Parents' Day Out

Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church – Parents’ Day Out (GPUMC-PDO) is a State-licensed childcare service for stay-at-home parents. This program is not intended to provide childcare for parents working outside the home. We accept children ages 2 ½ years through 4 years of age (with 5^th birthday occurring after December 1^st of current school year). In other words, this program is not for children who are eligible for kindergarten. For children ages 18 months – 30 months, the church offers a religious educational and play program called Little Lambs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:45 – 11:45. Registration materials are available in the church office or follow the link to the right.

 

The mission of GPUMC-PDO is to provide stay-at-home parents with the opportunity to place their child(ren) in a safe, nurturing environment where children can grow socially, cognitively, emotionally, and physically. Parents may choose to use this time for appointments, errands, shopping or relaxation, it is completely up to them.

 

Operating Schedule
GPUMC-PDO will operate from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and follows the Grosse Pointe Public School System calendar. Children may be dropped off and picked up at any time during the session, however, it is recommended that children follow the program schedule as closely as possible to provide for easy transitions into the group setting. GPUMC-PDO will be closed and no charge will be made on days that the Grosse Pointe Public Schools are closed. This includes snow/inclement weather days. In addition, if the church closes due to building problems, etc., we will also be closed.

 

To secure a spot for your child at GPUMC-PDO, please return the following:

·         Child Information Record

·         Health Appraisal

·         Contract

·         Record of Immunization (can be part of health appraisal)

·         $40 Non-refundable Family Registration Fee

·         $15 Snack and Supply Fee

·         Sign-up Calendar and tuition for month of entry into GPUMC-PDO

Registration will occur on a first-come, first-served basis. Members of Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church will have the opportunity to register for the program before registration is opened up to the general public. The deadline for Fall registration is August 23^rd. Any applications turned in after the 23^rd will be placed on a wait-list and will be subject to the $10 late fee.

 

All payments should be made by check; we will not accept cash for tuition. Please make checks payable to GPUMC-PDO.

·         $40 non-refundable registration fee

·         $15 per child snack and supply fee

·         $15 daily tuition

 

Sign-up calendars will be available after the first of the month for the following month (for example, on February 1, the March calendar will be available). You may schedule each child for up to 2 days per week. To schedule a child, simply write his/her name on the space for the dates requested and return the calendar with a check made payable to GPUMC-PDO. Sign-up calendars may be given to the director at GPUMC-PDO or dropped off at her home (4 Carmel Lane, GPF). No days will be scheduled without payment. Scheduling will be done on a first-come, first-served basis, so get those calendars in early.

All sign-up calendars are due on the 23^rd of the month and scheduling will be completed on the 24^th. You will only be contacted if a day you requested is unavailable. There will be a $10 charge for all calendars turned in after the 23^rd of the month.

 

Arrival and Pick-Up
The person dropping off a child at GPUMC-PDO will escort that child into the classroom, sign him/her in, and turn him/her over to a caregiver. Access to the Parents’ Day Out program is via the elevator or the east stairwell. Please do not use the parlor stairwell. At the end of the day, the child must be signed out, and will ONLY be released to an authorized person, unless other arrangements have been made between the parents and the Director. When persons other than the usual adult come to pick up your child, they will be required to show a picture ID and sign the child out. Please make sure to tell the adult to bring a picture ID. If there are custody issues we should be aware of, please tell the director about them immediately. If a court order prohibits release of a child to a particular parent, we will need a copy of the order. 

Please note that it is imperative that we are able to contact you while your child is at GPUMC-PDO. If a caregiver is unable to contact you (or the emergency contact you list on the sign-in sheet), there will be a $5 fine, payable upon pick-up.

Late Pick-Up
Parents are required to adhere to their registered schedules so that we can maintain the State required teacher-to-child ratios. A $1 late charge will be made for every minute that a child is picked up after noon. Parents are responsible to notify GPUMC-PDO if they are not going to be on time so we can arrange to have the appropriate number of caregivers stay on site. Late fees are due in cash upon pick-up on the date of the infraction. If a child is continually being picked up late, the parents will receive a verbal warning from the director. If the child is picked up late after this warning, we will no longer be able to schedule your child.

 

If your child is going to miss a scheduled day, we would appreciate a call letting us know not to expect him/her that day. Our staffing is based on the numbers of children in attendance, so knowing our attendance in advance will help us staff appropriately.

 

Please keep sick children home. The director has the right to refuse to admit any child who exhibits symptoms of being contagious. If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child:

·         a runny nose with yellow or green discharge

·         persistent cough with phlegm

·         diarrhea

·         fever

 

GPUMC-PDO will not administer any non-emergency medications to a child. If your child is ill and needs medications, please keep him/her home that day. An exception may be made in the case of diaper ointments. If your child has allergies and needs emergency medications such as an inhaler or epi-pen, please contact the director so we can make the necessary arrangements. In these cases,

·         Only the director or a lead caregiver will administer the medication

·         The medication must be in its original labeled container with instructions from the prescribing physician

·         GPUMC-PDO must be provided with the proper medication permission form signed by the physician and the parent.

We should also be aware of any medications your child has been given at home. Sometimes medications will make your child act differently, be tired, or even overly anxious. By helping us set good health standards, you will be protecting your child and others in the program.

 

Each day your child will be provided with a snack at approximately 10:00 am. Snacks will be kept simple and peanut-free. They may include, but are not limited to pretzels, goldfish, crackers, fruit, etc. If your child has any allergies, please make the director aware of them. Every effort will be made to accommodate food allergies, however, you may choose to provide your own snack to ensure your child’s safety.

 

Lunch will be eaten at approximately 11:15 each day. Please send in a peanut-free lunch in an insulated bag each day your child attends the program. All food sent in lunches must be ready to serve (food cut into bite size pieces, no heating required, etc.). We do not have access to a refrigerator or microwave; please keep this in mind when preparing your child’s lunch.

 

Withdrawals and Refunds
Parents may withdraw their children from GPUMC-PDO at any time. Please notify us of your intent to withdraw so that we may fill your child’s spot with a child from the wait-list.  If your child is unable to attend a scheduled session, no refund or credit can be guaranteed since the space was held open for your child that day. Every effort will be made to fill the space and if the space is filled, you will receive a credit for the day missed. The more advance notice we have, the more likely it is that we will be able to fill the space.  If you are interested in adding a day during a particular week, please call the director to see if there are any spaces available. These openings will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis and must be paid for on that day. Remember that each child may participate in the program for a maximum of 2 days per week.

If the staff of GPUMC-PDO discovers that your child is attending another PDO program, you will no longer be able to schedule your child at our program. We want to give as many parents as possible the opportunity to have a break in their week and if you’re getting that break elsewhere, then you don’t need our program. We appreciate your understanding on this matter.

 

Each child should arrive at GPUMC-PDO with a backpack labeled with his/her name. Inside the backpack should be a lunch, a change of clothes and, if the child is in diapers, a minimum of 2 diapers labeled with the child’s name. Please label everything (coats, backpacks, clothing, boots, lunch bags, etc.) to avoid mix-ups. If your child goes through all of the diapers in his/her backpack, we will supply additional diapers as needed and you will be charged $1 per diaper.

In addition, we ask that on the child’s first day at GPUMC-PDO he/she bring an adult t-shirt (to be left at GPUMC-PDO and used as an art smock), 1 box of Kleenex and 1 box of baby wipes.