Supervision of Children
Betty Eliason Child Care Center ensures that your child(ren) receive responsible supervision appropriate for their age and developmental needs. BECCC is responsible for having a staffing plan for the supervision of your child(ren) each day. Teachers will supervise indoors, nap time, outdoors, high-risk areas, and field trips; always being within sight and sound of the group so that the caregiver knows the whereabouts of the children in their care at all times. Care is taken to ensure that the child-to-caregiver ratios are maintained throughout the day. There is a minimum of two staff members on the premises during business hours at all times, with one member being an approved CCA (Child Care Associate). When children leave the facility on field trips or walkabouts, written notification is posted on the classroom doors and message board signs. BECCC shall maintain caregiver and child attendance records that reflect the time caregivers are present and children are in care, by using our rosters to sign children in/out of their classrooms. With our signed specialized activity forms, you (the parent) give BECCC staff permission to participate in moderate-risk activities, such as walks, the beach, Castle Hill, Totem Park, or downtown. Shore fishing is an option for the school-age groups during the summers.
Outdoor Play
Please send your child to the center dressed for the weather. Please keep a complete set of labeled clothes in your child’s cubby at all times. All children must go out when the group goes outside to maintain the child/adult ratios. Children must be outside for at least 15 minutes every 5 hours in a day. The only exception to this policy is a doctor’s note or when the weather has extreme conditions like high winds, heavy rainfall, or cold temperatures mixed with wind, to where the weather conditions are too rough for children to play. When temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and with wind chill factored in, it is up to the Director’s discretion if the children will be allowed outdoors. Children will be supervised at all times.
Field Trips
Betty Eliason Child Care Center is fortunate to be centrally located in our community. We are within walking distances to playgrounds, Totem Park, Castle Hill, and Swan Lake to name a few. Specialized activities are available for younger children like taking walks in strollers/buggies. Parents give (or do not give) permission for their child(ren) to participate in supervised field trips to the above destinations when filling out a BECCC application and specialized activity forms, prior to enrolling their child(ren). For any other special field trip destinations, parents will be notified a minimum of one day in advance. Permission from the parents must be given to the classroom teachers in order for their child to participate. Teachers will post a descriptive note on the classroom door informing parents of the destination, time at
which they left BECCC, and when they plan on returning. A first aid kit, classroom roster, and a copy of emergency numbers of each child participating in the field trip will be with their teachers at all times. Parents are welcome to join their child’s class with any field trip, planned or not. Just speak with your child’s teacher.
Playground
All toys on the playground will be free of cracks, and damage.
Children with Special Needs
Betty Eliason has always been a learning center and open for children of many backgrounds and learning abilities. We utilize community resources geared to serving children with special needs. Our mission statement supports these efforts. While our responsibilities extend to all of the children enrolled in our center, we care greatly for those students needing additional social, behavioral, emotional, and pre-academic support. If a child with special needs requires additional staff supervision, parents will be required to collaborate with the center in determining and obtaining community services which can augment the center’s resources. We will, in assessing our own resources and staffing, attempt to accommodate the child’s needs and the
recommendations of professionals in our community who serve children with documented special needs. In light of the limitations of our facility, the availability of skilled staff, and fiscal restraints, the center may not be an appropriate placement for some children. We request that all parents share all appropriate information related to their child(ren) with special needs upon registration with the center.
Behavioral Guidance and Support Techniques
Our center believes in helping children develop self-control through personal acknowledgment of their own actions. We demonstrate developmentally appropriate strategies that children can use to help them problem-solve independently. We believe that children learn best from natural and logical consequences. We use reasoning with children and techniques that redirect negative behavior toward more positive behavioral choices; however, there are times when this approach with young children does not work and the staff must use more of a behavioral management style with the child. Any or all of the following techniques may be used depending on child age appropriateness: lots of purposeful praise to prevent difficulties, private and firm discussion related to the expected behavior change, sticker chart for reinforcement of appropriate behavior, assignment to a different activity for a while, a phone call to a parent, or note to parent. If a child is removed from an activity to help them gain control of their behavior these guidelines will be asserted:
• The removal will be safe, quick, and as gentle as possible.
• If possible, the child will remain within the room, in a low-stimulating area.
• The child will stay in the new area until they have settled their behavior.
• Minimal verbal/eye contact will occur with the child from staff until the child is ready to share their feelings.
• After the child and staff member have resolved the issue, the child may return to the activity. If the child has been through this process too often, then the staff may choose to eliminate the opportunity for the child to participate in that very specific activity and find a new area to enjoy.
Suspension and Expulsion Policy
We ensure that all children are given developmentally appropriate behavior guidance in compliance with Alaska state licensing regulation 7AAC 57.535. If a child exhibits patterns of out of control behavior our program staff together with the child’s parent/guardian will create a written plan that provides individualized social and emotional intervention as support to the child. Examples of behavior issues that will be included in the documentation:
• Aggression
• Self-Injury
• Excessive Disruption/ Tantrums
• Inappropriate language
• Non-compliance
• Excessive teasing
• Biting
• Running away
• Property damage
• Unsafe behavior
Staff will document all behavior issues on a behavior incident report form and have parents/guardians sign. One copy will be given to the child’s parent/guardian and one will stay in the students BECCC file. After the 3 rd behavior incident in a 45-day period and the pattern of out of control behavior is exhibited, the parents and administrator will develop a written plan of action that provides specific behaviors, actions, and timelines to successfully redirect out of control behavior.
The plan will include:
• Specific behaviors to be addressed
• Behavior guidance that BECCC will adhere to
• Specific behavior guidance the parent or guardian will be expected to maintain at home
• Follow up timeline (daily, weekly)
• Written documentation of all communication with parents, guardian, child(ren), and other applicable care providers
• Timeline for behavior modification
• Consequences of unsuccessful behavior modification such as suspension or expulsion
Enrollment Requirements
Our license states that we can accept children who are at least 6 weeks old. Our center currently offers programs for Infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children through 12- years old.
Parent(s) must provide the following before a child can be enrolled:
• A completed application. *Please discuss if you do not want to sign off anything.
• A current immunization record *see immunization requirement policy
• A completed and signed enrollment contract.
• Signed parent handbook page
• Sign and date a Child Care Contract.
• Payment of registration fee and first month’s enrollment fees, due on your start date.
• Specialized activity sheet for children ages 3 to 12 years old.
**All of the above items must be on file before a child can attend the center. **
We ask new families to visit the classrooms for a “transition visit.” Ideally, we would love for you to bring your child for visits before your start date. Your child is welcome to interact with new classmates. Transition can be rough and we want everyone to be comfortable.
Parent(s): Please escort your child into the facility and to their appointed
classroom within the center, every day. We want each child to arrive safely and be
accounted for properly, every day. Please, no unattended children within BECCC
facilities.
New Routines
Remember that coming to the center is an exciting, yet anxious time for you, your child(ren), and your family. Some children make the separation break better than others. Some make the break well at first and then a few days later begin to show anxiety. We recommend that you say good-bye to your child, reassure them that you will return for them, and leave. This is harder on you than the child, but typically, the child stops crying approximately the same time you are driving
out of the parking lot.
With transition also comes relapse. Children will sometimes regress in the areas of toilet training, nap-taking, patience, good choice making, and shyness. This is generally expected; however, if difficulties persist longer than what is considered typical, then it may be a good idea to consult the family doctor or have a brainstorming meeting with the staff. Please keep communications open with the doctor if you have any concerns or questions.
Please inform the staff of anything out of the ordinary in your child’s life (moving, divorce, new siblings, company, absent parent, etc.) It helps us to know that your child might be feeling a little insecure and needs extra attention. Anything you choose to tell us will be kept strictly confidential. Our staff are required to sign a confidentiality agreement upon hire.
Parent Responsibilities
Late Drop off: It is parents’ responsibility to call the Center to let us know if their child will be coming in later than their agreed to schedule. If no notice is given by
10 am or within 1 hour after the child’s regular start time, the child will not be allowed to come for that day.
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Transportation: To and from the center is ultimately the parent(s) responsibility, this includes dropping off school-age children at Baranof Elementary School in the morning. Betty E has a designated staff member to pick up Kindergarten kids from Baranof at 1:30 pm M-Th and 1:00 pm on Friday. Parents are responsible for transporting children in 1 st grade to Baranof.
Change of Clothes: Every child needs to have a complete change of clothes, LABELED with their name. Infants will need to have three changes of clothes. We do water projects and go out on rainy days. If your child is potty training, please send
2-3 complete sets of clothes.
Breakfast & Lunch: To be supplied by the parent. Each child needs to bring a LABELED lunch box or snack. We are happy to heat lunches in our microwave. Please be sure to send them in a microwave-safe dish. **School Age and Kinder-Ready must have cold lunches due to their
outings.
*If any parent would like to have lunch with their child, please notify the staff in the
morning when you drop off your child. If the parent forgets to send a lunch, we will provide one for your child at a cost of $10.00 that will be added to your child care account.
Diapers: To be supplied by the parents, as well as baby wipes. Our staff will give advance warning if your child is running low on supplies. If diapers are forgotten after teachers request, the center will provide diapers at $2.00 each. The cost of diapers will be applied to your child care account.
Blankets: Each child is welcome to bring a blanket for nap/rest time. Sometimes a favorite blanket is comforting. All bedding is laundered once a week.
Play Clothes: Please dress your child in play clothes and not “Sunday Best” clothes. We take the children outside to play every day and a lot of projects can get messy.
Cubby: Children will have a cubby to put their belongings in. Parents will need to check these daily for soiled clothes or papers that need to be sent home.
Toy guns/bows/arrows/swords/other types of weapons: are NOT permitted. These items will be taken away from the child when they arrive at the center. Weapons removed from your child will be sent home with your child at the end of the day. Please remind your child that even pretended toys are weapons and “not safe at school.”
Personal Toys: It is natural for a child to not want to share his/her toys. Thus, when a child brings a toy it does create some problems with the other children. Additionally, it might get lost or broken. Please DO NOT let your child bring toys from home unless it is for show &; tell, which your child’s teacher will inform you about.
Water Bottle: Please have a water bottle labeled with your child’s name to keep in their classroom so each child has access to water at all times during the day. Water bottles are washed weekly.
Lost Items: Teachers are not responsible for lost items. Please do not allow your child to bring anything valuable to the center. It is helpful if your child has their name on all of their personal belongings. If an item of clothing is lost within the center, the teachers will do their best to help find it.
Birthday Celebrations: Birthdays are celebrated monthly on or around the 15th. On this day the center will celebrate every child who has a birthday in that month. The center will provide a birthday treat, but parents/guardians are welcome to bring in something special for their child’s class.
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Courtesy: Parents are to be courteous to the BECCC staff and other children in the center. If a parent witnesses a child hurting their child, it is the staff’s job to take care of the problem, not the parents. Please talk directly to the teacher or director.
Infant Supplies: Pacifies, bottles or sippy cups, and blankets need to be labeled with the child’s name.
Labeling: For any labeling needs, please ask a teacher or the front office for supplies.
Amazon Smile: BECCC participates in the Amazon Smile non-profit donation program and we like to invite all families to look into this if you have not already. Every time anyone places an order with Amazon through smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate a small amount to the non-profit of your choosing at no additional cost to you! Please choose BECCC as your non-profit. All proceeds go towards updating the center.
Policy and Procedures
Holidays & Closures
If holidays fall on a weekend there will not be a substitute day off during the week.
Betty Eliason Child Care Center will be closed on the following days
Southeast Conference March 13
Memorial Day May 25
4th of July
Labor Day September 7
Alaska Day October 18
Thanksgiving November 26-27
Holiday break December 24-26
New Year’s Eve December 31- Close at 12:30 pm
New Year’s Day January 1, 2021
Students invoices will not be prorated for days missed due to a holiday or planned closure.
*There may be additional closures as approved by the Board of Directors as well as
inclement weather, communication, heat, or lack of water.
Emergency Procedures
Fire Drills: The center has a fire escape plan posted. The children are taught escape
procedures and drills are run monthly.
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Tsunami Policy:
All children and staff will evacuate the building immediately! All children and
staff will then combine at the upper gate off of the back playground and proceed along the following path to Sitka High School: Take a left on Etolin St., turn Right on Baranof St., then proceed to Sawmill Creek Rd., cross Sawmill Creek Rd. to Lake St., turn Right on Lake St., follow Lake St. to the High School which will be on the Right. Staff will perform frequent head checks and visual scans for children to keep everyone together. Children under 30 months who are non-ambulatory, may be transported in strollers or the buggy, or be carried by the staff. Children with special needs that prevent them from executing these procedures on their own, will be assigned to staff who will be responsible for their safe participation in the evacuating procedure. Parents who wish to collect their children may meet us at Sitka High School.
PLEASE BE SURE TO NOTIFY A STAFF MEMBER THAT YOU ARE TAKING YOUR CHILD SO THAT WE KNOW YOUR CHILD IS SAFELY WITH YOU.
Our Tsunami Kit Contains: Water, cups, dried fruit, 3 space blankets, flashlights, radio, 2 plastic tarps, first aid kit, and toys/materials to amuse the children.
The center will remain closed if the “all clear” happens after 12:00 noon.
Electric Shortage: If the center loses electricity for over an hour, the center will have to close. Staff will call parents to pick up their children immediately. The center will remain closed on that day if it is after 12:00 noon.
Water Shortage: If the center loses water capability, the center must shut down immediately. Staff will call parents to pick up their children immediately. The center will remain closed on that day if it is after 12:00 noon.
Snow Policy: If public school is canceled due to snow, Betty Eliason Child Care Center will also be closed. Student invoices will not be prorated for closures due to inclement weather.
Communications Policy: If the center loses communications (phone and cell phones) for over an hour, the center will have to close. After an hour of outages, parents need to immediately report to the center to pick up their child(ren).
Earthquake Policy: Listen to KCAW for the latest updates. If KCAW is not broadcasting due to earthquake damage, please contact the center in the case that a tsunami warning is enacted after an earthquake, we will follow the tsunami-warning procedures.
Television Viewing Policy
At Betty Eliason we view “G” (or “PG” with parent’s approval) movies on designated Friday’s only. In order to respect the families of all children who attend, we do not view religious or violent children’s programming at the center. Viewing is limited to one and a half hours of time throughout the day. In case of inclement weather, movies may be shown on days other than Friday’s. TV viewing is for 2-12 year olds. Toddlers get 1/2 hour of movie time if they watch.
Reporting Child Abuse
The law states that all licensed daycare providers and paid staff, who, in the performance of their professional duties, have cause to believe that a child has suffered harm as a result of abuse, and/or neglect, to immediately report the harm to the nearest office of the department of health and social services.
Change in Policies
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) will be given two weeks notification of significant changes made in the information addressed in our parent handbook or program.
Confidentiality
Required records and information pertaining to an individual child or parent is treated confidentially by facility staff. Additionally, confidentiality is also maintained in the case of reporting situations that require child protective services.
Background Information
The Betty Eliason Child Care Center is a nonprofit, non-discriminating (race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, social-economic status) organization. BECCC is licensed for 99 children, six (6) weeks through twelve (12) years of age. The Center is open from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, 12 months per year, excluding holidays (see page Holidays & Closures). We supply the children with an afternoon snack each day and milk with every meal.
Mission Statement
The Mission of Betty Eliason Child Care Center is to provide quality childcare in a nurturing
environment. We define a nurturing environment as one that gives children the physical,
emotional, educational, and nutritional support they need to develop their individual potential.
Philosophy
All programs in the center operate on the philosophy of free choice in a structured environment. The structured environment is one that encourages developmentally appropriate choices for every child. Each area of the center incorporates and supports all of the many facets of a child’s development, including social, emotional, physical, behavioral, and intellectual needs. Every activity encourages choice making, exploration, higher-order thinking skills, sharing with friends, and opportunities to make connections with previously learned information.
Objectives
The staff will:
• Encourage self-reliance, which helps develop self-confidence in every child.
• Encourage and stimulate language development by helping children to express
themselves appropriately.
• Design activities and projects that promote self-expression, creative movement, problem-solving, and social awareness.
• Build a strong foundation for learning to read by creating activities that incorporate a
variety of materials, supplies, and toys that develop eye-hand coordination, reinforce
separation of figure from background, and teach whole-part relationships.
• Plan a variety of fine and gross motor activities that encourage the development of
specific muscle groups.
• Plan, support, and promote a love of and for books with every child. Regularly scheduled
storytimes will be built into the schedule for all ages.
• Incorporate the uses of the five senses into their activities to help teach the children
about the environment in which they live.
• Help children learn to respect each other, school equipment, and other materials through
the use of program rules and high expectations.
Licensing & Insurance
Betty Eliason Child Care Center is a licensed day care center with the State of Alaska,
Department of Health and Social Services. We provide childcare, pre-school, and kinder-ready based activities to the community of Sitka within the regulations of the State of Alaska. Any questions, suggestions, concerns, and comments may be directed to:
Child Care Licensing Office
PO Box 110640
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0640
Phone: (888) 268-4632
(907) 465-4756
We carry liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000
Staff & Substitute Qualifications
Every staff member at BECCC is required to pass a criminal background check and submit
fingerprints. Full-time staff are required to complete at least 24 hours of training in early
childhood development each year. Part-time staff must complete 12 hours of continuing
education in early childhood development each year.
Betty Eliason Child Care Center uses substitute teachers when our regular teachers are ill or on vacation. Substitutes come from a list of pre-approved personnel maintained by the center Program Director or can be comprised of staff members from different classrooms. If the substitute is not a “normal” classroom teacher, the sub will be required to have minimum training needed and must go through the criminal background check and submit fingerprints.
Volunteers & Visitors
We welcome volunteers at Betty Eliason Child Care Center. All volunteers must be authorized through the Program Director and will never be alone with children without teacher supervision.
Custodial parents and guardians are welcome at the center any time during open hours. All visitors need to check-in at the front desk and be approved by the Program Director.
Board of Directors
Betty Eliason Child Care Center is a non-profit organization that is run by a board of directors. There is a posted notice in the lobby indicating the date and time of the next board meeting. All parents and community members are welcome to attend board meetings.