StarChild Academy's discipline policy includes developmentally appropriate social-emotional and behavioral health promotion practices as well as discipline and intervention procedures to prevent and respond to challenging behaviors. StarChild Academy utilizes preventive and discipline practices as learning opportunities to guide children’s appropriate behavioral development. StarChild Academy encourages its teachers and other staff to:
- Take a positive approach with each child from day one.
- Encourage and praise good behavior.
- Be aware of the child's needs in any situation.
- Keep under consideration the child's age and his/her emotional and intellectual development.
- Use patience and understanding.
- Always be fair and consistent.
- Keep discipline constructive by guiding a child in the direction you want the to grow.
- Talk to a child at their own level, making eye contact, and redirect the child's attention to a more appropriate choice.
StarChild Academy trains its staff to appropriately interact with children to foster a healthy, safe environment that will encourage the child’s physical, intellectual, motor, and social development. Interactions with children that are aggressive, demeaning or intimidating in nature are strictly prohibited.
The use of physical punishment is prohibited at StarChild Academy. Discipline consists of positive redirection and promoting self discipline or, if necessary, time out. Time out is limited to one minute per year of age of the child per incident. Time out consists of sitting in an area facing the group, but apart, still within supervision of the teacher.
In order to provide the best care for your child(ren), parents are requested to notify StarChild Academy of changes in your child’s environment that might affect the behavior of your child(ren). Our being aware of changes in your child’s life will assist us in implementing the adjustment.
StarChild Academy's discipline policies prohibit children from being subjected to discipline which is severe, humiliating, frightening, or associated with food, rest, or toileting. The following discipline techniques are prohibited at StarChild Academy:
- The use of corporal/physical punishment including, but not limited to:
- Hitting, spanking, shaking, slapping, twisting, pulling, squeezing, or biting;
- Demanding excessive physical exercise, excessive rest, or strenuous or bizarre postures;
- Compelling a child to eat or have in his/her mouth soap, food, spices, or foreign substances;
- Exposing a child to extremes temperature;
- Rough or harsh handling of children, including but not limited to: lifting or jerking by one or both arms; pushing; forcing or restricting movement; lifting or moving by grasping clothing; covering a child’s head
- Isolating a child in an adjacent room, hallway, closet, darkened area, play area, or any other area where the child cannot be seen or supervised.
- Binding, tying or restrict movement, or taping the mouth;
- Using or withholding food or beverages as a punishment;
- Toilet learning/training methods that punish, demean, or humiliate a child;
- Any form of emotional abuse, including rejecting, terrorizing, extended ignoring, isolating, or corrupting a child;
- Any abuse or maltreatment of a child;
- Abusive, profane, or sarcastic language or verbal abuse, threats, or derogatory remarks in front of the child or about the child or child’s family;
- Placing a child in a crib/portable crib for a time-out or for disciplinary reasons.
Active play, both indoor and outdoor, will not be completely withheld from children who misbehave. For example, a child being left in the front office the entire time the rest of the children go outside to play would be unacceptable. Time-outs may be used during indoor or outdoor play provided that StarChild Academy’s age appropriate time limit is observed.
Expulsion/Suspension Policy
Our goal is to limit expulsion, suspension, or other exclusionary discipline (including limiting services) whenever possible, however, StarChild Academy reserves the right to ask parents to make alternative arrangements for the care of a child in the event that behavior becomes a problem that cannot be corrected. While judgement is always used, some of the reasons that parents may be asked to find alternate arrangements include:
- Leaving supervised areas (classrooms, the dining room, playgrounds, etc.) without permission.
- Disruptive behavior in class.
- Injuring other children.
- Intentionally injuring themselves.
- Damaging school property.
- Failure of the parents to pay tuition in a timely manner, as outlined.
Food & Nutrition Policies
StarChild Academy provides nutritious meals and snacks of a quantity and quality to meet the daily nutritional needs of the children. The USDA MyPlate, June 2011, is used to determine what food groups to serve at each meal or snack and the serving size of the selected foods for children ages two and older. The categories “oils” and “discretionary calories” are not considered food groups. Copies of the USDA MyPlate may be obtained from the USDA website at http://www.choosemyplate.gov or from the following link http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-03036. Using the USDA MyPlate, breakfast consists of at least three different food groups, lunch consists of at least four different food groups, and snacks consist of at least two different food groups.
Food provided by StarChild Academy directly, or by contract with an outside source such as a caterer, will be served only if in sound condition, free from spoilage and contamination, and safe for human consumption. All food is stored and handled in a sanitary manner at all times.
StarChild Academy has adequate equipment available to maintain food safety.
- Meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and processed foods are inspected under the United States Department of Agriculture requirements.
- No raw milk or unpasteurized juice is served without the written consent of the parent or legal guardian.
- No home-canned food is served.
- No home-grown eggs are served.
- No recalled food products are served.
- All raw fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly before being served or cooked.
- To prevent food from becoming potentially hazardous, hot foods are maintained at a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above, and cold foods are maintained at a temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. StarChild Academy supplies adequate equipment to maintain temperature requirements.
- Food is thoroughly cooked and/or reheated.
If StarChild Academy provides or makes available food to children in care from an outside source such as a caterer, or as the result of a learning activity provided by our child care program, such as a garden, it is StarChild Academy’s responsibility to ensure all food intended for consumption by a child in care is in sound condition, free from spoilage and contamination, and safe for human consumption. A copy of the license or permit for caterers is kept on file at StarChild Academy.
StarChild Academy maintains a food acceptance log for all pre-prepared meals being transported into the facility.
Parents or legal guardians are advised in advance of each food-related activity, such as special occasions and learning activities, which include food consumption. Written parental permission may be obtained in the form of a general or specific permission slip. Documentation of parent permission for food activities is maintained for a minimum of four months from the date of each activity.
Parents are informed of food-related activities as follows:
- Regular Meals and Snacks - Through Weekly Menus in the Parent Information Center, in the Dining Room, and Online
- Classroom Holiday Parties - Through Sign Up Sheets in Each Classroom
- Field Trips - Through the Field Trip Schedule
- Parent’s Night Out - Through the Parent’s Night Out Sign Up Sheet
- Birthday Parties - Will Occur on Various Dates Throughout the School Year Based on the Children’s Birthdates
- Learning Activities and Other - Through Daily Reports Provided to Parents
If a special diet is required for a child by a physician, a copy of the physician’s order, a copy of the diet, and a sample meal plan for the special diet is maintained in the child’s file and followed. If the custodial parent or legal guardian notifies StarChild Academy of any known food allergies, written documentation is maintained in the child’s file for as long as the child is in care. Special food restrictions are shared with staff and are posted in a conspicuous location.
Meal and snack menus are planned, written, dated, and posted for parents at the beginning of each week in the Front Lobby, the Dining Room, and online. Any menu substitution is noted on the menu. All meals and snacks prepared outside of the facility’s kitchen or designated food preparation area, such as catered food, are listed along with the source of the prepared food. Daily meal and snack menus are maintained for a minimum of four months.
Documentation of parental permission for field trips and food activities/special occasions is retained for a minimum of four months.
Written documentation of known food allergies (if applicable) is maintained for as long as the child is in care.
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Please let StarChild Academy’s Front Desk staff know if you do not want your child to participate in any particular food-related activities, including regular meals and snacks, classroom holiday parties, field trips, Parent’s Night Out, birthday parties, learning activities, and other food related activities.