Days of Praise Academy is a state licensed daycare center, providing care to children aged 6 weeks to 5 years old. Our goal is to provide a Christ rooted program for children, a safe environment, and enjoyable activities every day. We believe our center will help your child develop spiritually, emotionally, and socially. We are equally committed to the safety and well-being of each child here at our center.
Other activities that the children participate in, include, but are not limited to the following; books and story-time, Legos, circle-time, tumbling exercises, music and dancing and singing, dress up, play food, interactive stuffed animals, cars/trucks/planes, arts and crafts, puzzles, flash cards, animals/dinosaurs, trains, musical instruments, balls, dolls, various learning toys, various games, bean bag toss, blocks, large beads and string, song games, coloring, sing along story books, painting, science, and puppets.
All children participate in daily outdoor recreation and activities (weather permitting). Activities include climbing, sliding, swinging, jumping, running, balls, racing, catch, bubbles, follow the leader, squirt bottles, ride-on toys, wagons, safe water toys, various games, and exploring nature/weather.
We want our children to learn, play, and grow in a safe, loving environment. We want our daycare to be one that children love attending and parents love visiting. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to visit and participate in center activities.
Days of Praise Academy offers the ability to view your child at any time throughout the day. Cameras are installed in every child area or classroom and on the playground. From an app on your cell phone, you can log on and be connected directly to your child’s classroom. This special feature is available for a monthly service fee of $10.00.
**Registration fee of $80.00 per family each year**
**Supplies fee of $100 per year**
An Internet Viewing fee of $10.00 will be charged to your account monthly
Ask the front desk for details and instructions on viewing your child on-line. If you do not want internet viewing access, notify us in writing and you will not be charged.
Infants (6 weeks to 12 months) $180.00 week
1 and 2 years old $170.00 week
3 to 5 years old $165.00 week
Multiple Child: $10.00 weekly discount for each additional child.
Active Military: $10.00 weekly discount.
Days of Praise Academy accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. You can make a payment through our website or by visiting https://schools.procareconnect.com/login or doing on the Procare app. Payment is due on Monday of each week (you pay forward). If tuition is not paid by Tuesday at closing time, a $15.00 late fee will be charged to your account on Wednesday and $10.00 per day until paid. Children with a past due balance will not be allowed to attend the following Monday unless the past due balance is paid in full . No account will be held for more than one week. We do not carry balances. Parents can also choose to pay by the month. If for any reason you decide to withdraw your child from our center, a two-week notice is required .
The weekly tuition will be charged for any child attending the center. If a child misses a day for any reason the full weekly tuition will be paid. If a child is absent the entire week (going on vacation) the weekly rate will be reduced to $100. Holidays are counted as present. We do not offer half-day rates or discounts for children picked up early.
If a payment is returned to us for any reason, a $35.00 fee will automatically be charged to your account.
A late charge of $2.00 per child, per minute will be charged to all parents who do not have their children picked up by closing time. Days of Praise Academy utilizes a computer-based system for check-ins and check-outs and late charges are factored by this system automatically. Late pick-up is not a normal program option and will only be considered as an exceptional occurrence.
Days of Praise Academy accepts children ages six weeks to five years of age. Our daycare operates year-round, Monday thru Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
To enroll in our daycare, you must provide the center with the following required documents: enrollment papers, current immunization record on the GA form 3231, and registration fee.
If during your child’s stay with us, there is a change of employment, home address, or telephone number, it is the parent’s or legal guardian’s responsibility to notify the daycare management in writing of such changes. Our management must be able to always contact responsible parent/guardian during the normal hours of operation of the daycare center.
Days of Praise Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the center. It does not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies or admission policies.
We are closed for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and the day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, we will close the Friday before or Monday after. If we close for any other reason, you will be given a two-week prior notice.
We follow Hart County Schools for inclement weather closings. If Hart County Schools close, we will also be closed. We will also leave a message on the answering machine at the center, post it on our Facebook page, and send a text
message.
Please make sure your child is at the center by 11:00 Am. Upon arrival, it is the responsibility of the adult dropping off the child to check-in the child with a designated staff member. Children are not to be dropped off in the parking lot and allowed to enter unescorted. This is a state regulation.
The parent(s) of the child shall at any time the child is in attendance be permitted access to all childcare areas of the Center and shall make his or her presence known to Center Staff prior to removing the child from the Center.
Each parent/legal guardian will document in the enrollment papers the people authorized to pick-up his/her child. Parents will sign children in and out of the facility daily using the Procare App. Parents will also be assigned a pin by the Procare app to be used to enter the building during business hours.
Other authorized person will be given a pin to use when checking in and out a child.
If you want a person who is not identified as an emergency and authorized person to pick-up your child , you must notify us in advance, in writing. Your child will not be released without prior written authorization. The provider will require photo identification from anyone that it is not recognized. Please notify your pick-up person of our policy.
A child will only be released to that person with proper identification, such as a valid driver’s license or picture identification. Please keep in consideration that although someone may be on the pick- up list, staff may still ask for I.D if the person picking up is not recognized. We thank you for your help in this matter. We must focus on your child’s safety.
To protect your child, we will need copies of any court ordered custody agreements. Without a custody agreement, we are not able to prevent the release of your child to a parent.
If a child has not been picked up after closing and we have not heard from you, attempts will be made to contact you, and the contacts listed as emergency and authorized pick-ups. Provisions will be made for someone to stay with your child, if possible, but if after 2 hours we have not been able to reach you or a person listed on an emergency and authorized pick-up, we will call the local child protective services agency.
Transportation and field trips are not provided.
In the event of a pandemic, the center will follow the state’s licensing department and governor’s guidance on operations and the CDC’s recommended guidelines to prevent the spread of illnesses. These guidelines may include but are not limited to:
· Posting a door sign at all entrances to the facility.
· Restricting families’ access to the front door of the facility or limiting access to entry only
· Only allowing children and staff who are required for daily operations and ratio inside the building and classrooms.
· Modifying sign-in/sign-out procedures. Staff signing children in and out of the facility for the families if they use a computer/keypad system. If pens are used, sanitizing with a disinfectant wipe or other means before another person uses the pen.
· Daily temperature checks and health screening of all staff and children upon arrival. Further, excluding all visitors, staff, and children if they have a fever above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or exhibit respiratory symptoms, including cough or shortness of breath. Staff conducting daily health screenings using the appropriate PPE.
· Ceasing all unnecessary child transportation.
· Staggering arrival and drop off times and/or plan to limit direct contact with parents as much as possible.
· Staff walking children to their classroom, and at the end of the day, walking them back to their parents or cars.
· Hand hygiene stations set up at the entrance of the facility, so that staff and children can clean their hands before they enter.
· Following proper hand hygiene guidance for adults and children such as washing hands frequently with soap and water:
o upon arrival in classroom in the morning
o before and after eating meals and snacks
o after blowing noses, coughing, or sneezing or when in contact with body fluids after toileting or changing diapers
· limiting or reducing the number of children in each classroom and playground.
· Keeping each group of children in a separate room and not mixing children.
· Routinely cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting surfaces and objects that are frequently touched.
· Cleaning and sanitizing all toys and surfaces at the end of the day.
Our goal for the classrooms is that children be well cared for. All children will be happy, clean, and fed nutritiously. Our learning program is especially geared towards fun while the child learns. We strive to make each day a fun, safe, nutritional, and an educationally balanced experience for every child. Our parents are encouraged to visit the center and their child whenever their child is in attendance, and to discuss any questions or concerns with the director or owner.
Our personnel DO NOT: Inflict corporal/physical punishment, nor physically or sexually abuse any child. Discipline: First Time: Redirection of behavior, such as pounding play dough or playing with another toy. Second Time: Talking with the child about the problem, trying to understand the child, and discussing emotions. Third Time: Time out chair will be used. Age-appropriate time will be used. If problem continues : The child will sit in the director’s office or at the front desk and lose the privilege of a favorite activity. We will also notify the parent of the behavior and ask for reinforcement at home. The child may be dismissed if the behavior continues. Dismissal is determined by the Director and at the Director’s discretion.
The staff is not allowed to shake, jerk, pinch, or handle roughly any child. Our staff will not verbally abuse or humiliate a child that includes but in not limited to, the use of threats, profanity, or belittling remarks about a child or his/her family. Children are not isolated in a dark room, closet, or in any unsupervised area. Mechanical or physical restraint devices to discipline children are prohibited. If for any reason, an employee of the center is caught doing any of the offenses listed, they will be automatically dismissed and reported to the authorities.
We are required by law to report any suspected child abuse, child neglect, exploitation, or deprivation to the Department of Family and Children’s Services.
Our center will provide breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks. Milk or juice is served with all the meals and snacks, and water is offered throughout the day. The meals and snacks for each week constantly vary to ensure the children receive a well-balanced diet. The children are offered the food, but they will not be forced to eat. It is our goal to offer nutritious meals and snacks to the children in our care, as nutrition is a vital part of a child's health.
Children should not bring food except in case of allergies or special diets prescribed by a physician. A doctor’s note is required for all food brought from home including special milk and snacks. Food allergies can be life threatening and each child with a food allergy should have an action plan for emergency care completed by the family physician.
Weekly menus are posted on the bulletin board and are available at the beginning of every week. All food products are purchased weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The perishable products are bought fresh weekly. Our mealtimes are as followed:
Breakfast: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Lunch: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Snack: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Children that are dropped off at the center after 9:30 AM should have already eaten breakfast. If attending for the day, all children must be here by 11:00 AM. (Exception: Doctor or dental appointment with an advance notice and Dr. excuse when arriving at the center.)
If your child has any type of special needs, please notify the front desk or director. We as a daycare center provide for special needs children whenever possible. Please bring a written statement from the doctor that states the type of special needs the child requires.
We provide care for infants starting at 6 wks of age. Parents are required to bring all infant bottles pre-made with formula daily. Bottles are to be labeled with the child’s name and the current date.
Parents must bring their child at least 1 change of clothes in case of accidents or soiled clothes.
If a child eats baby food or cereal, the parent must supply all baby food with their child’s name on the jars or containers. The infant’s parent/legal guardian must complete an infant information form and always keep an updated form in the infant area. Left over formula and baby food that has been opened is returned home each day. We cannot retain this overnight. We do provide whole milk.
Parents must provide diapers and wipes for their children. Diapers can be brought daily (at least 8 per day) or in bulk. Diapers will be changed every 2 hours or as needed when soiled.
If a child has a pacifier, please mark the pacifier with your child’s name or initials. Children will not be allowed to have pacifiers attached to their clothing or around their neck.
Infants will be placed on their backs in a crib to sleep unless a physician’s written statement authorizing another sleep position for that infant is provided. No objects will be placed in or on the crib with an infant. This includes, but is not limited to, covers, blankets, toys, pillows, quilts, comforters, bumper pads, sheepskins, stuffed toys, or other soft items. No objects will be attached to a crib with a sleeping infant, such as, but not limited to, crib gyms, toys, mirrors, and mobiles. Only sleepers, sleep sacks and wearable blankets provided by the parent/guardian and that fit according to the commercial manufacturer’s guidelines and will not slip up around the infant’s face may be worn for the comfort of the sleeping infant. Individual crib bedding will be changed daily, or more often as needed. Infants who arrive at the center asleep or fall asleep in other equipment, on the floor or elsewhere, will moved to a safety-approved crib for sleep. Swaddling will not be permitted. Wedges, other infant positioning devices and monitors will not be permitted unless a physician’s written statement authorizing its use for a particular infant is provided.
Parents must provide diapers and wipes for their children ages 12 months - 24 months. Diapers can be brought daily (at least 8 per day) or in bulk. Diapers will be changed every 2 hours or as needed when soiled. Parents must provide pull-ups for their children ages 24 months – 36 months who are not potty trained. Our staff is trained to help potty train children ages 24 months – 36 months. During the potty-training process, children will be taken to the restroom several times throughout the day and encouraged to use the toilet. Once a child is using the toilet on a consistent basis, the teacher will instruct the parent to transition their child to underwear. All children will need at least 1 change of clothes kept at the center in case of accidents.
Biting is a normal stage of development that is common among infants and toddlers-and sometimes even among preschoolers. It is something that most young children will try at least once. When biting happens, our response will be to care for and help the child that was bitten and to help the biter learn a more appropriate behavior. Our focus will not be on punishment for biting, but on effective behaviors that address the specific reason for biting. Supervision and prevention will be the number one way we help change the behavior. Notes will be written to the family of the child who was bitten and the biter’s family. We will work together with the families of each to keep them informed and to develop strategies for change.
Nap time is scheduled between when lunch ends and afternoon snack for ages 1 yr – 5 yr. Infants will nap at various times throughout the day. While at the center, we provide each child with a bed or cot with sheets during nap times. Parents must provide a blanket and take it home weekly to be washed and returned. Parents must also provide a change of clothes for each child in case of accidents.
There are no TV times at Days of Praise Academy, but we do use technology items, such as displays and tablets to teach colors and shapes as well as other age appropriate developmental/educational programs.
We have posted for public viewing the following items: State License, copy of rules, review of evaluation report, communicable disease chart, statement of parental access, names of persons in charge, current weekly menus, emergency plans for severe weather and fire, statement for visitors.
Our teachers are hired in compliance with the state requirements and qualifications as a base minimum. All staff will pass criminal history records check and have current CPR & First Aid certification. All will participate in orientation and ongoing training in the areas of child growth and development, healthy and safe environments, developmentally appropriate practices, guidance, family relationships, cultural and individual diversity, and professionalism.
Medicine will be administered at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, but only with written authorization and instructions form the child’s parent or legal guardian. An authorization form is provided at the front desk for any medicine that should be taken. Medicine should be in the original container with the child’s name clearly marked on the container. Prescription medicine will be given only to the name listed on the label. If the medicine is for more than one child in the family, it should state both names separately on the bottle. Parents must hand the medicine to the director or the designated manager in charge when bringing the child to the center and must take the medicine home each night. Medicine is not allowed in the child’s room. We will be glad to administer over the counter medicine according to the directions on the label if a medicine form is completed and the bottle is clearly marked with your child’s name. We will not administer fever reducer or any medicine containing fever reducer.
Adverse Reaction to Medication:
If our front office or your child’s teacher notices any type of adverse reaction to any medicine or your child has any type of allergic reaction to food or to insect stings, you will be notified as soon as possible. A form will be filled out by our staff indicating reactions and you will receive a copy.
Immunization is required. All children who attend daycare must have a certificate of immunization. Parents must submit a GA 3231 form at time of enrollment. This is a state requirement and must be enforced. We ask that each time your child has an immunization; you bring in a new form with current dates and shots. The correct immunization form can be obtained from your pediatrician or local health department.
If your child’s temperature is 100.5 degrees or higher, or he/she develops diarrhea, vomiting, or any other contagious symptom, such as but not limited to rash, sore throat, or pink eye, we will notify you to come pick up your child.
If a child is sent home with a temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other contagious symptom, he/ she may not return to the center until 24 hours after the symptom subsides.
We will not administer fever reducer throughout the day to keep a child’s fever down. If you would like for your child to have medicine for cough or runny nose, please bring medicine or homeopathic remedies without fever reducer.
There is a notice on our bulletin board in the foyer that is constantly updated listing all illness/diseases present at the center.
A communicable disease chart is posted in the foyer on the bulletin board for your viewing. The chart contains recommendations for the exclusion of sick children and their readmission. This is the course that our state recommends we follow and will be followed.
Any parent, child, teacher, or staff member that tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, may return after 5 days of isolation if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving. Day 0 is the test day for those with no symptoms. For those with symptoms, day 0 is the day symptoms started.
Any parent, child, or staff member who is exposed to someone who test positive for COVID-19 should wear a mask for 10 days and watch for symptoms. Day 0 is the day of last exposure to someone with COVID-19. If symptoms develop, isolate immediately. Exposed individuals should get tested at least 5 full days after last exposure.
*Please note: Masks are not recommended for children under ages 2 years and younger, or for people with some disabilities.
Staff or any other persons being supervised by the staff shall not be allowed in the center that knowingly have or present symptoms of vomiting, fever, or diarrhea.
According to the communicable disease chart posted on our bulletin board, there are certain infectious illnesses that must be reported to the health department. These illnesses are referred to as notifiable communicable diseases.
We are required by law to report any suspected case of notifiable communicable diseases to the local health department. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform us of a notifiable communicable disease their child or children may have been exposed to. If your child is exposed to a notifiable communicable disease, our center will notify the appropriate parents/guardians that their child may have been exposed as well and recommend proper action be taken.
Hand hygiene stations will be set up at the entrance of the facility, so that staff and children can clean their hands before they enter.
All adults and children will follow proper hand hygiene guidance, washing hands frequently with soap and water. Hand washing will be performed as follows:
* Upon arrival in classroom in the morning
* Before and after eating meals and snacks
* After blowing noses, coughing, or sneezing or when in contact with body fluids
* After toileting or changing diapers
* After returning from outside play
All surfaces and objects that are frequently touched such as tables, doorknobs, counters, desks, phones, keyboards, faucets, toilets, sinks, light switches, will be routinely cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected. All toys and surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized at the end of the day. All toys that are put in a child’s mouth will be put into a bucket until cleaned and sanitized.
Parents may visit the center unannounced and at any time that their child is in care. Any information requested by the parent concerning the operation of the childcare center or the care of the child will be provided to parents. The parent(s) will be provided daily communication (verbal/written) regarding the care of the child, especially with infants, toddlers, and nonverbal children.
The infant room welcomes parents/guardians to nurse or feed their infants. Having an open-door policy does not mean the doors will be unlocked. For the safety and protection of the children, external doors will be kept locked at all times.
No person shall smoke, vape, use tobacco, or prohibited substances on the premises at any time.
The Center shall conduct drills for fire, tornado, and other emergency situations. The fire drills will be conducted monthly and tornado and other emergency drills will be conducted every six months.
We have a written plan for handling emergencies, including but not limited to severe weather, loss of electrical power or water and death, serious injury or loss of a child, a threatening event, or natural disaster which may occur at the Center. The Center has in place procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in place, lock-down, communication and reunification with families, and continuity of operations. A copy of our emergency plans is available upon request.
Children will be taken to hospital determined by emergency services and center staff will update parent or authorized contact.
Minor injuries not requiring professional medical attention will be treated on site and the parents will be notified verbally/written and an incident form will be completed by center staff.
3457 Old Elbert Rd
Royston Georgia 30662
Days of Praise Academy LLC. All rights reserved.