MILL PLAIN CHILDREN'S ACADEMY is a year round school. We are open from 06:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

We are closed on Saturday and Sunday and we are also closed on the following holidays:

 

• New Years Eve at 12:00 noon  
• New Years Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve at 12:00 noon
• Christmas Day

For the safety and comfort of your child, please accompany them through our school and walk them into their classroom.  When departing, please walk with your child to their classroom to get their treasures.

 

ARRIVAL  

Upon arriving please clock your child in using the pin pad (or key pad) at the front desk.  Washington state law requires that each child be clocked in.  Each person will have a pin code unique to them for checking children in and out.  YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN MUST ALWAYS WALK INTO THE CLASSROOM SO THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILD CAN BE ACKNOWLEDGED UPON YOUR ARRIVAL.  This helps your child to feel safe and secure as they transition into their day!

 

In order to ensure the success of our classroom and our developmentally appropriate program, your child needs to arrive before Circle Time.  

 

ARRIVAL TIME MAY NOT BE LATER THAN 9:00 A.M.

It is imperative that your child/children are here by 9:00 am, due to the morning classroom activities, lunch preparation, and teacher/child ratios.  For the success of your child and our developmentally appropriate program, your child needs to arrive before 10:00 a.m.

 

DEPARTURE

When your child is picked up, the family member or responsible person needs to sign the child out.  When departing, the adult picking up the child must open the front doors.  Children may not open the front door or leave the building without the hand of an adult.  Children may only be picked up by a parent or person the parent has designated.  We will ask for identification from any person other than you, to ensure your child’s safety.

BREAKFAST

We serve breakfast from 6:30-7:45 am under the guidelines of the USDA Food Program. 

At 7:45 am all breakfast is closed so that the children may begin their day.

 

SNACKS

Two snacks (mid-morning and after naptime) are served daily following USDA guidelines. 

Typical snacks may include: Cheese and Crackers, Yogurt with Fruit or Cereal, and Crackers and Hummus. Please refer to the weekly menus for the current list.

 

LUNCH

All lunches contain adequate nutrients for a well-balanced meal based on USDA guidelines. 

Typical lunches include: Home made spaghetti w/meat sauce or home made cold pasta salad fruit, vegetables, and milk. 

Under State guidelines, any food that is brought for sharing (birthdays, celebrations, etc.)

into the school must be purchased and brought in the original container.

 

We are a NUT FREE facility.

As part of the developmental successes of each child within their day, we ask that each one comes prepared to explore their world without reservations. We recommend a good nights sleep, good grooming habits, and healthy eating habits to ensure your child gets the most of each day.

 

THE GOALS OF M.P.C.A. HEALTH POLICY

To protect the health of well children and staff while meeting the needs of working parents…

To prevent the spread of communicable disease…

To ensure that sick children receive the quiet environment, rest and extra attention they need

to get well at home, which M.P.C.A. is unable to provide…

When a child is sick, there is an agreement between parents and staff that the child should not be at school. With less clear symptoms, many factors are considered before the judgment is made. The needs of your child and their ability to participate comfortably in normal activities, as well as taking symptoms into account, are the major determining factors.

 

THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS INDICATE THAT A CHILD SHOULD STAY HOME OR WILL BE SENT HOME AND NEEDS TO STAY THERE FOR A MINIMUM OF 24 HOURS AFTER THE SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE WITHOUT MEDICATION:

 

If a child Is sent home with a temperature of 100.5 degrees or higher;

 

If they have diarrhea; vomiting; a skin rash of an unknown origin;

 

Continuous cough or pain that prevents normal play and sleep;

 

Discoloration of nasal mucous or pink/red eyes (until at least 24 hours on medication… eyes no longer crusted or have discharge);

 

If a child is sent home with any of these major symptoms… THE CHILD NEEDS TO REMAIN HOME FOR 24 HOURS AFTER THE SYMPTOMS, WITHOUT MEDICATION, ARE NO LONGER PRESENT.

 

Protecting the well being of our children and staff is a cooperative effort between parents and teachers…

Thank-you for your cooperation in maintaining a “Well-Care” Child Development Center.

MPCA staff reserves the right to regulate the attendance of children who are ill.

 

ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT

Washington State Law requires that Children’s Academy employees report any suspected incidents of child abuse and/or neglect.

 

MEDICATIONS

Under Washington State guidelines, Children’s Academy must have written consent from the child’s legal guardian in order to dispense and/or administer ANY medication. All medications must be in the original container with the prescription label intact and legible; the label must have the child’s name, dispensing instructions, and the doctor’s name before being administered by our staff. Medication consent forms are located at the front desk. This must be filled out completely and include dosage, time for dispensing, and parent’s signature. Tylenol, other fever reducing and cough/cold medications MAY NOT be administered at Mill Plaiin Children's Academy unless prescribed by a medical doctor with a written notice.

 

ALLERGIES

If your child has any allergies to food we will need a signed note from his/her physician indicating the allergy and you are welcome to supply an appropriate substitution that can be given. 

Please let us know of all allergies and if there are any special needs involved.

We are a Nut Free facility.

Discipline at Children’s Acadmey is a positive way of teaching children how to express their feelings appropriately, help children to cooperate with one another and to develop responsibility for one’s self. At MPCA, children are always given choices.

 

Discipline at Children’s Academy is never punishment. Rather, positive guidance helps keep children from doing things that are dangerous to themselves and to others. The centers’ basic rule: “You can’t hurt: yourself, others or the things around you.”

 

If a problem arises, children will be told that their action is unacceptable and encouraged to choose another activity (redirected). This positive approach is used to guide children to be successful.

 

This is the preferred discipline method for all ages. Teachers always talk one on one to the children. The child’s feelings are always validated. They are given choices of how to appropriately express their feelings. In addition, the reason for the rule is always explained to the child.

 

When a child persists in inappropriate behavior and cannot be distracted and redirected, it may mean he/she is tired, confused or overwhelmed. They may need some individualized attention from the teacher, or a short time where he/she can sit quietly and do an activity by themselves.

When your child is ready to begin toilet-training, a coordinated effort between school

and home will greatly ease the process. We make potty-time a regular part of the daily schedule, i.e. we go to the bathroom before outside play or before and after naptime, etc.

 

We start a diaper changing time by asking your child, if they would rather walk to the bathroom. If they say no, we ask again in 5 minutes. Often by then, they are ready. There is no pressure. 

We do not provide diapers for families.  We do provide wipes, but not diapers.

 

The issue is treated similarly to encouraging healthy eating or sharing a toy with a friend.

 

Potty training is a skill like so many skills our children learn. We applaud their efforts

towards growth and independence.

 

We take time to focus on the process, (which varies with the skill level of the child); dressing one’s self, sitting on the toilet, washing hands. The process is applauded, not the product. Learning all of the little steps can bring satisfaction to a child. With practicing the steps, the process is mastered at their own rate of learning. We will ask your child if they would like to go to the bathroom four to six times a day. Decide what your schedule will be when your child comes home from school and pursue it in a relaxed way.

 

The key concepts are:

     Regular patterns and intervals make it work.

     Reward the process, not the product.

     Loose fitting clothes, which the child can remove him/herself. This makes them more independent.

In case of inclement weather, please call ahead to confirm our business hours for that day.  We will make every effort to be open during normal operating hours, but the safety of our staff and MPCA families is of utmost concern. Therefore, we ask that you keep frequent contact with us throughout the day regarding the status of busing and possible early closure. Under normal circumstances, we follow your local School District’s closing policies, to ensure the safety of your children and our staff.

 

If your local School District is starting late or closing due to weather/emergency conditions please call our school. If there is an early release due to weather/emergency we may also be closing. 

 

Please be aware that during severe weather our school vans WILL NOT transport TO or FROM local schools. Parents are asked to drop off and pick up at elementary schools on these days. 

 

Please call ahead to check on our status. We will have a recorded message in place with all the details. 

 

Under any extraordinary circumstances when the safety of the children is involved, we may have to alter our schedule. It is imperative that we always have your emergency telephone number available in case of any kind of emergency.