Child care

Ladybug welcome letter

Welcome to the Ladybug room

We are glad that you are here…

Dear Families and Friends,
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all families. The Ladybug Room staff is really excited about getting to know our new children and families! We want to provide some information to make the transition as enjoyable and smooth as possible.

Introductions

As you may already know, PCC CDC is a lab school. The staff in the room includes the Mentor Teacher Julia Ramos and the Child Development Specialist Jamie Mizar. Jennifer Vernon will be the faculty supervising instructor this term and she will be in the classroom observing practicum students at varying times. Each term we will have practicum students in the lab throughout the week.

Classroom information

In the Ladybug room we believe infants and toddlers should be allowed to follow their own schedule. Due to this, we do not have a set daily schedule, but rather an idea of the different activities and routines we will do throughout the day. Once we meet with you and get to know your child, we will have an idea of your child’s individual routine and can follow that as much as possible. We keep a routine so that children have consistency but it is flexible and will not always follow exact times. There are many learning opportunities for us at PCC and we often go for walks around campus to explore. We will keep you updated as to our plans! If you ever arrive to pick up your child while we are out and about, we will post a sign on the classroom door as to our whereabouts as well as a cell number so that you can reach us.

Additional information
  1. We open at 7:30am and close at 3:30pm Monday – Friday. Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the end of the day to make sure you have time to gather your child’s belongings and share information with the teachers.
  2. Please sign your child in and out each day using the Famly App. We also ask that you fill out a little information about your child each day to share any important information (i.e. if they are teething, have appointments coming up, didn’t sleep well, etc).
  3. We provide three meals: breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. The Menu is posted in the classroom and will be emailed to you. We will provide formula, we currently have Similac Advance (the blue can). If your child drinks this formula or you would like to transition them to drinking it, we are happy to support you. You may also bring your own. We are happy to store a small amount of breastmilk for your child and you are more than welcome to come in and use our lactation room to nurse your child. If your child is over 12 months and has not transitioned away from formula, we are happy to help you with this process. Our licensing body requires that we transition children starting at 12 months of age and have completed by the time they are 13 months. We ask that everyone bring a water bottle for their child.
  4. Please label every item with your child’s name.
  5. Please bring spare clothes and label them with your child’s name.
  6. As we will have older infants and toddlers who are learning to walk, please send shoes for your child to wear when we go outside. The best shoes have soles that are not overly soft or stiff, enough traction to minimize slips, a soft but structured upper portion of the shoe, and ideally velcro as shoe laces present a trip hazard, especially for new walkers. If a shoe sole is too soft and doesn’t provide enough support, children may get tired more quickly during play and other activities. Proper support is especially important for toddlers learning to walk and active children, as it can help promote healthy foot and arch development.
  7. Please bring diapers for your child. We provide baby wipes.
  8. Nap time is on an as needed basis for infants and toddlers. We try to adhere to their home schedule, but we also allow the children to sleep when they are tired, but if they are not, we won’t force them. Most toddlers naturally drop their morning nap and adjust to one afternoon nap. This is the model we will be following since most of the children in our class are right around 12 months, but we allow any child who is tired to sleep when they want. Children will be sleeping in the same room that we spend the whole day in. This is a change from our past practice of having a separate nap room. It does present a challenge for those children who need to nap while others are playing, but we promise that eventually they will sleep if they need to.
  9. We provide mats to sleep on, sheets and sleep sacks for your child during rest time. State licensing requires that all children under 12 months sleep with only a sleep sack, a pacifier and nothing else (these are optional). We realize that many children sleep with blankets at home and it may be an adjustment for them to sleep without one. We will do everything we can to support them in this transition. Children 12 months and older may sleep with a blanket. We have blankets available or you may bring one from home.
  10. As part of our accreditation, you will be asked to complete an ASQ survey to be filled out at home with your child. Enjoy this time to get to know your child better. If you have questions or need help filling out the survey we are more than happy to support you.
  11. Medication: Last year our licensor clarified a rule about over the counter medications. Most pain medication states on the label that children under two years of age must consult a doctor for dosing. As a result, we must have a note from your doctor with the dosage in order to give these medications. However, you are also welcome to come to the center and administer the medication yourself. For the full list of policies and procedures for medication please see our Parent Handbook.

Washing hands: Hand washing is one of the best ways to help keep our community healthy, and reduce illness. We ask that all persons entering our classroom wash hands with soap and water. To support this effort, we sterilize all toys, bedding, dishes/bottles, and dress up items. We also store the children’s bedding separately and wash on a weekly basis or when soiled.

Allergies: The Child Development Center is a nut free facility. We do have some food allergies in our classroom including peanuts, tree nuts, and chia seeds. In other classrooms there are children and staff who also have allergies to kiwi. To avoid any potential reactions, we ask that you please not bring any of these items into the CDC and if you or your child has had contact with them before arriving, please wash your hands well. We hope you understand that the safety of everyone is our main priority.

Communication

We value open communication between the center and families. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or concerns that you may have. We have an open door policy and welcome parents to come visit at any time. You do not need to let us know ahead of time. We would love your participation in any way that is convenient for you. Visiting for a meal, reading a book or sharing something special from your home culture are some wonderful ways to connect with your child at school.

Classroom number: 971-722-8028
Center Main Office: 971-722-4424
Email: julia.ramos2@pcc.edu, jamie.mizar@pcc.edu

We look forward to working together with you and your child!!!

Sincerely,
Julia and Jamie, staff and students