please let the school know so that other families can be notified to look for symptoms in their students as well.

** In the event a student is coming after 11 am they will need to be served lunch prior to being brought in as lunch is already being prepared and their classroom may have already eaten.

Tuition is based on enrollment ( a spot ), not attendance. To maintain enrollment, tuition must be paid during the absence of a student due to illness, holiday, vacation or any other reason.

Every September, Pettengill Academy will release our calendar for the upcoming 12 months.

Parents and Authorized pickups are responsible for checking student’s in and out of the school using the Procare Engage app; this can be done using either the GPS feature once on campus or by scanning the QR code These contactless QR codes will be placed in the front of the school as well as the classrooms. Parents and authorized pickups must accompany each student into the classroom and confirm that their student is under adult supervision before leaving the premises.

For the safety and trust of the students in our care, we will not release students to a person they do not know. Students will only be released to parents, legal guardians or persons whose names are listed as Authorized pickups, Authorized pickups will be required to show photo ID. If students are outside we do require the person picking up to enter the building and be ID’d at the Front Desk.

*Please note : Student’s must be under direct adult supervision at all times while on the premises and parents/authorized pickups are responsible for students once they are in the building.

Pettengill Academy strives to remain neutral in all custody disputes so that all parents/guardians feel equally welcome at school. Legally, the school cannot deny access to a student unless there is an active restraining order or court order on file at the school. We require all families to resolve their differences or unsettled court orders through legal channels. Pettengill Academy’s primary concern is the safety of all associates and students at the school, as such the school cannot be used as a place for scheduled visitations, nor can we be responsible for supervising parent or guardian visits. In the event of a scheduled visit, only authorized persons are eligible to be present on campus for the best interest and safety for all present on campus. Students will only be released to parents, legal guardians or persons whose names are listed as Authorized Pick Ups.

Parents/guardians and other authorized persons are responsible for transporting students to and from the school in an appropriate child restraint system. If someone other than yourself will be picking your student up from school, please ensure adequate child restraints either by leaving your students car seat with us or confirming that the individual picking up has an appropriate safety seat.

Please note : Pettengill Academy associates are not permitted to “buckle” students up for parents/guardians or other authorized pickups, this also applies to students who utilize a bus service for transportation for schools off campus, as well as car seats. Pettengill Academy associates are not permitted to install a child restraint system in a vehicle.

Pettengill Academy does not provide transportation.

The information in your student’s file is considered privileged and confidential. Only those persons directly related to the care of your student will have access to the record without your written permission. Upon withdrawal of your student from Pettengill Academy, files are retained according to our Records Management Policy.

Regulatory agencies may review your student’s record in order to ensure Pettengill Academy has followed its requirements in maintaining the necessary information.

I understand that I have a right to view my students folder, but in order to do so I must submit a request in writing and allow Pettengill Academy 10 days to provide access to the information contained within the folder. I may be provided with a copy of the information; but I can not remove the file from the property. I further understand that information as determined by Pettengill Academy will be redacted if confidential.

This information will be provided for families no later than January 31.

Currently Enrolled families : This information will be placed in your student’s cubby.

Families no longer enrolled : Please contact the School Manager for more information

Pettengill Academy is a group care facility, we do not provide One to One, direct care for students. From time to time a student may require more direct care which makes it difficult for us to provide service. If a student is requiring attention from a teacher consistently for more than 5 hours a day, this is One to One care, especially if this is a daily occurrence. Ultimately we must protect company assets & reduce liability.

The following are steps that Pettengill Academy will take in the instance of a student requiring One to One care. * These may be done in any order as necessary for the student and/or situation

1. Document behaviors ( Incident/Behavior Report )
2. Talk to School Director
3. Document behaviors ( Behavior Tracking Sheet )
4. Meeting with parents to discuss behaviors and talk about a plan
5. Establishing a plan to send the student home
   1. Parameters of when and why
   2. Timeline for pick up ( within an hour of calling )

Our school is centered around the students for whom we care. We seek to provide programs designed to support a student's growth and to challenge them as individuals with unique learning styles and ways to respond to the world.

Our student focused approach seeks to accommodate a wide range of individual differences. However, on occasion a student's behavior may warrant the need to find a more suitable setting for care. Examples of such instances include but are not limited to :

• A student who cannot participate safely in our program or appears to be a danger to themselves or others despite our best efforts to reasonably reduce the risk of harm or injury.
• Medical, psychological or social service personnel working with the student determine that continued care at the school could be harmful to or not in the best interest of the student.
• Any other situation in which accommodations needed for student success in the program conflict with the fundamental nature of our group environment, or if removal is in the best interest of the student or the school.
• At any point the student's behavior/circumstance is of concern to a teacher or director. Written documentation and Parent/Teacher communication will begin as first steps to understanding the students individual needs and challenges and to evaluate these needs in the context of our program.

Our programs are based on developing partnerships and supporting families, however despite our best efforts, on rare occasions a parent or guardian's actions/requests may warrant the need to find a more suitable setting for themselves and their student. Some examples include but are not limited to :

• The parent or family fails to abide by the school policies or those requirements imposed by the licensing agency.
• A parent demands special services that are not provided to other students and cannot reasonably be delivered by the program ( including requests that are outside the philosophy of the school ).
• A parent is physically or verbally abusive to school staff, students or anyone else at the school.
• The parent or family fails to comply with all necessary health requirements.
• Failure to make tuition payments in a timely manner.

1. WCSH6
2. WGME
3. WMTW
4. A message through our digital communication app
5. Pettengill Academy Facebook page

Students should arrive dressed and ready for the day. We like to play and believe in student-led exploration so they will probably get messy. *Please label everything. This helps to make sure items go back with the correct person.

Please do not dress your student in “nice clothing”, we cannot guarantee them to be spotless when you arrive at pick up. Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots and coats for cold weather. All ages will be going outside, weather permitting.

Please pack extra clothes as well. Accidents happen and your student may need to be changed. On average two sets of extra clothes a day is sufficient. You will need to make sure you bring more during Potty Training. If you student needs more clothing you will be called to bring in more clothing or pick up your student.

Mud Play : Pettengill Academy is proud to offer a natural playground and students are offered opportunities to explore the world around and sometimes this may include mud.

Please see Appendix C

Pettengill Academy takes photographs of students at school as part of the curriculum, documentation activities and for other business purposes. These photographs do include all students enrolled at the school.

These purposes may include but are not limited to : School displays, posts on the Pettengill Academy website or Facebook page, and transmissions to you and other parents via our digital communication app.

Additionally there may be time the news media will cover events at the school, at the school’s request using still photography and/or video, which may include your student.

Please see the School Director if you have any questions regarding opting out.

To afford individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate in a child care program, Pettengill Academy must act as follows :

Pettengill Academy will make reasonable modifications to their policies and practices to include students, parents and families with disabilities, unless to do so would be a fundamental alteration of our program.

Pettengill Academy will also make the facility accessible to people with disabilities with reasonable modifications.

Any information regarding a student, their family or other matters discussed with school administration or staff will be held in the strictest confidence.

Every January we will send out a form for parents to be able to update their information we have on record for them. In the event we don’t receive one back for your family, we will consider that nothing has changed and all information is the same. It is each family's responsibility to notify us any time that their information ( personal or contact ) has changed.

Pettengill Academy campus is Drug and Smoke Free. This includes all areas of the campus - Parking Lot, walkways, inside the building, playgrounds, ect….

No smoking of to include but not limited to : cigarettes, cigars, tobacco products, vaping or any electronic cigarette or electronic smoking device, marijuana or any other drug.

Parents, families, guardians, authorized persons and any visitors must be free from offensive smells and/or odors when on the campus.

Pettengill Academy reserves the right to rescind, modify or remove policies without notice during a public health emergency. During such times, decisions are made in order to keep all persons on campus as safe and healthy as possible while ensuring that students still have access to high quality care.

As part of Pettengill Academy's culture and our devotion to providing equal employment opportunities and preventing discrimination in the workplace, all associates will be addressed simply by their First Name. Pettengill Academy will no longer use honorifics or salutations ( e.g., Mr., Ms., Mz., etc.) so it does not infringe upon any person's gender identity, gender expression or other factor.

At various times, parents and families receiving subsidies or assistance will bring us forms to fill out or complete. Pettengill Academy can not complete these forms for parents and families, but we can verify that information is correct on completed forms only; regardless of signed authorizations.

*This does not apply to FSA paperwork, FEDCAP/ASPIRE paperwork or State of Maine Childcare Subsidy Program paperwork.

Program Standards

Move Ups are done on an individual basis. Parents will be notified with a “Move Up” certificate that will include the classroom name, teacher’s names and the date of move up.

Students are placed into classrooms based upon their chronological age as well as spot availability, typically Move Ups are done by the 15th of each month. State regulations classify the specific age range and the number of students for each classroom.

*It may be necessary based on a number of factors including attendance and ratios for a student to be temporarily moved to a different classroom for the day.

The final decision on classroom placements will be made by the School Director.

Pettengill Academy has an Open Door Policy and welcomes parents and legal guardians to visit or call. We also encourage breastfeeding mothers to come in and do a feeding and fathers if they’d like to do a feeding as well, we do appreciate your consideration of our classroom schedules when visiting. Pettengill Academy requests that in the event of scheduled visitations that only authorized persons are eligible to be present on campus for the best interest of the students in our care.

This policy also refers to Custodial Parents.

*Pettengill Academy reserves the right to modify or rescind the Open Door Policy during times of a declared Public Health Emergency

Families who wish to enroll and are part of the Foster Care system must first seek a Letter of Admission from the owners of Pettengill Academy.

As part of Pettengill Academy’s activities, students may be observed by professionals who are not employed by Pettengill Academy. These observations are to help Pettengill Academy improve their teaching and services to families.

In all cases, confidentiality of information related to the student will be maintained.

It is normal for an adjustment period for every student when beginning care. For a student who is enrolled Full Time it would typically be 2 - 4 weeks and occasionally can be delayed or could be longer. A student who is enrolled Part Time would typically be 8 - 12 weeks or could be longer.

No personal toys from home are permitted. If toys are brought, they will be put away in the student’s cubby immediately. Students are welcome to bring their favorite nap time snuggly or bring a toy for Show and Tell.

Any items that are left behind after a student is unenrolled for any reason will be retained for 30 days. After this time items may be donated or added to school supplies. Food will be immediately discarded after unenrollment.

Pettengill Academy is not responsible for any loss or breakage of personal items.

Heirloom/Important Items : Please do not bring in items that are of important value to family.

All personal items must be marked clearly with the student’s name.

Parents are responsible to supply the following items :

Infants create their own schedules. They are fed on demand. Breast fed infants need access to an adequate supply that is stocked and labeled. We have freezer space to store breast milk. Infants also determine their own sleep schedule. We are a breastfeeding friendly site. We encourage moms to come in if they are able to do feedings. We also have a quiet area for moms who need to pump. Parents are required to supply us with 3 bottles daily. Your student will use these bottles during their day with us and we will send them home rinsed and empty every night for you to clean and send back the next day.

Pettengill Academy will discard all leftover contents of a bottle after 60 minutes to avoid contamination.

Solid food and cereal will not be fed in a bottle unless the student has specific written instructions from their medical provider. Additionally, please note medications should not be put in a student's bottle.

*Please note that times may differ by location

6:45 : Pettengill Academy opens
6:45 - 8:30 : Free choice in the gym or drop off in classrooms by age
8:30 : Classroom time determined by classroom
9:00 : AM Snack ( if parent supplied )
9:30 - 11:00 : Centers and Structures time
11:00 - 12:00 : Gross Motor
12:00 - 12:15 : Prepare for Lunch
12:15 : Lunch
12:30 : Nap
3:15 : Awake/Changes/ PM Snack
3:30 - 5:30 : Classroom time or Gross Motor Skills
5:30 : Pettengill Academy closes

All students must be taken out of their car seats and awake when they are dropped off each day.

Pettengill Academy will supply Lunch and PM Snack. We will also supply homemade baby food. Menus will be posted using our digital communication app and on the Pettengill Academy website.

If required, Allergy Health Care Plan or Asthma Plan as prepared by the students physician

Allergy Health Care Plans are required to be prepared by the student's physician otherwise they will not be accepted.

For students with medically documented allergies or dietary restrictions to food, Pettengill Academy will make reasonable accommodations, otherwise families will need to supply lunch and snacks. We encourage students to try new foods, but we will never force them to finish their plates.

Menus are subject to change.

Due to safety reasons and as required by Maine Licensing, we can not accept anything in a glass container.

Students will be provided with a time during the day for sleep or quiet activity, all students must participate during this designated time. Infants nap at varying times and their schedules will be accommodated.

We encourage students to nap, but we will never force them to sleep.

During the course of your time with Pettengill Academy, there may be events that happen to your family such as death, marriage, divorce. As uncomfortable as it may be, please take the time to inform the School Director.

This request is made so that we may monitor and support your student as they will inevitably exhibit behaviors that are not normal for them as they process the changes happening in their life.

Our main objective is to encourage early learning of literacy, numeracy and social interactions through play. We will use a variety of activities to accomplish this goal, including free play, reading, arts and crafts, music and singing, dancing, dramatic, pretend play and puzzles.

Our teachers follow LEARN, Pettengill Academy’s curriculum. This guides teachers into planning developmentally appropriate activities for the students to help them grow both socially and academically.

Young students are working hard on understanding, independence and self control. We also know students learn by exploring, experimenting and testing the limits of their environment. At Pettengill Academy, we understand students learn from experiencing the consequences of their behavior.

Our main goal with guidance is redirecting young students from unwanted behavior. With older students, we try to use it as a learning experience discussing the unwanted behavior and what better choices we can make. There are times we have the student sit to calm down and think about their choices or remove them from the situation.

When incidents occur parents/guardians of the students involved are informed of the incident and any specific information pertinent to an understanding of the situation. This information is usually the time, place, proceedings and subsequent steps to comfort the student who was hurt and generally, how the situation was handled. Plans are then developed on how to teach more appropriate interactions and to prevent the recurrence of the aggressive behavior. The identity of the student who engaged in aggressive behavior is not disclosed.

Our policy is designed to promote respect for every student and family we serve. We will not reveal the identity of a student in any incident even with the request from a parent or guardian. This policy is consistent with standards for excellence in early childhood education.

If in our judgment, any students behavior places the wellbeing of others at risk of injury, we will act quickly and decisively to resolve the situation ( through closer supervision, redirection to more appropriate activities, removal from tense situations, firm and consistent limit-setting and/or provision of alternative outlets for expression of feelings ). If the aggressive behavior continues after exhausting our resources, we may conclude it is in the best interest of the program to suspend a student's enrollment. Our commitment is to provide a quality group-learning environment for every student.

These are what we use to document any accidents, incidents or any other sort of documentation in addition to behaviors that may be happening in the classroom.

All Incident/Behavior Reports are shared on our Parent Communication app with parents. Sometimes the timing of the incident/behavior may make it difficult to send right away such as if the incident occurs during pick up time; but they are always shared on the app. There is always a physical copy for the parents or guardian to sign. We require that these are signed within 48 hours, this is also a requirement of the State Of Maine as well. Your signature only implies that you have been made aware of the incident or behavior. If you have questions regarding the content of the incident/behavior report seek clarification from the classroom teacher.

Since this is a requirement of the State of Maine, failure to sign incident/behavior reports within the 48 hour timeframe may be grounds for disenrollment from Pettengill Academy.

At Pettengill Academy, there will be times that different classrooms will be on the playground at the same time. The following guidelines must be adhered to:

1. Infant and the 1 Year Old Classrooms May occupy the Playground at the Same Time.
2. All 2 Year Old Classrooms may be on the playground at the same time. 2 Year Olds may mix with the 1 year olds as long as the group size does not exceed 20 students.
3. Collaborators, Researchers, and Pioneers May be on the playground at the same time.
4. Researchers, Pioneers and School Age may be on the playground at the same time.
5. The maximum children in each playground are as follows:
   1. The Big Natural Playground- 70 kids
   2. The Small Natural Playground- 20 Kids
   3. The Infant/Toddler Playground- 40 Kids
   4. The Extra Playground- 40 Kids
6. On the Playground staff must position themselves at the four corners to be supervised and be able to see a large zone of the playground.
7. Staff are encouraged to interact with the students in their zones. Phones MUST be put away.

Health and Safety

1. Children must be free from emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation.
2. Each child has the right to freedom from harmful actions or practices that are detrimental to the child’s welfare, and to practices that are potentially harmful to the child.
3. Each child has a right to an environment that meets the health and safety standards in this rule.
4. Each child must be provided child care services without regard to race, age, national origin, religion, disability, sex or family composition.
5. Children must be treated with dignity, consideration and respect in full recognition of their individuality. This includes the use of developmentally appropriate practices by the Child care facility.
6. Each child has the right to the implementation of any plan of service that has been developed for that child in conjunction with community or state agencies by the Child care facility.
7. Each child has the right to developmentally appropriate activities, materials and equipment.
8. Children with disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodations to child care facility policies and practice

Does not apply to “stud” type earrings

Due to FDA safety recommendations, Amber necklaces are not permitted at school.

Necklaces and bracelets are not permitted for safety reasons

Due to safety precautions, Pacifiers with attached stuffed animals are not permitted as they are a SIDS risk.

At Pettengill Academy, your student’s health is our primary concern. The First Candle/SIDS Alliance, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs strongly recommends that infants be put to sleep on their backs in a crib on a firm mattress to reduce the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). At first, some babies do not like sleeping on their backs, but most quickly get used to it, and this is the best sleep position for your baby. Infants will be put to sleep on their backs. Where allowed by state regulations, parents/guardians who choose to have their student put to sleep on his or her side or stomach ( or any other variation other than to sleep on their back ) must sign a release authorizing Pettengill Academy to make an exception to its policy and to release Pettengill Academy from any liability. This release must originate from the student’s physician.

Infants who fall asleep, in any position, in the activity area, on a chair, futon, boppy, or any other type of furniture or equipment that is not a safety-approved crib, will be gently picked up and placed in a crib on their back for the duration of the nap time.

In keeping with our safe sleep practices, if your infant arrives at the school in a car seat he/she must immediately be removed and placed in their assigned crib on their back.

The standard practice at Pettengill Academy is to not allow soft items ( such as stuffed animals and blankets ) in the crib as recommended by the First Candle/SIDS Alliance and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We are required to complete 1 Fire Drill per month. We will not do fire drills when the temperature is below 20 degrees or above 92 degrees. Evacuation cribs with wheels are used to transport infants and non-walking toddlers.

At Pettengill Academy we take emergency situations very seriously. We have a plan that all staff are trained with for a variety of situations including but not limited to : fires, medical and dental, intruders, severe weather, missing/abducted students, bomb threats, chemical spills and general emergency procedures.

In the event of an emergency, all parents will be contacted as soon as we can ensure the safety of all students. Our first responsibility is to the staff and students present.

If parents have any issues with anything at the center, please speak to the School Director or Senior Lead Teachers.

By law, as a school we are mandated reporters to DHHS if we suspect a student is abused or neglected. All staff have undergone mandated reporting training. Always be sure to let us know at drop off if your student has any unexplained cuts or bruises. All students that come to school with injuries are recorded and logged. If you need to contact us with any suggestions, issues or concerns please contact us directly :

Zack or Chantel Pettengill

zack@pettengillacademy.com
chantel@pettengillacademy.com

“On average, babies experience ten illnesses a year and preschoolers experience almost as many.” - National Health and Safety Standards.

If a student in care is ill, it may be more difficult for families, staff and other students to balance their respective needs. For example, it may be inconvenient for a family member who has to leave work, school or difficult for staff who are trying to care for a sick student despite the other demands of the day. We are committed to implementing policies that balance and respect the needs of students, families and staff in these circumstances.

Please see Appendix A

When Pettengill Academy is notified that a student or staff member enrolled in our school has a suspected reportable disease, it is our legal responsibility to notify the Maine CDC. Authorities may require further information, testing or preventative measures. Examples include but are not limited to : Mumps, Measles, Pertussis, Chicken pox.

Pettengill Academy will give serious consideration to all recommendations made by the public health agencies in order to promote the health and safety of all associates and families we serve. We believe it is extremely important to notify families about exposure so their students can receive preventative treatment if available.

Students' hands are washed before and after meals, and after using the bathroom. Staff are required to wash hands frequently.

Students use separate cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils that have been thoroughly washed. High chairs are wiped and disinfected after each use. Potty chairs are disinfected in between use.

Staff disinfect and sanitize equipment, toys and surfaces on a regular schedule.

In the event your student does sustain a minor injury, you will receive an incident/behavior report, outlining the incident and course of action taken by the teachers.

You will be contacted immediately if the injury needs medical attention.

In the event of a serious medical emergency or student death, the student will be taken to the hospital by ambulance while school administration contacts you or a designated emergency contact if you cannot be reached.

Parents are responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical treatment, including transportation if required. The owners of Pettengill Academy, LLC will not be held liable for any sickness or injury of either parent/guardian or student while on the premises.

When you feel your student is ready for toilet training, we ask that you begin teaching at home over the weekend or vacation. We will follow through and encourage your student while in our care. Parents need to supply training pants with plastic covers or pull ups, plus extra changes of clothing each day. During toilet training, we ask that your student be dressed in “user friendly” clothing. Clothes students can remove in a hurry are best.

If not enough clothing is supplied, parents will be called to bring more clothing or pick up their student.

During this learning phase, if a student has 2 accidents prior to lunch they will be placed in a pull up and will try again after nap/quiet time. If the student has 2 accidents after lunch they will be placed in a pull up for the remainder of the day.

Please see Appendix C

Biting is a normal stage of development commonly seen in infants and toddlers, and sometimes even among preschoolers. It is something that almost all young students try at least once. When it happens, it’s scary, frustrating and very stressful for everyone involved. It is a natural phenomenon and not something to blame on students, families or teachers.

Brief episodes of biting do not mean that a student is having a social or emotional problem nor does it mean the family is to blame. It does mean that your student is going through that particular stage in their development. As with developmental stages, biting soon ends.

Oftentimes students who have or are having a difficult time verbalizing their needs or wants will bite as a way to express those feelings.

On hot days, students that can walk might use a small wading pool or hose. This is a supervised activity with constant adult supervision. We also do water play in small containers or sensory tables.

Please see Appendix B

In order to maintain a safe and secure environment for students; firearms, explosive devices and any other weapons are not permitted on Pettengill Academy campus. All persons coming on to campus, regardless of purpose, are asked to secure any weapons, regardless of any such permit to carry such weapons.

If Pettengill Academy has reasonable cause to suspect that any person picking a student up is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, physically or emotionally impaired in any way and may endanger the student, we may refuse to release the student to that person. If this occurs, we will request that another adult picks up the student or we will be required to call the police to prevent potential harm to your student. This is done for the protection of your student and is a requirement of the State of Maine.

Routine Exclusion Criteria is applicable to all signs and symptoms if the student is unable to participate, care would compromise staff’s ability to care for other students, or the student meets other exclusion criteria.

In the event a student needs to be dismissed, Pettengill Academy will call first in an attempt to reach the parent. Depending on the severity of the situation we will call all contact numbers before moving on to the next contact person. If no contact is made, we will send a message through our digital communication app.

Pettengill Academy does not dismiss students through our digital communication app unless prior contact through a phone call has been unsuccessful. If you have questions in regard to this arising from a message to pick up, please contact School Administration.

Included in this handbook, is a chart that outlines the symptoms we use to determine exclusion. Exclusion is not limited to this chart as some illnesses might not have any of these common symptoms. In those cases, we will make a determination based on the AAP and or CDC recommendations.

Pettengill Academy is not a sick care facility, meaning that sick students are sent home or expected to stay home for treatment and recovery by parents or family.

The final decision whether to exclude a student from the school due to illness will be made by the School Director.

*Temperature of 100.4° : Parents will be notified by phone call to pick up their student

Please see Appendix A

Families are expected to notify the school regarding food or environmental allergies. Parents of students with diagnosed allergies or asthma are required to provide the school with a Health Care Plan signed by the student’s physician, detailing the symptoms, reactions, treatments, care and all necessary medications. This plan needs to be updated yearly or as needed from a medical health professional.

Despite our diligent efforts, it is impossible to eliminate all risks for students with food allergies. Ultimately, parents will need to determine whether group care is appropriate for their student with allergies, in the light that risks cannot be eliminated.

While we certainly respect all cultures and religions, we are not able to provide and manage food substitutions.

Menus can be found on our website, and families are always welcome to bring a meal or snack from home.

DHHS can be contacted at 207-287-9300

Pettengill Academy requires all students to be immunized, according to Maine Law P.L. 2019, Ch. 154, 11 which became effective September 1, 2021. This may be verified with Immunization Records from your student's physician or through a blood test showing natural immunity and updated as needed thereafter.

Pettengill Academy will also require documentation from a physician in the event a student is not eligible to receive a vaccine because it is medically inadvisable.

All documentation regarding immunization must originate from the student's physician.

Unused breast milk will be discarded as required by State regulations, if parents wish for unused milk to be returned home Pettengill Academy must have written documentation on file stating such a request.

Any breast milk brought in for use during the day must be labeled with the students first and last name as well as the date that it was expressed on and formula must be labeled with the student’s name when brought in. Pettengill Academy can not accept any breast milk in a glass container ie. Mason jar, bottles used for feeding also must be free from BPA.

Information for parents and families regarding developmental screenings can be found at :

www.maine.gov/doe/learning/cds

Or you may contact their local office : 207-795-4022

Family Involvement

There will be times and ways you can be involved in your students' childcare experience. You are welcomed and encouraged to participate in any or all of these. We have parent conferences at least once a year to talk about your students' development and make a plan for growth. We also encourage families to bring in family pictures and share with us family traditions, especially with the holidays. *subject to change during a public health emergency.

Ways you can be involved :

• Parent Surveys allow you to comment on different aspects of the program.
• Daily, Weekly and Monthly formal and informal communication happens through many different vehicles.
• We encourage you to share your ideas and concerns with school administration and teachers at any time.
• You are invited to come into your students classroom and may choose to share a special activity or project.
• Attend school events that may be held throughout the year.

All school guests need to check in at the Front Desk. We need parent permission for anyone other than the parent or guardian to come in and visit during the day. Please let the Front Desk know if someone is coming that day to visit. This will help to ensure the safety of all students in our care.

Please be advised that parents must refrain from picking up students other than their own, this is for the safety of all students on campus.

We are committed to creating a strong home and school connection by developing a process of open, honest communication with you regarding your students' development and experience at the school. This includes a continual exchange of information between you and the school.

There are certain rules that all students will be taught and expected to follow while on campus, this includes at drop off and pick up times. This is for the safety and well being of everyone. In addition, we realize that we must expect a certain wear and tear in regards to the building and toys, etc…, but we do expect a level of care and respect as well. Hitting, pushing, biting, grabbing, kicking, spitting or pinching other students and adults is not tolerated. No standing or climbing on chairs, tables and shelves. There will also be no use of obscene, derogatory or disrespectful language.

If behavior is a continuous problem, we will set up a meeting with parents to create an action plan. If the behavior doesn’t improve within a 2 week timeframe, we reserve the right to ask you to find alternative care.

No smoking is allowed on the property. This includes parents, associates and all guests on campus including rides or ride services. We also request that cars are not “idling” during drop off and pick up, and when traveling in the parking lot please remember the speed limit is 5 MPH and to be aware of your surroundings as there will typically be other students entering or leaving campus.

*Please note, birthday candles are not allowed.

Staff are unable to make independent child care arrangements with families at the school. However, in the event that you enter into an agreement with a Pettengill Academy associate to babysit for your family outside of the associates normal work hours and/or outside of the school hours, it must be done away from the school and with the full knowledge and understanding that the sitter enters into such an agreement as a private citizen and not as a Pettengill Academy associate. We are not responsible for our associates away from the school, outside their working hours and will not be liable for their acts or omissions when not on our property including the transportation of students.

If you hire an associate to work for you and that associate resigns their position with us in order to accept your employment offer, you will be required to pay a $1000 nanny placement fee.

Current families are Pettengill Academy’s best ambassadors and we are thankful when a family who is satisfied with the care they receive, shares it with another family. To reward families for spreading the word about Pettengill Academy, we have set up a Family Referral Program. At Pettengill Academy we pride ourselves on the experiences we deliver, so to match that whenever a new family is referred to us and enrolls. The referring person/family will receive $200, CASH!!

To receive the credit, the referred family just needs to list the referrer on the Enrollment Agreement on the “If you were referred by a friend” box.

Then, relax and enjoy some cash!!.

Pettengill Academy utilizes a digital communication app to share a student's day with their parents. This app is free to download. Please be sure to message during our operating hours, any messages before 6:45am or after 5:30pm will not receive a reply as no one is in the office or school to be able to respond.

Pettengill Academy’s first responsibility is the care of students.

If you have any questions regarding your students day please give us a call.

In these cases, we try to keep the student comfortable throughout the day, but will find it necessary to exclude them from the school setting for the following reasons :

- For information related to COVID, please see Appendix D.
- Illness that prevents the student from participating comfortably in school activities.
- Illness that results in a greater need for care than our staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other students.
- Illness that poses a risk of spreading harmful disease to others.
- If a student is requiring one on one care or monitoring.
- Elevated Temperature ( Fever ) : 100.4° and behavior change or other signs and symptoms such as sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, irritability, constant crying or difficulty breathing.
- Diarrhea : more watery stools or decreased form of stool that is not associated with change of diet. Exclusion is required for all diapered students whose stool is not contained in the diaper, and toilet-trained students if the diarrhea is causing “accidents”. Diapered students with diarrhea will be excluded if the stool frequency exceeds two or more stools above normal for that student.
- Blood or mucus in the stools : not explained by dietary change, medication, or hard stools, and/or uncontrolled, unformed stools that cannot be contained in a diaper/underwear or toilet. Special circumstances that require specific exclusion criteria include the following :
      - Toxin-producing E.Coli or Shigella infection, until the diarrhea resolves and the test results of two stool cultures are negative for these organisms.
     - Salmonella serotype Typhi infection, until diarrhea resolves. In students younger than 5 years with Salmonella serotype Typhi, three negative stool cultures are required.
- Vomiting : more than two times in the previous 24 hours, unless the vomiting is determined to be caused by a non-communicable condition and the student is not in danger of dehydration.
- Mouth sores : with drooling unless the students medical provider or local health department authority states that the student is noninfectious.
- Abdominal pain : that continues for more than two hours or intermittent abdominal pain associated with fever, dehydration or other signs of illness.
- Rash with fever : or behavioral changes, until a medical provider has determined it is not a communicable disease.
- Purulent conjunctivitis : (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge) until on antibiotics for 24 hours.
- Impetigo : until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
- Strep Throat : (or other streptococcal infection) until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
- Head lice : until after treatment and all nits are removed.
- Rubella : until six days after the rash appears.
- Scabies : until 24 hours after treatment has been started.
- Chicken pox : until all lesions have dried or crusted (usually six days after onset of rash).
- Pertussis : (whooping cough) until five days of appropriate antibiotics.
- Mumps : until five days after onset of parotid gland swelling.
- Measles : until four days after the onset of rash.
- Hepatitis A virus : until one week after onset of illness or jaundice or as directed by the health department (if the student’s symptoms are mild).
- Tuberculosis : until the student’s medical provider or local health department states the student is on appropriate treatment and can return.
- Any student determined by the local health department to be contributing to the transmission of illness during an outbreak.

1. All medications, of any kind will be kept at the Front Desk.
2. A Medication Form must be filled out for all medications.
3. Medication Forms expire 30 days from date filled out and will require a new form if continued.
4. All medicine must be brought daily and taken home at the end of the day.
   1. Except but not limited to : inhalers, epipens, diazepam
5. Pettengill Academy will no longer administer cough medicine of any kind, including Zarbee’s
6. Students who are 2 ½ years and older :
   1. Pettengill Academy will not administer a pain reliever or fever reducer of any kind unless medically necessary and with a physician’s instructions.
7. Students who are 2 ½ years and younger :
   1. Pettengill Academy will only administer a pain reliever or fever reducer in the instance of teething or unless medically necessary and with a physician’s instructions.
8. All medications can only be administered by Administrators ( School Director and Senior Lead Teachers ) and associates who are PA Certified to administer medications which does include those with a CRMA certification.
9. All medications will be administered with a Two Part verification process wherein two people will verify the correct dosage, correct medication and correct student.

Learning to use the toilet is an important self-help skill for two and three year olds. We consider potty training to be a process. We want potty training to be a non-stressful experience that is appropriate to each student’s individual development. We believe that when students are at school the parents and teachers must work as a team so students can be comfortable, confident and successful when learning potty training skills.

We will work with parents to ensure that potty training is consistent between home and school. Parents and teachers will maintain communication about the process and will share any questions or concerns they may have. We will not shame or punish students in any way for accidents. We recognize that accidents are part of the learning process and may be attributed to many factors. We will not allow students to remain in wet or soiled clothing following an accident. Therefore, we will need an adequate supply of clothing during potty training to keep the student dry all day.

1. Are your student’s diapers dry for at least 2 hours at a time?
   1. Dry diapers indicate that your student’s bladder is mature and large enough
2. Does your student know - and let you know - when they are wet or has had a bowel movement?
3. Can your student undress enough to sit on the potty?
   1. Your student needs to be able to do as much of the process independently as possible. He/She needs to be able to pull down his/her own pants so that toileting can be a self help skill. It will be very difficult for your student to get to the potty on time if he/she always has to wait for help from an adult.
4. Does your student follow simple directions?
   1. Your student will need to be able and willing to follow directions and cooperate with you during this process.
5. Does your student imitate others?
   1. If your student imitates others, he/she will likely imitate others when it comes to potty training as well.
6. Does your student show pride, joy or excitement when he/she learns new skills?

1. Do you know what you will have to do to help your student learn how to use the potty?
   1. You need to know what to expect during the potty training process so you can help your student and make sure that he/she is successful at potty training.
2. It’s Potty Training Time!!!
   1. There will need to be some changes in your routines, and some time adjustments in order for the potty training process to go smoothly for your student.

At school we go to the bathroom every two hours ( more if the students ask ), our bathroom times are around : 8 am // 10 am // 12 pm // 2:30 pm // 4:30pm

Keep in mind classes have between 10-20 students depending on the age, and it can be difficult to take just one student to the bathroom every 30 or 60 minutes except in special circumstances.

Once a student can independently go to the bathroom, we will not enter the stall unless they have asked for help.

Take your student with you to the bathroom every time you go. This helps them to see what goes on in the bathroom.

Rewards and praise work very well.

Pull Ups help your student work on dressing themselves and allows your student to be more independent.

Diapers are too hard for your student to take off at each potty break.

Pull Ups that are dry can slide up and down like underwear, saving time and money.

Diapers that are dry have to be thrown away once they are removed from pottying.

Elastic waist pants/skirts/shorts

Dresses

Lots of extra clothing : including shoes and socks and typically more bottoms than tops

One piece outfits are very difficult for students to get on and off by themselves. Onesies hang down and get in the toilet.

When a student is transitioning to underwear we will need at least 3 full changes of clothing and at least 5 pairs of underwear on a daily basis.

We are not able to clean out soiled underwear. Soiled clothing will be bagged up and sent home at night.

Information is subject to change without notice, as more information becomes available regarding COVID-19

Combating COVID-19 in a childcare setting is a community effort. Transmission of the virus often occurs outside of the childcare facility and is brought to the childcare facility where it can spread as easily as other places such as public schools, grocery stores and can easily be spread through “high touch surfaces” such as door knobs and handles or even grocery carts.

Pettengill Academy is committed to COVID safety measures but needs parent and family help to ensure our facility keeps it’s risk of exposure as low as possible.

Masking in public settings, properly washing hands, staying home when sick or staying away from others who may be sick has proven to be some of the most effective ways to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Known symptoms : may appear 2 - 14 days after exposure to the virus

Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, or “scratchy throat”, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.

Emergency warning signs for COVID-19 :

Trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake and pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds, depending on skin tone.

Additional COVID information :

Pettengill Academy will actively monitor each community to evaluate methods to reduce exposure. Some of these measures may include, but are not limited to : All adults ( staff, parents and family members ) following proper mask wearing procedures, all students over 5 years of age following proper mask wearing procedures, conducting health checks/screenings and temperature checks upon arrival, conducting pooled COVID testing ( parents or families must OPT IN for this )

In the event of exposure, Pettengill Academy will conduct contact tracing using our attendance records. This will enable us to make proper decisions regarding if a classroom will need to quarantine or if any students and staff will need to quarantine. This information will be shared with parents and families through the Procare app. As each case can have several variables regarding date of exposure, notification of a positive case and length of quarantine, Pettengill Academy will provide parents and families with that information at the time of notice. As more information has become available during the pandemic and preventative measures have become more prevalent and available ( testing and vaccines ) quarantines can be different for some families than others due to individual circumstances. Individuals who are fully vaccinated and/or participate in pooled testing may not have to quarantine provided they are symptom free, if they are exposed.