Policy and Rates
Hours
7:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Tuition/Rates are at the bottom of this page.
Policies & Information
Thank you for considering our program to assist you in caring for your children. We believe that in order to have a successful childcare experience for all, open communication and understanding is essential from the start. Please read through this information in its entirety before applying on our waitlist. Feel free to address us with any questions you may have.
Policy & Informational Handbook 2025
Welcome to Evergreen Lane Childcare!
The purpose of this handbook is to outline our procedures and policies here at our home daycare. I encourage you to read every section thoroughly and address any questions or concerns you may have before applying for care. Contact: Evergreenlanedc@yahoo.com
Providers Corey (607) 316-1983 or Brittany (315)750-8528
Enrollment: Evergreen Lane accepts new enrollments yearly if the openings are available. Openings are usually available the end of June OR beginning of September. If you are interested in joining our tribe, please read through each section of our handbook and contact us with any questions or concerns. If at this point you are still interested in our services, we will set up a tour where you will receive all required paperwork. Keep in mind, your child’s spot is not secured until all paperwork and deposit equal to two weeks tuition is received. Your deposit will be credited towards your child’s first week of care and last week of enrollment with FOUR weeks’ notice only.
State Licensing Requirements: Evergreen Lane is licensed and complies with all applicable licensing regulations and standards. These standards relate to our home, staff, health, safety procedures, nutrition, care giver to child ratios, and record keeping. We believe that these standards are in the best interest of the children. Our home is subject to inspection by state and city health, fire, and licensing officials.
Our Daycare is open Monday-Friday 7:00am-4:15pm
Holidays:
The following days will be closed holidays with FULL pay…..
January 1 Monday New Year’s Day
January 20 Monday Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
February 17 Monday Washington’s Birthday (aka Presidents Day)
May 26 Monday Memorial Day
June 19 Thursday Juneteenth National Independence Day
July 4 Friday Independence Day
September 1 Monday Labor Day
October 13 Monday Columbus Day
November 11 Tuesday Veterans Day
November 27-28 Thursday and Friday Thanksgiving
December 25-26 Thursday and Friday Christmas
****Families only pay for holidays that fall on a day your child would normally attend daycare. (applies to part time children)
Payment Policy: All payments are due on MONDAY of each week and are due IN ADVANCE.
If Fridays are preferred, payments made on Friday will be for the week ahead. All payments must be made on payment due date. If payments are more than 6 days late, a $10.00 per day late fee will be enforced. You are required to pay for every day you are contracted unless you use an available vacation day and receive your 50% discount. Families using daycare assistance Please be sure to pay close attention to your expiration date and reapply as needed. Childcare fees are based on enrollment (a reserved space) not on attendance.
Note: Checks, Zelle transfers & Cash accepted
***Daycare Assistance only accepted on case by case basis with the understanding that county will NOT cover vacation days/provider sick days/personal days etc. The parent is 100% responsible for making these payments to the provider in ADVANCE. All payments must me made by PARENT until official document confirmation is received by us. Your payments will be reimbursed to you when your first county check is received by us. In many cases this can take 1-2 months.
* Closings due to situations that we cannot control (Jury duty, subpoenas, medical emergencies, contagious Illnesses and disease, death in the family, severe weather etc.) must still be paid for. Please understand that we will try our hardest in every way to avoid closing completely.
Receipts and W-10 Forms: A receipt will be provided when requested. Annual receipts will be provided at the end of the year with a W-10 so that you may claim your childcare credit on your taxes.
Late Payments: I understand that there may be situations where payments may not be made in time. If there is a situation, please let me know. I allow no more than 6 days to make up late payments, however after 6 days there will be a late charge of $10.00 per day for days left unpaid. If payment is not made by 10 days we reserve the right to discontinue care. Daycare fees, late charges, and a charge equal to 2 weeks care will be the responsibility of the parent including all lawyers’ fees if necessary. Any bounced checks require a 35$ fee to cover bank fees posted to my account. If checks bounce on more than one occasion personal checks will no longer be accepted. Please consider this is our living and just as you rely on your employer to pay you for your work, we do as well.
VACATION DAYS
Provider Days Off:
We allot ourselves 3 weeks (15 days) vacation per contracted year (Jan 1 – Dec 31) Notification of at least 2 weeks will be given prior to any vacation days taken. In most cases you will get a much sooner notice from us. Provider will also receive 6 fully paid days off per year to cover last minute illness or other medical reasons. *Families are required to pay 50% for our vacation days taken. Our vacation days may or may not be consecutive. If it is more convenient for your family, you may plan your vacation time around ours. Because your vacation days are discounted at 50% with your notice, fees will be waived. (Note: Your vacation day rules still apply in order to use your free vacation days during our vacation time.)
Family vacations:
Each family will receive 10 vacation days per year at 50% pay. PLEASE remember that a 2-week notice IS required in order to use your discount. This does not cover last minute days off, inclement weather, etc.
Part time Family will receive vacation days based on the number of days they are enrolled with in their contract.
Enrolled 2 days each week, receive 4 days of vacation each year. Enrolled 3 days each week, receive 6 days vacation each year. Enrolled 4 days each week, receive 8 days of vacation each year.
*Vacation days DO NOT have to be consecutive.
*However, vacation time for each family is equal to 2 consecutive weeks off.
*It is your job to keep track of how many vacation days you have, we keep record of how many you use but will not update you unless you ask.
The following rules apply in order to receive your FREE vacation days:
• You must give us a 2 week notice for planned vacation time, the same that we give you.
•Vacation credit cannot be carried over to the next year.
•Accounts must be current and paid in full.
• Once notice is given to terminate enrollment, you are no longer eligible for vacation credit.
** Tuition is based on annual enrollment not attendance, which means that you are paying for 52 weeks total of childcare regardless of days missed beyond your allotted discounted vacation days.
Childcare-Backup Plan
Once you have made the decision for primary childcare, the next step is to create a childcare-backup plan. Be sure to strategize ahead of time. All parents need to have a plan B, no matter what circumstances surround their work environment.
Drop off/Pick up:
When you arrive, please remove your child’s shoes, coats and/or bags and place them on their hook in the garage. Address any concerns you have relating to your children at this time. If there are any injuries (Cuts/scratches/bruises) please inform the provider of these as well. All injuries are required to be documented by the provider.
*It is perfectly normal for your child to cry on arrival, especially for the first few weeks. Please make your goodbyes brief and never leave without saying goodbye, the longer you stay the harder it gets for both parent, provider and especially the child. The crying usually stops within seconds of your departure, and you are welcome to listen outside of the door and text me to ask how your child is doing.
*Your child MUST exit my home with you or a known family member that is listed on their alternate pick up list. I assume responsibility for your child only while he/she is in my care during regular hours.
***Please be brief and in control of your child during pick up and drop off times. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (parent & provider) and this situation will be tested at one time or another to see if the rules still apply. Please remind your child if inappropriate behaviors are being displayed. I expect children to follow the same rules as they do during the day when parents are not present.
***We absolutely do not encourage administering any type of fever reducer to your child the morning of daycare. Children who have exhibited ANY symptoms of infectious illness within the proceeding 24-hour period are likely to be contagious and should remain at home. Therefore, if your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher (Measured Orally), diarrhea (more than once), vomitting (more than once) they should be kept home for at least 24 hours after the symptoms end. I understand missing work is tough, but you will be causing other parents to miss work as well if you send a sick child to daycare and their illness spreads. Please be considerate.
***Drop off and pick up are not good times to discuss serious problems. Little ears and minds hear and understand everything. We can set up a time where the issues can be discussed in private.
Meals/Snacks:
Each day we provide three nutritious and well balanced meals. We provide morning breakfast at 9:15am, lunch at 12:15pm and afternoon snack at 3:15pm. Meal time lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour. We give the children ample time to eat while also having meal time conversations with their friends. All meals are eaten at the table to support a family centered meal time tradition. Milk is offered with all the meals and snacks, and water is offered throughout the day. If you are arriving after 9:30am, please make sure your child is fed before arrival. You are welcome to send packed meals with your child however please make sure meals are healthy and follow the CACFP suggested meal pattern for your child’s age. We do not allow candy or sugary snacks to be brought to daycare.
Dress Code:
Children should arrive dressed for play! We like to have fun ! Having fun involves outdoor play and lots of messy activities, so make sure that your child is dressed appropriately. Please do not dress your child in nice clothing and expect them to be spotless when you arrive to pick them up. Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots and coats for cold weather. You also need to supply a COMPLETE change of clothing in case of an accident. Please make sure potty trained children wear easy on/ easy off clothing to promote toilet independency. Make sure that your children’s shoes fit well and shorts are worn under dresses or skirts. We prefer rain boots during the spring time, and easy on/off sandals or crocs in the summer. To help our mornings run smoothly we ask that children come prepared for the day. This means that things like brushing teeth, daily vitamins, getting dressed must be done at home. We have a strict schedule that we like to stick to as best as we can. Thank you!
Supplies
Parents must supply the following items to be kept at the daycare for their children: Diapers, wipes, pull-ups, powders/ointments, bottles, sippy cups, blanket for rest time & a complete change of clothes. All personal belongings should be marked with your child's name. They will be stored in your child’s cubby. Eating utensils and dishes will be supplied. We will inform you if anything needs to be replenished.
Toilet Learning:
We will toilet train your child when we believe they are ready with the understanding that training MUST be followed through at home. We follow a strict schedule when toileting children and our routine supports an easy transition. Children should wear pull ups until they have gone 2 full weeks accident free, this includes during nap time. Regular underwear can be worn after child initiates toileting on their own without being told. Please keep an open communication with us throughout this process. Please also keep in mind, daycare is a busy high paced environment, your child will do better training at home than they will at daycare, please discuss specifics first before sending your child in underwear.
Toys:
We provide a wide variety of playthings. We ask that no toys be brought to daycare from home unless they are items that pertain to our current theme with prior approval (Ex. Puzzles, books, activities etc.) Anything brought will be put in the garage at drop off before entering the home. Children have a hard time sharing the toys they bring from home and most of the time do not play with them during the day or lose them in our many many bins off toys. If we are outside at pick up time, providers can NOT go inside to look for a toy your child may have lost. Tablets, IPads & cell phones are not allowed in licensed daycare settings.
The ONLY exception to this policy is: A special stuffed animal used for comfort that will be put up and ONLY used for nap or rest time.
Nap/Rest Period:
There will be a designated nap/rest time each day (1-3 PM). All children must nap, rest or do a quiet activity during this period. Rest time gives children a much needed break during the day. Without rest time, some children are overtired in the afternoon, short-tempered with others, and not really happy when they go home in the evening. This is also a time for us providers to grab a meal and work on daycare paperwork/ crafts/ cleaning etc. Linens kept at daycare are washed weekly and when they are soiled.
School Age Children
School age children will be accepted into the program as long as they follow all rules. Children are reminded that little ears hear everything, so we encourage them to be understanding and helpful when it comes to our littles. Please remind your older children to keep conversations appropriate for little ears and we will do the same. School age children are allowed to play outside of the provider’s direct supervision and will be physically checked on every 15 minutes. They are also allowed to play outside under the direct supervision of one of our substitutes.
School age children that need to be bussed will have to walk to and from the bus stop at the end of the driveway. In unforeseen circumstances, your child may miss the bus. Please understand that we will make every effort to transport children to school on time ensuring safety is a priority. Each child shall be individually belted or harnessed in the seat & remain seated while the vehicle is in motion. We have multiple booster seats on site for your child’s use. By signing the last page of this contract, you give permission for your child to be transported by Evergreen Lane if required as requested by yourself, the parent or legal guardian. Parent will be notified if this occurs.
Holidays/Birthdays:
We honor major holidays and all children’s birthdays. If you would like to bring a special treat for the children, please arrange this with the provider. We prefer healthier treats over cupcakes but you are free to send the treat of your choice.
Fire Emergencies/Evacuation Procedures:
Evergreen Lane has written policies and procedures for dealing with emergencies and natural disasters. In the unlikely event, the children will be evacuated to an emergency location, and you will be notified as soon as possible. There are fire extinguishers located around the house. We will practice fire drills so the children will be prepared in the event of a fire. If there is a fire that cannot be extinguished quickly, the children will be evacuated immediately before calling 911. After emergency rescuers are called and children are safe, parents will be notified by a mass text. This text will include the type of emergency and our current location site. After mass test is sent, we will begin to voice call each parent individually.
Contract Adherence /Revisions to Handbook and Contract
(Our policy handbook is reviewed, altered (If necessary) and contracts are renewed YEARLY the last month of each year. New contracts must be returned before January 1st of each new year)
This is our home as well as our business, so please be respectful of our family and home by adhering to the policies and procedures outlined in the parent handbook. We realize this is a lot of information to absorb. Because of this, please keep your parent handbook accessible so you can periodically review our policies and procedures as necessary. There may be revisions to this handbook and/or the accompanying contract. All families will sign a new contract if required. We reserve the right to make changes in rates and policies as we deem necessary. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be made to give at least two weeks’ notice of changes.
Immunizations:
A complete immunizations record must be on file. If the immunizations are not up to standard your child will not be permitted to attend care. Please be sure to give proof of updated immunizations as they occur.
Illness: Health Matters: For the health and safety of your child and all of the children in our daycare, please do not bring your child to daycare sick. In which case we in turn may become sick making it difficult to care for the children at the high standards that we have set for ourselves. If you are unable to remain home with your child, it is your responsibility to make substitute childcare arrangements. Obviously, it is not possible to prevent the spread of all illness. However, minimizing exposure and providing good hygienic practices in the daycare home are means by which we can limit the problem and the resulting inconvenience. We can only care for children with mild cold like symptoms that are otherwise feeling and acting well. Mild cold like symptoms are clear runny nose, slight cough, and no fever. If you are not sure if your child should be brought to daycare, then please call and check with us. If a child becomes ill during daycare hours the parents will be contacted to pick up their child. Parents need to pick up their children within one hour of being notified. If parents are not available, the emergency contact person will be notified. *Note: Once the child is removed from daycare due to illness, they may not return to daycare until symptoms requiring removal are no longer present. The child must also be void of any contagious disease, unless accompanied by a doctor's note stating the illness in question is not contagious, and the child is otherwise feeling well enough to participate in our daily schedule. Many times allergies are brought up as a possible cause for symptoms. If this is the case, allergy medication should be given to your child well before arrival so that symptoms are managed and controlled.
Guidelines For Children Requiring Exclusion From Daycare
A child with illnesses must be completely free of any symptoms before returning to daycare. If the child is taking antibiotics for an illness, the child may return to daycare after the initial 24 hours of beginning antibiotics as long as he or she has a slight to no fever (under 100F), no longer contagious, and is otherwise feeling well enough to participate in our daily schedule. Signs of illness include the following; unusual lethargy, irritability, persistent crying for no reason, runny nose (more than clear), cough (more than slight), difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, mouth sores, rashes (note from doctor stating non-contagious is ok), pink eye, chicken pox, mumps, measles, roseola, hepatitis A, impetigo, lice, coxsackie, ringworm, scabies, strep throat, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, shingles, and any other contagious disease or rash. Any child with a fever of 100 degrees or above, orally (in the mouth), or axillary (under the arm), may not attend daycare. State law requires that we notify parents of children who have been exposed to certain contagious diseases. Please notify us if your child becomes infected, so a note can be posted.
Medical Emergencies:
Although supervision is constantly given, I cannot be by the child's side at all times to prevent falls, tripping, bumps, blows from other children, etc. If the child is injured in a non-life-threatening way, I will assess the child and provide home first aid. If the injury is more serious, the parent will be notified so the child can be transported to the hospital or doctor's office. (I.e. needs stitches, broken arm, or dislocation, etc.) All costs associated with injuries to the child will be the responsibility of the parent. In case of a medical emergency, I will attempt to contact you immediately. If I am unable to reach you, I will start calling the people designated as your emergency contacts. If immediate intervention is required, and will take appropriate action including calling 911 and having your child transported to the nearest Hospital. You or your family insurance is/are responsible for the cost of medical help or treatment due to accidents or illness while in child care.
Note: In case of a serious accident or sudden illness requiring immediate medical attention, the following procedures will be followed.
1. A phone call to 911 is made.
2. Child's parents (or emergency contacts) are called.
3. Child is separated from the other children and appropriately cared for.
4. Parent, provider, or ambulance takes the child and health records to the doctor or hospital.
Behavior Management & Discipline
We believe that the discipline of a child is achieved through patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. We also try and teach the children in our care manners, kindness and to be respectful to others. One of the ways in which we do this is by the example we as providers set. We understand that our actions and reactions speak much louder than our words. The children are explained the rules of the daycare frequently, so they know what's expected of them. When disputes arise among children or between a child and provider, the provider will encourage a talking out process among those involved. The goal of this talking out process will be to acknowledge feelings and find solutions using children’s ideas whenever possible. Once a child is old enough to understand the rules and disobeys them by, exhibiting inappropriate behavior (hitting, aggression, etc), hurts others, or property, the following developmentally appropriate guidance techniques will be used. These techniques are as follows:
1. Positive Reinforcement: The child will be encouraged when he or she is demonstrating acceptable behavior.
2. Redirection: The child is redirected to another station or activity and given an opportunity to try again at another time.
3. Time-Out: The child is separated from the group for an age appropriate amount of time (one minute per one year of age) for a quiet supervised activity (Coloring, reading etc.) This technique is only used when a child will not follow our directions or listen to our words, is exhibiting temper tantrum type behavior, or hurting one’s self, others or equipment. When the child shows that he or she is ready to demonstrate acceptable behavior, they are encouraged to join the rest of the group to try again.
4. Last Resort: When a child's behavior is continually upsetting or dangerous to others, a conference will be called with the parents. If the problems cannot be resolved, arrangements will have to be made for the child to go elsewhere for care.
Reporting requirements:
As a child care center we are mandated reporters to the Office of Children and Family Services if we feel a child is being abused or neglected. Always be sure to let us know when you drop your child off if he/she has any unexplained cuts or bruises. All children that come to daycare with injuries have them logged into the child's file.
If you ever feel that we are not operating in a safe manner, please bring the matter to our attention. If you desire a copy of the state licensing guidelines, we will be happy to supply you one. We are highly trained in knowing and complying with all applicable state and local laws and we continue our education. Parents and guardians are welcome to contact the NYS office of children and family services at (315) 423-1202 with any concerns or questions.
Tuition
Infants:
$274/week ($55 daily)
Ages under 2 years old
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack are included in the rates.
Toddler/Preschool
$250/week ($50/daily)
Ages 2 - 5 years old
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack are included in the rates.
School Age
$250/week ($50 Daily)
$ 50/day
Ages 5-8 years old.
School age rate begins on the first day of summer break before the child’s first year of kindergarten.
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack are included in the rates.