Arrival   School hours are 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM.  Children should arrive in time to settle in and say goodbye to their parents before 9:00 AM when planned learning activities begin.  If you arrive after 9:00, please be aware that circle times have already begun.   After signing your child in, please have them wash their hands with soap and water before entering the classroom.

	Monthly Calendar & Newsletter      Each month you will receive a class calendar and newsletter to keep you informed about what your child will be learning: the themes, letters, skills, Show & Tell days, Spirit Day, special visitors, etc.  We encourage you to keep the calendar posted on your refrigerator.  If you need another copy, just ask.  If you have provided us with an email address, you will receive your calendar and newsletter the last week of every month so that you can download it and stay informed about what is happening in school.  If we do not have your email address, you will receive a paper copy on your child’s cubbie a few days before the end of each month.

	Visiting      We have an “open door” policy and parents are welcome visitors any hours the school is open; however, please be aware that for some children at this age, a parent visit during the day may be upsetting.  We also ask that you respect the classroom routine by not interrupting activities or distracting the teacher from her duties.

	Spirit Day      The first Friday of each month is “Spirit Day” and children are encouraged to wear their Cornerstone tee-shirt.  Shirts are available for purchase for just $10.  Please let one of us in the office know if you would like to purchase one.

	Snacks      Cornerstone provides two nutritious snacks each day consisting of two food groups each.  The snack menu is posted on the parent bulletin board in the hallway.  You must inform the Director in writing if your child has any food allergies or special dietary needs.  Snack donations for the children can not be accepted without prior approval from the Director as we are required to follow Health Department regulations regarding food served at school.

	Lunch & Rest Time      Please pack a nutritious lunch for your child each day, complete with an ice pack, spoon, napkin and a drink.  Knives, glass containers, and sodas are not allowed.  Please remember that we cannot heat up any food as we do not have a kitchen in the school.  If your child stays for rest time, please send in a cot-size blanket or bath towel that fits into one small section of the cubbie.  Pillows, stuffed animals, and other nap toys are not allowed.

	Sick Policy Sick child care options-click here       Children who are not feeling well should not be brought to school as we are not staffed to care for them. Children who become ill at school will be isolated and a parent will be called to pick the child up.  If your child is sent home sick, he/she may not attend school the next day.  Your child must be free from symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school.  For the health and safety of others, any child who appears to have a contagious illness (fever, impetigo, ringworm, pink eye, strep throat, rash, etc.) will not be allowed in school until they have been examined by a doctor and declared “not contagious” in writing.  For parents who have no alternative care for their sick child, we recommend the Rainbow Recovery Room at Morton Plant Hospital (441-2878).           We do not administer medications of any kind and they are not allowed to be sent to school in lunchboxes.  This includes aspirin, vitamins, cough drops, lotions, hand sanitizer, inhalers, lip balm, etc. However, a parent may visit anytime during the day to administer necessary medication to their child.  If desired, sunscreen and/or lip balm should be applied before coming to school and left at home.       While we have never had a problem with lice, Cornerstone has a “nit free” lice policy.  Any child with nits or live lice will be isolated and must be picked up immediately.  Proof of treatment for head lice will be required in order for the child to return to school.

	Storms & Emergencies (click here for more info)      Cornerstone may be closed if Pinellas County schools or offices are closed due to emergencies, or if we are under a storm warning. Please call in to check our voice mail message for updates and instructions about closings before, during, and after storms and other emergencies.  Please make sure we always have current phone numbers on file (home, work & cell) for parents and all other emergency contacts in case of emergency or illness during the day!

	Babysitting        Per our insurance company, our employees are not allowed to baby-sit or have personal relationships with families enrolled in our school.  Please respect this policy and do not ask our teachers to baby-sit.  Thank you.

	What Not to Bring      Personal belongings, including toys, games, books, coloring books, backpacks, hats (unless required for health reasons), sunglasses, jewelry, lip balm, hand sanitizer, lotions, cough drops, vitamins, money, or any other items from home are not allowed at school.  These items may pose a safety hazard and/or distract from the daily routine.  Items from home should only be brought in on Show and Tell days (see monthly calendar).

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	Tuition      Tuition is due the first day that your child attends each week.  Checks may be placed in the tuition payment box by the front door.  Cash should be given directly to the owners or Director.   A late fee of $10 will be charged if tuition is not paid by Wednesday.  All balances must be paid in full by Friday of each week in order for your child to continue in their program.  Two returned checks will result in payment by cash or money order only.        Tuition is based on your child’s program, not the number of days he/she actually attends.  Therefore, full tuition is due even if your child is absent, during holiday weeks, and emergency closings.  VPK has a separate tuition policy.  Please refer to your VPK contract for details.

	Drop Off & Pick Up      At drop-off and pick-up time, you must sign your child in/out and notify a staff member.  We will release your child only to the person(s) listed on your enrollment form.  If an exception must be made, we require prior notification in writing.  Anyone picking up your child should be prepared to produce a picture ID.       The school closes at 6:00 PM.  A $10 fee will be charged for late pick ups for the first ten minutes (or part thereof), plus another $10 for each additional ten minutes (or part thereof). This late fee will be strictly enforced.  Repeated late pick ups may result in dismissal.

	Absences      As a courtesy, please notify us whenever your child will be absent or late so that we can inform his/her teacher.  Be aware that regular attendance in the VPK program is required and monitored by the State.  Please refer to your VPK contract for details.

	Vacations      Please notify us of vacation days and pay in advance to ensure that your child’s slot will be held for his/her return.  If your child is absent for a full calendar week, you may reduce your tuition by 50% up to a maximum of four (4) weeks per school year. There will be an additional fee for extended summer vacations.  The VPK program has a separate vacation policy.  Please refer to your VPK Contract for details.

	Discipline Policy      Under no circumstances will undesirable behavior result in physical punishment or reprimand in a negative way.  All discipline will be conducted in an age-appropriate, constructive manner, and will never be tied to food, rest or toileting.  We believe best results are achieved through redirection, positive guidance, choices and consequences. We encourage and model respect, good manners, and the importance of being helpful and kind to others.       We strongly hope that each child’s experience at Cornerstone will be a positive one. When a problem arises, we conference with the parents and try to problem solve together using all available resources.  If we are not effectively solving a problem after a reasonable amount of time, we reserve the right to dismiss.

	Birthdays        We recognize that birthday are very special days and you may want to send in a treat for your child to share with his/her friends; however, we ask that you please check with the Director first since the Health Department has specific food requirements for licensed child care centers.

	VPK       The VPK Program has a separate vacation, tuition, and attendance policy.  Please refer to your VPK contract, or click on the link below. VPK Policies

	Communication      We value regular communication with all of our families.  The owners and/or Director are always available to you either in person or by phone.  Teachers are usually available to speak with you briefly at drop-off and pick-up time, but please remember that they are also supervising a class during that time.  If you need to speak with the teacher for more than a few minutes, please let the office know so that we can provide additional supervision in the classroom, or call and make an appointment.  If the teacher is busy, the Director will be happy to pass on a message to her.         At pick up time each day, please look for the daily summaries on each teacher’s notebook.  This is our way of keeping you informed about what your child is doing at school (stories, art projects, special visitors, etc.).  The daily summary will also give you some interesting topics for discussion on your ride home.       Important notices, news, reminders, etc. for parents will be posted on the top of the children’s cubbies, near the sign-in book, the front door, and/or the whiteboard in the front hallway.

	Show & Tell      Show and Tell days are noted on the monthly calendar.  This is a fun activity for the children, but also an important one as it helps develop oral language skills, vocabulary, and self-confidence.  Please encourage your child to participate and help him/her choose something appropriate for Show & Tell days.

	What to Wear & Bring      Please dress your child in play clothes that they can manage themselves (no complicated fastenings, belts, etc.) and closed-toed rubber-soled shoes or sneakers with socks.  For safety reasons, children may not wear flip-flops, cowboy boots, slides, sandals, crocs, or party shoes to school.  Jewelry is not allowed (except for stud-type earrings for pierced ears).  Please remove the drawstring around the neck of any item of clothing that has one.       You should keep a supply of clean underwear, socks, pants and shirt in a zip-loc bag in your child’s cubbie in case of unexpected spills or accidents (no backpacks, please).  We will send home any soiled items in a plastic bag and you should replenish the supply as needed.  Remember to label all of your child’s belongings in case they fall out of the cubbie.