Alki Beach Academy Parent Handbook 2023

All Children enrolled at Alki Beach Academy must be vaccinated. The minimum Public Health Requirements must be met in order to attend.

Hours: 7:00am – 6:00pm, Monday through Friday

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

As we recruit, employ, enroll, and engage with others, we and our employees will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, nationality, creed, religion, sex, gender, LGBTQ+ identity, marital status, veteran status, age, or ability. We are an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any individual meeting the standards upheld by the entities governing our industry may apply for employment or enrollment.

COMMUNICATION

The administrative team communicates with families and employees in person or over text, call, email, or social media. Families and employees are encouraged to communicate with each other about children’s daily experience and needs. Information regarding program updates, closures, events, and activities will be posted in the lobby and supplemented with reminders via email or social media. Administrators will also use posted materials, social media, and direct messages to communicate important information and updates to employees.

DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE

Developmentally appropriate practice requires early learning professionals to understand children as unique individuals and be responsive to the social and cultural contexts in which they live. Knowing each child allows professionals to guide children in their growth, helping them complete challenging and achievable goals. Rather than dedicating ourselves to a rigorous academic curriculum, our play-based approach to learning promotes skills across each domain, enabling child’s success. As teachers actively support children’s progress, intentional use of age and developmentally appropriate strategies is important. Through a combination of play, routines, and learning centers, our program provides carefully planned, child-centric experiences tailored to each child’s needs.

CONSISTENT, EQUITABLE, & CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CARE

Our administrators do their best to ensure staff are consistently assigned to the same classroom for the same hours each day. This dedication to consistency in care promotes strong relationships between teacher and child, helps children feel encouraged, welcome, and seen, and builds a bridge between home and the classroom to minimize difficulty in transition. It is important to us that each teacher know each child, and each child know each teacher, so every child in our care can find comfort in the routines we work so hard to develop and reinforce.

Positive relationships are essential to a successful program and each child’s development. Building positive relationships relies on respect. Equity in the classroom means meeting each child’s unique needs, which is only possible through inclusion, communication, and responsiveness. Through equitable care we can fully understand children’s needs, value each child, and support them in their development. Understanding, valuing, and supporting each child is based in accepting each child’s unique culture into the learning environment. The conditions under which they live, their personal experiences, and their languages, values, and priorities may not match our own, but we must see and treat these differences as assets. We can learn from each child as much as they can learn from us. Through cultural responsiveness, we teach the whole child.

CHILD RECORDS

Children’s records are secured in our main office. Only administrators, DCYF personnel, and the child’s parents or legal guardians may access a child’s records. Keeping this information current and confidential is vital to the provision of a safe, secure environment for each child. Providing the required information allows us to ensure; only authorized persons have access to your child, your child participates only in those activities approved by their parents/guardians, and that we understand important medical and dental information.

Please see the downloadable ABA Family Handbook for details on each child’s file contents requirements.

PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY, & SURVEILLANCE

Our program maintains an active social media presence on private pages. Administrators post pictures and videos of children on a daily basis. If you would like us to refrain from capturing your child in photographs and videos, please submit written notice to the Director. We also coordinate biannual sessions with professional photographers. These events are opportunities for families to receive portraits of their children. When these events are scheduled, we will ask for written permission to participate.

Our program site is monitored twenty-four hours a day by a recorded video camera system. The system allows our administrators to observe the entire program site and provides surveillance records which may be reviewed in response to emergencies and incident reports. By enrolling in our program, you submit to video surveillance while on the program site.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis, & Prohibition of Illegal Substances

Smoking, vaping, drug use, and alcohol consumption are prohibited within the program site and within twenty-five feet of entrances, exits, operable windows, and vents. Employees may not consume nor be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at the program site, or prior to or during a shift. Tobacco, nicotine, drug, or alcohol products and paraphernalia in the possession of an employee, parent or guardian, or person dropping off or picking up any child must be stored outside of the licensed program space. If any person gifts or otherwise delivers a prohibited substance to a person at our program site, it must be placed and kept in the giver, deliverer, or recipient’s personal vehicle.

Guidance, Discipline, & Restraint

We will never punish children for not knowing how to solve problems they encounter. Instead, we will teach them how to solve problems and learn from their mistakes. We work to be positive leaders and develop positive relationships with children, create and maintain a developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum, and improve our cultural competence. We understand that threat and punishment cause toxic stress for young children, which undermines their development and withdraws from their social and academic success. Redirection, one-on-one talks, focused lessons, and class meetings are examples of strategies we implement in response to mistaken behaviors. Whichever response our professionals choose, encouragement is always emphasized. If a child continues to display inappropriate behaviors, the administrative team will provide support for the child and their teachers, inform the child’s family of the behaviors, and work with the family to reinforce appropriate behaviors at home. If the mistaken behaviors persist, the Director and Program Supervisor will schedule a meeting with the child’s family to develop additional supports.

Employees must never use profane, obscene, or aggressive language. They must never insult, discriminate against, or otherwise act with hostility toward others. Threatening or inflicting harm, intimidation, inappropriate gestures, verbal or emotional abuse, restricting of breathing, unauthorized use of restraint, and preventing or impeding the exercise of religious rights are prohibited. Other actions as outlined in WAC 110-300-0331 are also prohibited.

Physical restraint will only be used if a child’s behavior threatens their own safety or the safety of others. Permitted restraint practices are limited to gentle and minimal holding for the minimum amount of time necessary to control the situation. Only employees trained in permitted restraint practices may implement them. No person shall ever use bonds, ties, blankets, straps, car seats, high chairs, activity saucers, or heavy weights to restrain children. If restraint is used, it will be documented and reported to the child’s parent or guardian and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Enrollment

Families wishing to enroll must email the Director and schedule a site visit, which each parent and child must attend. After the site visit, the family must complete, sign, and submit; an enrollment application, a tuition and fees form, and a handbook for the current year. Families are not responsible for tuition or fees until a spot is secured for the child and the family agrees to occupy the spot. For families with multiple enrolled children, a discount of ten percent will be applied to the oldest child’s tuition.

Tuition is payable by Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers or credit card, is charged to the account on file on the fifth day of each month, and is not reducible for absences or closures. If the tuition charged fails to clear and is not paid in full by the fifth day of the month, a fee of ten dollars per day will apply until full payment is received or another arrangement is agreed to by the Director in writing.

Please see enrollment and tuition costs on the Enrollment/Tuition page.

Items from Home

The following items must be provided by the child’s family and labelled with the child’s first and last name if the child will need them at any point during the day; breaks milk/formula (inc. bottles, nipples, and caps), diapers/pull-ups, pureed food items, alternative/supplemental meals or food items, pacifiers, one change of clothes, one blanket, one stuffed toy, and any necessary medications/ointments with completed and current forms.

General Daily Schedule

The table below illustrates the general daily schedule for the full program. For classroom specific schedules, please see the schedules posted in your child’s classroom. Care is not provided outside of the scheduled daily operating hours of 7:00AM to 6:00PM, Monday through Friday, unless a special event is coordinated by the administrative team.

General Activity	Start Time	End Time
Program Opens	7:00am
Child Drop-off	7:00am	10:00am
Breakfast	8:30am	9:30am
Small-Groups / Outdoor Free Play	9:30am	11:30am
Lunch	11:30am	12:30pm
Rest Period	12:30pm	3:00pm
Afternoon Snack	2:30pm	3:30pm
Small-Groups / Outdoor Free Play	3:00pm	4:30pm
Indoor Free Play	4:30pm	5:15pm
Evening Snack	5:15pm	5:45pm
Outdoor Free Play	5:30pm	6:00pm
Program Closes	6:00pm

General Daily Schedule (continued)

In accordance with the Washington Administrative code, meal times run on a consistent schedule, are two to three hours apart for each age group, and consist of two meals and two snacks. Our program also schedules at least one hour of active play for infants and toddlers, and ninety minutes of active play for preschool children. With the exception of play for infants, at least thirty minutes of this active play is scheduled as outdoor play. A supervised rest period is built into each classroom’s schedule to provide each child with an opportunity for at least two hours of rest.

During small- and large-group activity periods, our program supervisors and classroom staff plan various play-based activities throughout the day that encourage children’s engagement, promote independence and prosocial behaviors, provide for choice and expression, allow exploration and experimentation, encourage problem solving and critical thinking, and use interesting and creative materials. While our program is open for eleven hours per day, no child may remain on site for longer than ten hours per day. If a child is left in care beyond ten hours or the scheduled end of the program day, a fee of one dollar per minute will be charged to the family’s account.

Arrival & Departure

When dropping off children at our program site, we ask that you:

1. Sanitize the child’s and your own hands in the lobby;
2. Sign in the child on their room’s sign-in form located outside the classroom door;
3. Wash the child’s and your own hands in the classroom sink;
4. Place their belongings in their designated cubby or hook;
5. Ensure the teachers are aware of their arrival; and
6. Communicate any pertinent information to the teachers.

When picking up children at our program site, we ask that you:

1. Sanitize your hands in the lobby;
2. Wash your hands in the classroom sink;
3. Gather the child’s belongings and daily report, if available;
4. Communicate with the teachers about the child’s experience;
5. Sign out the child on their room’s sign-out form located outside the classroom door; and
6. Escort the child from the program site, remaining within arm’s reach at all times.

Signing In & Out

All children must be signed in upon arrival to, and signed out upon departure from, our program site. Any person older than eighteen may drop off a child, however, only those persons cleared by a child’s parent or legal guardian may pick up that child. Copies of those cleared persons’ government-issued photo identification will be kept in the child’s file for reference.

If an authorized person plans to pick up the child, the child’s parent or guardian must notify the Director prior to that person’s arrival at the program site. If no notice is provided, the person will not be allowed to enter the facility until the parent or guardian is contacted and clears the person for pick up. If a child is not properly signed in or out, a five dollar fee will be applied to the family’s account for each occurrence.

Absence & Removal from Care

If your child will be absent, you must notify the Director as soon as possible. If absent for illness, please note the illness (if known) and any symptoms so staff and families can assess other children. If your child shows any of the following symptoms, they must remain out of care for until twenty-four hours after the last noted symptom or until cleared by a certified medical professional:

• Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and any change in behavior or other symptoms;
• Vomiting or diarrhea two or more times within twenty-four hours, or with blood or mucus;
• Rash not associated with heat, diapering, or allergic reaction;
• Open sores or wounds discharging bodily fluids not adequately covered with bandages;
• Mouth sores with drooling; or
• Lice, ringworm, or scabies.

Classroom staff will observe children for signs of illness when they arrive and periodically throughout the program day. If a child develops signs or symptoms of illness, their family will be notified as soon as possible. Separating ill children from others will be done at the on-site administrator’s discretion, but children will be sent home if the illness prevents them from participating in normal activities, requires more care and attention than we can provide, or the illness places the health and safety of other children at risk.

If a certified medical professional or other public health personnel recommend other remediation or response practices, those recommendations shall be implemented and enforced. If the recommendations of a certified medical professional and public health personnel conflict with each other, our administrators will follow the recommendations of public health personnel. Our program reserves the right to exceed the standards set by any recommendations to the extent allowed by law.

To notify our administrative team about your child’s absence, send an email explaining the reason and expected duration of the absence to alkibeachacademynews@gmail.com. If the absence is due to illness, the email should include your child’s name, their symptoms, the date/time of symptom onset (if known), and any diagnoses from certified health care professionals.

Expulsion & Termination of Care

We reserve the right to expel children from care when behaviors threatening their own safety or the safety of others persist despite collaborative efforts to reduce or eliminate the behaviors. child is expelled, we will review this policy with the family, provide a record of the behaviors and efforts taken to reduce or eliminate the behaviors, and provide the family with references to community-based services and other childcare providers.

We also reserve the right to terminate care for reasons including, but not limited to; unpaid tuition or fees, inappropriate or unwelcome behavior toward employees or children, unsafe behavior within or near the program site, and violation of policies included in this handbook. If we terminate enrollment, the family will be given notice with an effective date through which the family is responsible for all tuition and fees. All terminations will be reported to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

If a family chooses to terminate their own care, they must provide written notice no fewer than thirty days prior to the effective date. The child’s family is responsible for all tuition and fees through the month within which the effective date occurs. Tuition will not be reduced for months wherein a family does not attend for the full month.

Ages, Capacity, & Staff-Child Ratios

Our program serves children between five weeks and six years old. Our infant, toddler, and preschool rooms have a total licensed capacity of 127 children. The classroom capacities, required ratios, staffing, and operating ratios are as follows:

Classroom	Capacity	Required Ratio	Assigned Staff	Operating Ratio
Red	20	1:10	3	1:7
Teal	20	1:10	3	1:7
Yellow	14	1:7	3	1:5
Blue	14	1:7	3	1:5
Crystal	12	1:7	3	1:4
Magenta	15	1:7	3	1:5
Green	14	1:7	3	1:5
Orange	6	1:7	2	1:3
Violet	12	1:4	5	1:3

Mixed Age Groups

Whenever staffing or scheduling circumstances require the mixing of age groups, our program will provide sufficient staff to keep the operating ratio at or below the required ratio of the youngest child present in the group and meet the health, safety, and developmental needs for all children in the mixed group. At least one lead teacher and one other staff member will be present with the group. The group size will not exceed the standards outlined in WAC 110-300-0357 except during outdoor free play during the last thirty minutes of the program day.

Transportation & Off-Site Field Trips

Preschool classrooms will be authorized to conduct off-site field trips, including; community parks, the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, the Alaska Junction, and others. The primary mode of transportation for these trips includes public mass transit and chartered buses when necessary. For community parks, classrooms will walk and use local sidewalk networks to safely access the parks. Field trip permission forms will be provided to families for off-site field trips and must be signed and returned by a child’s parent or legal guardian prior to the event for that child to participate.

Water Activities

Children enrolled in our program will not have access to water activities in open bodies of water. The only authorized water activities will be controlled in containers and supervised closely by classroom staff. When water activities are planned, families are expected to provide an extra set of clothing for their child to change into when the activity ends.

Cultural Activities & Holidays

We regularly incorporate cultural content into our curriculum. If there are specific celebrations or commemorations you would like us to include, please communicate them to the Director. If you or your child require religious accomodations, please communicate them to the Director. We are open to celebrating or commemorating holidays and events from all cultures. Holidays recognized as “federal holidays” often accompany scheduled closures. Other holidays are incorporated into our curriculum in the form of art projects, books, discussions, and other activities. If at any time you do not want your child to participate in an activity, please inform an administrator as soon as possible so we can create an alternative plan for your child. Scheduled closures are as follows:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 15th)
• Presidents Day (Monday, February 19th)
• Memorial Day (Friday, May 24th & Monday, May 27th)
• Independence Day (Thursday, July 4th - Friday, July 5th)
• Labor Day (Monday, September 2nd)
• Veterans Day (Friday, November 10th)
• Thanksgiving (Close 4:00pm Wednesday, November 22nd, closed Thursday November 23rd - Friday, November 24th)
• Winter Break 2023 (TBA)

Dual Language Learning

While our program is not an immersion program in structure, many of our employees speak multiple languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, and English. Language and literacy activities in our program include both Spanish and English activities, both formally built into lessons and conversationally.

Individual Care Plans (ICPs)

In accordance with state regulation, our program maintains ICPs for each child with special needs and notable conditions. When a child with such is enrolled or identified within the program, we notify the Department of Children, Youth, & Families. ICPs include documentation regarding the child’s diagnosis, related health concerns, applicable training or education, health/504/family service plans, and all records related to our curriculum-based assessments. Please speak with an administrator for more information.

ICPs must be updated annually or when there is a change in the child’s needs. They must be signed by the parent or guardian and contain; the child’s diagnosis, primary care and specialist contact information, a list of medications with descriptions of when and how to administer, allergies and dietary needs, necessary modifications for the child, known symptoms and triggers, emergency response plans and what procedures to perform, and any suggested training or education for staff.

The ICP must have supporting documentation from the child’s licensed or certified healthcare or education professional, social worker, or registered nurse as well as a written plan and documentation for accommodations informed by an individual education plan (IEP), individual health plan (IHP) 504 plan, or individualized family service plan (IFSP).

Infant Care (ages 5 weeks to 1 year)

Each infant’s schedule is based on their needs and the desires of their parents/guardians. Infants are diapered, fed, and rested as needed. When infants are napping, employees actively supervise them (visibly checking at least every fifteen minutes) and remain within visual and auditory range. Employees place infants to sleep on their back and frequently monitor breathing patterns. If an infant turns over while sleeping, they are returned to their back until they are able to independently roll back and forth.

Sleep positioning devices are not authorized unless directed in writing by the infant’s health care provider. Blankets, stuffed toys, pillows, and crib bumpers are not authorized inside or on sleeping equipment. No item may cover or conceal occupied sleep equipment. Bedding and clothing must not cover any portion of the infant’s head while sleeping. Teachers prevent temperatures and clothing from causing overheating and maintain sufficient lighting to allow for necessary observations.

Toddler Care (ages 1 year to 29 months)

Each toddler’s schedule is based on their needs and their classroom routines. Children in toddler rooms are diapered or use child-specific toileting facilities routinely and as otherwise needed. These children have consistently scheduled rest periods following lunch each day, but accommodations will be made whenever children need additional rest. Our program employs professionals who speak English, Spanish, and Vietnamese as their first language. Employees, families, and children are encouraged to speak their home language and learn new languages to promote a culture of inclusion in our program. Lessons are presented in English and Spanish to help in the process of familiarization for each.

Preschool Care (ages 30 months to 4 years)

Preschool care includes the details noted under “Toddler Care” with additional work in preparing children for social and academic life beyond our program. At this age, our teachers begin implementing informal observation-based assessment in collaboration with our administrative team. Over the course of these eighteen months, activities become more targeted toward specific developmental domains to allow children to demonstrate focused skills and behaviors, and allow our teachers to observe and note those skills and behaviors. If you have any questions about our observation-based assessment process, please speak with our administrative team.

Kindergarten Transition Plan (ages 4 to 6 years)

Our observation-based assessments allow us to adjust our curriculum to best first the needs of each child based on how they engage with lesson content. The goal of these assessments is to enhance learning and development for each child to promote future social and academic success.

When children in our program turn four years old, our teachers and administrative team begin a more formal observation-based assessment process and analyze each child’s development to create education plans for each child. The plans focus on how children’s teachers can better introduce new, and reinforce previous, concepts to ensure each child is prepared for kindergarten. Our administrative team maintains positive, communicative relationships with local public and private schools, and invites their administrators to visit our program site. These schools provide us information on how to register, expectations for incoming children, and available slots in their programs. We use these relationships to ensure seamless transitions for children and their families.

Mandatory Reporting

If ever an employee suspects physical/sexual/emotional abuse, neglect, endangerment, or exploitation, they are required by law to report those suspicions. If an employee suspects reportable conditions, they must report them to an administrator. The administrator will contact Child Protective Services (CPS) with the employee and file a formal report. A written report of the suspicions and steps taken will be placed in the child’s file. ABA requires written reports for injury noticed or experienced at the program site. Other circumstances requiring reporting include; death/injury/illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization, food poisoning, and communicable diseases. These must be reported by telephone and in writing to the child’s parent/guardian, the licensor, and the child’s social worker (if applicable).

Posted Materials

Posted materials at our program site include:

• Child Care License;
• Business License;
• Floor Plan with Emergency Routes & Exits;
• Dietary Restrictions, Allergies, & Nutrition Requirements;
• Handwashing Practices;
• Diapering Procedures;
• Emergency Numbers & Information:
• • Emergency Services Phone Number;
  • Program Name & Address;
  • Nearest Arterial Street or Intersection;
  • DCYF Phone Number;
  • Washington Poison Center Phone Number;
• Location of Child & Staff Medical Information;
• Notice of Current or Pending Enforcement Actions (if applicable);
• Notice of Safe Sleep Violation (if applicable);
• “No Smoking” and “No Vaping” Signs;
• Department-Approved Waivers or Variance from Rule (if applicable);
• Location of Insurance Coverage Statement;
• Daily Menus;
• Lesson Plans;
• Non-Discrimination Policy;
• Scheduled Closure Calendar;
• General Program Schedule;
• Staffing Schedule; and
• Any Notices for Families or Employees.

Program Policies

Other program policies regarding records maintenance, employment, general operations and procedures, emergency and disaster preparedness and response, health, safety, and sanitation are available for review in the main office. This handbook and the policy binder will be reviewed as part of the enrollment process and at least annually thereafter. If you would like to view our program policies or have any questions, comments, or concerns about our program policies, please speak with an administrator.

Hold Harmless

If any family, enrolled or otherwise, hires a program employee or volunteer to perform services of any kind, the family shall fully defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the program and its owners from any and all claims, lawsuits, demands, causes of action, liability, loss, damage, or injury of any kind (including all claims of monetary loss, property damage, equitable relief, personal injury, or wrongful death), whether brought by an individual or other entity, or imposed by a court of law or by administrative action at any level of government, arising out of any acts, omissions, negligence, or willful misconduct on the part of the program’s employee or volunteer when such persons are not directly engaged in activities related to the program’s regular daily operations or sanctioned program events.

General Permissions

To grant permission for the items below, please download the ABA Family Handbook. If you have questions or concerns about any of the permissions which you do not feel are sufficiently addressed by the items description, please discuss your questions or concerns with an administrator.

Item	Description
Transportation & Off-Site Activities	I give permission for the licensee or the licensee’s staff to take my child on field trips by walking with my child, by company vehicle, or by public transportation whenever notice of field trip is provided at least 24 hours prior.
Photography & Videography	I give permission for the licensee or the licensee’s staff to capture or record photographs and videos of my child during the program day for the purpose of posting to the program’s private social media pages.
Home-Prepared Foods	I give permission for my child to consume home-prepared food items in the event of a celebration or commemoration provided no item served includes ingredients not aligned with my child’s dietary needs, including allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities.
Hand Sanitizer	I give permission for the licensee or the licensee’s staff to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer and hand wipes on my child’s hands whenever proper handwashing facilities are not available.
First Aid & CPR	I give permission for the licensee or the licensee’s staff to perform first aid and CPR as necessary to treat my child in the event of injury or emergency. I also give permission for the licensee or the licensee’s staff to travel with my child and emergency service personnel to the hospital in my absence should such travel become necessary.

Emergencies

In the event of a life-threatening emergency, ABA will assign an employee to remain with the child while another activates Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Once EMS is dispatched, the child’s family will be noti ed of the situation. A report will be completed and signed by all parties and led with the child’s other paperwork. In the event of a minor injury, a report will be completed by an administrator and provided to the family upon pick up. If large bruises or marks are present, the Director may call the family to notify them immediately.

Disaster Response

The main office keeps all emergency and disaster response policies on file in the office for review by families and employees, including; missing child/kidnapping, mandatory reporting, fire, earthquake, flood, power outage, bomb threat, storms, lockdown, shelter-in-place, and evacuation.

If an emergency or disaster forces us to evacuate the building and leave the program site, our planned off-site location is:

Delridge Fire Station #36
3600 23rd Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106

Alki Beach Academy will notify all families 48 hours in advance of any pesticide spraying.

Alki Beach Academy
2414 SW Andover Street Suite F-102
Seattle, WA 98106
(206) 510-4330

Updated October 9th, 2023