We operate an eleven month program.  We follow the Wake County Public School calendar & traditional calendar holiday closings.  If Wake County Public Schools are delayed by one hour, we will also be delayed by one hour.  If the Wake County Schools are delayed by two hours, we will open at 11:00 a.m., and end our school day at 1:00 a.m.  The Director reserves the right to open/close the school even if Wake County Public Schools do not.  Please call 919-467-6400 after 8:00 a.m. if in doubt about school closings.

For the safety and security of the children and staff, the following procedure has been established.

1.   Parking:  Parents should park in the parking lot at the front of the building or in the lot at the side.

2.   Entering and exiting the Building: For security reasons, all doors are locked on the outside.  They are not locked from the inside and are always available as a FIRE EXIT.  Please ring the doorbell at the front door to be admitted to the building.

3.   Drop Off: Children may be dropped off in the classroom beginning at 9:15 a.m.  Children and/or parents are not allowed in the classroom before 9:15 a.m., as this is our teacher’s class preparation time.  There are no exceptions to this rule.  Please do not ask us to make exceptions.  Please enter the school building through the main door and exit at the door designated for your classroom.  If you wish to talk to the director or the office manager, please wait until you are finished dropping off your child.  Please drop off your child in his/her classroom as quickly as possible.  If you wish to talk to other parents, you may do so in the hallway or the multi-purpose room.  Circle time begins promptly at 9:25 a.m. each day and is disrupted by late arrivals, so please be prompt in bringing your child to school.  Two’s and three’s need the time to play at centers before going to circle time.  This is an important transition time for them.

4.   Pick-Up:  Children will be dismissed from their classrooms at 12:15 p.m. (Pre-K at 12:25 p.m.).  Please go to the designated door for pick-up.  Children will not be dismissed to anyone other than a parent or legal guardian without prior written notice signed by the parent or legal guardian.  This written notice must be given to the teacher.  Thus named adult must display a photo id to the child’s classroom teacher before they will be allowed to pick up the child.

Please inform us if you child will be absent.    You may do this by calling the office or via email: languagetots@aol.com.  It is especially important to report any incidence of a communicable disease.  For the well being of all children and staff, your child should not be brought to school if any of the following conditions exist:

1.   Fever and/or vomiting.  In the case of fever or vomiting, your child must be kept at home for at least 24 hours after his/her temperature has returned to normal and or the vomiting has ceased.

2.   Runny nose accompanied by drainage or a runny nose requiring constant wiping.

3.   If you child has a rash or spots, we need a note from your doctor informing us that this is not a communicable disease.  Any child with allergies or eczema will need a note from their doctor informing us that they suffer from these conditions before they are allowed into the classroom.

If your child or a relative/friend visits from the following countries: Mainland China (Guangdong Province & Hong Kong-Special Administrative Region), Singapore and Vietnam (Hanoi), you will be required to follow the guidelines listed below.

(1)  If your child has traveled to the countries list above, we ask that you do not return to school for one week or 5 school days even if you do not have any symptoms.  This incubation time is 10-14 days, but symptoms of SARS should start to show within one week.

(2)  If a parent has traveled to the countries listed above we ask that you make us aware of your return so that we can watch your child closely.  If you have any symptoms of SARS within 14 days, we ask that you notify us immediately and we ask that you keep you child at home until a doctor has confirmed that you do not have SARS.

(3)  If you have friends or family visiting from these countries, and any of the SARS symptoms occur, we ask that you notify us immediately, and we ask that you keep your child at home until a doctor has confirmed that your friend or relative(s) does not have SARS.

Symptoms of SARS: Fever of more than 100.4 degrees that is accompanied by a dry cough or difficulty breathing.  Other symptoms might include headache, and overall feeling of discomfort, and body aches.  This policy may change as new information is released regarding this disease.

Discipline is generally held to be operating at its highest level when it functions to prevent behavior that inhibits learning and teaching.  Our goal is to instill in each child that he or she is in control of his/her own behavior.  In all classes the children are made aware of what is appropriate behavior.  When a child finds it difficult to control their behavior, the teacher tries to redirect their attention, and also discusses with them why their behavior is not appropriate.  Teachers in all classes also use several reward techniques, i.e. stickers, stamps, and classroom treasure box to encourage the children in their emotional/social development.  Consistent aggressive behavior such as biting, hitting, kicking, etc., will not be tolerated.  When such behavior occurs, and after consultation with the parents, a child will be put on a probationary period of one month.  If the behavior continues, he/she will be dismissed from the program.

Parents are encouraged and welcomed to visit the school in the first month.  After the first month in the Twos and Threes, parents are offered the opportunity to spend the morning assisting in their child’s classroom.  Only one parent at a time is allowed in the classroom.  The teacher will coordinate parent visits after the first month.  This offers the parents a chance to see their child’s program in action.  In the Pre-K classroom the teachers need a parent in the classroom on a daily basis to help with centers.  Pre-K parents will need to sign up for as many of these activities as they can.  Siblings are allowed to accompany parents on these volunteer days.  There will be many other opportunities for parents to volunteer during the year, e.g. fall festival, holiday parties, special projects, etc.

Teachers communicate both verbally and in writing with parents.  Weekly reports are put in your child’s tote bag on Thursdays/Fridays. If a parent wishes to discuss his/her child at any time, an appointment should be made with teacher.  You may do this in person or by leaving a message for your child’s teacher or with the office manager. 

The Language Tots staff meets weekly and monthly for planning sessions.  We strive to provide a developmentally appropriate academic multi-cultural program for the children.

Progress Report cards are issued twice a year in November at your parent-teacher conference and at the end of the school year in the twos, threes and Pre-K classes

Language Tots provides water or lemonade for the snack each morning.  Parents are asked to bring the snack on a rotational basis.  Your teacher will assign you your snack day.  Please bring enough snacks for the class.  Please do not bring in for snack any products containing peanut butter, nuts or any snacks made using peanut/nut oil.  No snacks using meat products are allowed.  Suggestions for healthy snacks include fresh fruit cut up, cheese, crackers, cookies, pretzels, nutri-grain bars, etc.  If your child is sick or absent, we will have a snack available to serve in that instance.

Each child receives special recognition of his/her birthday.  He/She may bring special snacks to serve. Please choose a snack other than cupcakes or a cake, as they tend to get very messy.  This is optional.  If you wish to distribute party invitations at school, please hand them to your child’s teacher.  We will put them in the appropriate bags at dismissal time.  If every child in the classroom is not being invited, we ask that you mail the invitations to home address of the invitees.       

It is mandatory that your children wear their Language Tots tee shirt/sweatshirt when they attend Language Tots. The Language Tots tote bag should be brought to school each day, as your child will always have something to carry to and from school.  If you child has long hair, please use a barrette to tie it back.  It can be difficult for a child to work on a craft activity if his/her hair is sticking to the glue or getting covered with paint!

We do not have outside school field trips.  We will have interesting “In-school” field trips, i.e. Green Level Farm visit, local musicians, etc. 

(1)  Tuition and fees fund salaries, classroom activities, supplies and capital projects.

(2)  Absences cannot be deducted from tuition

(3)  We are not able to provide multiple child discounts

(4)  If a child is withdrawn without a 30-day notice written to the school director parents will be obligated for the additional tuition payment.

(5)  If you decide to leave the program on May 31st for whatever reason, i.e., job transfer, personal reasons, etc. and you give 30 days notice on April 31st, you will still be obligated to pay the June tuition fee.  It is impossible for the director to fill a child’s place for the last month of the school year.  Our monthly fees are based on our program being an 10-month program. 

(6)  Tuition is a yearly fee paid in eleven equal installments.  Your first installment is due on April 15^th before school begins, and the rest of the payments are as follows:

Parents have a five-day grace period, i.e., 5th of the month, to pay tuition.  This tuition payment must be made at the front desk and the payment log must be signed by the parent.  Please write at the bottom of the check the class your child is in and the days he/she is in school, i.e., Twos, Tues/Thurs or Pre-K, Mon-Fri or Threes, M/W/F.  After the 5th, a mandatory late fee of $5 per day is added to the amount due.  The office manager will place a note in your child’s cubby to inform you of the late payment.  The payment is to be then given directly to the office manager.  If you are more than 15 days late, i.e., no payment has been received by the 15th of the month, your child will not be admitted to class and you will be asked to withdraw your child from Language Tots.  (This does not apply to year-end.  You are financially obligated for the May & June payment.)  There are no exceptions to this rule.  It is your responsibility to make sure that your payment is made timely.  If you child is sick or you are out of town, you will need to make arrangements to make sure that the payment is received timely. No adjustments of tuition will be for child absences - please contact the director in advance in the case of exceptional circumstances 

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