1. It is a must that parents/guardians tour the facility.
2. Parents/guardians must pay the enrollment fee.
3. In turn, an enrollment packet will be provided to the payor.
4. The Director/Assistant Director will discuss all the details written in the packet.
5. An appointment will be scheduled by the Director/Assistant Director together with the parents to discuss on the beginning date of school.

Information enrollment forms should be completely filled out by the parent. When changes occur, for instance the telephone number, the enrollment form should be updated to reflect the changes made.

Trina’s Learning Center includes children 0-12 years old in its scope of services. The first child pays $40.00 for enrollment while each subsequent ones will be charged $10.00. It is important that you remember that the fee is non-refundable. Paying the enrollment fee will also ensure a slot for the child which will be held open for a week following the enrollment date. The fee does not apply to the tuition.

Trina’s Learning Center accepts children to be enrolled on a full or part time basis. Full time enrollees should be inside the facility for 4 hours or more, while children enrolled for part time can stay for less than 4 hours. Consistent attendance will ensure further and easier adaptability, thus making the child feel more belonged to the class. A very good attendance in school will prepare the child to familiarize the setting of mainstream school in the future.

For children having specific conditions, our illness policy will greatly help. You can decide based on the policy as to whether or not your child should stay at home. Parents are requested to call the facility by 8:00 a.m. to inform about your child’s absence. Three unexcused absences will warrant our staff member calling you to offer assistance.

It is very important that children be present before 10:00 a.m.; otherwise, the child will no longer be permitted to attend class on that day unless proper documentation, stating a valid reason from the doctor, is provided. A child is only allowed 4 days of absences in a month. Late entrance should happen not later than 12 noon.

*Part-time is only accepted based on availability in classroom.

For parents not on DHS child care services, your payment will be collected a week in advance on each Friday for the following week. For payments not received by 7:00 p.m., children concerned will no longer be allowed to attend the consequent week until the payment is paid in full. Full payments should be given each week whether or not your child/children will be present the entire week. No refunds will be provided. This is something that parents should always remember. No reduction in rates are allowed for occasions of sickness, vacations and holidays. For tuition fees not paid within a week, the entire enrollment process will be terminated and the slots reserved will be given away, with no exceptions.

All Co-payments are due on the 1st of each month. If not paid the morning of the 1st, your child/children cannot return until payment is paid in full.

Receipts will be provided as proof for every payment made. Trina’s Learning Center is not obligated to retain any receipts to ensure tax issues compliance. Payments can be done via cash, money orders, and debit/credit cards.

After first year of enrollment, a one week (5 day) vacation leave without pay will be awarded per year for children under private pay and are currently enrolled in Trina’s Learning Center. This vacation leave must be scheduled for one full week and it cannot be split up.

A late fee is considered any time outside the agreed contracted hours. This includes the drop-offs done before contracted hours. These charges will occur when children have exceeded their reserved 10 hours per day. Late fee is $1.00 per minute, per child which should be paid upon picking-up your child/children; otherwise, the child will not be able to return until payment is paid in full.

Children must be brought into the child care by a responsible adult who will sign the child in. Each child must be signed in and out each day. Make certain your child’s teacher(s) acknowledges the arrival of your child before you leave. When picking up your child, sign-out and make sure the teacher(s) realizes you are taking your child.

Parents who have Access Cards must swipe your card daily. There will be no previous ins and outs. If you the parent, do not have your card when dropping off your child/children no service will rendered unless you the parent would like to pay out of pocket for that day.

Children can only be picked up from the child care by the parent/guardian or another person the parent has listed in the permission/emergency section of the child’s enrollment forms. Unfamiliar people are required to show a valid picture I.D. In addition to listing the other people in the child’s file, the parent must inform staff when one of the listed persons will pick up the child or when names and numbers on that list change. In situations where a person other than one listed is planning to pick up your child, the parent or legal guardian must write or send a fax signed statement indicating the date and named person having permission to pick up the child.

We WILL NOT accept phone calls from parents releasing your child to someone who is not on the list. Parents and guardians are responsible for promptly picking up their child at the end of his/her class. In the event a child has not been picked up one hour after closing, and all attempts to reach people listed on the child’s Enrollment Card are unsuccessful, T.L.C. will call the OKC Police and report the situation. Parents are required to update enrollment cards periodically.

T.L.C. employees are employed to care for children at our Center. T.L.C. respectfully requests that parents do not employ the teaching staff after hours. This puts the Center at risk and places the teacher in a compromising position.

A child’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s) must provide a list of adults to whom the child can be released. Parents can only be excluded when a court of competent jurisdiction has limited the parental right of access to the child and a copy of the order is on file in the office. Biological parents are legally entitled to equal distribution of information, child access, etc. No unauthorized pick-up’s can be honored without documentation.

All children in the child care depending on their schedule will receive breakfast, lunch, and snack. T.L.C. participates in the USDA Childcare Food Program, which is an agreement between T.L.C. and the USDA. The agreement states that we will meet USDA nutrition requirements in exchange for partial reimbursement of food costs, based on a blended rate calculated by family incomes of enrolled children.

Menus are posted weekly. More than minimum amounts of food are prepared, so seconds are available. No high calorie, low nutrient foods are served. Only full-strength juices are served. Menus are developed to provide children with an excellent source of vitamin C daily and vitamin A every other day. A copy of the menus are available upon request. It is your responsibility to notify T.L.C. if your child has a known food allergy. Please give us a doctor’s signed statement to put in your child’s file.

If your child cannot drink milk, you must submit a doctor’s statement for the child’s file; otherwise your child will be served milk daily. No food or drinks will be provided to children for after care hours. The child care is only responsible for providing meals for the designated schedule times. NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINKS ALLOWED!

You, the parent, will be responsible to provide to Trina’s Learning Center diapers, pull-ups, wipes, and change of clothes for your child. Please make sure that everything is labeled when brought into the childcare. You the parent will be charged $2.00 for each diaper/pull-up that Trina’s Learning Center provided to your child.

If it becomes necessary for the parent/guardian to withdraw a child, Trina’s Learning Center must be notified in writing 2 weeks prior to the child’s last day. All childcare payments must be made up to date upon withdrawal. No refunds will be made before the 2 weeks notice is up.

Periodic quiet times and activities are interspersed throughout the day to provide adequate rest for the children. Each classroom has a quiet place, which will always be available when a child needs rest or quiet. In addition, a two and half hour rest period will be scheduled in the early afternoon. All children will be placed on cots during this time. Although children are not required to sleep, the environment will be conducive to rest.

Children need fresh air and active play daily. Teachers use the following guide to determine outdoor activities for children:

• 100° -Children stay inside
• 93°-99°-Children go outside for 20 minutes only
• 32°-93°- Normal outdoor activities
• 25°-31°-Children go outside for 30 minutes wearing hats, gloves, and coats
• 25°-Children go outside for 25 minutes wearing hats, gloves, and coats
• 1°-24°-Brisk walk outside
• 0°-Children stay inside

Please provide your child with a coat during winter season. If your child cannot go outside, you must keep your child home for that day, unless a doctor’s statement states otherwise.

Field trips, videos, and other special activities are linked to the curriculum. Trina’s Learning Center’s staff provides continual supervision of children during all activities. All children remain in sight and sound of the T.L.C. staff member at all times. Parents are informed in writing prior to field trips and must give written consent. Some field trips may cost, when this occurs cost is the responsibility of the parent/guardian or unless money has been raised to cover some of the expense.

All parents are welcome to participate in any of our program activities. You will be notified in advance of available opportunities. When children are on field trips or neighborhood walks, a notice is posted on the center door, and Trina’s Learning Center assistant, at 609-2332, is notified. Children are transported to field trips on the approved transportation by the director. All children are to be seated in the vehicles, and teachers travel with them. An emergency procedure is available with the fieldtrip leader.

Children in the same family are usually enrolled in different classrooms to support their independent growth depending on age of children.

Discipline is an interaction with a child; it is not something that is done to a child. Positive discipline is an effective way of permanently eliminating undesirable behavior in children by encouraging them to take control over their own behavior, thus increasing self-esteem in children. The task of Trina’s Learning Center staff is to provide children with the skills and tools needed to control their behavior effectively. Children learn to discipline themselves. When children are having difficulty gaining self-discipline, re-direction is done and the staff and parents work together to create a plan to meet the individual child’s needs.

This is a process that takes love, patience, time, and effort. However, a child may be dismissed from the child care for disciplinary problems that cannot be worked out between the parent/guardian and the child care. Traditional methods of “punishment” often fail. Punishment is a negative way of attempting to stop undesirable behavior. It is short term and leaves children with feelings of low self-esteem. Punishment aims to prevent children from doing wrong. Discipline has as its aim the more joyful task of helping children do right.

It is policy that Trina’s Learning Center staff and volunteers treat children in their care with respect using positive discipline methods that promote increased social competence and enhance children’s self-worth. The use of physical punishment, emotional punishment or total isolation of Trina’s Learning Center children is prohibited. All of these disciplinary approaches violate Trina’s Learning Center Policy.

T.L.C. attempts to meet the individual needs of each child, as well as the needs of the group. If we cannot meet your child’s needs or if we cannot meet the group’s needs, we will not be able to care for your child. Children will be dismissed from the program in the following situations:

• has needs we cannot meet
• hurts other children or teachers
• needs medical or psychological services we are unable to provide
• destroys equipment or materials
• when we cannot keep the child safe
• Parent/guardian making remarks that are detrimental to the self-respect of children, staff or other families will not be tolerated. This includes harassing remarks, comments that are disrespectful to the teachers and other staff, a parent encouraging a child to be disrespectful, not following procedure in discussing concerns with the child’s teacher first before going to administration, arguing about policies and procedures, and refusing to follow said policies and procedures.

Fire drills are conducted monthly. The children are evacuated to the field west of the building. In case of a tornado, we will be located in the middle of the childcare center away from all windows. If we need to take shelter we will transport all children and staff to nearest public shelter which is Integris Southwest Medical Center (S.W. 44th and Western). We will be located in the basement. If it is necessary to close the center due to out of control situations such as power outage, loss of water or any situation that the center can not provide adequate care, staff will notify parents immediately. You the parent must make arrangements to have your child(ren) picked up within 1-hour of notice.

T.L.C. is designed with a security entrance door that requires each person to enter in a four digit code for access into building. You will provide T.L.C. with a four digit code. This code is to be kept confidential and only given to persons listed on Child’s Enrollment Form that picks up child frequently.

Trina’s Learning Center program is very concerned about the safety of children and parents in severe weather. Any time the Oklahoma City Public Schools or Moore Schools are closed or delayed, Trina’s Learning Center may also close or be on a delayed schedule depending on the severity of weather . Please contact the center prior to check on status. Because of the age of our students, Trina’s Learning Center may close in extreme weather if we feel students would be at risk, even though Oklahoma Public Schools or Moore Schools are open. If weather creates dangerous driving conditions, the center may also be dismissed early. Parents will be contacted if this occurs.

Trina’s Learning Center emphasizes the importance of early identification of health problems. Your child must be up-to-date on immunizations as required by the state of Oklahoma Department of Human Services prior to enrollment. After admission to T.L.C., you are responsible for regularly updating your child’s health files to reflect new immunizations.

As much as we stress consistent attendance in Trina’s Learning Center, we must also be concerned about good health habits. If you or your child is ill, we ask that you or your child stay home. This will provide for a quicker recovery for you and prevent the spread of illness to other children and staff. If your child has any of the following symptoms, they should stay home and may not return for at least 24 hours:

• Head lice
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Severe Coughing, with greenish mucous, runny nose with greenish mucous
• Sore throat or trouble swallowing
• Difficult or rapid breathing
• Severe itching of body or scalp
• Unusual spots or rashes
• Pinkeye (drainage)
• Yellowish skin or eyes
• Dark tea colored urine
• Fever greater than 100° F orally or 101 ° F Rectally
• Infected skin patches
• Gray or white stool

Most childhood diseases are contagious. If your child contracts any communicable disease, please notify Trina’s Learning Center immediately. This information will be handled in a confidential manner and you may help to prevent another child from contracting the disease. Please remember to contact Trina’s Learning Center if your child will be absent.

Every effort is made to keep your child safe; however, children are likely to acquire bumps, bruises, and scratches during their early years. An accident report will be placed in your child’s box notifying you of an incident.
If the injury is serious you will be notified by phone. If, in the opinion of the T.L.C. staff, the injury warrants emergency treatment, an ambulance will be called and your child will be taken to:

Integris Southwest Medical Center
4401 South Western
Oklahoma City
636-7230 (Emergency Department)

You will be notified immediately. If a parent cannot be reached, a person listed on the Enrollment Card will be called. Parents will be responsible for any costs incurred due to any emergency treatment, including ambulance transportation.

Over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol, Oral gel, cough medicine, etc., are not given at Trina’s Learning Center unless a doctor’s note is presented. If your child is on a prescription medication, such as an antibiotic, the doses should be scheduled so that they can be given at home. Staff will administer medication to your child if the medication is prescribed more than 3 times a day.

(Medication prescribed 3 times a day can be given before the child comes to childcare, when the child is picked up, and at bedtime.) If prescription medication needs to be given at school by the Trina’s Learning Center staff, medication must be in the original prescription container clearly labeled with the child’s name, and the parent/guardian must sign a medication administration form. Please do not place medications in your child’s backpack or cubbies! Medications must be given directly to Trina’s Learning Center director/teacher.

In child care, your child may come into contact with germs to which they have not been previously exposed.

Germs can spread:

1) Through the air (coughing and sneezing).
2) From unwashed hands to mouth or by touching objects (like a toy, spoon, or plate) after using the bathroom and not washing hands.
3) Through direct contact with another person’s skin, hair, or rash or by touching dirty objects and surfaces.
4) Through being exposed to an infected person’s blood, a used needle, or drainage from an open sore. These diseases are more common in adults than in children and are NOT usually a problem in child care settings.

Trina’s Learning Center is a tobacco free environment. No smoking is allowed on and or around the premises.

Trina’s Learning Center staff is required by law to report any incident of suspected child abuse or neglect to the County Department of Social Services. The Trina’s Learning Center philosophy is to act in the best interest of the child, to be as supportive and non-threatening as possible to the family, and to maintain the child and family in the program. Parents are responsible for reporting to the classroom teacher or family services worker any behaviors or actions toward children by staff that are inappropriate.

Children’s clothes should be labeled before they are brought to the center. Blankets, pillows, toys, candy, cups, etc. are not permitted in school because they are easily lost or broken.

The child care will be closed for the following holidays:

• New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day & Day After
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Other holidays not listed may be observed. Any holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday will be observed either the Friday before or the following Monday. Notification will be posted when these occur. A calendar of closure dates will be included in each monthly Parent Newsletter and posted in the front lobby.

During the time when parents are on vacation, the child care is still open for business and your child/children space remains in reserve whether he/she is present or not. Therefore, a full day’s payment is still required.

Parents/Guardians are always welcome to visit, volunteer or drop-in at any time. If you wish to join your child for lunch/snack let your child’s teacher know and a place will be set for you. Parent participation encourages positive relationships and helps develop a secure atmosphere for your child. There are many ways in which you can volunteer at Trina’s Learning Center:

• Participate in the process of making decisions about the nature and operation of the program.
• Participate in the classroom as volunteers, or observers.
• Participate in activities for parents and/or children, which other parents have helped to develop.
• Work with children in cooperation with the staff of the center.
• Work with children at home.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Twice a year, the classroom teachers will assess your child’s development using a portfolio to show your child’s development. You will be encouraged to meet with your child’s teacher to set individual goals for your child based on the assessment, as well as classroom observations and information you share regarding your child. You may request additional conferences at any time, through the Director, in addition to the regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences.

There is a parent information bulletin board in the front lobby displaying news, entertainment, and activities that might be of interest to parents. Magazines, educational brochures and journals are available to all T.L.C. parents. This education information is hanging next to the parent board feel free to take with you.

Also a center newsletter will be placed in your child’s cubby each month. Notes with current events will also be placed in your child’s cubby, so please remember to check cubbies.

OKDHS now requires all child care facilities to have accessible to all parents a compliance file of any and all compliances filled on our child care. This file is located behind the front counter inside the top desk drawer.

We hope that we can resolve any concerns that arise about the program. Please be sure to contact the Director if you cannot resolve an issue with the teaching staff. Our goal here at TLC is customer satisfaction. By hearing your ideas and by working together, we can best meet your needs. You are more than welcome to stop in and speak to me at anytime. If your concern is about licensing issues and it cannot be resolved with our staff, you may report it to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

… AND JUSTICE FOR ALL