Family Handbook
Driscoll Extended Day Program
725 Washington St.
Brookline, MA 02446
617-879-4520
website: dedpbrookline.org
email: program@dedpbrookline.org
Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade 5
Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade 6
February and April Vacation (Tuesday through Friday) 10
DEDP Inclement Weather Policy 11
PARENT/PROGRAM COMMUNICATION 13
Addressing Parental Concerns 14
INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT 21
Health Requirements for Admission 24
Emergency Plan for Evacuation of the Program 25
Care of Mildly Ill Children 25
Conditions Which Necessitate Immediate Pick Up 25
Notification of Contagious Diseases 26
Safety Precautions: When a Child Has More Than Mild Injury 27
MEDICATION/INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE PLANS 27
Individual Healthcare Plans 28
PICK-UP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 29
Pick-up/Sign-out/Absences 29
DCF Policy Regarding Late Pick-up of Children 32
The Driscoll Extended Day Program (DEDP) has been in operation since 1972 and is a private, non-profit after-school day care center at the Michael J. Driscoll PK-8 School, a public school in Brookline, Massachusetts. Any Driscoll School student enrolled in preschool through fifth grade is eligible to attend. DEDP operates under the guidelines of the Brookline School Committee and in cooperation with the principal and staff of the Driscoll School. It is an EEC (Early Education and Care) licensed program and is subject to regulations as defined by the EEC.
The Extended Day Program in Brookline was among the first of its kind in the nation. It was parents at the Driscoll School, mostly single heads of household, who first convinced the Brookline School Committee that the best place for high quality after-school child care was right inside the schools themselves. In 1972 the Driscoll and Devotion Schools opened Extended Day Programs; by the end of the decade every Brookline elementary school had one, each incorporated independently as a private, non-profit, parent-run corporation.
Today, this network of after-school centers is considered a model. We are visited each year by educators who wish to address similar needs in their own communities. We meet parents who have chosen to move to Brookline, not only because of the reputation of its schools, but also because they consider the Extended Day Programs indispensable.
DEDP provides child-care, social opportunity, and recreational activity for Driscoll students who are in preschool through fifth grade. The philosophy of Extended Day is to provide a comfortable environment for children to unwind after school, interact with peers, and develop skills and interests needed for self-confidence, self-reliance, and individual achievement.
Driscoll Extended Day is located on the first, second and third floors of the Driscoll School. We also have regular access to the playground, gym, and cafeteria.
Driscoll Extended Day is open to students enrolled in preschool through fifth grade, including any special education students who have been accepted into DEDP (see Special Needs). In the event of a wait list, preference for enrollment is based on a child having two working parents.
Children with special needs and/or disabilities have enriched the experience of all DEDP children, in addition to upgrading their own skills and independence. DEDP encourages the mainstreaming of students with special needs, when the program can meet the child's needs and there is space available. Families of children with special needs who meet the criteria for enrollment in the program are encouraged to work with the Program Director and staff to determine if DEDP is an appropriate fit for their child’s after school environment.
Driscoll Extended Day Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, marital or veteran status, or disability in the administration of its policies. In addition, DEDP is committed to maintaining an environment free from racial, sexual, and other types of unlawful harassment.
DEDP children have a lot of space to move around, both indoors and out. They are able to choose from among a variety of teacher-led or child-initiated activities. The many varied needs of children at different developmental levels are recognized throughout the programming day. There's opportunity for vigorous play or a quiet corner. Physically active activities are provided for children who need to blow off steam after a day in the classroom. A Free Play option supports the need for access to adult guidance without having an adult hovering over one's every move. Skill building projects are closely guided by an adult for those children who wish to acquire new skills. All these needs are recognized and supported in our Program. Overall, we strive to provide a contrast to the daily school routine that is similar in many ways to the experience of going home to a traditional neighborhood.
However, children going home after school generally don't have access to the resources we offer: organized sports and games, field trips, structured arts and crafts activities, theater games and plays, and cooking and baking clubs. Most important of all, there is a staff of trained and talented individuals, who are there to set limits, to initiate, to respond, and sometimes to simply stay out of the way.
Preschool students are met in their classrooms by Program Staff at 2:30 P.M. (1:40 PM on Fridays) and, if they are not already within the PK classroom used by DEDP, escorted to the program space. They enjoy a short greeting time before engaging in activity centers and a teacher-led story time. The group eats snack around 4:00 PM and remains in the classroom until 6:00 PM. Large motor activities take place either on the Rooftop Playground or the Gym, depending on the weather.
Kindergarteners are met in their classroom by Program Staff at 2:30 P.M. on Monday through Thursday and at 1:40 P.M. on Friday. Kindergarteners are escorted to a classroom for snack time until 2:50 P.M. Here, students can relax, socialize with their friends, enjoy a snack, and choose their mid-afternoon activities. First graders and second graders walk from their classroom to DEDP independently. From 2:50-3:30 all children go outside for about 40 minutes of vigorous play (depending on weather).
Activity time runs from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M. They have the choice of three different adult-led options on a daily basis:
Project time allows students an opportunity to participate in a skill building activity closely supervised by an adult. These could include using their creativity to create different works of art, participating in a cooking activity, or participating in a drama or music activity.
Active Play allows students to engage in a structured, physically active sports or group activity.
Free Play allows students to engage in independent activities such as drawing, building blocks, and board games. Adult supervision is present in the area, but Free Play allows students to “create their own fun”.
Club Day is offered one day per week. Clubs are 6 week interest groups focusing on a particular topic or theme. Clubs are a mechanism for focusing intensively on a child's special interest. Clubs are structured to include the same group of children and a consistent club leader meeting together for the entire series. Past club topics have included sports, magic, sewing, printing, chess, science fiction, dance, weaving, carpentry, cooking, or other special themes. During this time children are in small groups of 8-10 children with an adult supervisor. The Club Day will rotate days of the week so all children will be able to participate.The program goal is for all enrolled students to be able to participate in a club program during the year.
Dismissal begins at 5:00 pm. Children clean up their activities from choice time, and go to our designated place in the cafeteria where they may choose from a variety of quiet play opportunities such as board games, drawing and coloring, and writing or being read to. Students will also prepare to be picked up by parents by 6 p.m. (see late pick up procedures and fees). Students may choose to have a second snack brought from home (nut-free and provided by parents) during this time. DEDP provides saltines as a second snack.
The third, fourth and fifth grade program at DEDP reflects the fact that the children in these grades need a somewhat less structured environment and are expected to take more responsibility for themselves. Although the basic schedule is similar to that of the younger children, we have built into the schedule some opportunities for children to participate in activities which are independent of direct teacher supervision. The level of independence builds by grade level culminating in special privileges for 4th and 5th grade students. In recognition that these children's needs and interests are different from that of the younger children, they have their own space and are not often integrated into programming for the children in grades K, 1, and 2.
The schedule for third, fourth, and fifth graders is as follows:
2:30 P.M. Children arrive at Extended Day from their classrooms and check in with an
Extended Day teacher.
2:30pm-2:50pm: Snack is served.
2:50pm-3:30pm: Supervised homework period for children for all children.
3:30pm-4:30pm: All students go outside to engage in one half hour of vigorous play (weather permitting).
4:00pm-5:00pm: As described in previous sections, children may choose from choices of free play, project, and active. This is also a time where clubs are run. Typically there are two clubs offered each week. List of activities is posted weekly outside of the DEDP kitchen and on the greeter table.
5:15pm-5:45pm: Students transition to the cafeteria to engage in a variety of activities such as board games, reading, coloring etc. and they prepare for their parents to pick them up. All students must be signed out from DEDP by 6pm (see late pick up procedures and fees). Some children may finish homework or have a second snack (provided by parents).
As with all our children, we are seeking to build self-direction and self-reliance into the characters of our third-through-fifth graders. There is even more emphasis on child choice in this program than in our other curriculums. At the same time, we recognize that a primary task for children in the middle grades is the acquisition of concrete skills. To this end, our curriculum includes more opportunities for in-depth experiences and enriching activities such as clubs. Hopefully, when a child has completed our program in grade five, he or she will be able to make choices independent of adult direction and play without direct adult supervision. We encourage the development of skills which enable the children to interact with one another as friends and peers. In short, we hope to narrow our roles as child supervisors and foster our children in the independence necessary to negotiate life without day care or to succeed in a program appropriate to the needs of fifth graders.
Snacks are served every afternoon after 2:30p.m. Our snacks are nutritious but minimal. We provide water with crackers, fruits, or vegetables. Children who require more snacks are encouraged to pack an extra snack with their lunch. Children are encouraged to bring their own snack of fruit or vegetables. We discourage candy or other sweets, and DEDP is a nut-free program. We have a log of all food ingredients in the DEDP office.
*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions that you wish us to respect. If there are any special dietary snack needs, these must be supplied by the parent.
Please dress your child in appropriate, comfortable clothing so that they can fully participate in the different activities offered at DEDP.
If you would like to bring in something special for your child’s birthday, we welcome non-food-related items such as stickers, pencils, bookmarks etc. Please discuss this with a staff member in advance. If you are celebrating your child's birthday outside of school, please help avoid hurt feelings by mailing invitations, rather than distributing them at school -- unless everyone in your child's group is invited.
DEDP policy, budget, and overall structure is created by a parent board of directors.
The DEDP Board of Directors contains the following members;
Participation on the board is dictated by the following factors;
The DEDP Board determines operational policies, oversees the budget, and plans social events. Closed board meetings are held monthly. There is one open annual meeting per year, traditionally held in June. Members of the DEDP community will be notified in advance of the annual meeting. Board members are elected by the DEDP community at the annual meeting each spring.
The DEDP Board of Directors supports the following officers:
Parent Board Chair - Term limits for Chair are set at 2 years. The DEDP Board Chair works closely with the Executive Director to ensure the safety, integrity, and overall high quality of the program. The Board Chair is notified of and involved with resolution of the many special circumstances set forth in later sections.
Treasurer - The Treasurer oversees the spending and capital operations of the program. The Treasurer works closely with the Executive Director, program bookkeeper, and accountant to verify accurate expenditures and compliant record keeping. The Treasurer also has direct participation in creation of the annual program budget.
Secretary/Clerk - The Secretary keeps minutes of meetings, tracks and files records as necessary, and contributes to overall communication between the Board and DEDP community.
BEDAC Representative - One board member agrees to serve in an extended role representing DEDP at the Brookline Extended Day Advisory Committee. The Executive Director is also a de facto member of BEDAC. This Committee comprises representatives from all Brookline Extended Day programs. The Committee functions to create uniformity throughout the district as well as provide a mechanism for communication and collaboration among programs.
The DEDP staff is primarily responsible for the care of the children. They organize the environment, design and carry out the activities, supervise the children, and are responsible for the attendance, safety and well-being of the children. The staff promotes an atmosphere where children feel safe and are encouraged to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. The DEDP staff consists of the Executive Director, Associate Director, grade-level Coordinators, Group Leaders, Assistant Group Leaders, and Float Teachers. All DEDP staff must meet the minimum qualifications established by EEC which include a CORI and DCF background check. All staff participate in 20 hours of professional development training throughout the year.
We follow the Driscoll School calendar, which is located on the Brookline School website. We are closed for all legal holidays, Thanksgiving break, December vacation, and do not operate during the summer months.
DEDP may remain open (8:00am - 6:00pm) for the days of low attendance. The capacity of the program on these days may be limited. Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis, and is for current DEDP-enrolled children in grades K-5. In the event enrollment capacity is reached, parents will be notified of their wait list status. An enrollment form will be provided for families two/three weeks prior to the day. There will be an extra fee for these programming days.
We are open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Tuesday through Friday during February and April vacations. Program capacity on these days may be limited. Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis, and is for current DEDP-enrolled children in grades K-5. In the event enrollment capacity is reached for any given day, parents will be notified of their wait list status. Students may enroll for a 1, 2, 3, or 4 day option. There is an extra fee for vacation coverage. Notices are sent out 2 to 3 weeks prior to each vacation for enrollment.
DEDP opens early on published school district early dismissal days. Children report to DEDP according to previously stated guidelines on all early dismissal days. There is no additional charge if the child attends DEDP on that day. Only children enrolled in DEDP for that day may attend the program on early release days.
Please note:
The program is closed on all snow days and for other unforeseen school closings.
DEDP will open at the regular time when school begins late.
When the weather is bad, the Driscoll Extended Day follows a set of guidelines for deciding if DEDP will close early. The DEDP program will always be open when school is in session. Likewise, we will always be closed when there is no school due to weather. On occasions when school is open but the district cancels after school activities, we will strive to remain open as long as possible, subject to the safe operation of our program. Our program must make a decision that is best for all students, families and teachers.
The process for deciding if DEDP will close early due to snow and/or ice is as follows:
DEDP team members review the weather conditions beginning early in the morning. If the Brookline School Department cancels after school activities, then we review the weather alerts and forecast, contact other extended day programs, and check with the town to see if all roads are accessible for students, staff, and families.
Why DEDP may need to close early on days when the District cancels after school activities:
Most of our teachers live in cities and towns outside of Brookline. They make every attempt possible to arrive at DEDP on time and safely. However, Mother Nature tends to create havoc on the roads that result in dangerous driving situations. While we strive to remain open, there may be circumstances where the weather means we simply cannot. DEDP will always be open at 2:30 p.m. to receive extended day children and there will always be a staff person at DEDP until the last child is picked up.
We will make the decision whether to close early by 1:00pm or earlier, and then communicate this decision to all families via email, post the early closing on the DEDP website, and notify the Driscoll School Administrative offices.
We encourage each family to connect with those listed on your authorized pickup list regarding these challenging days. The safety of your children is our greatest priority. We appreciate your understanding of the difficulties in making this decision, and your support in helping your child get home from DEDP safely on these unpredictable winter days. Please know that we use safety considerations in making all of our weather decisions.
Admission to the DEDP Program is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, with the following priorities:
Application to the Program is made each year by filling out a preliminary enrollment, full enrollment agreement, and submitting a non-refundable registration fee and a deposit. Returning students are not considered re-enrolled until this process is complete. If the child cannot be accepted or is not admitted to Driscoll School, the deposit will be refunded. Otherwise, the deposit is non-refundable.
Buffer zone and town employees need to apply to all extended day programs in the schools their child may be placed in. DEDP will hold their slot until a determination from the town is made.
The Director must be notified first of any changes in enrollment or schedule. Parents are subject to the conditions of the Enrollment Agreement which they sign prior to the start of school year. Changes will be granted depending on the availability of open slots. Withdrawals will be granted if the slot can be filled with a child on the waitlist. Families currently on tuition assistance will be accommodated first.
DEDP is not able to provide daycare for days on which your child is not enrolled in the program unless Supplemental Care arrangements have been made with the Executive Director or Associate Director. Cost for Supplemental Care is $40.00 per day. Please see the Executive Director or Associate Director for further information.
Our goal is to maintain close communication with parents. We appreciate hearing of any changes that parents believe may be affecting their child’s behavior or sense of well-being. We are in contact with the support staff of the school, as well as with classroom teachers. DEDP staff often participate in case conferences with other professional staff when our enrollees are involved in core evaluations or other assessments. Like the faculty and staff of the school, we treat any information that you choose to share with us with the greatest discretion and confidentiality.
Conferences may be initiated by parents or staff, when either believes that an in-depth discussion of a child would be helpful.
In March, you will receive a mid-year written evaluation of your child from your Parent Contact Teacher. This is intended to give you a quick snapshot of how your child spends his/her time with us in DEDP and what we are working on with your child.
When a parent has concerns, questions, or complaints regarding any aspect of the program, it is desirable that communications occur between the parent and DEDP staff member(s) involved in the issue. For example, should a child feel that they have been treated unfairly by a teacher, and the parent views this as a legitimate perception, DEDP hopes that a parent would air their concerns directly with that staff member.
The Director is available to discuss any problem DEDP families may encounter and will
hopefully facilitate a successful resolution of such difficulty. In the event that this does not occur, a parent board member is available to handle complaints and/or bring them to the attention of the Parent Board. Board members are listed on the DEDP website.
The Driscoll Extended Day Program (DEDP) is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for all children. To ensure the well-being of all children and staff, we have established the following behavior guidelines and policies.
Expectations
The Driscoll Extended Day Program (DEDP) exists to serve the after school childcare needs of students at the Michael Driscoll K-8 School. To meet the needs of these children, it is important that staff, directors, parents, and students work together cooperatively. The director and staff strive for open communication with families regarding the children placed in their care. Parents are always welcome to address issues or concerns directly with the staff and/or directors. We understand that your children are your highest priority and that issues that affect them can elicit strong emotions.
However, parents are not permitted to harass, bully, or attempt to intimidate staff, directors, Parent Board Members, or students (“school personnel”) in any manner including (but not limited to); personal interactions, by telephone or text, via e-mail, or over social media. Under no circumstances may a parent discipline, interrogate, or reprimand someone else’s child. DEDP staff and directors cannot discuss or attempt to mitigate issues that arise between parents and/or guardians. Those issues should be discussed between adult caregivers outside of program hours and space.
In the event of inappropriate conduct by any adult caregiver of a student in the program (i.e. Parents who fail to follow these guidelines and thus interfere with the program’s normal operations and/or impede the staff in the safe completion of their normal tasks), DEDP staff will implement the following procedures:
Impaired Parents:
If any time the DEDP staff believes that a parent or guardian is impaired, it is the policy of DEDP to not release the child(ren) to that parent and/or approved pick up designee. Prior to this, if the staff believes that a pick up person is impaired they will consult with the program director or assistant director. If either of those two are not available, then the staff person will consult with another staff member to see if they concur with the observation. Being impaired could be, but not limited to, a parent/guardian or designated pick up person smelling of alcohol or marijuana, observing the person slurring their words, unsteady on their feet, and/or nodding off while speaking with staff and/or observed near their child. This policy could also be considered if a parent is acting in a way that may be a result of mental health issues and acts of aggression and violence towards staff and or the child(ren).
The staff will always take caution to ensure the safety of the child(ren) first. Staff will make an effort to reach the other parent or guardian to inform them and ask them to pick up. If a child is not released to their parent / legal guardian and/or designated pick up person due to safety concerns (as these are all considered to be caretakers of the child(ren) a report with the Judge Baker Child at Risk Hotline if after 5pm 1-800-792-5200 and if there is no other caretaker identified and available to care for the child(ren). If there is another caretaker that is reached and is able to assume responsibility then DEDP will file a 51A report the following business day with The Department of Children and Families.
It is the goal of the Driscoll Extended Day Program to guide children in becoming happy, responsible, cooperative participants in this Program through positive, non-threatening teaching techniques; to increase children's respect for themselves by guiding them to become responsible for their own actions and to help them grow in their respect for the rights and feelings of other people.
When conflicts over rights of other people and property develop, it is our goal to work with the individual children by listening to what each has to say and helping to resolve the conflict through effective communication. If a child exhibits inappropriate behavior or fails to respond to a teacher’s direction, the following steps will be taken:
1. The child will be given one or two verbal warnings by a teacher that they have one
more chance to cooperate as requested. As part of these requests, the teacher will
explain the reason for the request and, if in the instance of a dispute between two
children, teachers will model effective conflict resolution skills.
2. If this fails, the child will face an appropriate consequence to address this behavior, after which the teacher will reinforce the correct behavior with the child.
In no case will the child be subjected to abuse or neglect, cruel, severe or corporal punishments, including: any type of physical hitting inflicted in any manner upon the body; punishments which subject a child to verbal abuse, ridicule or humiliation; denial of food, rest or bathroom facilities, punishment for soiling, wetting or not using the toilet, or punishment related to eating or not eating food.
Expectations
All children participating in DEDP are expected to:
Bullying Policy
Massachusetts law defines bullying as "the repeated use by one or more students of a written or electronic expression or physical act or gesture or any combination thereof, directed at a victim that:
In the event of inappropriate conduct occurring at DEDP, the staff will respond promptly to the situation in accordance with the Program’s philosophy and code of conduct. Staff will report all incidents to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will determine, at their discretion, what course of action will be taken to appropriately address the situation.
All occurrences of conflict between children are investigated on an individual basis. Out of respect for all members of the DEDP community, the identity of a child who has engaged in an aggressive act against another will not be revealed unless required by law or determined necessary by program staff for health and safety purposes.
Disruptive Behavior
The children in the Extended Day Program are entitled to a pleasant and harmonious
environment. Children who engage in chronically disruptive behavior undermine the quality and safety of the Program. The following behaviors are considered unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action, including termination from the program:
Procedure for Addressing Unacceptable Behaviors:
The Driscoll Extended Day Program strives to offer a safe and supportive environment for all participants. By adhering to these behavior guidelines, we can ensure that every child has a positive and enriching experience. We appreciate the cooperation of parents and guardians in maintaining these standards.
In some rare instances, the Executive Director may need to suspend a child temporarily due to disruptive behavior. The Executive Director will only suspend a child after all standard discipline measures related to the DEDP procedure for addressing unacceptable behaviors (stated above) have been followed.
A child might also be suspended temporarily, without warning to parents, due to an act of aggression resulting in injury to another individual, or extremely uncooperative, unresponsive behavior. A temporary suspension could be for any time period from one day to one week. Immediately upon suspending a child, the Executive Director will confer with the child's parent(s) to discuss the reasons for the suspension and any steps that should be taken to prevent such behavior in the future.
In all cases, the director or their designee will meet with parents or guardians prior to the reentry no later than three business days after the suspension or later if necessary to the needs of the family. The meeting(s) may be attended by the Chairperson of the DEDP Board. The Director may also involve or refer parents to the school guidance counselor, social worker, the child's therapist, DCF caseworker, or recommend an outside agency, such as Brookline Health. If the child is in need of a medical evaluation or assessment, the Executive Director will initiate a referral to the school nurse for consideration.
It is our goal that, through working together, the Executive Director and parents can ameliorate the disruptive behavior that led to the suspension. However, if the disruptive behavior continues, the Executive Director may initiate the procedure outlined below for termination of the child from DEDP.
If violent behaviors, bolting, or behaviors requiring sustained one-on-one care continue despite the behavior plan interventions, the child will be terminated from the program. Children are terminated from the program for displaying these behaviors because they compromise the safety and well-being of other participants and staff, and the program is not equipped to provide the sustained one-on-one care these behaviors require. If the Executive Director decides that a termination is warranted for a particular child based upon that child's disruptive behavior, the Executive Director will contact the child's parent(s) to arrange a meeting to discuss the problem, the steps which have been taken to alleviate the problem, and to discuss why termination is necessary. At this time, conditions may be outlined such as the timing of termination.
If the parent(s) is (are) dissatisfied with the Executive Director's decision or any conditions placed upon that decision, they are entitled to meet with the Board of Directors of DEDP. The child's parent(s) and the Executive Director may each explain their position at the meeting. The Board of Directors will decide to uphold, modify, or overrule the Director’s decision.
In rare circumstances, the Executive Director may conclude that the parent(s) of a child in the program is (are) being so uncooperative, disruptive, or abusive of staff, other parents or other children, that continued participation of the family is not in the best interests of DEDP or the child. In such instances, the Executive Director may initiate a suspension or termination of that family from DEDP, or may decline to re-enroll the child. Again, if the parent(s) is (are) dissatisfied with the Director’s decision, they may meet with the Board of Directors who will make the final decision.
The following policy is established regarding the reporting and/or recording of suspected child abuse and neglect:
ABUSE: The non-accidental commission of any act upon a child which causes or creates a substantial risk of serious physical or emotional injury or constitutes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. (102 CMR: Office for Children)
NEGLECT: The failure, either deliberately or through negligence in inability, to adequately care for, protect, or supervise children. Neglect may include, but is not limited to, failing to supervise staff; allowing children to abuse other children or failing to regulate access to children by non-staff. (102 CMR: Office for Children)
It is the policy of the Driscoll Extended Day Program to report any and all suspected or alleged incidents of child abuse or neglect to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families immediately by telephone and to follow up in writing within 24 hours the information. DEDP shall cooperate in all investigations of abuse and neglect, which includes identifying parents of children currently or previously enrolled in the Program and cooperating with the investigation by providing any necessary information.
Upon the notification of suspected abuse or neglect that involves a staff person, the staff person will be given the opportunity to discuss the allegations with the appropriate people. The staff person will then be immediately relieved of their teaching duties and direct contact with children at the Program until the DCF investigation is completed and for such further time as the Department requires.
Any staff person that observes abuse or suspects neglect in the Program, must report to the Executive Director immediately and follow up with a written report of the incident.
All funding for the Driscoll Extended Day Program comes from tuition payments. The
Brookline School Department allows us to use the school building for a daily fee, but we supply all program materials and supplies as well as maintain our own Workmans comp and liability insurance policies. Tuition pays for everything program related. Please see the tuition tab on the Program website for updated tuition rates.
All tuition billing for DEDP including Vacation Programs and Supplemental Care is done through Smart Tuition. Families are responsible for registering with Smart Tuition as part of completing the registration process. Because tuition payments are essential to the functioning of the Program, reminders are given when payments are late without special arrangement. There are also late fees. In the rare instances when parents do not pay tuition and normal collection efforts and warnings fail, the Board can elect to expel a child from the Program and pursue legal remedies to collect the money owed.
Section 1: Background and Goals of the Program
The Driscoll School Extended Day Program (DEDP) recognizes that tuition may be a barrier to enrollment. DEDP endeavors to provide financial assistance to families with demonstrated financial need, and will do so to the degree that funds are available for tuition reduction.
Section 2: Confidentiality
DEDP has a Tuition Reduction Committee of no more than three (3) Board members that confidentially reviews information submitted in the Tuition Reduction Application. No member of the DEDP Tuition Reduction Committee, the DEDP Board or any of the DEDP staff know the identity of any applicants for, or recipients of, tuition reduction. All application information and supporting documentation is kept strictly confidential.
Section 3: Period of Award
Tuition Reduction is awarded for a single academic year or partial academic year, based upon demonstrated need. Tuition Reduction is not granted retroactively. Receipt of any award for any period does not, and should not, be construed by the recipient as an expectation of future eligibility, even if family income circumstances experience little or no significant change in future years.
Section 4: Deadlines and Timelines
In order for the Tuition Reduction to run concurrent with the child’s participation in the program, application for Tuition Reduction should be made at the same time you apply for enrollment in the program. If financial circumstances change at any time during the school year, application for a scholarship for the remainder of the school year may be made.
The Tuition Reduction Committee reviews completed applications promptly (see below for details on Information that must accompany an application in order to be considered), and is committed to making and communicating decisions on applications within thirty (30) days of receipt of a full and completed application. You must return all requested accompanying documentation within two (2) weeks of submitting your application in order for your application to be considered.
Section 5: Tuition Reduction Application and Supporting Documentation
Applicants for DEDP Tuition Reduction are required to complete the SMART Tuition Aid Application and provide supporting documents including, but not limited to:
Section 6: Tuition Payments
Applicants are required to pay 50% of tuition as stated in the enrollment contract until the scholarship committee makes an award decision. If the completed tuition application is not returned in the requested two-week timeframe, the unpaid tuition balance becomes due.
Section 7: Scholarship Awards
Scholarships are awarded based upon demonstrated financial need and available program funds. Due to limited financial resources in our program, we regret that not all identified tuition needs can be met. Applicants are notified in writing of the Tuition Reduction Committee’s decision.
Section 8: Tuition Reduction Fund Limitations
DEDP’s Tuition Reduction Fund is of modest size. In order to best serve the needs of our school community, we ask that if your financial circumstances improve during the school year that you notify us in a timely manner. Award recipients may be contacted mid-year to reaffirm their need.
Prior to admitting a child to the Program, the parent must provide written documentation that immunizations and physical examinations (according to public school health requirements) are on file with the child's school. All children in the Program must be covered by health insurance.
Parents must complete a form which provides DEDP with information regarding how to contact the parents/guardians or others in the case of emergency and which authorizes DEDP to transport your child to Children's Hospital or the local emergency facility, if outside Brookline. Please keep us up-to-date with this information. In the event of emergency, the following steps will be taken:
Failing to reach anyone, decisions regarding proper medical treatment will be left solely to the professional staff at the hospital. This would include the administration of anesthesia and any other steps considered necessary by the attending medical personnel.
Parents must complete a form which authorizes us to administer First Aid to their child. All staff are required to be certified in First Aid within 60 days of employment. First Aid is applied only by teachers who are certified. In addition, at least one staff member who is certified in CPR must be available on-site when children are in the Program.
First Aid kits are located in each DEDP room. When off the premises, one staff person assumes responsibility for transporting the kit. Parents are informed of any First Aid administered to their child within 24 hours of the incident. An injury report for each incident is signed by the parent and staff person and placed in the child's file. DEDP maintains a central log of all injuries which occur and monitors the safety record of the
Program. Prior to being assigned sole responsibility for a group of children, staff is trained in the Program's emergency procedures and injury prevention. Staff monitors the environment daily to immediately remove or repair any hazard which may cause injury.
Separate evacuation plans are posted for each major activity area. Teachers are trained in the evacuation procedures prior to employment. Practice evacuation drills are conducted quarterly and reviewed with the children during announcement time at various occasions. In the case where we must evacuate to another building, DEDP uses Temple Beth Zion at 1556 Beacon St. (as does Driscoll School).
If a child becomes ill while at the program, the child will be provided with a quiet, supervised rest time away from other children within the Executive Director’s office. The parent will be notified to discuss the next course of action. In the event that the child’s safety or comfort needs cannot be met, a parent is required to pick up the child.
As per the DEDP Health Care Policy, if your child exhibits any of these signs of illness, we will request an immediate pick-up:
Please note: the authorized parent/guardian must pick up the ill child within one hour from the time the Executive Director or Group Leader connects them.
Your child may return to DEDP without a licensed health care provider’s release if they are: free of fever for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication, have no symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours, are free of head lice or nits, or if it is after 24 hours of the first administration of a prescribed antibiotic.
A licensed health care provider’s release is required in the following situations before return to DEDP:
- symptoms of impetigo, contagious rashes or parasitic disease;
- chicken pox, measles, German measles, hepatitis, mumps;
- other serious illness or reportable disease
If a child has been absent from school on a particular day because of illness, the child cannot be admitted to DEDP on that day.
DEDP and the Driscoll School will work together in making sure families are notified of the following when an outbreak of the following occurs:
A complete copy of the Health Policy will be provided to parents on request.
DEDP follows the Brookline Public Schools health and safety procedures in regards to the COVID-19 virus as stated online at https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/covid-19.
When a child has more than a mild injury or illness and there is a question about the need for medical attention, immediately, upon knowledge or witnessing this type of illness or injury, a DEDP staff member will inform the Executive Director, or in their absence, the Associate Director or senior staff person present. A parent will be notified immediately if the child is in distress, has a head bump, or the responsible DEDP staff judges the injury or illness to be more than a mild concern.
Forms necessary for medication administration and the Individual Health Care Plan are located on the DEDP website.
In order to administer medications to children, the following procedures must be followed:
PLEASE NOTE: MEDICATIONS MAY NOT BE SENT WITH YOUR CHILD TO BE TAKEN INDEPENDENTLY.
DEDP staff will not administer any medication contrary to the directions on the original container, unless so authorized in writing by the child’s licensed health care provider. Any medications without clear instructions on the container must be administered in accordance with a written licensed healthcare provider or pharmacist’s descriptive order.
Unless otherwise specified in a child’s individual health care plan, the educator must store all medications out of the reach of children and under proper conditions for sanitation, preservation, security and safety during the time the children are in the care.
DEDP will not administer the first dose of any medication to a child, except under extraordinary circumstances and with parental consent.
DEDP must have an individual health care plan for each child with a chronic medical condition, which has been diagnosed by a licensed healthcare provider. The health care plan must describe the chronic condition, its symptoms, and any medical treatment that may be necessary while in our care, the potential side effects of that treatment, and the potential consequences to the child’s health if the treatment is not administered.
An educator may administer routine, scheduled medication or treatment to the child with a chronic medical condition in accordance with written parental consent and licensed healthcare provider authorization.
In addition to the requirements for the routine, scheduled administration of medication, or treatment set forth above, any unanticipated administration of medication or treatment for a non-life-threatening condition requires that the educator must make a reasonable attempt to contact the parent/guardian prior to administering such unanticipated medication or beginning such unanticipated treatment, or, if the parent/guardian cannot be reached in advance, as soon as possible after such medication or treatment is given.
The educator must document all medication or treatment administration, whether scheduled or unanticipated, in the child’s medication and treatment log. The written parental consent and the licensed healthcare provider authorization shall be valid for one year, unless withdrawn sooner. Such consent and authorization must be renewed annually for administration of medication and/or treatment to continue.
Educators may, with written parental consent and authorization of a licensed healthcare provider, develop and implement an individual health care plan that permits older school age children to carry their own inhalers and/or EpiPens and use them as needed, without the direct supervision of an educator. All educators must be aware of the contents and requirements of the child’s individual health care plan specifying how the inhaler and/or EpiPens will be kept secure from access by other children in the program. Whenever an individual health care plan pervades for a child to carry their own medication, the licensee must maintain onsite a backup supply of the medication for use as needed.
Children in Pre-K, Kindergarten and Grade 1 are picked up at their classrooms daily and escorted to Extended Day. Children in Grades 2-5 walk to Extended Day directly from their classrooms.
Children in DEDP are picked up and signed out by parents, guardians, or other designated people who have written permission from the parent(s) to pick up a child. Starting in the third grade, a self-sign out option is available for children with parental permission. DEDP is not allowed to release a child to anyone not on this list unless written permission is given. See Pick-up Policies and Procedures section below.
DEDP offers children a variety of field trips throughout the program year. Parents are notified of these trips in advance. Children may walk, be transported by bus, or ride the MBTA when participating in field trips. Children are grouped 8 children to 1 staff member as a minimum standard. All staff are trained in preventive and emergency procedures.
Emergency Procedures on Field Trips:
A staff member will follow previously stated DEDP emergency procedures. If outside Brookline, the local emergency service will be contacted and the child will be taken to the nearest hospital. Staff members will also call the Executive Director to inform them of the emergency. A staff person will remain with the child until the parent arrives. The Executive Director will continue to make the necessary contacts until a parent or guardian is present.
Parents or persons who have permission to pick up children must sign the child out at the end of the day. Children may not sign themselves out unless they have specific permission from their parent/guardian on a permission form to walk home unsupervised. Sign-out lists are located at the greeter table in the cafeteria.
My child… |
|
Will not be attending the program on a particular day: | |
Before Noon | Send an e-mail to driscollprogram@gmail.com by noon with the date(s) that your child will be absent. |
After Noon | Please follow all of the steps above, and take the additional step of calling the DEDP office at (617) 879-4520 (the answering machine is checked every 20-40 minutes). |
Will be arriving late to DEDP on any given day: | |
Before Noon | Send an e-mail to driscollprogram@gmail.com by noon with the date(s) that your child will be late. |
After Noon | Please follow all of the steps above, and take the additional step of calling the DEDP office at (617) 879-4520 (the answering machine is checked every 20-40 minutes). |
Will be picked up by someone other than the authorized person(s) on their enrollment form: | |
You may either: | Submit a hard copy note to DEDP with a handwritten signature that:
1. details the specific date and time of pick-up, as well as the name of the new pick-up person.
OR
2. provides full authorization for the new pick-up person according to a long-term schedule, including for the rest of the year.
Please write the name of your authorized pick-up persons clearly! Please be sure to keep your pick-up person(s) informed of the proper procedures for signing your child out of the Extended Day Program. |
If you are concerned about promptly delivering a hard copy note with a handwritten signature:
We understand that submitting a hard copy may be difficult during the busy workday. However, EEC regulations require that all pick-up changes be conveyed to DEDP through a handwritten note. We ask that you scan a copy of your note with the handwritten signature clearly visible, or take a picture of it, and then e-mail either a PDF or image file to program@dedpbrookline.org.
If you are interested in adding people to your authorized pick-up person(s) list:
Families are allowed an unlimited number of pick-up people to sign their children out of the program, as long as they are properly documented in your child’s file and they follow proper sign-out procedures. You can add an authorized pick-up person by delivering a hard copy note to DEDP with the pickup person’s name. Your note must include your handwritten signature.
EEC regulations require that parental consent is required for a child to leave the program for activities not sponsored by DEDP which may take place at the school. Examples include but not limited to after school sports, Girl Scouts, or music lessons. A note must be given to DEDP with date, time leaving DEDP, arrival time back to DEDP, and location of the activity.
Few circumstances are more trying for a child than to be the last one picked up after all the other children have left. It can also be difficult for the staff to suddenly find they must stay past the end of their working day waiting for a late parent.
To encourage prompt pickup, the Board of Directors has established a system of fines for lateness after 6:00pm, with a rate of $2 for every 1 minute of lateness. The waiting teacher records the lateness with the pick-up person’s signature. Please be aware that frequent payment of fines is no substitute for responsible pickup arrangements. Repeated lateness may force DEDP to take stricter measures, up to and including expulsion.
Please note: All DEDP staff come together for a meeting every night at 6:00pm. A greeter will remain for late arriving parents.
Driscoll Extended Day Program will report to the Department of Children and Families the following procedures regarding late pick-up of children:
1. DEDP closes at 6:00pm. If a child has not been picked up by 6:10pm, a
telephone call is made to the parent/guardian. This procedure is repeated at 6:20pm.
2. After 6:30pm, if they cannot be reached at home/school/work, the emergency
telephone numbers are called. If contact is made, that person is requested to pick
up the child(ren). If there is no response or the emergency contacts are unable to
pick up the child(ren), step #1 is repeated at 15 minute intervals from 6:45 until
7:00pm. Contact with the Executive Director will be made at 15 minute intervals if
they are not already present.
3. THE CHILD(REN) WILL NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED. A designated staff
person will stay with the children at all times.
4. At 7:00pm or when all previous measures have failed, the staff person present will
call the Department of Children and Families or the local Police.The staff person
present will be required to follow the direction of the social service agency in charge.
This may include surrendering the child(ren) to agency personnel. A report of the
action will be placed in the child's file.