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At our centre we offer a preschool program with a staff to child ratio of 1:8 for children aged 2.5yrs to 5yrs. We work in small groups as we feel the children get more one on one attention during our learning program.

We have qualified Registered Early Childhood Educators/teachers working in our centre. Our staff has been with us since we opened our doors in December 2019. We keep our staff up to date with any new training needed for early childhood education which is provided by York region children’s services.

Curriculum
Play Island Explorers curriculum includes theme based weekly programming which will enhance the children’s cognitive, fine motor, and language skills. We will incorporate literacy, math concepts, science, music, reading, and language arts. Even more, the children will keep active in our indoor playground with fun interactive games, and sports play. During this time, the children will be given a healthy nut free snack. For our full day children, we provide a hot lunch, and nap time after lunch, or quiet activities.

To learn more about our snack/lunch menus for the children please see our parent board outside the office.

Preschoolers will build a new love for learning and will be ready for Kindergarten in September!

What we do with the children daily:

Children gather for Circle time which consists of calendar, discussion
on weekly theme topic, learning songs and story time.

• Next, we move on to table learning activities. These consists of practicing their fine motor skills (printing letters, numbers), and arts and crafts.
• The children will have the opportunity to explore the different centres set up for free play, to learn and explore.
• The children will be physically activity in our indoor playground which will consist of interactive group games, yoga, and sports play.

HEALTH & WELLNESS IMMUNIZATIONS

The Centre is required to maintain up-to-date immunization records for all children attending the Centre. Parents/guardians are requested to supply proof of immunization. Please advise the Centre of any updated immunizations. For parents who choose not to immunize we request parents to sign a form indicating this.

ILLNESS/COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

It is our policy not to admit any child who has a communicable disease. We require the child to be symptom free for 24 hours or a doctor’s clearance stating that they are no longer infectious before they can be re-admitted to the Centre. Please notify the Centre if your child has been exposed to or has a communicable disease. We will advise parents/guardians of a communicable disease in the Centre by placing a notice in each room and emailing. The Centre Director reserves the right to send home or refuse attendance to any child that is considered not well enough to attend. If your child is unwell or showing signs of an infectious or contagious disease, we will contact you immediately and you will be required to pick them up from the Centre. If illness occurs while a school-aged child is at school, the school must contact the parent/guardian directly. You must then advise the Centre of the situation.

COMMON ILLNESSES

Outbreak of Illness/Communicable Disease: An outbreak is defined as a sudden rise or incidence of a disease. Ontario Services requires child care programs to report an outbreak if there are 2 or more incidences of one specific disease in a program. In the case of an outbreak at the Centre we will inform all families and provide information relating to the disease. Thorough sanitization practices will take place daily during the time of the outbreak. Children will be excluded from the program until symptom free (24 to 48 hours as instructed by Health) or advised by the family physician.

• Common Cold: Symptoms include mild cough, runny nose, sneezing and possibly fever. Your child can attend the Centre if they are well enough to take part in all activities including outdoor play. If they are running a fever, are lethargic or generally unwell they should remain at home as this is in the best interest of your child and the other children in the Centre.

• Pink Eye: Symptoms include swollen eye lid(s), itchy sore eye(s) and yellowish puss-like discharge. As it is contagious, children must be excluded from the Centre for at least 24 hours after their first dose of antibiotic treatment.

• Strep Throat & Scarlet Fever: Symptoms include a fever, sore throat, pus on tonsils, tender nodes in the neck and sometimes a fine rash develops known as Scarlet Fever. A child may return to the Centre after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, if they are well enough to participate in all Centre activities including outdoor play and they are fever free.

• Head Lice: Head Lice and their eggs (nits) can be seen at the nape of the neck, and behind the ears. They can vary in colour from white to brown to dark grey. The eggs are tiny round or oval shapes that are tightly attached to the hair near the scalp and do not slide up and down on the hair. Frequent scratching may cause broken skin or sores to form on the scalp. The damaged skin may weep clear fluid or crust over, and it may become infected. In response to infection, the lymph nodes behind the ears and in the neck may become tender and swollen. Following the recommendations from York Region Public Health, Children with head lice can return to the Centre after their first treatment of head lice medication. Confidentiality should be maintained so as not to embarrass a child who has head lice.

• Hand Foot and Mouth Disease: Hand foot and mouth disease is an illness that causes sores in or on the mouth and on the hands, feet and sometimes the buttocks and legs. The sores may be painful and the illness usually doesn’t last more than a week or so. It is common in children but can also occur in adults. It can occur at any time of the year but is most common in the summer and fall. Children are most likely to spread the disease during the first week of the illness. To help prevent the disease from spreading please keep your child at home, wash your hands frequently, don’t let children share toys and speak to the Director about when your child can return to the Centre.

• Diarrhea/Vomiting/Fever: A child has diarrhea if there are more bowel movements than usual, or if stool is unformed, loose and more watery than usual. Other symptoms that may accompany diarrhea may include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pains. Your child must be excluded from the Centre until the bowel movements have been normal for at least 24 hours, vomiting has ceased for 24 hours or until a physician declares they are well enough to return. If your child has a fever at the Centre, you will be required to pick them up immediately; your child will not be able to return to the Centre for 24 hours.

• Accidents and Injuries: Even in the safest environments accidents and injuries do occur. Any accidents that may occur at the Centre are recorded on an Incident/Accident Report. If your child has been injured during the day you will be required to sign the Incident/Accident Report, indicating that you have been made aware of the incident. Parents will be notified immediately if there is an injury to the head. If necessary, you will be contacted to pick up your child. If you cannot be contacted and your child requires medical attention, we will take the necessary required steps. If an accident occurs while a school-aged child is at school, the school is responsible for all accident reports.

• Reporting Absences: If your child is going to be absent, you must notify the Centre no later than 8am. If your child is ill, please notify us as to the nature of the illness, particularly if it is contagious. If your child is enrolled in our school-age program, please let the Centre Director know about any changes to your child’s schedule. Additionally, if your child is transported to school and is absent from school for the day, please notify us at least 2 hours in advance. This will give us adequate time to change the bus schedules and notify the appropriate bus driver. HYGIENE Strict hand washing procedures are implemented. Children are encouraged to wash and dry their hands before and after meals, after using the toilet and after messy activities. We ask that all children and parents/guardians wash their hands when arriving at the Centre.

MEDICATION/HERBAL REMEDIES

The administration of medication is considered a high-risk practice and carries an obligation for both personnel and parents/guardians. Administration of medication requires attention to detail, excellent record keeping, teamwork and common sense. Incorrect administration has health risks and personnel must be trained to reduce health risks. All personnel who administer medication must have current and valid first aid training. Parents are expected to complete medication forms accurately in order to protect against any instructions that could be misunderstood. Personnel must ensure that documents are accurate before any medication can be administered. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform personnel of any medication that has been administered while child(ren) is not attending the Centre such as prior to arrival. If your child requires medication/herbal remedies, you must complete a “Medication/Herbal Remedy Form” detailing the following important information: o Name of medication o Time of last dose o Dosage o Parent/guardian signature o Time medication is to be administered o Doctor prescribed label on the bottle No over the counter medications will be administered unless prescribed by a doctor. The Medication/Herbal Remedy Form must be completed for all medications including Tylenol, Advil etc. Medication must remain in its original named container and clearly labeled with the child’s name, dosage and specific instructions to administer the medication. If the form is not completed, we are unable, by legislation, to administer the medication/herbal remedy to your child. Any medication must be handed directly to the Centre Director, Assistant Director or the designated senior staff member, so that it can be stored in an area inaccessible to children, in a locked box. Parents/guardians are requested to collect medication from this area on departure. Please ensure that no medication, creams, etc. of any kind are left in your child’s bag. Management with a valid First Aid Certificate will administer all medicine/herbal remedies. If any further health needs are to be provided, please contact your Centre Director. Any emergency medication, such as EpiPen’s and puffers are not locked, and are stored in the child’s room in an emergency backpack and out of the reach of all children. In Ontario, school age children may wear their own EpiPen in a pouch.

NUTRITION AND DIETARY POLICIES

Play Island Explorers centre director, and staff prepare snacks in the centre kitchen, and have a two-week set menu consisting of healthy morning and afternoon snacks for the school age children. Our centre is a nut free facility, and all parents and children cannot bring any nut-based food into our centre.

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

If your child requires a special diet for cultural or medical reasons, we will do our best to accommodate you. However, please be advised that we may not be able to supplement everything. Please speak to our Director and they will work with you to accommodate as they can.

NUT/PEANUT SENSITIVE

Play Island Explorers does their very best to maintain a nut free environment. All parents are reminded on enrollment that our Centre have eliminated nuts/peanuts and nut/peanut products from our Centre. Play Island Explorers cannot guarantee that all products in the Centre are free of all traces of peanuts. Our centre always chooses “peanut free” items to purchase. We can neither be responsible for children or families who may bring peanuts to our Centre or for any residue that may remain on surfaces. It is extremely important that parents of children with peanut allergies notify the Centre, in writing, and provide an Epinephrine Auto-injector (Example: EpiPen) in case of emergencies. If your child does have an allergy you will be required to complete the “Allergy Details and Action Plan Form”. Information for each child is posted in the classroom, the kitchen and the office. This ensures the quick and easy identification of a child by any member of our team. Please ensure that an updated photo of your child is provided on an annual basis.

OUTSIDE FOOD

Any outside food must be nut free at our Centre. This includes all homemade goods, as well as store bought food. If it is not nut free, then you will be asked to remove the items from our centre. Please note, any food you supply must be nutritious and follow Canada’s Food Guide. This is required by legislation. In cases where a child has food allergies and the meals and snacks provided by the centre cannot meet the child’s needs, ask the child’s parent to supply snacks/meals for their child. All written instructions for diet provided by a parent will be implemented. Ensure that parents label food brought to the childcare centre with the child’s full name and the date the food arrived at the centre, and that parents advise of all ingredients. Encourage parents who serve foods containing allergens at home to ensure their child has been rid of the allergens prior to attending the child care centre (e.g. by thoroughly washing hands, brushing teeth, etc.) Please note any food you supply must be nutritious and follow Canada’s Food Guide. Pack food in a thermos or in a lunch bag with an ice pack. Please let the educator know if food needs to be heated. No nut products, candy, pop, junk food, or food containing high levels of sugar or salt will be allowed into the Centre. Unless discussed first with the centre director for special occasions.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Management Emergency Policy and Procedures PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide clear direction for staff and licensees to follow to deal with emergency situations. The procedures set out steps for staff to follow to support the safety and well-being of everyone involved. Clear policies and procedures will support all individuals to manage responses and responsibilities during an emergency, resulting in the safest outcomes possible. Staff will follow the emergency response procedures outlined in this document by following these three phases: 1. Immediate Emergency Response;

2. Next Steps during an Emergency; and

3. Recovery. Staff will ensure that children are kept safe, are accounted for and are supervised at all times during an emergency situation. For situations that require evacuation of the child care centre, the meeting place to gather immediately will be located at: at the front entrance doors, back exit door, or the side exit door, in an emergency situation the closest exit. If it is deemed ‘unsafe to return’ to the child care centre, the evacuation site to proceed to is located at: 13380 Yonge Street, Tim Hortons, next to the Centre, or Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning located 36 Regatta Ave, minutes away from the centre. Note: all directions given by emergency services personnel will be followed under all circumstances, including directions to evacuate to locations different than those listed above. For any emergency situations involving a child with an individualized plan in place, the procedures in the child’s individualized plan will be followed. If any emergency situations happen that are not described in this document, Director will provide direction to staff for the immediate response and next steps. Staff will follow the direction given. If any emergency situations result in a serious occurrence, the serious occurrence policy and procedures will also be followed. All emergency situations will be documented in detail by Director in the daily written record. The following safety checklists are intended to lessen possible emergency situations:

o Monthly fire drills o Monthly fire system lighting checked o Monthly fire extinguishers checked

o Annual Fire System inspection o Emergency Evacuation Drill completed with all staff and children as needed

o Daily Water flushing o Annual Water testing

GUIDING CHILDRENS BEHAVIOUR

It is our policy to focus on encouragement and positive guidance, rather than discipline. Educators at Play Island Explorers try to recognize why a child behaves in a certain way and encourage more acceptable forms of behaviour. They also work hard to discover guidance strategies that work well and promote positive behaviour for each individual child. When necessary, children are given time away from the situation to reflect on their behaviour and consider more appropriate responses. Thinking time is a quiet, relaxed, neutral break – it is not punishment. At no time will a child be physically disciplined. We have developed a philosophy of guidance that is age appropriate with self-control as the goal. The child, as well as the parents/guardians, will have input into the consequences for behaviour. For more details about our Child Behavioural Guidance policies and procedures, please see our centre Director.

POSITIVE CHILD GUIDANCE MODEL

o Establishing trust and confidence between personnel and children through gentle, supportive interactions.

o Child guidance is appropriate to the child’s level of development.

o Self-Discipline: Child regulates own behaviour. Give the child choices only when the child’s choice can be accepted. Limit choices to avoid confusion.

o Immediate intervention, respond quickly and don’t delay action. o Look to the cause of inappropriate behaviour and respond accordingly.

o Provide a stimulating challenging environment and program which is age and developmentally appropriate to decrease restlessness. o Limits are established with the help of the children.

o Use a variety of positive child guidance techniques – praise and encouragement, etc.

o Give attention to good behaviour not just to negative behaviour.

o Model appropriate behaviour. Set reasonable limits with the children and be consistent about enforcing them The Child Guidance Policy is signed by each parent/guardian (or school age children, when applicable), and the educator that is responsible for the care of the children.

CHILD GUIDANCE IN THE SCHOOL ROOM

When undesirable behaviours occur and a child needs to be stopped or redirected, the following intervention methods may be used:

o Discussion of the issue between the childcare educator and the child or children involved.

o The child will be offered a choice of appropriate alternate activities. The adult will encourage the child to become interested and settled in the new experience. The children will be encouraged to use self-discipline, self-control and problem-solving skills. The educators will calmly discuss with the child how they feel and what would be the appropriate behaviour expected.

o Discipline procedures will first be handled by the educator on hand. If assistance is required, the Centre Director will be consulted. If the educator believes the situation to be of a reoccurring nature, the o Parent/guardians will be notified of their child’s behaviour.

o Resolution to the situation is sought through fair with inappropriate and appropriate consequences dependent upon adverse action, which was carried out. The children will be involved in deciding consequences for program of actions.

o Should a child continue behaviour to the point where a child is physically, emotionally or verbally abusive to other children and educators, means;

o Dismissal will be discussed with the parent/guardian and the Centre Director. Discipline will not result in the mistreatment of children such as physical or mental punishment. All disciplinary action will be age appropriate. The goal of the discipline policy is to encourage self-esteem and self-control. We encourage school-age children and parent/guardians to develop consequences for behaviour. In September, a group meeting is held with all the children in the program to go over the rules of the program. If problems do arise within the group, the educator will sit down and discuss the problem with the children and how they can resolve it. If the problem is more specific and involves only one of two children, then they will be reminded of the guidance policy and talked to about the consequences of their behaviour. Whenever guidelines and rules are broken an incident report is filled out and must be signed by the parent/guardian. If problems persist then it may be necessary to setup a contract with the child, educator and parent/guardians stating procedures and consequences.

CODE OF ETHICS – FOR CHILD CARE EDUCATORS

o Work in partnership with parents, recognizing that parents have primary responsibility for the care of their children, valuing their commitment to the children and supporting them in meeting their responsibilities to their children.

o Demonstrate caring for all children in all aspects of their practice.

o Work in ways that enhance human dignity in trusting, caring and co-operative relationships that respect the worth and uniqueness of the individual.

o Promote the health and well-being of all children.

o Pursue, on an ongoing basis, the knowledge, skills and self-awareness needed to be professionally competent.

o Enable children to participate to their fullest potential in environments carefully planned to serve individual needs and to facilitate the child’s progress in the social, emotional, physical and cognitive areas of development.

o Work in partnership with colleagues and other service providers in the community to support the well-being of children and their families.

o Demonstrate integrity in all of their professional relationships.

COMMUNICATION CENTRE CONTACTS For any questions/concerns regarding the daily operations of the Centre, please contact: Centre Director: Jessica Garzon Phone: 905-773-6677 Email: info@playislandexplorers.ca PARENT/GUARDIAN COMMUNICATION, FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION The Centre actively encourages effective communication between parents/guardians and Centre. Your feedback and active involvement help us ensure that you and your child have the best experience with Play Island Explorers. The following strategies are in place at our Centre to ensure effective communication: o Daily two-way communication between parents/guardians and Centre personnel which is open and honest is an effective technique to share children’s experiences, goals and expectations; o Once a year, parents/guardians will be invited to participate in a survey to provide feedback regarding the program, personnel interaction, activities and suggestions for the future; o Centre personnel will provide families with information about the child’s day in care including the following: activities that the child participated in, dietary intake, and how their overall day was in the preschool/afterschool program. o If requested, we will arrange a mutually convenient time to conduct a Parent-Educator meeting to discuss the individual child. o Parents are also welcome to email operations at info@playislandexplorers.ca for anything they would like to discuss further. o We encourage all families to provide current email addresses to ensure all correspondence can be communicated in a timely manner. Failure to provide email addresses or opting out can result in missed information that is important such as closures, cancellation of bussing, emergency evacuations etc. The Centre cannot be responsible for lack of communication if email information has not been provided or is not up-to-date. SOCIAL MEDIA BETWEEN PERSONNEL AND PARENTS Play Island Explorers personnel are encouraged to not communicate or socialize with parents/guardians through social media, such as Facebook. We ask our personnel to remain professional with families, even in their personal lives. UPDATING YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION Play Island Explorers is required by provincial licensing to request all parents/guardians update their contact information with the Centre. This usually occurs in September and April. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure the Centre has correct contact information on file. Please consider updating us with changes to emergency contacts, mailing addresses (even if you leave Play Island Explorers, specifically for your tax receipts), anything regarding custody or access to the child(ren), etc. Play Island Explorers cannot be responsible for lack of communication if email information has not been provided or is not up-to-date. PARENT CONCERNS Parents/guardians are encouraged to take an active role in Home Child Care and regularly discuss what their child(ren) are experiencing with the Director or staff at Play Island Explorers. All issues and concerns raised by parents/guardians are taken seriously by the director and will be addressed. Every effort will be made to address and resolve issues and concerns to the satisfaction of all parties and as quickly as possible. Issues/concerns may be brought forward verbally or in writing. Responses and outcomes will be provided verbally, or in writing upon request. The level of detail provided to the parent/guardian will respect and maintain the confidentiality of all parties involved. An initial response to an issue or concern will be provided to parents/guardians within 2 business day(s). The person who raised the issue/concern will be kept informed throughout the resolution process. Investigations of issues and concerns will be fair, impartial and respectful to parties involved. Every issue and concern will be treated confidentially and every effort will be made to protect the privacy of parents/guardians, children, staff, students and volunteers, except when information must be disclosed for legal reasons (e.g. to the Ministry of Education, College of Early Childhood Educators, law enforcement authorities or Family and Children’s Services). Play Island Explorers maintains high standards for positive interaction, communication and role-modeling for children. Harassment and discrimination will therefore not be tolerated from any party. If at any point a parent/guardian, home child caregiver and/or staff feel uncomfortable, threatened, abused or belittled, they may immediately end the conversation and report the situation to the Director. Everyone, including members of the public and professionals who work closely with children, is required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. If a parent/guardian expresses concerns that a child is being abused or neglected, the parent will be advised to contact Family and Children’s Services directly. Complaints will also be logged in Play Island Explorers daily log book. Where parents/guardians are not satisfied with the response or outcome of an issue or concern, they may escalate the issue or concern verbally or in writing to other relevant regulatory bodies (e.g. local public health department, police department, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Labour, fire department, College of Early Childhood Educators, etc.) where appropriate.

NUTRITION
Play Island Explorers centre director, and staff prepare meals/snacks in the
centre kitchen. We have a two-week set menu for our preschool full day
program, and a two week set menu for our school age children consisting
of healthy morning and afternoon snacks for the school age children. Our
centre is a nut free facility, and all parents and children cannot bring any
nut-based food into our centre.
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
If your child requires a special diet for cultural or medical reasons, we will
do our best to accommodate you. However, please be advised that we may
not be able to supplement everything. Please speak to our Director and
they will work with you to accommodate as they can.
NUT/PEANUT SENSITIVE
Play Island Explorers does their very best to maintain a nut free
environment. All parents are reminded on enrollment that our Centre have
eliminated nuts/peanuts and nut/peanut products from our Centre. Play
Island Explorers cannot guarantee that all products in the Centre are free of
all traces of peanuts. Our centre always chooses “peanut free” items to
purchase. We can neither be responsible for children or families who may
bring peanuts to our Centre or for any residue that may remain on surfaces.
It is extremely important that parents of children with peanut allergies notify
the Centre, in writing, and provide an Epinephrine Auto-injector (Example:
EpiPen) in case of emergencies. If your child does have an allergy you will
be required to complete the “Allergy Details and Action Plan Form”.
Information for each child is posted in the classroom, the kitchen and the
office. This ensures the quick and easy identification of a child by any
member of our team. Please ensure that an updated photo of your child is
provided on an annual basis.
OUTSIDE FOOD
Any outside food must be nut free at our Centre. This includes all
homemade goods, as well as store bought food. If it is not nut free, then
you will be asked to remove the items from our centre. Please note, any
food you supply must be nutritious and follow Canada’s Food Guide. This is
required by legislation.
In cases where a child has food allergies and the meals and snacks
provided by the centre cannot meet the child’s needs, ask the child’s parent
to supply snacks/meals for their child. All written instructions for diet
provided by a parent will be implemented.
Ensure that parents label food brought to the childcare centre with the
child’s full name and the date the food arrived at the centre, and that
parents advise of all ingredients.
Encourage parents who serve foods containing allergens at home to
ensure their child has been rid of the allergens prior to attending the child
care centre (e.g. by thoroughly washing hands, brushing teeth, etc. )
Please note any food you supply must be nutritious and follow Canada’s
Food Guide. Pack food in a thermos or in a lunch bag with an ice pack.
Please let the educator know if food needs to be heated. No nut products,
candy, pop, junk food, or food containing high levels of sugar or salt will be
allowed into the Centre. Unless discussed first with the centre director for
special occasions.
INDOOR & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Our outdoor activities may be held at the field next to our location. It is 5
minutes to the field and Russell Stilts Park. On occasion we will take the
kids for a walk, and go to the field/park so the children can have some
outdoor fun too. The children will be able to play outdoors with permission
from the parents, and the staff at the centre will let parents know we have
left and taken the kids to the park so the parents can pick their child up
from the park/field.
Sun Smart: We aim to promote a positive attitude towards skin protection
and take effective measures to ensure the children’s safety from the sun.
The child care educators will apply and reapply sunscreen when needed
prior to outdoor play. Sunscreen and insect repellent must be supplied by
the parents/guardians in the original bottle, labelled with each child’s full
name. Please provide a hat for your child each time they attend and our
educators will ensure that your child is wearing it prior to going outdoors.
Cold Weather/Winter: During the winter months, outdoor play will be based
on the weather. Once the temperature and/or wind-chill is lower than -18
degrees Celsius the children will not engage in outdoor play as measured
by the Weather Network at the time of scheduled outdoor play or at the
discretion of the Director or member of the management team. During
colder weather, outdoor activities may be limited to 30 minutes.
Summer/Hot Weather: During extreme heat, outdoor play may be limited at
the discretion of the Centre Director. Our educators will ensure that children
are well hydrated at all times and given the option to cool down as needed.
Appropriate Clothing: During our program the child will participate in many
different activities and it is important that they are dressed in appropriate
clothing. Remember, children are hard at “work” while they are with us and
often the most beneficial learning experiences come from messy play. We
encourage children to wear aprons when painting or participating in other
messy activities. Children are encouraged to wear proper footwear and
comfortable casual clothes. Please remember to send along a change of
clothes every day. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure the
child wears appropriate clothing for all weather conditions. If your child
normally walks to school, please do not expect that we will be able to drive
him/her in rainy or extremely cold weather. As well, we will not be able to
make an extra trip if your child forgets anything or needs a change of
clothing while at school.
Indoor Shoes: All children enrolled in our Centre are required to have a pair
of indoor shoes, and anti-slip grip socks to be worn in the centre. . A
separate pair of shoes or boots should be available for outdoor play. All
shoes, both indoor and outdoor must be fitted securely to the child’s foot.
Flip flops/open backed shoes will not be allowed as indoor or outdoor
shoes. Please keep in mind that during outdoor play your child is running
around and climbing, so outdoor shoes should be conducive to this type of
play.
Field Trips on school breaks: On occasion, our Centres may plan trips to
special places for children aged 4 and up. Parents/guardians will be
informed in advance of any planned excursions. A release form for each
field trip or excursion will be provided to the parent/guardian to authorize
their child to engage in the event. All consent forms regarding field trips
must be received prior to date of trips. If your child does not bring in a
consent form he/she is not permitted to participate. If you decide not to
send your child on a field trip, you will need to find alternative child care for
your child as our educators cannot be left at the Centre to accommodate a
1:1 ratio.
Educators will review all the safety policies with the children and
parent/guardian volunteers. They will prepare the children for the trip by
explaining where they are going, why, and who they need to listen to.
Sleep Supervision Policy and Procedures
Purpose
Children’s sleep and rest play an integral part in a child’s well-being and
development. The purpose of this policy and procedures described within is
to provide staff, students and volunteers of Play Island Explorers with rules
and procedures to follow to safeguard children from harm, injury or death
while sleeping. Procedures for monitoring sleeping children reduce the risk
of harm or injury so that caregivers can look for and identify signs of
distress and implement immediate responses to protect the health and
safety of children.
This policy is intended to fulfill the obligations set out under Ontario
Regulation 137/15 for sleep policies for childcare centres.
Policy
General

• All children enrolled at Play Island Explorers will be provided with the
  opportunity to
  sleep or engage in quiet activities based on their needs.
• Children 30 months or older but younger than six years old, who receive
  childcare for six hours or more, will be provided with a cot unless otherwise
  approved by a supervisor.
• Where children are sleeping in a separate sleep room or area, their
  names will be listed on the
  Sleep room log so that staff can immediately identify which children are
  present in the room/area.
  Placement of Children for Sleep
• Children over 18 months of age who sleep will be placed on individual
  cots for sleep.
  Consultation with Parents
• All parents of children who regularly sleep at the childcare centre will
  be advised of the center’s policies and procedures regarding sleep at
  the time of their child’s enrolment and/or any time the policies and
  procedures are revised, as applicable. This information will be
  available to parents in the Parent Handbook.
• The On-Site Supervisor and/or Assistant Supervisor will consult with
  parents about their child’s sleeping arrangements at the time of
  enrolment and at any other appropriate time (e.g., when a child
  transitions to a new program or room, or at the parent’s request.)
• All sleep arrangements will be communicated to program staff by the
  On-Site Supervisor and/or Assistant Supervisor after meeting with the
  parent/guardian.
• Parents will be advised by the supervising staff of any significant
  changes in their child’s behaviours during sleep and/or sleeping
  patterns.
• Staff will document their observations of changes in a child’s sleep
  behaviours in the daily written record.
  Direct Visual Checks
• Direct visual checks of each sleeping child who is in a licensed
  preschool age group and is younger than 24 months will be
  conducted to look for indicators of distress or unusual behaviours.
  Direct visual checks will be documented by staff by going to each
  individual child within proximity of their crib/cot. Staff will remove any
  obstructions that may have occurred while the child is sleeping and
  ensure the child’s safety and needs are met.
• Direct visual checks are not required for children engaging in quiet
  activities, but these children will be supervised at all times.
• For Toddler and Preschool children, direct visual checks will be
  completed every 30 minutes and documented on the classroom daily
  sleep log.
• Any changes in sleep behaviours will result in adjustments being
  made to the child’s supervision during sleep time, where appropriate,
  based on consultation with the child’s parent. If an issue requires
  further discussion, the Lead staff member will contact a
  parent/guardian by phone to discuss any changes or issues.
• The frequency of direct visual checks and the steps to complete them
  will depend on the typical sleep patterns of each child and their age,
  as identified in the sleep supervision procedures provided in this
  policy.
• Staff will ensure that all sleep areas have adequate lighting available
  to conduct the direct visual checks of sleeping children.
  Additional Policy Statements
• Each child will have their own labelled cot.
• Each sleep room will have the appropriate amount of staff needed to
  follow ratios.
• Each child will be allowed to find their own sleep positions.
• Quiet experiences will be available to children who do not sleep
• Under no circumstances will a child’s face be covered by a blanket
  when they are sleeping.
• Under no circumstances will a student/volunteer be left unsupervised
  or counted as ratio during this time.
• Each cot will be disinfected at the end of each week and as needed,
  and the bedding will be sent home to be washed.
  Procedures
  Toddler Every 30 minutes
  Preschool Every 30 minutes
• This is the minimum frequency of direct visual checks. Should
  a child have symptoms of illness (e.g. a cold) or if there are other
  issues or concerns related to the child’s health, safety and well-being
  during sleep, the frequency of direct visual checks will be increased
  accordingly. The individual needs of each child during sleep as
  identified by the parent and/or the child’s physician must be followed
  at all times.
  Procedures for Completing Direct Visual Checks

1. Staff must:
   i. be physically present beside the child.
   ii. check each child’s general well-being by looking for signs of distress
   or discomfort including, at a minimum:

• laboured breathing.
• changes in skin temperature.
• changes in lip and/or skin colour.
• whimpering or crying; and
• lack of response to touch or voice.

1. Where signs of distress or discomfort are observed, the staff who
   conducted the direct visual check must attempt to wake the child up. Where
   no signs of distress or discomfort are observed, proceed to step 3.
2. a) Where the child wakes up, staff must:
   i. attend to the child’s needs;
   ii. separate the child from other children if the child appears to be
   ill;
   iii. document the incident in the child’s sleep log form and/or
   classroom communication book and in the child’s symptoms of
   ill health record, where applicable.
3. b) Where the child does not wake up, staff must immediately:
   i. perform appropriate first aid and CPR, if required;
   ii. inform other staff, students and volunteers in the room of the
   situation;
   iii. contact emergency services or,where possible,direct another
   individual to contact emergency services;
   iv. separate the child from other children or vice versa if the child
   appears to be ill;
   v. inform the On-Site Supervisor and/or Assistant Supervisor of
   the situation; and
   vi. contact the child’s parent;
4. c) Where the child must be taken home or to the hospital, the
   On-Site Supervisor and/or Assistant Supervisor must
   immediately:
   i. contact the child’s parent to inform them of the situation and next
   steps.
   d) Where the child’s condition has stabilized, and/or after the
   child has been taken home and/or to the hospital, the staff who
   conducted the direct visual check and any staff who assisted with
   responding to the incident must:
   i. follow the serious occurrence policies and procedures, where
   applicable;
   ii. document the incident in the daily written record; and
   iii. document the child’s symptoms of illness in the child’s records.
5. Staff must:
   i. adjust blankets as needed;
   ii. ensure the child’s head is not covered;
   iii. ensure there are no other risks of suffocation present;
   iv. document the date,time and initial each direct visual check on the
   classroom communication log book and
   v. verbally inform other staff in the room that the check has been
   completed, where applicable and possible.

ENROLLMENT POLICIES, TUITION, FEES, AND PAYMENT TERMS
Enrollment Policies
Enrollment Forms: Documents for enrollment must be filled out and
returned to the Centre on or before your child’s first day. The information
you provide to us is extremely important and will remain confidential at all
times.
Attendance Days: The Centre will do its best to accommodate all
enrollment applications, however if placements are unavailable at the
Centre we will put you on our waitlist to be next in line. Part-time care is
subject to Centre schedule/availability and is not always available.
Eligibility for program: Our program has a maximum licensed capacity. In
order for us to maintain this capacity it is necessary for us to implement a
policy that limits the number of children enrolled in our program.
In doing so, the following considerations will be made for children to be
enrolled in our program: age of children, schools they currently attend,
children with siblings, and children who have been enrolled with the Centre
before.
Once your spot is confirmed a non-refundable deposit is required by
August 15 of each year. This deposit will be put towards your September
fees. If this deposit is not received, Play Island Explorers cannot guarantee
a spot for your child in the fall. Please contact the Centre Director for more
information. Our School age program is from September-June of each
year.
Part Time Enrollment: Part time care is offered. Part time refers to before
and after care for the day, but not full week. Play Island Explorers does not
offer hourly, or only a morning option. If the Centre is able to accommodate
your request for part time enrollment, you will be required to sign a
separate form to advise you if our enrollment requires the space to be
utilized by a full-time family; you will be provided first right-of-acceptance to
move to full-time enrollment.
Should this not meet the needs of your family, we will provide you one
month’s notice that will allow you to either transfer to another centre with
part time availability.
Withdrawal from Program: Written notice must be provided at least one
month in advance. If notice is not received in writing, a fee equivalent to
one month’s childcare fees will be incurred.
Tuition, Associated Fees, and Payment Terms
Annual Fee: An annual fee of $50.00 (non-base fee) is charged upon
enrolment, and every subsequent year in September. This helps pay for
extra activities and special events held throughout the year.
Increase in Fees: The Centre reserves the right to adjust childcare fees.
Families will be provided with at least 1 month written notice to change in
childcare fees.
Payment of Fees: Full payment of childcare fees are due on or before the
first day of your child attending. Each month after, fees are due by the 1st
of the month by Post dated cheques made out to Play Island Explorers Inc.
Should your payment be returned for whatever reason, a $50.00 NSF Fee
(non base fee) will be added to your account and the full balance must be
paid within the same month returned by interact, certified cheque to avoid
childcare suspension or termination.
Late Fee: A late fee of $10/child (non base fee) for every 15 minutes will
be charged to any family who has not collected their child(ren) from the
Centre by closing time. Your account will be billed accordingly and will be
added to your next payment scheduled. We understand that unexpected
situations occur, so please call the Centre as soon as you can to advise
them you will be late.
Vacations/Illness: Full monthly fees are required irrespective of days
missed for vacations, illness or statutory holidays. The monthly fee covers
both actual care and the guaranteed space. Credit will not be given for any
missed days.
Covid-19 update: Due to the pandemic, if a child becomes ill with the covid19 virus the parent is still responsible to pay the full monthly fee for their
child’s spot even if the child is not at the centre for the 2 weeks.
Closure due to Covid-19 outbreak: If Play Island Explorers Centre has an
outbreak at any time, and have to close our centre due to the virus for 2
weeks, the parents are still responsible to pay their regular monthly fee to
keep the child in the centre. We do not reimburse any fee for missed days
due to covid-19 closure. If we have to close our doors for a city/province
wide lockdown, we will not charge the parents for the following month, and
will not charge until we reopen our doors again and the child is in our
program.
Make Up Days (Part Time): Make up days are not offered for children
attending the Centre on a Part-Time basis. Part time children who attend
days in excess of scheduled days will be charged based on our drop-in
fees and will be required to pay via debit/visa on these days.
Waitlist Policy and Procedure

• Play Island Explorers will strive to accommodate all requests for the
  registration of a child at the childcare centre.
• Where the maximum capacity of a program has been reached and
  spaces are unavailable for new children to be enrolled, the waiting list
  procedures set out below will be followed.
• No fee will be charged to parents for placing a child on the waiting list.
  Procedures
  Receiving a Request to Place a Child on the Waiting List
  The licensee or designate will receive parental requests to place
  children on a waiting list via online application, in-person meeting, or
  by email.
  Placing a child on the Waiting List

1. The licensee or designate will place a child on the waiting list in
   chronological order, based on the date and time that the request was
   received.
   Once a child has been placed on the waiting list, the licensee or
   designate will inform parents of their child’s position on the list.
   Determining Placement Priority when a Space Becomes Available
2. When space becomes available in the program, priority will be given
   to the next person on the waiting list, siblings of children currently
   enrolled, and children of staff.
   Once these children have been placed, other children on the waiting
   list will be prioritized based on program room availability and the
   chronology in which the child was placed on the waiting list.
   Offering an Available Space
3. Parents of children on the waiting list will be notified via telephone
   and email that a space has become available in their requested
   program.
   Parents will be provided a timeframe of 5 days in which a response
   is required before the next child on the waiting list will be offered the
   space.
   Where a parent has not responded within the given timeframe, the
   licensee or designate will contact the parent of the next child on the
   waiting list to offer them the space.
   Responding to Parents who inquire about their Child’s Placement on
   the Waiting List
4. Director will be the contact person for parents who wish to inquire
   about the status of their child’s place on the waiting list.
   Director will respond to parent inquiries and provide the child’s
   current position on the list and an estimated likelihood of the child
   being offered a space in the program.
   Maintaining Privacy and Confidentiality
5. The waiting list will be maintained in a manner that protects the
   privacy and confidentiality of the children and families on the list and
   therefore only the child’s position on the waiting list will be provided
   to parents.
   Names of other children or families and/or their placement on the
   waiting list will not be shared with other individuals.
   Location, convenience, and logistics: How far is the centre, what
   hours, transportation, pick-up/drop off?
   We are in Richmond hill, Oakridge’s, in Ontario. Address: 13390 Yonge
   Street, Unit 7. L4E-2P6.
   Availability
   The Preschool program is available from September through to the end of
   June of each year.
   Please note that our program will be closed on elementary school PA Days,
   winter break, and during March break for our full day school age program, if
   your child is already 4 they are allowed to participate in our full day
   program on these days for an additional fee.
   Program Hours: 9:05 am – 3:00 pm
   Days: Monday – Friday. Includes: Healthy Snack, hot lunch, and nap (if
   needed.)
   Before/After School Program
   Our school age program for children from ages 4 years -12 years of age.
   Open from 7-9am, and 3:00-6:00p.m.
   TRANSPORTATION
   Play Island Explorers meets or exceeds strict government regulations
   concerning driver qualifications, vehicle safety and emergency equipment
   as well as insurance.
   Our school drop-offs and pick-ups for our School age children will be
   scheduled within 15 minutes before or after school hours. Children should
   wait at the designated spot or inside the nearest door in inclement weather
   until pick up. They may go to the office if they feel they have been
   forgotten. Under no circumstances may they leave the school yard or be
   playing away from the designated pick up area. A transportation agreement
   must be signed on an annual basis which provides detailed information of
   your child’s transportation needs.
   Play Island Explorers personnel are prohibited from transporting any
   children to or from the Centre/school in their person vehicles.
   **We have strict regulations that we follow from Ontario’s Regulation 613
   under the Highway Traffic Act. All children that will be transported to school
   and from school with our shuttle bus will be put in a booster seat, with
   fastened seat belts at all times. We follow the chart below with who may not
   be in a booster seat.
   https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/900613
   Reader’s aid 6(1) The following table is included as an aid to the reader in
   understanding the requirements of section 5 of Ontario’s 613 highway
   traffic act:
   The following describes my child: Does my child require a child
   restraining device?
   My child is less than nine years of
   age, weighs less than 36 kg and
   stands less than 145 cm tall
   Yes
   My child is less than nine years of
   age but weighs 36 kg or more
   No
   My child is less than nine years of
   age but stands 145 cm tall or taller
   No
   My child is nine years of age or
   older
   No

Bus Service for School Children –
Severe Weather: Bus service to schools is to be cancelled if the
temperature (combined with the wind chill factor) is lower than –39 degrees
Celsius, as measured by the Weather Network GTA at approximately 6:30
am. If bus service is cancelled at 6:30 am, the Weather Network GTA will
be checked again one hour before the scheduled pick up time. If the
decision to withhold children from being transported to school is made,
reassessments can be made throughout the day by periodically checking
and monitoring for the temperature to rise above -39 degrees Celsius. Area
Managers will be made aware of any cancellation of transportation
schedules. If there is too much snow and York region school buses are
cancelled, our shuttle bus will be cancelled as well due to the safety of the
children. Keeping the children off the roads in this type of weather would be
the safest decision.
Parents please note; please check the weather network and STSYR
Website or call 1-877-330-3001 to follow up on bus cancellations by 6:30
am before coming to the centre.
In the event that bus service is cancelled, all children will remain at the
Centre under the care of our child care educators until the parents pick up
the children. If the parent is not able to pick up their child, the child will
remain with us in the centre for the whole day at an extra charge of $25.