Dear Parent,

We welcome you to the School Board of Alachua County's Extended Day Enrichment Program (EDEP). The EDEP is a non-profit after-school child care program for elementary age children who are enrolled in Head Start through fifth grade, and is supported solely by parent fees and in-kind services from each school.

The goal of the EDEP is to provide a safe and enriching program which supports the family, school, and community. It provides opportunities for children to develop socially, emotionally, and physically, within a warm and caring atmosphere.

Our staff participates as partners with you in providing a quality program. Communication, support, and cooperation are essential ingredients in this partnership. Please read this handbook carefully and discuss pertinent information with your child. Sign and return the "Parent Acknowledgment" form on the back cover. If you have any concerns about the EDEP, we'd be happy to talk with you. Please call the EDEP staff, the principal, or me.

Sincerely,

Angel Londrie
Coordinator, Extended Day Enrichment Program

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Registration

Only elementary age children currently enrolled in Head Start through fifth grade are eligible to enroll in EDEP. Children must be at least four years of age by September 1 to participate. Each child must have a completed and signed registration card on file before participating in the program. You must register with the EDEP On-Site Coordinator at your school. The on-site coordinators are available after school until 5:30 p.m. Registration cards and parent handbooks are available in the school office. The registration fee and first week's fee are due at registration, along with a signed Parent Acknowledgment, located in this handbook.

Your child may attend part-time (1 or 2 days) or full-time (3 or more days) per week, but the EDEP staff must know at least one week in advance what days your child will be attending the program. There is no "drop-in" service. You must fill out a new registration card each year. Children eligible for subsidized child care must submit authorization forms before the child can attend.

Enrollment is limited at some schools. To provide for the safety of the EDEP participants and the quality of the program, maximum capacities have been established at each school. These enrollment caps are based on the size of the available space and the total school population. Procedures have been established for enrollment priorities and are followed by the principal until the program has reached capacity.  If a program has a waiting list, space can not be held for students who do not attend for an extended period (2 weeks or more).

Reasonable accommodations will be made for children with disabilities; however, since EDEP is self-funded through parent registration fees, the nature and scope of such accommodations will necessarily be limited.  The parent of a disabled student who wishes to enroll the student in EDEP must first contact the EDEP on-site coordinator at the school and provide complete information about the child's disability so that a determination can then be made as to whether the disability can be reasonably accommodated.

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Days and Hours of Operation

After School:  The days and hours of operation depend on individual school schedules.  At most schools, the EDEP will operate Monday through Friday from school dismissal until 5:30 p.m.  However, a few schools do remain open later.  Please check with the school for closing times.

School Holidays/Teacher Workdays:  The EDEP will not operate during school holidays or teacher workdays.  However, some programs will remain open on teacher workdays for an extra fee.  Please check with the school your child attends.

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Fee Information

Weekly Rates

The following sliding-fee schedule has been established for full-time or part-time participants during the 2005-2006 school term:

Full-time attendance is three days or more; part-time attendance is two days or less.
The parent must provide a copy of an approved lunch status verification form to determine the proper EDEP fees to be charged.
If your child is withdrawing from the program, a request for a refund must be given to the On-Site Coordinator.

Registration Fee

A nonrefundable annual registration fee of $25 per family is due at registration.

Late-Pick-Up Fees

Beginning at closing time, late pick-up fees will be charged. The rate is $5 per child for every 15 minutes you are late picking your child up.

Habitual tardiness (3 times) in picking up children will result in dismissal from the program. Parents must call the EDEP to notify staff of any extenuating circumstances.

Financial Policies and Procedures

• Payment of fees is due in ADVANCE on Friday or Monday each week.
• Enrollment will be terminated if payments are more than two weeks past due.
• Fees will not be prorated for holidays or absences.
• Make checks payable to your child's school.  Include on the check your child's name and the week for which you are paying.  Post dated checks will not be accepted.
• It is School Board policy to use Automated Recovery Solutions to electronically redeposit returned checks.  This electronic redeposit and associated fees will be indicated on your bank statement in the ATM or electronic payment section.  The recovery fees vary, but will be a minimum of $25.  If you have questions regarding the electronic process call 1-800-390-3948 or visit the website at www.automatedrecoverysolutions.com.  Cash payments will be mandatory after two returned checks.

Income Tax Information

It is the parents' responsibility to retain receipts for IRS purposes. Please ask for and retain all receipts. The School Board of Alachua County Tax Identification Number is 59-6000500. Annual statements will be issued upon request for the current school year only.

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Arrival and Departure of Students

Parents/guardians must enter the building to pick up and sign-out their child for the after-school program. No child will be released to anyone not authorized in writing by the custodial parent and listed on file. Persons on file, but not known by the staff, who are picking up children will be asked to show identification. We will release a child in accordance with the registration card.  Other dismissal procedures may be arranged but must be in writing and listed on file.

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Program Activities

The program will vary from school to school, according to the interests of the children and talents of the staff. All programs will include home-work and snack time, as well as recreational, academic, and enrichment activities.

Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for active play.  Tennis shoes and a change of clothes are recommended.

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Notification of Absences

If your child is at school but will be absent from EDEP, you must notify the school office or EDEP staff by 12:00 noon. If your child is absent from school, he/she will not be expected to attend the EDEP and you will not need to call. Absences from the EDEP will be verified daily against the school absentee list.

If a child attended school and is expected to come to the EDEP but is not present at roll call, the coordinator will make every effort to notify the parents. The call will alert parents that their child did not come to the EDEP and will determine where the child is expected to be.

This policy is for the safety of the children attending the EDEP. It is important that you discuss with your children the importance of going to the program on days they are scheduled to attend, and that they know which days they are supposed to attend. This information must be given to the child's classroom teacher. Any changes must be in writing and given to the teacher as well as the EDEP staff.

Your cooperation in implementing this policy is very important. It will allow the staff to identify children who mistakenly get on the bus to go home or go to a friend's house without permission. Because this is a safety issue, parents who do not follow this policy will be asked to remove their children from the program after the third call to locate their children. Children who repeatedly "skip" the EDEP and go elsewhere after school will also be dismissed from the program.

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Toys

The EDEP is not responsible for personal play items as they can be damaged, misplaced, or lost.  All personal items should be left at home.

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Homework

Homework time is scheduled each day with the exception of Fridays. It is very difficult to determine when some children have homework.  Therefore, you may wish to discuss with your child the procedure you would like to be observed concerning homework.

The EDEP staff is available to answer questions during this time.  However, one-on-one tutoring is not available. Please encourage your child to work on homework during the scheduled time. You may want to ask your child's classroom teacher to inform the EDEP staff of homework assignments. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parent to check homework for completion and accuracy.

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Staff

All staff members must meet established educational and experience requirements for the position held and participate in workshops. Each employee must undergo state and local criminal background checks and drug testing. All on-site coordinators are certified in CPR and First Aid. The program provides a staff:child ratio of 1:18, which is well below the maximum local licensing standards.

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Emergencies/and Illness

In the event of a medical emergency, reasonable effort will be made to contact parents/guardians for specific instructions. If parent cannot be reached, the coordinator will take necessary actions. The action on the part of the program personnel does not obligate the personnel or the school to assume financial responsibility for the treatment of the child. The EDEP does provide accident insurance for participants.  Claim forms and instructions are provided by the On-Site Coordinator. If a child becomes ill while attending the EDEP, the child's parents/guardians will be contacted to pick the child up from the program.

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Medication

Reasonable effort will be made to administer prescription medication. However, you are encouraged to ask your physician to prescribe dosage intervals that fall outside of EDEP hours. Most school nurses are on campus until 3:00 p.m. and can administer medicine until then.  You are responsible for providing a supply of the medication in its original container. The bottle must have a legible pharmacy label with the student's name, medication name, current dose, frequency and the name of the prescribing physician. Pharmacists will willingly give you an extra bottle with label for EDEP use. For liquid medication, please send a measuring spoon or cup marked with your child's name. The parent must accompany the child and medication to EDEP to sign consent form.  The EDEP does not have access to medication stored in the clinic.

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Notification of Changes

It is extremely important that you notify the on-site coordinator immediately of any change in home address, employment phone number, etc. Emergency phone numbers must be kept current.

Changes at home should be communicated so that staff will be prepared to deal with any changes in behavior.

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Parent Communication

Daily contact between parents and teachers is an important part of the program.  By sharing information concerning your child's activities and welfare, we can work together to better meet the child's needs.  It is extremely important that any change in address, emergency numbers, etc. be kept current.

Newsletters are sent home as needed to keep parents informed of upcoming events, programs, activities, and health and safety issues.  Conferences with the EDEP staff can be arranged by the parent or staff as needed.  Family members are encouraged to visit the program and share their special talents, skills, or experiences with the children.

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EDEP Program Rules

1. Always walk in the cafeteria or hallways.
2. Leaders will be obeyed at all times.
3. Children will stay with leaders at all times.
4. Good sportsmanship and fair play will be displayed at all times.
5. Keep hands and feet to yourself.
6. Respect other people and their belongings and the school building.

Please discuss these rules with your children and make sure they are understood.

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Discipline Policy

All children in the EDEP will be expected and required to follow the Code of Student Conduct, EDEP rules, and any individual school rules. The School Board of Alachua County reserves the right to dismiss any child from the EDEP for repeated, disruptive behavior. Parents must remember that their child's participation in the EDEP is a privilege, not a right.

Discipline Action

The steps listed below will be followed by the EDEP staff in the event of a disciplinary problem.

1. Child will be given a warning.
2. Child will be placed in time out.
3. Conduct report will be written, which the parent must sign and return.  Failure to sign discipline form may result in dismissal.
4. Parent conference will be held when three conduct reports have been written. Refusal to attend conference will result in dismissal.
5. At parent conference, child may be suspended for days, weeks, or permanently depending on the severity of the behavior.
6. Child may be permanently dismissed from any EDEP program.
7. A child dismissed from one program will not be allowed to attend another program.

Dismissal from EDEP

The EDEP reserves the right to refuse service for the following reasons:

1. Failure of parent or child to follow EDEP policies, procedures or rules.
2. Three written conduct reports or serious misbehavior that warrants immediate dismissal.
3. Parents or children are physically or verbally abusive to staff.
4. Failure to pay fees as scheduled. (One week late)
5. Failure to provide updated information and records.
6. Failure to notify staff if child will be absent from EDEP.  (Three times).
7. Failure to adhere to closing time.  (Three times)
8. When the on-site coordinator, county coordinator, or principal, at their discretion, believe that the continued service is not in the best interest of the child and/or program, or that the individual needs of the child can not be reasonably accommodated..

The EDEP on-site coordinator and/or principal have the authority to suspend or remove a participant without warning if the misbehavior or incident warrants.

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