A. TUITION PAYMENTS
• A registration fee is required to guarantee admission. You must choose your child’s schedule at the time of registration. Registration fee is non-refundable.
• All TUITION payments must be paid on the first day of every month by check, cash, or money order, made payable to Stepping Stones. We do not accept credit cards. Receipts will be given upon request. Please indicate on tuition envelope.
• Place tuition in the front slot next to office window or hand to a teacher. Do not leave tuition in your child’s school bag. Write your child’s name on the check along with the month.
• A security deposit fee of half your monthly tuition is due upon registration. This fee will be applied to the last two weeks of the month that your child will be in attendance. It is not applied to the first two weeks of any month. In the event you withdraw your child in the beginning of the month, you will lose your security fee. Please notify us in advance if you plan to withdraw your child from Stepping Stones. After School Program does not require a security fee.
• There will be a 5 day grace period on tuition payments after the first of the month. If tuition is late by more than 5 days, a late fee of $25 will be added to your bill. If tuition is still not paid after the initial 5 days, your child’s enrollment will be terminated.
• There is a $30 fee for any checks returned for insufficient funds. Returned checks will not be re-deposited. Money Order or Cash payments will be the only accepted form of payment after two returned checks within a school year.
• Overtime fees will be charged if your child is not picked up at his/her scheduled time.
• A sibling rate is discounted 10% off the second child’s monthly tuition of equal or lesser value.

B. MEDICAL CONCERNS
• MEDICAL FORMS must be completed and received by the first day of school every year. A child cannot begin school without one.
• All sections of the medical form must be completed within a one year period. Each section of the medical expires after one year. Please make sure your child is tested for each exam in one visit. (hemogloblin, lead assessment, tuberculin screening, and immunization history) The vision, hearing and dental assessment may be filled out by the pediatrician.
• Your child’s medical may be returned if information is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Your child may not be permitted to attend school without an updated medical.
• Please notify the staff of any health concerns that may pertain to your child.
• An ill child will not be admitted to the school. If a child becomes ill while in attendance, the parent/s or a designated Emergency Contact Person will be notified and must make arrangements to have the child picked up within the hour. Your child will be isolated from his or her classmates.
• Absolutely no medications will be administered at school.
C. ABSENCE
• If your child is sick and will be unable to attend school, please call in the morning or leave a message informing us of his/her absence.
• Please note that you CANNOT make up any absent days due to limited availability in our programs. There will not be a refund or adjustment in tuition due to absences.

D. SCHOOL SUPPLIES (Label everything with your child’s name.)
• Please label all of your child’s belongings with his or her name.
• A complete change of clothes is required to be kept on premises at all times. If the clothes have been used due to a potty accident, please replace next day. Make sure to change your child’s clothes to the appropriate season.
• All full day children will need a blanket for nap time except for Preschool Classes. The blanket will be returned to you at the end of the week for washing.
• A cot sheet must be purchased by the school for all full day students.
• A Homework Workbook must be purchased for the Little Learners and Preschool classes. Homework assignments will be written on your child’s monthly calendars.
• School T-shirts will be on sale. All students must wear their shirts on trips.
• Please DO NOT send children to school with toys. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen personal property.

E. LEARNING, BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS
• We recognize and praise appropriate behaviors as a way of promoting positive behavior.
• Corporal punishment, verbal abuse, denying a child of food, shaming, frightening or humiliating a child is NOT a method of discipline at Stepping Stones and will never be used under any circumstances.
• It is inevitable that children will occasionally misbehave. However, chronic behavior problems will not be tolerated. Serious misbehavior and discipline problems may result in possible termination, especially if the child is endangering the welfare of his/her classmates.
• A written warning will be given for each serious misbehavior. After three written warnings regarding serious misbehavior your child’s enrollment will result in termination effective immediately.
• Conditions of serious misbehavior include: biting, pinching, hitting, punching, kicking, choking other students, throwing objects, and destruction of any school property.
• If the school feels your child has any type of developmental delay (speech, learning, physical, cognitive, social/emotional, etc), parents will immediately be notified and a proper evaluation must be conducted for your child’s continued stay at school. You may choose to conduct a comprehensive evaluation from any private Early Intervention Program or one recommended by the school.
• If numerous attempts have been made by the school to the parent/s regarding the necessary evaluation needed, your child may be removed from the school at the directors and teachers mutual decision. Parents must take these necessary measures into consideration to avoid the child’s removal from the program. This is to promote a healthy learning environment best suitable for your child’s special needs.

F. LUNCH (Label everything with your child’s name.)
• Please provide your child with a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack each day in accordance with their schedule. Please DO NOT send your child to school with unhealthy snacks. No glass objects.
• Stepping Stones is a NUT FREE SCHOOL. Please do not send in any snacks or lunch containing peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, etc. Your child will not be permitted to eat them and it will be returned unopened.
• Avoid unhealthy snacks such as chips, cheese doodles, candy, gum, etc. All unhealthy snacks will be sent home unopened. Avoid choking foods such as grapes (whole), raisins, popcorn, etc.

G. PARENT CONCERNS
• If you have any concerns that need to be addressed please schedule an appointment with your child’s teacher and/or the director. You may also write a note and place it inside the white box on the front counter or email us at steppingstones86@aol.com.
• The best times to call during the school day are between the hours of 12:30pm and 2:30pm and after 4:00pm.
• If a parent is denied custody or visitation of a child, please provide a copy of the legal documents to the school for our files.
• If any contact information changes throughout the school year, please request a new registration form so that we may update your child’s file.
• Parents who have a special trade or talent and would like to share it with their child’s class may make arrangements to visit the class. Please notify us of your talents.
• In the event that you need to extend your child’s day due to unforeseen circumstances, the school must be notified in advance in order to make sure that there is space for that time period.
• Employees of Stepping Stones may not be asked to baby sit your child under any circumstances. We are not liable for any services rendered by a staff member after normal business hours.
• Carriages will not be stored inside the school building due to limited space. If you must leave your carriage, please chain it inside the gate by the main entrance of the school on the right hand side. We are not responsible for missing carriages that are left on the school property.

H. TRIP INFORMATION
• All trips require an additional fee. You will be notified in advance.
• You will receive trip slips before each trip which will require your signature. If you would like to be a parent volunteer, please let us know and you will accompany the group on a rotating basis with other parents.
• Trips with two-year-olds will require one parent per child.

I. BIRTHDAY POLICY
• Birthdays may be celebrated at school. Please notify your child’s teacher a week in advance.
• Birthday’s can be celebrated with the parents. Additional information given in the September Informational Packets.
• Photos can be taken with a camera provided by the parent. The school is not responsible for any damage to digital cameras.
• Small cupcakes, juice and napkins are the only acceptable items for a party.
• Party bags are no longer permitted.
• If you are planning your child’s birthday party outside the school, you may give your child’s teacher the invitations to be placed in the children’s mailboxes. However, we are not responsible to keep or receive responses, nor can we give you any other child’s contact information. We will not contact any parent who does not respond to your child’s party.

J. HOLIDAY AND VACATION CALENDAR (See school year calendar)
• Stepping Stones will be closed on all national holidays. There is no change in monthly tuition due to holidays or vacations.

K. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Please refer to your child’s monthly calendar for special events and activities.
• Follow the daily events on the calendar. Ex: color days, supplies to bring in, homework assignments, scholastic book orders, days closed, time changes, etc.

L. EMERGENCY CONTACTS
• If someone on your emergency list is picking up your child, please have that in writing with the person’s name and address. Identification at the time of pick-up will be checked. Your child will not be released unless the parent has given permission prior even if their name is on the emergency contact.

M. EMERGENCY WEATHER DAYS
• Stepping Stones will be closed when NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL ARE CLOSED. Please follow the NYC Board of Education’s closures.

N. FUNDRAISERS
• Two fundraisers will be held throughout the school year. One is conducted in the Fall and one in the Spring. Your involvement in the fundraisers help the school purchase new learning materials throughout the school year.

O. HOLIDAY SHOWS/GRADUATION CEREMONIES
• Each class participates in a holiday show at the end of December. The children will perform this show for their parents.
• Each class participates in a Graduation show at the end of the school year. The children will perform this show for their parents.
• All show/graduation fees are separate and due before the event. Details will be given in advance.

P. SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION (Label everything with your child’s name.)
• Place the following items in a large SCHOOL BAG and LABEL ALL of you child’s belongings with his or her name:
• A complete change of clothes and diapers (if needed) should be brought to camp each day and kept in your child’s school bag. Please provide enough for your child’s scheduled day.
• Wear bathing suits everyday to school. (Two piece bathing suits are recommended for girls to accommodate changing and potty time.)
• Bring a towel each day. Make sure the towel is labeled with your child’s name. All children need canvas or water shoes for water activities and sneakers for other activities.
• Make sure your child wears sunscreen to school everyday.
• All students must wear their shirts on trips.
• Please provide your child with a packed lunch and snacks each day. Sippy cups are allowed for the Red Group. All other groups should bring in box juices.
• Please DO NOT send children to school with toys or candy. The school is not responsible for lost personal property.

Q. AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM
• Students receive a healthy snack and drink when they arrive at the school.
• Students will begin their homework. They will have access to our recess library and any materials they need for school projects.
• Individual homework assistance will be provided, however homework will not be checked for complete accuracy. Parents should check homework daily.
• Recreational and leisure activities are provided after each child completes his/her homework such as outdoor play, arts ‘n crafts, board games, center time, play time, movie time, etc.
• All students will be required to begin homework, unless Stepping Stones is notified in writing by the parent.
• Cell phones are not permitted in school. Students may contact parents using the school phone. All electronics are not permitted in school, such as hand held video games, ipods, etc. We are not responsible for lost, broken or damaged items. Items will be confiscated and returned to parent at pick up.
• All student property must be labeled. (Coat, bookbag, lunchbox, homework notebooks, workbooks, etc.) All items without names will be discarded after a week.
• All students must be picked up inside the school. Students will not be escorted to the car.
• Adhere to the school calendar of Stepping Stones in comparison with your child’s elementary school closings. School closures may not be consistent.

R. DROP-OFF INFORMATION
• Bring children to school on time. Class activities will begin at scheduled times. Do not come earlier or later than your scheduled time.
• Anytime after 15 minutes of class scheduled time is a distraction to the daily routine and class schedule. Please hang up your child’s belongings in their labeled cubby and place lunch boxes on the lunch shelf.

***** DO NOT PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY OR BLOCK DRIVEWAY****

S. DISMISSAL/PICK UP TIME
• Children will only be released to parents or legal guardians. Any other escort must be authorized by you in advance, listed on your child’s registration form and must present a photo identification card upon pickup. This is extremely important and will be enforced.
• Avoid picking up your child before their scheduled dismissal time. If you must pick up your child earlier, please call so we can him/her ready.

T. RELEASE TIME
• Your child will be ready by his/her scheduled pick-up time. Please be here on time! Dismissal will take place outside in the front gate. All extended day students will need to be picked up inside the classroom by an adult.
• If you anticipate being late for pick-up, please call in advance to let us know. Please note a late fee will be applied per hour to your next month’s tuition.
• Staff members will assist the children during dismissal time outside in the front gate to secure a safe and prompt exit from the school. Please wait outside the gate. You may speak to your child’s teacher after ALL children have been dismissed from the school.

IMPORTANT: Please do not park or block the driveway. It is a shared driveway and is active at all times. Please leave enough space for cars exiting the driveway to look for oncoming traffic. Drive slow and be cautious of other vehicles.


***** DO NOT PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY OR BLOCK DRIVEWAY *****