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AMADOR COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

217 Rex Avenue Jackson, CA 95642

www.amadorcoe.org (209) 257-5423 (209) 257-5380 fax

Family Handbook 2020-2021

http://www.amadorcoe.org/

ACOE Extended Learning Program Family Handbook

- 1 - Family Handbook Revised 7/31/2020

CALENDAR UNDER

REVISION AS OF 7/21/20



MISSION STATEMENT “The Amador County Extended Learning Program will establish and maintain an educational environment, which provides all individuals the tools necessary to become lifelong learners. This quality program will ensure each child the chance to participate responsibly in our changing society. Our philosophy is to develop a partnership with the parent/guardian and to provide, in their absence, a safe, nurturing, educational and fun program in a child centered environment.”

GENERAL POLICIES Enrollment is open to Amador County Unified School District children age 12 and under, provided the program can meet the needs of that child. It has long been a policy of the ACOE that children with special needs would not be denied child care services unless it was clear that their needs could not be met within the parameters of the program as established. A trial period is provided to determine whether the Extended Learning Program (ELP) can appropriately and safely meet the needs of any child. Consideration for placement in the program is evaluated in terms of enrollment numbers and ELP staff utilization. Unfortunately, the Extended Learning Program is not always an appropriate option for some children.

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION Enrollment in the ELP Program shall be granted without discrimination in regard to sex, race, color, creed or political belief.

SNOW/SEVERE WEATHER/PSPS DAYS ELP sites will remain open whenever possible. If the school closes prior to, during, or after the normal school day due to weather, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), or school site emergency, the Extended Learning Program will also close. ELP is unable to credit childcare fees for such days.

Should hazardous conditions develop during the day, parents are to call ELP to determine if and when ELP will be closing. Please be ready to cooperate, should early closure be necessary, to maintain the safety of the children and staff. Always keep your emergency card up-to-date with correct phone numbers and persons authorized to pick up your child.

In the event of a school closure, parents and/or emergency contacts will be notified by site personnel. NOTE: If a school closes BEFORE 11:00 a.m., children DO NOT go to ELP.

The District has set aside two days in the event that schools must close due to snow. They are: Friday, April 30, 2021 and Friday, May 28, 2021.

If the schools close due to snow, children will be required to attend class on April 30 and/or May 28 to make up the missed day(s).

If there are no closures due to snow, 4/30 and 5/28 are considered non-school days and schools will be closed. ELP will offer child care at Jackson Elementary provided the minimum enrollment requirement is met.



HOLIDAYS The Extended Learning Program is closed on the following holidays:

2020 7/3 4th of July 9/7 Labor Day 11/11 Veterans Day 11/25 Thanksgiving Holiday 11/26 Thanksgiving Holiday

11/27 Thanksgiving Holiday 12/24 Christmas Holiday 12/25 Christmas Holiday 12/31 New Year’s Holiday

2021 1/1 New Year’s Holiday 1/18 MLK Jr. Birthday

2/12 Lincoln’s Birthday 2/15 Presidents Day 5/31 Memorial Day 7/5 Independence Day

PROGRAM HOURS ELP is open Monday through Friday with the exception of holidays. See Page 3 During School: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Non-School Days: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Summer: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

CONTRACTS & SCHEDULES At this time only Monday-Friday enrollment is available. By enrolling your child in ELP, you are reserving the time, space, staffing, and provisions for your child. All participants will be contracted for care Monday-Friday regardless of whether or not they attend. No refunds or credits are given for absences. Children are assigned to a specific group in accordance with local health department guidelines and their school attendance schedule. Participants will remain in these groups as much as possible. PROGRAM FEES Fees are paid monthly in advance of services and calculated according to the number of school days on the school district calendar. Monthly fees have been estimated and are subject to change. Weekly Rates: $150 per child for Full Day, $80 per child for Half Day

Non-School Day/Summer Rates: $150 per week/per child

Late Payment Fee: $25.00 (may be waived once per history of account)

Late Pick-Up Fee: $25.00 per child

Failure to Sign-Out: $5.00 per incident

REGISTRATION A $25.00 non-refundable registration fee is required for each child, each school year. All registration forms must be completed, signed and submitted to the Extended Learning Program Office with payment BEFORE a child is allowed to attend.

A tuition fee schedule is printed on each child’s contract. Because the program is staffed based on the number of children scheduled to attend, parents are required to pay their monthly contracted fees even if their child is absent or uses the facility for a minimal amount of time. Registration will be prioritized for essential workers, full-time employees and parents/guardians of most recently enrolled ELP participants. Employer verification may be required. If need surpasses capacity a lottery system will be used.



WITHDRAWAL If you wish to withdraw your child from the program, a minimum 30-day written notice is required. You are contractually obligated to pay for those thirty days even if your child does not attend. Withdrawal forms are available online, at ELP sites, and at the District Office.

BILLING Parents may elect to have their monthly statement e-mailed to them or made available for pick-up at the ELP site according to the billing schedule below (subject to change):

Before/After School Optional Non-School Days

Month Fees

Full/Half Payment Due Date

Registration Deadline

Fee Payment

Due

August $330 / $176 7/31/20 F October Break 9/28/20 $150.00 10/9/20

September $630 / $336 8/31/20 M

October $510 / $272 9/30/20 W Winter Break 12/7/20 $180.00 12/18/20

November $510 / $272 10/30/20 F

December $420 / $224 11/30/20 M Spring Break & April NS Days

3/1/21 $210.00 3/12/21 January $570 / $304 12/30/20 W

February $540 / $288 1/29/21 F Snow Days 4/12/21 $60.00 4/23/21

March $540 / $288 2/26/21 F

April $570 / $304 3/31/21 W Summer May $570 / $304 4/30/21 F June

4/30/21 TBD 5/28/21

June TBD 5/28/21 F July TBD 6/30/21 August TBD 7/30/21

PAYMENTS Payments must be received by the last business day of each month, postmarks are not accepted. If payment is not received by the due date, a $25 late fee is charged. The person who signs the enrollment forms is considered to be the primary account holder. It is their responsibility to make sure monthly fees are paid in full, regardless of who actually pays (divorced/separated parents, grandparents, TRC, etc.).

ONLINE: Credit card payments can be made online at www.myprocare.com. A convenience fee applies for this service.

BY MAIL: ACOE ELP 217 Rex Ave. Jackson, CA 95642 (make checks payable to ACOE)

Payments sent via USPS (including Bank Bill Pay) need to be scheduled far enough in advance to accommodate weekends, holidays and being sent from Amador County to Sacramento for processing as POSTMARK DATES ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

IN PERSON: ELP Office (located in Room 1 of Jackson Junior High, accessible from 217 Rex Ave.) If the ELP Office is closed, there is a drop box located outside Room 7 in the District Office. The building is open until 5:00pm. Please do not take payments to the ELP Instructor or to the ELP site, they will not be accepted.

If a payment is returned for non-sufficient funds, there will be a minimum $25.00 processing charge. In addition, it may be required that future payments are made with cash or money order only.

If your account becomes past due, your child will not be permitted to attend ELP and will be sent to the school office. Additionally, the Amador County Office of Education may be forced to take legal action if the account remains delinquent.



THE RESOURCE CONNECTION (TRC) The Extended Learning Program is a TRC approved provider. If applicable, monthly family fees are collected by the childcare provider on behalf of TRC. Fees are calculated by the State of California based on income eligibility and cannot be prorated. Attendance sheets must be completed with actual pick-up times and signed by the parent after the last day of care each month. Missing signatures or times on attendance sheets will result in a charge of $5.00 per incident. Additionally, if an attendance sheet is left unsigned the parent will be billed for the entire month and is required to pay the calculated fees to continue enrollment. Parents are responsible to pay for any portion of childcare fees not paid by The Resource Connection.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE Children are not permitted to walk to or from ELP. If coming from another campus they must arrive via District-provided transportation and be checked in by ELP staff. Children must check in with ELP staff prior to attending any after-school clubs/activities and have a parent-signed permission form on file. Staff cannot sign children out for sports, to walk home, etc.! If registered for non-school days, parents are required to sign their child in and out.

For increased child safety, daily sign-in/out records are kept electronically using Procare, a state of the art child care management software program. Authorized pick-up persons are required to check children out each day using a biometric fingerprint scanner. Failure to sign out your child will result in a charge of $5.00 per incident. Please do not drop off or take your child from the ELP site without notifying a staff member that you have arrived/are leaving.

Photo identification is required of all persons picking up a child from ELP. If someone other than the person(s) included on your child’s emergency card is to pick them up, please call or send written consent. ELP Staff are NOT permitted to transport your child to or from the center.

No one under 16 years of age will be allowed to pick up/sign-out a child from the Extended Learning Program. It is the parent/authorized person’s responsibility to sign out their child. A digital signature and exact time are required by ACUSD/ACOE state auditors (section 1012329.1 California Department of Social Services.)

LATE PICK-UP ELP charges a late pick-up fee of $25.00 if a child is not picked up by 5:37 p.m. After 30 minutes, if no one has contacted the center and no emergency contacts can be reached, the Sheriff’s Department and/or Child Protective Services may be contacted. If a parent/guardian is late more than three times, it may result in termination from the program.

ABSENCES For the safety and welfare of your child, you are required to call your ELP site when you know that your child will not be attending on a particular day. See page 9

It is important to inform ELP staff when your child is ill or will not be attending ELP. A credit may be given if your child is out ill for four or more days IF notice was given to ELP staff on the first day of the illness.

If your child does not attend school for the day, they may not attend ELP. If your child has been suspended or expelled from school, they may not attend ELP. No refunds or credits will be issued.



VACATIONS Families that have been actively enrolled for one year (12 consecutive months) are allowed to take one week off (in a one week increment) during the school year and not be billed for the time off. A Vacation Request form must be received at least two weeks in advance for credit to be given.

HEALTH & SAFETY Illness It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to verify that children are healthy before sending them to ELP. ELP Staff is required to send all children home who are ill and has the authority to refuse any child who shows signs of illness; their judgment is final. If your child becomes ill with a contagious illness you need to notify the Extended Learning site. It is your responsibility to keep your child at home during the contagious period and until the illness is no longer present.

Allergies Please inform ELP staff of any allergies or allergic symptoms prior to your child attending ELP. This includes food and medication allergies. Allergies should be disclosed on your child’s Emergency Card.

Medications In order for medications to be administered during program hours, including Epi-Pens, inhalers and over the counter medications, a Medication in School form with a doctor’s authorization must be on file with the ELP Office. All medications must be in the original pharmacy container with the pharmacy label attached. It is the parent’s responsibility to transport medication and authorization forms to all ELP sites as necessary.

Toilet Training Children must be completely potty-trained and able to use the bathroom independently. The sites cannot risk contamination of surfaces that other children touch if a child has an “accident” at ELP. In the event of an “accident”, you will be contacted to pick up your child immediately.

Accident/Injury Amador County Unified School District does not furnish accident insurance. This means that if your child is injured at school or at Extended Learning, the district does not cover any medical expenses. For information regarding purchasing Voluntary Child Accident Insurance, visit www.childinuranceusa.com or call 1-800-367-5830.

COVID-19 Guidelines Staff will proactively follow the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the local Health Department. These guidelines are subject to change.

All children will have their temperature taken upon arrival and any child with a temperature of 100 ̊F or greater will be sent home. Please do not send your child if anyone in the household is experiencing a cough, runny nose, or temperature of 100 F̊ or greater.

Social distancing will be observed and both children and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment and wash hands regularly.

All snacks will be individually wrapped and all touchable surfaces will be sanitized before and during the program.

Hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and face coverings will be readily available. Children will receive proper hygiene instruction, including hand washing, disposing of tissues,

and to cough/sneeze in the elbow. A deep disinfecting clean will be done at the end of each day.

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DRESS CODE Clothing should be comfortable, clean and appropriate in accordance with District Policy. Additionally, children will not be permitted to wear flip flops, open-toe, backless shoes, or be barefoot while attending ELP. During summer session, sandals and flip flops are permitted at the pool ONLY.

PERSONAL BELONGINGS Electronic devices and toys from home are prohibited unless pre-authorized as an exception by the ELP Instructor or Director. The Extended Learning Program is not responsible for any personal items lost, stolen or damaged during program hours.

SNACK Children are provided with a snack each day. Children may bring their own additional snacks from home if desired, although sharing of food between children is not allowed. Children with food allergies need to provide their own snack. Please do not send your child with any snacks that contain nuts!

HOMEWORK & ENRICHMENT Children will participate in a variety of enrichment activities to include science, technology, reading, engineering, art and math (S.T.R.E.A.M) as well as receive assistance with school and distance learning assignments.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS With your child, please review the following policies and general expectations for behavior. Children will maintain an attitude of courtesy and respect toward other children, staff, and physical surroundings at all times.

The following behaviors will not be tolerated:

Physical aggressiveness and/or excessive physical contact (fighting)

Defiance of authority, refusal to follow instructions of staff and/or administrators

Inappropriate language

Disruptive and/or inappropriate behavior

Lack of consideration, rudeness and/or threats towards others

DISCIPLINE POLICY Children are to follow the directions of after school staff, as well as comply with all school rules as stated in the Annual Parent Notification, and those outlined in the ELP Parent Handbook.

The Director of ELP may suspend or terminate any child from the program for up to one year if it is determined that an unsafe situation for children and/or staff exists. An unsafe situation occurs when the health, safety, and well-being of the children and/or staff is compromised.

A family may be terminated for using abusive, intimidating and/or threatening behavior towards an employee or child of the Amador County Office of Education Extended Learning Program. To ensure the safety of all children and staff, any threat will be taken seriously and a referral may be made to law enforcement.



DISCIPLINE POLICY - continued

The Extended Learning Program has an obligation to provide a safe environment for those who use its program and takes pride in doing so. ELP is also pleased to promote good behavior though praise, recognition and positive reinforcement.

The Instructor will post site rules and discuss them with the children. The ELP’s disciplinary guidelines are as follows (in no particular order):

Child will have a verbal warning with a staff/child conference

Time out, special assignments, behavioral contracts

Written/verbal parent notification

A conference with staff and/or district representative concerning ongoing, unacceptable behaviors

Parent/Guardian notification to remove child from facility

Possible suspension/expulsion

If a child demonstrates excessive, malicious, or dangerous behavior, the parent OR emergency contact must be available to pick the child up, IMMEDIATELY.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS Each child must have an original emergency card on file with the names and phone numbers of at least two (2) local contacts that can be contacted in the event of an emergency, when you, the parent or guardian, cannot be reached. Your child will only be released to those listed on their emergency card. The form is not considered complete without emergency contacts. Only the contracted parent(s) can make changes to emergency card, including those authorized to pick up the child. Please be certain your emergency card remains up-to-date! Any custodial parent may pick up their child at any time unless stipulated by court order or restraining order against such authorization. These orders must be on file with the ELP Office to be in effect.

In addition, an emergency contact may be contacted if a parent appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Staff members are prohibited to release any child(s) under such suspicion and authorities may be notified.

EMERGENCIES Should a fire or any other type of emergency take place, children will be relocated according to each school’s emergency plan. Should a child need medical attention, an attempt will be made to notify their parent/guardian. If they cannot be reached, medical attention will be sought at a local hospital.

NON-SCHOOL DAYS/SUMMER The Extended Learning Program is scheduled to offer optional childcare for current ELP participants at Jackson Elementary school from 7:30am – 5:30pm during non-school days and summer provided staff is available to work. Additionally, a minimum of 24 children must be enrolled in order for the program to be open on these days. Pre-registration is required and calendars are due by the date specified (see page 4) to determine if the minimum number of participants has been met. If the minimum number of children is not met, parents are responsible for finding alternate childcare and will be credited accordingly.



PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION Each site will have an Information Bulletin Board where general information, special notices, reminders and pertinent information are posted. Be sure to check each day! Newsletters will also be sent home each month. Open communication is important for the best interest of your children. If you have any suggestions, questions or concerns regarding your child’s care, please feel free to discuss them directly with ELP Staff or the program Director.

ELP STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION

ELP SITE STAFF PHONE ADDRESS

District Office Donna Custodio Director

(209) 257-5338 (209) 257-5380 fax [email protected]

217 Rex Ave. Jackson, CA 95642

District Office Angela Johnson Admin. Assistant

(209) 257-5423 (209) 257-5380 fax [email protected]

217 Rex Ave. Jackson, CA 95642

Ione Elem. Alexandra Morris (Hulsebosch) Instructor

(209) 257-7024 (209) 274-6906 emergency

[email protected]

415 So. Ione St. Ione, CA 95640

Jackson Elem. Sophie Starostina Instructor

(209) 257-5629 (209) 223-3914 emergency

[email protected]

220 Church St. Jackson, CA 95642

Pine Grove Elem. Bonnie Geddes Instructor

(209) 296-0633 (209) 296-0633 emergency

[email protected]

20101 Hwy 88 Pine Grove, CA 95665

Plymouth Elem. Laura Carl Instructor

(209) 257-7853 (209) 245-4308 emergency

[email protected]

1060 Sherwood St. Plymouth, CA 95669

Sutter Creek Prim. Melinda Rangel Instructor

(209) 257-7121 (209) 267-0387 emergency

[email protected]

110 Broad St. Sutter Creek, CA 95685

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Absences…………………………………………………5

Accident/Injury………………………………………..6

Allergies……………………………….………………….6

Arrival & Departure..……………………………….5

Behavior Expectations……………………….…….7

Billing..……..………………………….…………………4

Calendar………………………………………………….1

Contracts & Schedules.……………………………3

COVID-19 Guidelines……………………………….6

Discipline Policy……………………………………….7

Dress Code………………………………………………7

Emergencies……………………………………………8

Emergency Contacts………………….………….…8

General Policies……………………………….………2

Holidays…………………………………………….….…3

Homework & Enrichment..………………………7

Illness………………………………………………………6

Late Pick-Up………………………………………….…5

Medications……………………………………….……6

Mission Statement…………………………………..2

Non-School Days/Summer.……………….….…8

Parent Guardian Information……………..……9

Payments…………………………………….………….4

Personal Belongings………………………….…….7

Pick Up..…………………………………………….…….5

Program Fees.……………..…………………….…….3

Program Hours…………………………….………….3

Registration……………………………………….….…3

Site Phone Numbers………………………….….…9

Snack…………………………………..…………….…….7

Snow/Severe Weather/PSPS Days….….……2

Statement of Non-Discrimination…………….2

The Resource Connection………………………..5

Toilet Training………………….………………………6

Vacation…………………………………………….…….6

Withdrawal…………………………………………..…4

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