In a World where you can be Anything,
be Kind....
Thank you for Choosing Courtyard
General Information
9:00 AM Attendance:
We start our day at Courtyard at 8:00 am, and we would like to have children arrive by 8:00 each day so that we can have a smooth circle time!
If parents are going to drop off late, please be aware of the following policy: To ensure that we are using our payroll budget to the best potential, understand that every day we will start sending teachers home at 9:00 am if they are not needed to meet ratios. Doing so gives teachers time off, and saves payroll dollars for other times when we need those teachers the most.
Children are allowed to attend after 9:00 am, if the parent has taken the time to communicate with us. Arrive or communicate by 9:00 to ensure you have a teacher when you arrive.
Communicate by calling the center or emailing Christa/Candace to let us know of your plans. Email is the preferred method of communication as the morning can be busy and email can be looked back on.
Parents that choose not to communicate late arrivals may be turned down care when dropping off after 9:00 am.
Why Courtyard?
Candace Goff, Director, works very hard to lead with the children being 100% of the focus. The teachers she hires, the tone she sets through her leadership, the classrooms her and her staff design, the lessons that she organizes and trains teachers to implement into their day, the massive amount of field trips that children take when they are old enough....these are the things that make Courtyard special. Your child will enjoy growing up with great friends, fun activities, learning toys stocked into well designed classrooms, and teachers that make the holidays extra special. Courtyard is not just any "daycare". Courtyard is a learning center that will provide each child with an exceptional first 5 years.
Because we are licensed, because we take safety and your child's happiness very seriously, because we need to manage the centers efficiently and follow a strict budget due to the high costs of providing this care, we do ask parents to assist us by asking them to be familiar and follow our policies. Based on research, our policies are very typical for child care, and all have a purpose. If it ever seems "extra", trust that it will be worth it! Having a structured child focused center will serve your child very well. And that is our goal.
Withdrawal: Parents that need to withdraw from the center for any reason must email Christa@CourtyardEarlyLearningCenter.com. A two week notice is required. The parent's financial obligation for the spot(s) ends 14 days after the date of the withdrawal email. Courtyard will use the deposit held on file to pay for the final costs of care. Any remaining funds will be reimbursed.
Hours: We are open from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.
What do I need to provide for my child?
Baby Only: Diapers, Wipes, Formula/Breast Milk, Extra Breast Milk for Freezer, 4 Bottles
All Children:
2 Changes of Clothing for Cubby
Comb or Brush
Pillow and Blanket for after age 1 (we will send home each Friday to have it washed and returned on Monday)
Stuffed Animal's are optional for nap, however, know they could get lost. Don't bring your child's favorite stuffy and assume it will always safely make it back home. ;)
Swimsuit for water days during the summers.
Please mark all items and leave costly or sentimental items at home. Please don't allow your child to bring breakfast, snacks, sippy cups, other foods and toys into the center. We provide all that your child needs during the day, and bringing these things in does cause problems in the classrooms as naturally children want with their friends have. Please don't put your child's teacher in the position to be the bad guy by taking your child's items away. Please and THANK YOU.
How do I get into this secure building?
For the first few days, until we get your file audited, you may need to ring the door bell. Once Candace has audited your file, the code should be the last four numbers of mom's cell plus #. If that doesn't work, try dad's. If after day 3 of being at Courtyard your code isn't working, please check in with the office.
How do I sign my child in and out?
There are two tablets on the main hallway desk for parent so to sign their children in and out with. The account is created by Candace once the parent has turned in the enrollment packet. The first time you use the tablet, you will enter your phone number, answer some security questions, and create a personal PIN number. After that, you will just enter your phone number and your PIN to gain access to the sign in/out software, named Kindersmart.
When and how do I pay?
Tuition is billed to each account each Monday. Parents can pay as often as they choose, we just look to make sure everyone has a fully paid for account each Tuesday. Some parents pay weekly, some pay every two weeks, some pay once a month, some just drop money in there every so often. It is up to you.
We accept cash, check and recently ACH. You can drop cash and check in the payment box by the office, in the front lobby. You can print the form for ACH from this website, and place it in the payment box. There is a cost to signing up to utilize ACH to cover the associated banking fees.
Who can use our door code?
We ask that parents never share their door code with a non-parent for any reason.
Non-Parent Authorizations
How do I authorize a non-parent (grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend) to pick up my child?
Parents are asked to never give a door code to a non-parent. We would like to have the opportunity to greet this person, and have them sign your child out. They are welcome to ring the door bell! Please complete this online form for us to have the authorization to release your child to a non-parent, and remember to ask that person to sign this form at their pickup.
Thank you for helping us keep our building super secure! Click Here
Courtyard Blue Bag
Why is my child given this blue bag?
Parents are encouraged to use this blue bag to take nap items (small pillow and a small blanket) home each Friday, and use it to return clean nap items on Monday. Teachers will also use these blue bags for overflow if the child's cubby gets to be too full.
Please ensure to check the cubby every so often, and take home items that the children have outgrown and replace with the correct size and seasoned spare clothing. Each child should have at least 2 season appropriate changes of clothes in their cubby, and a hair brush/comb for girls. All items should be marked with the child's name. We do have 100 children enrolled, so please don't bring items in that are sentimental or costly to replace should they get lost or taken home by the wrong family. Thank you for helping us keep things organized and minimalistic. :)
Illness
What happens when my child is sent home for illness?
Missouri Child Care Licensing Rules requires that children remain home at least 24 hours after the last symptom.
Please keep your child home 24 hours after being completely symptom free to ensure we stop the passing of germs and stop the trend of parents having to take off of work. No one wants to take off of work, however, if we slow the spread less parents have to take of off work. :)
Some illnesses that are contagious may require a doctors release to return to care. We are Child Care Professionals.....we are not doctors. It is our job to ensure that only healthy children enter into care, so if we request a doctors release, please accommodate.
We do not medicate children. If you feel your need is an exception, consult with Candace directly. Medications left with teachers without a discussion with Candace will not be given to the child, and will be left in the office for the parents to pick up.
Question & Answers:
Does Courtyard apply sunscreen? Our teachers applies sunscreen from around April 1st through Labor Day. Sunscreen is applied in the afternoons, parents are asked to apply during the morning time. We will provide the sunscreen, however, if your child has a reason to have their own sunscreen we will apply yours. We need a written authorization to apply sunscreen and put out those forms sometime in March of each year.