Children should wear comfortable clothes that encourage independence – especially clothes that the child can easily manage by himself/herself when using the bathroom.

Please send one complete change of clothing along with your child on the first day; this should be labeled with the child’s name and should fit in a standard plastic “shoebox.”

Suitable outdoor clothing is required during cool/cold weather since we try to have outdoor play time every day unless the weather is extremely bad.

Clothing, lunchboxes, etc. with commercial cartoon characters (e.g., Disney characters, Barbie themes, Supermen, Spiderman, etc.) are strongly discouraged.

The school reserves the right to require the withdrawal of any student whose behavior presents a threat to the safety of other children or to himself/herself or to school property, or who seriously interferes with the ability of the other children to learn.

Parents are required to sign in their children in the morning, and to sign them out in the afternoon, every day. Parents MUST accompany their child inside the building in the morning, sign in, help their children to hang up their coats, stow their lunchboxes, etc.; and personally notify a staff member of the child’s arrival.

At the time of registration, parent(s) must provide us with a list of persons who are authorized to pick up their child.

Any changes to that list must be submitted to us in writing, in advance; and must include the description and number of the identification document that the additional person will use (Driver’s License, State ID card, Military ID, Passport, etc.)

If the staff is not personally acquainted with the person who is picking up the child – even if they are on the list – we will require a government-issued photo ID.

Please drive counterclockwise around the driveway, and please don’t block the entrance for unnecessarily long periods.

Cars may also exit via the unpaved driveway behind the school.

If a child is sick, we ask parents not to bring the child to school. Your child must be fever- and symptom-free for 24 hours.

Students will not be admitted to class if they are exhibiting symptoms of illness more than minor cold symptoms, or if they have a fever greater than 101 degrees F.

Parents must agree to pick up their child(ren) within one hour after being notified if the child becomes ill during the day. There are no tuition refunds for time lost due to student illness.

According to Montana Child Care Regulations, no child may remain in school if she or he shows the followings symptoms:

Fever greater than 101 °F orally within the past 24 hours.

Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

Pinkeye (bacterial conjunctivitis)

Head lice or scabies (until treated and all nits removed)

Children with symptoms of severe illness, such as uncontrolled coughing, breathing difficulty or wheezing, stiff neck, irritability, poor food or fluid intake, or a seizure, must be evaluated by a health care provider before they may return to the childcare facility.

Families are required to transport children home from the childcare if their child shows any of the above-listed symptoms. Children with these symptoms may attend preschool once the child has been free from the symptoms or has been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours.

All communicable diseases that the school becomes aware of will be reported to the government authorities as required by law. Management of communicable diseases will be done in accordance with the regulations of the Montana Department of Health and the Gallatin County Health Department.

All children who attend school most be current in their immunizations and be able to show their immunization records. As your child receives boosters or other shots, please let us know so we can keep our immunization records up to date. Copies of current immunization records are required for your child’s file.

Any child who appears to have a severe illness or serious injury will either be sent home or taken to a physician or emergency room. If appropriate, 911 and/or an ambulance will be called. At the time of registration, the parent(s) should have provided us with the name and contact information of the child’s physician. The staff has CPR and First Aid training, and parents must, as part of the registration process, give the staff permission to give their child(ren) First Aid and/or CPR in the case of emergency.

Minor injuries will be treated by the staff, using standard first aid techniques such as ice, band-aids, soap & water, etc. Parents are expected to grant advance written permission for this as part of the registration process.

The school and any staff member who suspects that a child may have been abused or neglected is legally required to report their concerns to the county office of the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

The school will provide a morning breakfast for each child. A typical breakfast will include items such as fruit, yogurt, whole wheat bread, cheese, sandwich halves and quarters, turkey, ham, chicken, carrots, celery, peanut butter, nuts, and the like. Every effort will be made to avoid so-called “junk foods.”

Children are expected to bring their own lunch. Please do not send lunch items that require microwaving or refrigeration. Cold packs can be used to help keep lunches at a desirable temperature.

Sodas, high-sugar fruit punches, and artificial “Kool-Aid” type drinks are not served by the school and are strongly discouraged in parent-provided lunches. Uneaten food from parent-provided lunches will be returned home so that the parent is aware of what their child is or is not eating.

The school provides drinks such as milk, apple juice, orange juice, and similar healthy beverages.

Most medications that children need, such as antibiotics, are prescribed twice a day and can be given before and after school hours. If this is not the case and the child requires medication during school hours, parents will be asked to come to school and provide the medication for the child. If medication is long-term you need to provide a physician’s current writing instructions script, and to fill out a Medication Authorization Form, so we can administer the medicine.

Parents must inform the school at the time of registration if their children have any pre-existing allergies and must notify the school immediately of any allergies that develop later.

Please provide your child with one set of “inside” shoes, which can be left in their cubbies at the school overnight; and one set of “outside” shoes for arrival, departure, and outdoor play.

Sneakers are strongly preferred as outside shoes during normal weather, and snow boots are recommended during cold and/or wet weather.

Inside shoes should be comfortable, non-slippery, and easy for the child to put on and off unassisted.

Dress shoes, elevated-heels, open-toed sandals, flip-flops, etc. are not allowed for either inside or outside use.

Please notify the school as soon as possible if your child will not be attending due to illness or vacation. There will be no refunds for sick or vacation days.