Operational Hours | Enrollment | Accommodations | Re-enrollment | Admission and Contracts |
Tuition | Scholarships | Behavior Management Policy

PROGRAMS AT LASELL

The Holway Child Study Centers offer two kinds of programs for young children. One is offered at the Rockwell Center serving preschool age children and the other is at The Barn, which is a daycare center serving children 3 months through 5 years of age. Both Centers are laboratory schools, which means there is active participation by Lasell's Early Childhood Education students and staff. Both Rockwell and The Barn are located on the Lasell campus. Although these programs work cooperatively, and follow many of the same policies they are considered separate centers on the Lasell campus. This handbook deals specifically with The Barn, its policies and procedures.

What the Holway Child Study Center has to offer the child:

• A warm, loving, and safe environment for children where they will be comfortable and happy while being away from their own home.

• Opportunities for being with other children in a setting conducive to the development of wholesome social relationships.

• Assistance to children in developing a feeling of self‑confidence.

• Appropriate play and learning experiences that contributes to the developmental needs of the individual children in the program.

What the Holway Child Study Center has to offer the parent:

• Early childhood education and care for the child while the parents pursue their own work

• Opportunities to meet with other parents and teachers who have as their common concern the interest and needs of the child.

• Opportunities to grow in the understanding of child development through daily contacts with Center staff and workshops offered by the Center.
  

CHILD STUDY CENTER ROUTINES AND POLICIES

Operational Hours

The Barn is open Monday through Friday 8‑6.

Enrollment Procedures
Families must submit an application form with a nominal application fee, which is non‑refundable. Once received families will receive a confirmation letter acknowledging their application to the Center.  Individual tours may be scheduled for parents who are interested in the Center.  All parents are strongly encouraged to tour the Center and obtain a copy of the Center Parent Handbook before enrolling in the Center.

Each fall families currently enrolled in the center will be given priority to re-enroll their child for the following year.  Preference is given to children of faculty or staff at Lasell College and to siblings of present and past Barn students.  Decisions for admission are made by the Program Director.  The center enrolls children to assure that classrooms are balanced by gender, age and date of application.

Special Accommodations
If any specific accommodations or special equipment are requested/required the parent must submit this request in writing to the Center at least 60 days prior to enrollment into the Center. The Center will review the request for accommodations and will notify the parent(s) in writing within 30 days if the accommodation(s) are reasonable and will be implemented or if the accommodations will cause an undue burden upon the Center, and therefore cannot be met (i.e. special equipment or staffing).  Should the request be denied, the parents have the right to a review of the decision by the Office of Child Care Services. Should the center not be able to provide appropriate care for the child, the center will provide the parents with referrals to other services.  If service is provided the center will notify the local special education provider for assistance. The Lead Teacher is responsible for scheduling a follow‑up conference with the Special Education provider and the Parent regarding the child’s progress.

The Teacher and Lead Teacher with written parental consent may contact the agency or service provider who is assigned to work with the child for information and assistance.  If no agency or service is involved the child’s progress will be reviewed within (3) months.
All staff is required to report any suspected abuse or neglect to the Lead Teacher and director.  Follow‑up will be initiated immediately with the Department of Social Services.
The Lead Teacher will keep the Director abreast of all children who may potentially be in need of a referral. A list of referral agencies is available to the parents and teachers and is kept on file by the Director.

No referral is to be made to a parent with out first notifying the Director.  Written parental consent must be given before any referral is made.

Re‑enrollment
Enrolled families are asked in December if they are returning the following year. We ask that parents sign a new tuition contract and submit a new deposit to hold a space for their child. Subsequently, places are offered to new families for the following year.

Admission and Contracts
On acceptance, a family must sign a contract and place a deposit to hold the opening in the program. This deposit is applied to the first month's tuition for that year.

Deposits are not refunded if your child is withdrawn before the end of the contract period; and responsibility for tuition continues until the Holway Child Center can fill the vacancy.  The Center will not attempt to fill slots that are vacated in July and August.  The Center will attempt to fill these slots for the start of the new contract year in September.  Parents will remain responsible for the tuition for their child’ slot until it is filled.

Tuition and Billing Policy
Tuition is payable on the first of the month; payments are delinquent if not made by the fifth of the month.  The Center does not remit bills.  Parents must schedule payments without reminders.  If extra days are needed, and are available, a blanket fee is charged.  Parents requesting extra day should make the request one week prior to the day needed.  There is no reduction in fee nor any make-ups or switching of contracted days due to absences.

Responsibility for tuition begins typically in September of the contract year.  If a child entering the Center is not developmentally or chronologically ready to begin in their classroom in September, parents are still responsible for the tuition since the space is being held for their child.

If a child presently enrolled in The Center is not developmentally or chronologically ready to move into the next classroom in September, parents are responsible for the tuition in both classrooms.  Since we recognize this may be a financial hardship on the parents, a one-month waiver of tuition for the space in the "waiting" classroom is extended.

Scholarships

The Center has a modest scholarship for those families that qualify.  Parents are encouraged to apply each spring for the next contract year.  Scholarship decisions are made by the Director.

Behavior Management Policy

Our program is designed with the hope of instilling inner controls in each child by creating a warm, nurturing atmosphere in which children can learn to be in control of them selves. We strive to help the children express their anger verbally rather than physically. Our goal is to help them behave in acceptable ways by preventing discipline situations when possible and by increasing a child's feeling of self worth.

When discipline measures are necessary, we take the following steps:

1. Warn and redirect the child to another activity;
2. Calmly and confidently remove the child if the behavior persists;
3. Wait for the child's own decision to return to the activity;
4. Support the child's return to the activity to encourage success.

As stated on the previous page, we strive to prevent discipline situations whenever possible. The following guidelines are followed:

1. Verbally reward behavior that is acceptable;
2. Analyze the situation if the undesirable behavior persists and try to change it rather than nagging at the child;
3. Emphasize the positive rather than the negative by telling the child the correct thing to do rather than the ''don'ts" (except, of course, in the case of a safety situation);
4. Give choices whenever possible and know when there isn't a choice to give;
5. Warn ahead of time when transitions are necessary;
6. Avoid unnecessary constraints that reduce children's feelings of satisfaction;
7. Have as few rules as possible and make sure those we do have are enforceable;
8. Plan ahead and anticipate situations;
9. Make the day interesting and avoid fatigue, which leads to misbehavior.

We are committed to providing a warm and respectful learning environment where we nourish emotional good health. We acknowledge that any redirecting of a child must be carried through clearly and with respect.

As stated by the Office of Child Care Services, we understand that physical punishment or isolation of a child is not acceptable treatment. It is also understood that no child shall be punished or in any way humiliated for soiling or wetting his or her clothing and that the denial of food or water is child abuse and is in no way acceptable.  Additionally, no child will be forced to eat or be forced to use the toilet.