The Little Mud Puddles Learning Center is open all year round from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. To ensure your child receives the proper attention before the program begins, please have them in school by 9:00 a.m.
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Secured Environment
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Our children’s safety is always a top priority. To promote a safe environment, we have a security system that allows us to monitor visitors that enter and leave our center. Also, the security system allows parents and staff to monitor our classrooms.
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for The Little Mud Puddle’s Learning Center
Our pest management policy is to actively work at reducing the presence of harmful pests to minimize potential exposure of children and staff to pesticides. Our program complies with the 2007 California Law that extends the Healthy School Act to Child Care Centers. Please e-mail us if you have a question.
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Birthdays
We feel the children consider their birthday one of the most important days of the year. If you would like to bring a cake or other treat for your child’s homeroom on his/her birthday, you are welcome to do so. Please do not bring Goody Bags or candy because children could choke on suckers or other small candies. Stickers, books, crayons, bubbles and small games are acceptable items. Also feel free to join the class during your child’s birthday party. Please make arrangements in advance with your child’s teacher.
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California Penal Code
The California Penal Code requires that certain professionals which include all childcare custodians, report suspected child abuse to the proper authorities. Failure to report such abuse is a misdemeanor. All suspected cases are kept confidential. At the time your child enrolls in the Center, you will be given information and brochures regarding child abuse. Please read this material.
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Clothing and Personal Belongings
We ask that you dress your child appropriately for the day’s activities and forecasted weather conditions. A calendar of each day’s events will be provided. Your child should probably wear not-so-new clothes due to painting and other activities. In the colder months please make sure a jacket or sweater is either worn or brought to school. We also ask that you mark all jackets, sweaters and all other clothing with your child’s name on it.
There will be a lost and found box that you may want to check once in a while. We cannot be responsible for unmarked clothes that are lost. All children must have an extra set of clothes in case of a potty accident or he/she gets wet. If your child needs extra clothes and does not have any in his/her cubby you will be called to provide extra clothes. If your child wears the extra set of clothing home, please be sure to replace it the next day. If your child is in the two year old class you are responsible for providing diapers. If your child is in the process of being toilet-trained in the two year old class please dress them in clothes that are easy to remove and put on. Difficult clothes, such as overalls, leotards, tee-shirts that button between the legs, and hard to do snaps or buttons contribute to accidents.
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Poorly fitted or inappropriate footwear is not only uncomfortable for your child but it may also cause injuries due to slipping, tripping, or falling. Tennis shoes or rubber-soled shoes are best. Thongs and shoes without backs are not allowed.
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For the children’s nap- time we would like them to have their own special blankets. Please make sure to bring the blankets everyday or provide a blanket that can be left at the Center. Label these with your child’s full name. Blankets must be small enough to fit in your child’s cubby.
We have a share day for the children on Fridays. Your child is welcome to bring a toy to share. Guns, knives, war toys, coins, food of any kind, balloons, pretend makeup, tiny toys, and jewelry are not appropriate to bring to the Center. We cannot be responsible for broken or misplaced toys. We suggest that your child bring less valuable toys so if they are broken, the child will not suffer the loss too greatly. Please label these toys as other children may have the same toys.
If your child should go home with something that doesn’t belong to him/her, please make sure to bring it back to the Center the next day. Some other little boy or girl could be missing their favorite toy or jacket. Also the Center only has a limited number of toys, and therefore we need all toys to remain at the Center.
Conferences and Evaluations
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held three times a year to acquaint you with your child’s development. There will be an Ages & Stages Parent/Teacher conference and two parent/teacher conferences to discuss your child’s developmental progress. The Little Mud Puddle’s uses this assessment twice a year to provide you and your child’s teacher with valuable information and insight on your child’s individual level of development as well as their social and educational needs. We require both parents/guardians to attend these conferences. If there are circumstances where a child lives with one parent and a significant other of that parent, we suggest he/she also attend if the situation is comfortable for all involved. If you wish to have further conferences, please feel free to make an appointment.
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Holidays
The Little Mud Puddles Learning Center is closed for major Holidays. If any of these holidays fall on a weekend, either the Friday before or the Monday after the holiday will be observed. The Christmas and New Years Holiday school closure dates differ from year to year. You will always be notified in advance so that you can prepare.
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In addition to National holidays, the Director will also set aside two (1) Staff Development days each year to provide staff with up-to-date information. We also have one (1) Clean up Day at the end of August to update bulletin boards to get ready for September. These days help our staff focus on ways to improve our service to students and parents. We will make every attempt to notify you at least thirty (30) days in advance of these days. Please note that, though the Center is closed, you will be required to pay full tuition costs during the holidays and Staff Development days.
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Newsletter/Calendar
At the beginning of each month, a newsletter, calendar, and menu will be provided with daily events and a list of foods for each meal for that month. We encourage you to read these notices in order to keep up with the daily activities, field trips and parent/child activities.
Please feel free to read the Parent’s Bulletin Board in the Center regularly. There are also bulletin boards outside each classroom regarding pertinent information. Contagious diseases are posted at the entrance of the Center and dates of the most recent cases that may affect the Center.
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Parent Involvement
We like our parents to be involved with the Center. Being informed and having firsthand experience in what your child is participating in is very important. We encourage communication with your child and the staff at the Little Mud Puddles Learning Center. There are many ways in which you can become involved. We offer field trips during the summer months, a Halloween Carnival where parent involvement is encouraged, class parties during the holidays, and fundraisers that benefit the school directly. Parents are required to attend all field trips for the safety of their children.
Things Taken Home
Your child will be taking home many art projects. These creations come from your child’s imagination. Children are often proud of their projects and you may hurt their pride by saying something, like “What is that?”.
Please look at your child’s artwork enthusiastically. The end project is not really what counts. Artwork is a way for a child to experiment with colors, textures and designs. It helps your child coordinate his/her motor skills. So think of the hard work that went into the project and praise your child’s efforts. Anything other than praise may hurt the child and discourage him/her from trying to do the art projects.