The Hamblen County Department of Education Extended School Program (ESP) is self-supporting, deriving its operational budget primarily from parent fees of the children who are registered and attending. The program seeks and receives remuneration for services provided through a set of approved rates.

ALL FEES/PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. OVERPAYMENTS WILL BE CREDITED TO INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS.

A seasonal (fall/summer) registration fee of $10.00 must be included with the application for admission.

PRE-K

Due to guidelines set by the State of Tennessee, Pre-K students can only be grouped with children in kindergarten and first grade. This rule limits the schools that Pre-K can be offered after school childcare.

After School care for Pre-K students is available at the following schools:

• Manley Primary
• Russellville Primary
• Union Heights

RATES*

School Days

The following rates are charged during the days when schools are in regular session:

Grade	Time	First Child	Additional Child
K-6	Full-Time	$45.00/week*	$25.00/week*
K-6	Part-Time	$27.00/week*	$15.00/week*
K-6	Drop-In	$36.00/month*	$20.00/month*
K-6	Early Dismissal Days Only	$10 per stay** *	$5.00 per stay** *

 

Drop-In rates must be paid at the beginning of each month.

Non-School Days

On non-school days when there will be a full day session for everyone, the Following rates will apply:

Grade	First Child	Additional Child
K-6	$18.00/day*	$13.00/day*

 

** The early dismissal day for Winter Break will be charged as a non-school day. 

*Rates are subject to change

FEE PAYMENT

Fees pay for direct operating costs such as staff, snacks or meals, arts/crafts supplies, and equipment. Therefore, regardless of the actual number of days and/or hours the child attends, payment will be due based on an elected payment plan. As a general rule, ESP will not deduct days missed from payments due.

Payment will be due if a child(ren) does or does not attend the Extended School Program. (Exceptions: participation in on-site school-sponsored academic tutoring; illness; injury; vacation time. Written documentation verifying illness or injury for the duration of the time absent must be received from a licensed physician within seven (7) days of the absence. Verbal or written notification of family vacations two week in advance will eliminate charges for the said time period).

Accounts must be kept current in order to assure a child(ren) a space in the program. A statement of the fees due for any given week will be provided upon request. Payment for services rendered is only accepted on Thursdays and Fridays.

Failure to adhere to these payment policies will result in the immediate suspension of child care services. If fees are not paid in full within seven days of the due date, a child(ren) will automatically be discharged from the program. Reinstatement may occur on a space-available-basis when all fees have been paid.

Public Aid or Other Assisted Care

Assisting agencies that require clients to make co-payments do so based on income. Co-payments must be paid in full by Friday of each week. If not paid when due, a child can not attend ESP. However, if paid within seven (7) days, the child may be reinstated, provided space is available. Until assistance is activated, a parent must agree to be responsible for all fees. But, upon activation, adjustments will be made.

PAYMENT PLANS

The Extended School Program will require parents to choose a payment plan based on projected attendance. The child(ren) will be enrolled as full-time, parttime, drop-in, early dismissal days only or non-school days only. Payments will be levied accordingly.

Parents may request a change in the elected payment plan only three (3) times per year:

• The month (usually August) and day prior to the first full week of school at the beginning of the fall term
• The month (usually December) and day prior to the last full week of school before the Christmas recess
• The month (usually May) and day prior to the last full week of school before the summer respite

WHEN PAST PAYMENT HISTORY HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC, ESP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE FEES IN ADVANCE.

RETURNED PAYMENTS

You will be notified should an “insufficient funds” check or online payment be returned to us. There will be a $30.00 service charge for each returned check. After receipt of two (2) returned checks, the Extended School Program will only accept cash or money orders.

SHOULD YOU AT ANY TIME HAVE A FINANCIAL PROBLEM, CONTACT THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR ASSISTANCE.

The Extended School Program will operate on the following schedule during the days when schools are in regular session:

• After School - School release time to 6:00 p.m.
• During full day sessions, child care services will be available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Should a child not be picked up by the established closing hour, a late fee will be levied. Overtime charges are to be paid during the week in which the tardiness occurred.

Child care services may be withdrawn due to repeated incidences of tardiness or for failure to pay overtime charges.

NO CARE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER CAUSES SCHOOL CLOSURE/CANCELLATION OR EARLY DISMISSAL.

Parents are advised to listen to local radio and television stations for announcements pertaining to schedule changes. In the event of closure or early dismissal, parents must specify whether the child(ren) is to ride the bus home or if a valid emergency contact person will pick up the child(ren) before school is 10 dismissed. In the event that ESP closes early due to inclement weather, parents will be notified by phone. If a parent can’t be reached, an emergency contact will be made. Students must be picked up within one (1) hour.

HOLIDAYS

The Extended School Program will not operate on the following holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (and the day after Thanksgiving), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July.

The last work day of the week prior to the start of a new school term will be used as an in-service day for all ESP employees. As such, no program child care services will be available to participants on this day. Parents will receive advance notification as to the actual date/time when this in-service will occur.

Naturally, no fees will be expected for those days when ESP services are not available. (e.g., ESP holidays, snow days, in-service days, etc.).

DROP OFF AND PICK UP

Please check with the Site Director for the specific location where a child may be received and admitted to the ESP center. When ESP is in session, children must be signed in and/or signed out by means of a parental signature on a form designated for this purpose. Parents are asked not to “drop” children in the school parking lot. Instead, please accompany the children into the building, making certain that staff is aware of the child(ren)’s presence.

Be certain that a list of adults to whom your child(ren) may be released is on file at the ESP site. Children will not be released to anyone other than the parent(s) or persons authorized on the enrollment form. Please ask individuals not known to the ESP staff not to be offended if asked for identification. Our goal is the safety and protection of your child(ren).

Please provide verbal and/or written notification to the Site Director if persons other than those duly authorized will be picking up your child(ren).

Note: Persons authorized to pick up a child from ESP must be 18 years of age or older.

Note: Child Custody Arrangements In order to refuse to grant parental access to a child, the Extended School Program must have on file a copy of the court order denying such access. It is important that non-custodial parents who are allowed access to their children be listed on the transportation section of the ESP registration form.

LATE PICK UP

The Extended School Program ceases operation promptly at 6:00 p.m. Parents are asked not to arrive later than this hour. Repeated incidences of late pick up will result in a program request for the parent to make other arrangements for the care of a child(ren). In addition, a late fee will be levied after 6:00 p.m.

Overtime Charges

• First 15 minutes: $5.00 per child
• Each additional 1 - 15 minutes: $5.00 per child

Any child left at a site beyond the appointed hour may be placed in the custody of the Department of Human Services.

RELEASE OF CHILDREN

Children will enter and exit the program according to the schedule indicated by the parents on the enrollment form(s). Children will be allowed to leave with persons other than the parents only if these individuals have been approved in writing. If a child attends extracurricular activities or has any other kind of arrival/departure time changes within the period he/she is enrolled in the program, ESP personnel should be notified in advance, prior to the date the change is effective.

ABSENCES

If a child will not be attending the program because of scheduled appointments, vacations, illness or injury, or other planned absence, please notify the Site Director. Absence without notification may be mistaken for a missing child and unnecessary concern and time spent in searching for the child(ren) may occur. Should you have any unusual circumstances regarding absences, please discuss these with the Coordinator as soon as possible.

The Extended School Program will post information about out-of-area field trips and other special local activities. Bus service for field trips is provided by the Hamblen County Department of Transportation. Because ESP only has access to a limited number of buses, seating is available on a first-come/first serve basis. Therefore, parents are asked to sign up a child(ren) as soon as possible, but before a given deadline.

The Extended School Program, as required by the State, serves nutritious meals and snacks to all enrollees. During the school term, children enrolled in the after school segment of ESP receive a healthy snack (pre-packaged food-stuffs like pop-tarts, granola bars, and cereal) at approximately the same time daily. Children can’t bring their own snacks to ESP. If a parent would like to provide a snack for the entire class, please notify the Site Director. During the school term when full-day sessions of ESP occur, children will need to bring a bag lunch and a beverage to the site.

Classroom management expectations will be shared with the ESP enrollee and his/her parent(s). All children enrolled in the Extended School Program will be required to follow rules established by the staff for the purpose of safety and for the smooth operation of the program in general. (Some of these rules may vary from site to site, dependent upon the makeup of the facility and/or the personnel in charge.

The Extended School Program staff is committed to positive reinforcement. Staff are to be positive role models for the children. Therefore, assertive--but not abusive--disciplinary measures and techniques are to be utilized. Praise and encouragement of good behavior will be stressed. However, misconduct notable or conspicuous in scope or frequency will not be tolerated.

If a child is repeatedly disruptive, the issue will be discussed with the parent(s) in an effort to determine adequate solutions. If unacceptable behavior persists and/or no signs of observable improvement are noted, expulsion from the program may occur. To avoid this possible outcome, parents are requested to cooperate with the ESP staff by discussing and emphasizing the importance of good behavior patterns with their child(ren).

DISCIPLINE

Children are entitled to a pleasant and harmonious environment while at the program. Towards this end, the ESP staff has the right to control the conduct of any participant under its supervision. The Extended School Program staff is expected to help children develop self-direction and self-discipline. The staff is to model the types of behaviors the children are to mirror.

ESP participants are expected to demonstrate respect for each other, the staff, and all property made available for use. Participants are to show thoughtfulness and consideration for others through courtesy, cooperation and obedience.

The Extended School Program cannot serve children who chronically display undesirable behavior. Chronically disruptive behavior is defined as verbal or physical activity which may include but is not limited to misconduct that:

1. violates or ignores the prescribed rules of the program
2. hinders and/or harms a program participant
3. requires constant attention from the staff
4. abuses the staff

In group settings, children produce, bring about, or are exposed to day-to-day happenings that defy any sense of predictability. As such, children need assistance in discovering how to face the challenges and obligations of living and working with others.

In response to this need, the Extended School Program staff share our goals:

1. To guide or direct a child in the setting of appropriate boundaries AND
2. To encourage positive behavior, both in the sense that it is socially acceptable and that it promotes a healthy self-image.

Because the Extended School Program’s aim is to provide a safe and supportive environment in which a child(ren) can grow and develop, specific standard behavior guidelines have been established for the maintenance of an orderly, calm, and pleasing atmosphere. These guidelines apply to all Extended School Program participants. These will be implemented in a fair, consistent, and equal manner.

Discipline will be age-appropriate, reasonable, and in terms a child can understand.

Listed below are the disciplinary techniques the Extended School program will use to maintain order:

1. Verbal warning (conference with child)
2. Time-out (conference with child)
3. Loss/Removal of privileges (conference with child)
4. One (1) day suspension (conference with parent)
5. Three (3) day suspension (conference with parent)
6. Withdrawal from ESP for one (1) calendar year. In order for a child to be re-admitted to the program following the 365 day suspension, a parent must present a written statement to the ESP Coordinator requesting a review and re-determination of the case.

Should severely disruptive behavior occur, ESP reserves the right and authority to skip and/or eliminate one or more of the above steps leading to withdrawal. The nature of the punishment for violation of ESP rules and regulations will be such that it is in proportion to the gravity of the offense, the apparent motive and disposition of the offender, and the influence of the offender’s example and conduct on others.

Examples of offenses and a resulting consequence are:

1. FIGHTING (exchange of physical blows with intent to do harm, resulting in bodily injury.)
2. STEALING
3. SPITTING AT OR UPON ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL
4. USE OF PROFANITY
5. NUDITY OR IMPROPRIETY OF THE BODY
6. DAMAGING, DEFACING, OR DESTROYING SCHOOL OR ESP PROPERTY

The consequence to be imposed for committing each of the offenses or unacceptable behaviors above is a three (3) day suspension. Extended School Program participants are allowed only one three day suspension before being discharged from the program. In an extended suspension (3 or more days), within five days (5) a parent must submit to the Extended School Program Coordinator a written request for re-admission. A disciplinary hearing committee will review each application for re-admission. A parent will receive notification of the time and place of the hearing.

Through the use of discipline, a child learns to respect his/her fellowman and to live as a responsible constructive citizen. Children should be taught good behavior. They should be equipped with the personal strength (self-control) needed to meet the demands imposed upon them by their parents, others in authority over them, their community, their peer group, and society in general.

Note: In terms of discipline, Hamblen County Department of Education Policy will also be adhered to in its entirety.

If a child has a known medical condition, please be sure the Extended School Program personnel know what to do if a problem should occur during program hours. Parents must make sure that any medication needed is available and that the forms for its use have been completed. In case of serious accident or illness, parents will be called immediately. Caregivers are required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse. This includes the reporting of parents/guardians who appear to be impaired by drugs or alcohol. Caregivers will make every effort to keep a child from getting into a car with a parent/guardian who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and who seems unusually angry or violent. Caregivers are also required to give children a copy of the child abuse hotline phone numbers.

ILLNESS

The Extended School Program is not equipped to provide for sick children. Please do not send your child to ESP if he/she is ill. We are concerned about the health and general welfare of each of our charges; therefore, we require that your child be picked up as soon as possible in the event that he/she becomes ill while in attendance.

Children should not bring money, toys, food or other items not necessary for school activities to the program without checking with the ESP staff. Although the program attempts to help children stay organized, it will not assume responsibility for damaged, lost or stolen personal property.

A special needs child is described as an individual who experiences difficulty due to a physical, mental, emotional or behavioral problem for which unusual or particular help is required. To a large degree, the severity of the child’s problem determines whether participation in the Extended School Program is advisable. In order to participate in the Extended School Program, these individuals - like their typically developing counterparts - should meet certain criteria.

The child is expected to:

1. Be in K – 6 th Grade (and not older than 12 years of age)
2. Be capable of communicating needs either
   • verbally (the spoken word)
   • non-verbally (the written word or sign language)
3. Be capable of mobility by ambulation or mechanical conveyance
4. Be capable of attending to personal hygiene, including elimination of bodily waste products. (It is assumed that children of school age are properly toilet trained.)
5. Be “socially” oriented, so that the safety of other participants (or workers) is not threatened

In order to offer the child the best care possible, the staff must be aware of or familiar with the person’s circumstances, so that appropriate adaptations and/or adjustments can be made. Prior to and/or during the registration process, parents are asked to inform the Extended School Program staff of any exceptional condition with which a prospective enrollee is afflicted.*

*NOTE: Failure to do so may be seen as grounds for dismissal.

Parents of children with special needs shall be charged the same fees as required of parents with so-called typically developing children. However, these fees entitle special needs children to only those services already offered by the Extended School Program. Nowhere is it mandated that child care providers must meet every conceivable need expected by a parent. For example, by law only medically trained personnel can perform health services like tubal feedings 17 or cauterizations on children or adults. The average child care provider does not have the expertise to perform these and similar types of techniques.

Child care agencies usually can not and undoubtedly are not able to hire medically trained staff to provide special services to children having exceptional needs. It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to seek and compensate individuals (subject to the approval of the Coordinator) who can provide the kind of care suitable to meet the child’s needs.

The American Disabilities Association (ADA) has said that child care is a group service. Parents of children requiring one-on-one care who are unable to function within a group setting or who can not participate in the same program of activities as their peers are urged to bear in mind that Extended School Program enrollees are grouped by grade and age and are expected to take part in a balanced, planned course of directed activity involving alternating periods of vigorous indoor and outdoor, quiet and active play.

Parents are a part of the Extended School Program, too! Parents help the ESP personnel by sharing in the task of creating the best possible experience for their children. Parents are the best possible source of information about a child. The exchange of information about a child from the parent’s perspective and the staff’s perspective can be quite valuable. The ESP staff will be better able to meet the needs of a child if we are aware of things like an illness in the family, a change in location, special fears, etc. Parents also contribute to the development of an appropriate attitude, appropriate action and reaction to stimuli, and appropriate social skills. Parents desiring to play an active role in the Extended School Program are encouraged to do so.

NOTE: PARENTS, IF YOU HAVE A TALENT/INTEREST WHICH YOU DESIRE TO SHARE WITH ESP ENROLLEES, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE WELCOME AND APPRECIATE PARENTAL PARTICIPATION.

PARENTS’ RIGHTS

PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

1. Know their children are in a safe environment where they are free to select from a variety of activities.
2. Know what types of programs and activities are being planned and to be offered feedback on the kinds of activities children enjoy.
3. Share concerns with staff, at any time, about anything they do not feel is in the best interest of the children.
4. Know if their child is misbehaving, and to spend time talking with the staff concerning a solution.
5. Know if their child does not report to the program as intended.
6. Know when the children will be going any place other than where the program is usually held.
7. Voice special concerns and considerations not covered in this manual, and to discuss special cases where occasional exceptions may be made from the rules set forth in this manual.

PARENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

PARENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO:

1. Let the staff know if their child will not be attending for the day.
2. Observe the rules of the Extended School Program as set forth in this manual and in any additional policy statements.
3. To share their concerns with staff members if the program is not meeting their needs.
4. Listen to concerns that staff members have about their child’s behavior, and to work for an agreeable solution to any problems that might occur.
5. Know about any change in policy and procedure.
6. Replace any equipment that their child is responsible for misusing.
7. Sign out their child at the end of the day; to notify a staff member when taking a child from the center; and notify a staff member when another authorized person is picking up a child.
8. Inform staff if a child has been exposed to a contagious illness.
9. Notify staff of planned vacations and other absences in advance.
10. Notify staff of withdrawal at least one week in advance.
11. Pay fees on time.
12. To keep the child’s record up to date with changes in phone number and addresses.
13. Pick up children on time
     

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

1. Safe and reliable equipment.
2. Use of all equipment and space on an equal basis; to find equipment where it is intended and in functioning condition.
3. Have their ideas and feelings respected.
4. Discipline that is fair, equal, and respectful of them.
5. Express their anger, frustration, disappointment, joy, etc., in an appropriate manner.
6. Express their creative ability.
7. Explore and discover.
8. Continue developing to their full potential.
9. Have a safe environment free of hazards.
10. Have an environment that offers a variety of choices: physical quiet indoor outdoor creative dramatic play exploration
11. To voice their opinion of the rules and activities.
12. Have staff members that care about them, enjoy being with them, and help them grow.

CHILDREN’S RESPONSIBILITIES

CHILDREN NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE:

1. For learning to take the consequences for their own actions.
2. For respecting the rules that guide them during the school day; for controlling their feelings so that their actions do not harm anyone in the program.
3. For not willfully destroying or harming any equipment or property in the building or anyone else’s projects or materials while they are in the program.
4. For sharing equipment and facilities with all children in the program.
5. For remaining with a staff member at all times and notifying them if they need to go to another area.
6. For signing in when they arrive each day and notifying a staff member when they need to be somewhere else.
7. For coming to their assigned area immediately after school dismissal, unless they have permission and notify a staff member when they need to be somewhere else.
8. For respecting the rules of the Extended School Program.
9. For dressing appropriately for indoor and outdoor play; for having tennis shoes available to wear in the gym.
10. For returning materials and equipment to the place they found them before taking out a new activity or before leaving the center at/near the end of the day.
11. For carrying out an activity to which they have committed themselves.