Mission Statement

Little Cubs Learning Cabin is dedicated to supporting our students in reaching their fullest potential by providing comprehensive services through focus work with children, families, and community partnerships. 

Vision

To enable parents to complete their personal, educational, and career goals by providing a safe and nurturing educational program for their children.

Center Goals

To shape young minds for a lifetime of success. To offer a safe, loving, and unique little community within our community for our children. To offer one of a kind programs for families of any type of background. To provide a safe place for children to explore, grow, and learn new things. At Little Cubs Learning Cabin, we focus on the whole child, taking into account all of their developmental needs-physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. At the same time, we offer our community quality child care services that help them balance work, school, and family time. 

Admission Requirements

Eligibility

Children ages 6 weeks to 12 years of age within our surrounding communities are welcome to attend Little Cubs Learning Cabin. We do accept children with special needs to a certain extent. If you have a child with special needs and have questions regarding child care, please contact our Director to discuss care options. 

Wait list

Our open enrollments are in August each year. However, we do have a wait list form and if a spot becomes available, parents will be contacted in the order they have been placed on our wait list. If a spot opens up on your anticipated start date and you choose to postpone your child's start date, tuition is still due. When you are notified of an open spot, registration paperwork must be completed, the registration fee, supply fee, and first week's tuition must be paid prior to your child's first day of attendance. 

In order to reserve a spot in one of our programs, we require the following non-refundable fees.

All new or returning students:

• A $25.00 non-refundable wait list administration fee- This fee is due to be added to our wait list. This is not an annual payment and is only for those that currently do not have their child enrolled in any of our programs.  
• A $35.00 non-refundable registration fee- This fee is due at the time of registration for each child. Registration renewal is annual and will take place in August each year for new and returning students. 
• A $50.00 non-refundable supply fee- The supply fee is due at the time of registration for each child as well, and then annually in August. This is to purchase items similar to what is on the annual public school supply list for students. Items will vary by age-grouped classes. 
• Tuition fees-Tuition prices are different for each age group and each program that we offer. Our tuition payments are set for each program regardless if your child attends full time or just a few days a week. Your child's tuition rate is due every Monday prior to the week's care schedule. Saturday care, Parent Night Out care and any other care offered outside of our traditional Monday through Friday care from the hours of 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM is due at drop off prior to care being completed. 

Payment Methods accepted are as follows:

• Through our Brightwheel platform
• Through our website (www.LittleCubsLearningCabin.com) 
• Venmo
• Zelle
• Cash
• Check

If you wish to pay for your child's tuition monthly, it will have to be made in advance for the following month of care. For example, a payment will be made on August 30th for the month of September. 

Multi-Child Tuition- Little Cubs Learning Cabin does not offer multi-child discounts due to each child requiring the same amount of space. The state of Texas regulates each child care facility and with that, we are given a total student to caregiver ratio for our Centers, which include a capacity rating for the entire Center as well. With that being said, each child takes up the same amount of space in our Center and again, requires the same amount of care. 

Late Tuition Fee- If tuition is not made by Tuesday morning the week of care, a $25.00 late fee will be applied. If payment is not received with the additional $25.00 late fee before your child is picked up Tuesday at their scheduled pick up time, refusal of continued care will be set in place until payment is made. If payment is not made by Wednesday of the current care week, your child's spot will be filled with the next child on our waiting list. If your child is terminated from one of our programs due to a balance owed and this balance is not paid within a 30 day period, your child care balance will be sent to a collection agency for nonpayment. If your nonpayment is sent to a collection agency, you will be placed on the “No Care Acceptance” platform for all providers to see. This is basically a credit report for daycare owners to view to see if someone who is trying to enroll in their program has a history of nonpayment to another Center. 

Returned Check Fee- If we receive a check for your child's tuition and it comes back with non-sufficient funds, a $35.00 returned check fee will be placed on your child's account. That week's tuition along with the $35.00 returned check fee is due immediately. If payment is not received by the end of the day, immediate termination of your child's care will take place. 

Late Pick Up Fee- If your child is picked up after their scheduled pick up time regardless of Center hours, you will owe a late fee of $5.00 for each minute, or a portion thereof, after the scheduled pick up time. This late pick up fee is due immediately at the time you arrive to pick up your child or discontinuation of care will be put in place until your balance is paid in full. If your child is picked up over 20 minutes late, your child will not be admitted to the Center the following day. If your child is picked up late more than 3 times in one calendar month, the Center will notify you of that fact and your child's enrollment will be terminated immediately. We do understand that emergencies arise and will take that into account. 

Payment for Days the Child is Ill, Absent, on Vacation, Staff Development Days, Center  Scheduled Closures or Unexpected Center Closures- Parents are responsible for paying the full weekly tuition for each week your child is enrolled in the Center, even if your child is absent due to illness or other cause during the week. Your tuition is based on enrollment and not attendance. This is to continue to hold your child's spot at the Center and to keep the Center operational. There is no tuition reduction for illness, absences, holidays, staff development days, or unexpected Center closures. We still have to cover the overhead costs to operate our Center so your child can continue to attend our Center programs. Unlike public schools, we do not get tax payer or federal dollars so it is vital that tuition stays paid in order for our Center to continue to operate. If you are a tax payer, there are several taxes you pay annually and one of those is for the public school system so technically, you are paying for public school just the same but most do not consider that. Childcare and early education centers are again, not qualified for tax payer dollars, which is why we charge the parents directly for our care services.

Changes in Tuition- The weekly or daily tuition rate is subject to change. However, if a change takes place, Little Cubs Learning Cabin agrees to inform parents of the tuition payment change 2 weeks prior to the said change. Each year, tuition will be evaluated and raised if needed due to the cost of living. We will review possible tuition changes each December. At that time, all documentation will be updated to reflect the rate changes. An updated parent handbook will be sent out for your review and signing to continue care. 

Registration

Parents will be provided with an admissions application and informational packet to be completed prior to the child's first day of attendance. Failure to provide all documentation will delay your child's enrollment. Again, we hold open enrollments each August. However, if a spot becomes available prior to our open enrollment times and your child is on our wait list, you will be contacted. At that time, you will need to complete all Center required documents and pay all Center fees. Each August, we hold a "Meet The Teacher" night so that both the parents and children can come explore our facility and meet our staff members. 

In the event of an operational policy change or change in an item in the admissions application or informational packet, parents will be notified in written notice and the parent handbook will be updated. 

 Your child will not be accepted into a program offered by Little Cubs Learning Cabin if you have failed to submit all required documentation. This must be completed for our Center to stay compliant with Texas Minimum Standards, Section: 746.605 Minimum Standards for a Licensed Child Care Center

This includes the following documents:

• Annual Admission form completed and signed
• Up to date vaccination records or vaccination exemption forms signed and notarized
• A health release statement from the child's pediatrician
• Over the counter administration form
• Prescription medication form (This only needs to be filled out if a child in fact requires a prescription medicine.)
• Brightwheel permission form
• Signed Center Policy Handbook
• Hearing exam for children 4 years and older

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Minimum Standards for a Licensed Child Care Center (Section: 746.605, 746.611) requires that we obtain the following information for each child enrolled at the Center. 

• The child's full name and date of birth
• The child's home address and telephone number
• Date of the child's admission to the child care Center
• Name and address of parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
• Telephone numbers at which parent(s) or legal guardian(s) can be reached while the child is in our care
• Name, address, and telephone number of another responsible individual who can be contacted in the event of an emergency when parent(s) or legal guardian(s) cannot be reached
• Names and telephone numbers of authorized persons other than the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) to whom the child may be released to
• Permission for field trips
• Permission for participation in water activities
• Name, address, and telephone number of the child's physician or an emergency care facility
• Authorization to obtain emergency medical care and to transport the child for emergency medical treatment
• Current immunization records
• A written statement from a healthcare professional who has examined the child within the past year, indicating the child is physically able to take part in the child care program
• A statement of the child's special needs or special care needs and a written physician health statement regarding any allergies and special diets

  Immunization Records

  A copy of your child's current immunization records must be submitted to the Center prior to your child's first day. If you do not vaccinate your child for obvious medical or religious reasons, an affidavit must be completed and Notarized prior to your child's first day of attendance. (This regards regular annual pediatric vaccinations. This does not include vaccinations such as for the Flu or Covid)

  Covid or flu vaccinations are not required at our Center for a child to attend. 

  Vision and Hearing Screening

  The Special Senses and Communication Disorders Act, Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 36, requires a screening or professional examination for possible vision and hearing problems for the following children who are enrolled in a child care Center. 

  First time enrollees who are four years of age or older and all children enrolled in programs who are four years of age by September 1 of each year must be screened for possible vision and hearing problems prior to completion of the first semester of enrollment or within 120 calendar days of enrollment, whichever is longest, or present evidence of screening conducted one year prior to enrollment. 

  A licensed or certified screener or a healthcare professional must conduct the screening. Refer to Texas Health and Safety Code, 36.011, for specifics on vision and hearing screening. This information may be accessed at the following website, www.tdh.state.tx.us/vhs/

  Parents must provide Little Cubs Learning Cabin with a copy of the child's vision and hearing screening prior to the child's first day or within the first 120 calendar days of enrollment. (Section: 746.629 of the Minimum Standards for Licensed Child Care Centers.)

Center Admission Forms

Center admission forms can be picked up at the Center. However, if you would like to fill out our wait list application, you can do so by clicking on the link below. 

Little Cubs Learning Cabin Policies

Adjustment and Trial Period Policy

Your child will be accepted into the Center's program for a trial period of two weeks. If at any time during the first two weeks the Center Director determines that your child is unable to adjust to the Center's program, either you or the Center may terminate your child's enrollment immediately. We will make reasonable attempts to work with you and your child to help solve adjustment issues before removal. All fees including weekly tuition are still due at the time of service.

Arrival Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin opens at 5:00 AM. Once the doors are unlocked, staff will be readily available to meet and greet your child. Children enrolled in our infant to toddler classes must arrive no later than 9:00 AM so that we can keep our classes on their regular daily schedules without interruption. Preschool and Kinder Prep students must arrive no later than 7:50 AM to participate in our Preschool or Kinder Prep programs. Summer camp students must arrive no later than 9:00 AM to participate in our Summer camp programs. Fall, Winter, and Spring camp students must also arrive no later than 9:00 AM to participate in their program. Drop-In students must arrive no later than 9:00 AM as well.  Parents need to allow enough time to escort their children to their specified classroom. Parents or children are not to enter classrooms with outside shoes on. Though we do encourage parents to participate in their child's activities at our Center, drop off and pick up times are not the time for this. Drop off and pick up times are busy and we need to remember that dropping off or picking up children should move smoothly and quickly each day. All Center doors are locked promptly at 9:00 AM.

Departure Policy

The Center closes promptly at 7:00 PM Monday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday hours differ due to additional programs offered by the Center, which include Parent Night Out and Saturday Care. Friday, the Center closes at 11:00 PM due to offering a Parent Night Out Program. All traditional programs end at 7:00 PM or before. Saturday, the Center is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM for traditional Saturday care and then is reopened at 7:00 PM for Parent Night Out Care unless we have a scheduled event for that Saturday.  However, not all of our programs end at the same time. Your child must be picked up at the scheduled time that their program ends each day. If a parent anticipates arriving after their child's program scheduled end time, the parent must notify the Center immediately. (Please see: Late Pick Up Fees). The child will only be released to authorized individuals listed in the admissions application. The Center staff will make every attempt to locate and communicate with the parent or next authorized person to pick up the child. Again, our Center offers several different programs with each having different start and end times. It is vital that you pick your child up at their scheduled pick up time, just as it is vital that you drop them off at their scheduled drop off time. If children are picked up after their scheduled pick up time, late fees will be applied.

Sign-In & Sign Out Policy

We use the Brightwheel app for parents to check in or check out their child(ren) each day. It is mandatory by the state of Texas for children to be checked in and checked out of any Child Care Center. This process can be completed in our reception area each day upon arrival or departure. 

Pick Up, Drop Off, & Parking Policy

We urge parents to take extreme measures in caring for their child or children when the parking area becomes busy during drop off or pick up times. Please use caution when pulling in or pulling out and check all of your surroundings prior to putting your vehicle in motion. Our Center puts safety first and if we are informed of a parent not following our safety policies, we will place the parent on probation. If this behavior continues, your child or children will receive a termination letter and will immediately be removed from our care. Little Cubs Learning Cabin will not be held responsible for accidents that occur in our parking lot or anywhere else on our school grounds. We have cameras setup out front to monitor the activity in front of our Center and will be watching for irresponsible activity. 

Open Door Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin does foster an open door policy for parents to visit their children while at the Center. However, we ask parents to be mindful of our daily schedules and stick to lunchtime visits unless the parent is volunteering that day or we are having a party. If parents are entering and exiting the Center throughout the day, it will throw the children's schedules off for the day. Children this young need to stick to their daily schedule with minimal distractions. We ask that parents refrain from interrupting or distracting the other children from their daily schedule or tasks. This includes giving every child personal space while eating, toileting, or while involved in regular daily activities. We also ask parents to be mindful of nap time. With the exception of our young infants, our nap time schedules vary between classes, however, they are all scheduled between 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM. If parents are entering or exiting the building to either visit their child or pick up a child, it can keep others from getting their daily nap in. It is vital for young children to get their rest during the day. If you wish to pick your child up early, please make sure it is either before or after nap time. The Center doors are closed from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM to keep distractions from occurring. If children have a doctor's appointment, they must either be picked up before or after nap time. If their appointment is scheduled early in the morning, they must be dropped off before nap time and must not have taken a nap prior to arriving to the Center. If a child has an appointment during nap time hours, they may not return to the Center until nap time hours are over. 

Parent Involvement

Meet the Teacher
Little Cubs Learning Cabin will hold a “Meet the Teacher” night in August each year during open enrollment in order to provide the parent and child an opportunity to meet the teacher, become familiar with the class environment, and class expectations.
Little Cubs Learning Cabin will provide the parent and their child with a tour of their classroom and the Center, as well as give them a brief overview of the learning framework practices at Little Cubs Learning Cabin, which encourages a child’s learning through active participation in the learning environment.

Parent Orientation
Parent orientation will be scheduled at time of open enrollment each August. Parents will sign up to meet with the Center Director to review, stay updated, and be informed of the Center programs, upcoming events, policies, concerns, questions and other items deemed to be discussed.

Parent Conferences
Parent conferences will be scheduled at least two times a year, but can or may be held at any time if deemed necessary. Little Cubs Learning Cabin will place a sign-up sheet out prior to conference times for parents to sign-up to discuss their child’s developmental progress. Most parent conferences will typically take about 20 minutes.

Parent Workshops/Training
Future parent workshops will be held throughout the year.We are extremely excited about our future Plans!

Family Functions
Little Cubs Learning Cabin will have many opportunities for parents, children and the child care staff to participate in a variety of scheduled fun family activities. The family activities will provide a chance for parents to meet each other, meet the teachers, volunteers, student workers, and student trainees in a social setting. Parents are encouraged and welcomed to participate in their child’s daily activities by contributing to their child’s classroom by volunteering, conducting a class presentation, or planning an activity. Please provide your child’s teacher with at least a two-week notice of your participation in the classroom.

Volunteering Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin is always looking for volunteers to come and participate in the Center's activities. If you are a police officer, fireman, nurse, dental assistant, or just a fun-loving individual that wants to get involved, we would love for you to come teach the children about what the professions do or how to take care of their health whether it be oral health, eye health, and so on. Volunteers can also assist with daily activities at the Center, at festivals, field trips, or water activities, at specialty camps, or in one of our clubs. If you are interested in volunteering, please feel free to talk to the Director to schedule a time to come in and complete a background check and volunteer packet.

Birthday Celebrations

Little Cubs Learning Cabin is all about Birthday Celebrations! We believe that birthdays are extremely special days. With that being said, Little Cubs Learning Cabin throws a Birthday Celebration for each child in our care on their special day. If the child's birthday falls on a day in which we are closed, we will celebrate it the day before.  

Parents may choose to recognize your child’s birthday with us by having a birthday celebration at Little Cubs Learning Cabin. If you would like to rent either indoor space or outdoor space for your child's special day, please get with the Center Director to find out details on how to do so. We would love to host a special Birthday Celebration! Parties are our favorite!

Parents who wish to celebrate their child’s birthday away from the Center and would like to invite children from the Center to attend, parents must supply an invitation to each child in their child’s classroom.

Birthdays will be celebrated for each child in the Center by Little Cubs Learning Cabin regardless if the parent chooses to also celebrate at the facility. Little Cubs Learning Cabin believes in making a child’s birthday special to them. We will have a party with small decorations and balloons, cupcakes, fresh fruit snacks and finger foods or pizza and popcorn. Games will be played during the celebration. This will take place during the school day. 

Release of Children Policy

If Children are not being picked up by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), said parent or legal guardian must inform staff as to who is picking up their child at the end of the day. We must know the person's relation to the child or to the parent(s)/ legal guardian(s), first and last name and upon arrival, per state regulations, we must make a photocopy of their driver's license. 

If someone other than the listed parent(s)  or legal guardian(s) will be regularly picking up your child, this person needs to be listed in the child's file along with a photocopy of their driver's license. This information must remain in the child's file until further notice from the parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Persons picking up a child from the Center must be 18 years of age or older and hold a valid driver’s license.

Clothing & Supplies Policy

All of your child’s belongings should be labeled with their first and last name. On the first day, you will need to bring two complete changes of clothes, including socks and underwear if used for your child. This will need to be updated throughout the year to meet current weather conditions and proper sizing for each child so that children will always be prepared for the day. These items are to be left at the Center. In the event that your child should use a change of clothes due to a potty or any other accident, we will have a spare clean set of clothes to change your child in to. Soiled clothing will be bagged and sent home for washing. We do not wash outside clothing due to all of the laundry we wash on a daily basis for the Center; we must was all blankets, pillows, pillowcases, bibs, crib sheets, cloth toys and so on every day. You will need to return the clothing freshly washed or bring a replacement set the following day. Each child will have a nap map,  blanket, pillow, pillowcase, and lovey supplied to them by the Center. Infants will have a blanket, sleep sack, bibs, and their own crib sheet. These items will never leave the Center and will be washed daily. For children that are still in diapers, the parent is responsible for providing enough diapers for your child each day while at the Center. The parent may bring a box or package of diapers as needed to keep on hand at the Center. If a child runs out of diapers for the day, we do have house diapers on hand which are Rascal and Friend diapers. We charge $1.00 per house diaper used, which must be paid for at pick up. Diapers can also be purchased through our website for convenience. Children must arrive at the Center in appropriate clothing for the weather conditions for each day. A jacket may be kept at the Center during the Winter time for outside play. If we have water play, children must bring a swimsuit to participate. If a child does not bring a swimsuit, they will not be able to participate in water activities. 

Items Brought From Home Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin maintains an adequate supply of materials, toys and equipment for the children. We provide blankets, pillows, pillowcases, loveys, nap mats, cups, shoes, crib blankets, bibs, infant sleep sacks, wipes, diapering creams and powders, formula, over the counter medications, and even tablets for our preschool and kinder prep classes. 

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has a no outside items policy. This includes the following:

• Absolutely no tablets or any other electronic devices, including watch phones or cell phones
• Absolutely no toys of any kind 
• Absolutely no stuffed animals or loveys
• Absolutely no blankets no matter how small
• Absolutely no food. We provide daily meals and snacks to the children so there is no need for any food or candy to be brought into the Center. We do have parties and Birthday celebrations, at those events, little snack bags/treat bags and sweets may be brought by parents on party days if you so choose. If any type of food or candy is brought into the Center for a child, it will immediately be sent right back out the door with the person dropping the child off. 
• Absolutely no outside cups. Only infants still being bottle fed can have outside bottles.
• Absolutely no outside shoes. We are a NO SHOES Center. This means absolutely no outside shoes are to be worn anywhere other than the Lobby, Reception area, Hallways or Bathrooms. Shoes will be purchased by the Center for each walking child to be worn during outside play. School-aged children will not have shoes purchased by the Center. They may come to the Center with their shoes. However, they will need to remove them prior to going into any classroom. A shoe bin is located outside each classroom to store outside shoes. Parents or staff members are included in our NO SHOES policy. There are shoe covers provided by each classroom, which if a parent is to enter said classroom, they must put on shoe covers prior to entering or remove their shoes altogether. Staff members have shoes that are only worn inside the Center during working hours. Children crawl and play on our floors and in order to keep our floors as clean as possible, we do not allow outside shoes. Shoes are the dirtiest things on our bodies, they touch all kinds of germs and bacteria from the ground and we do not want these germs brought into our Center. 
• Absolutely no car seats or strollers are to be brought in. We do not have the room in our Center to store these items. 
• Absolutely no backpacks, diaper bags or any other bag is to be brought in to the Center. Each child has a storage area located in their assigned classroom to store items they may need for the day.
• Pacifiers are an approved item for infants to 2 years of age. Once a child turns 2, they must start to wean from the use of a pacifier.

No Public Restroom Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has a No Public Restroom Policy set in place. We have designated restrooms for our Center staff and Center only children. This not only helps keep germ spreading down but it also helps keep our restrooms clean and open for children who may not be able to hold their bowls. 

Outdoor Play Policy

Outdoor play is an important part of the curriculum and is essential to a child’s health. Children are given daily morning and afternoon opportunities for outdoor play when weather permits. During the Summer months, outdoor play is limited when temperatures are in the 90's or above. Our staff members check outdoor equipment prior to outdoor play to ensure it is not too hot for children to play on. All children have water available to drink at all times, whether they are inside or outside. Children are encouraged and reminded to drink water throughout outdoor play. Sunscreen and bug spray are used on each child in which their parents signed the OTC Medication form allowing Little Cubs Learning Cabin permission to do so.

In the Winter, outdoor play is cancelled if the temperature is below 40 degrees. All children must have weather appropriate clothing to be able to go outside and play. If a child does not have proper shoes, clothing or a jacket if needed to play outside, they will not be allowed to go outside for the day, this is for the safety of the child. Again, all children 5 years old and under who regularly attend our Center and do not attend public school yet will have a pair of shoes purchase by the Center for outside play, which will stay at the Center at all times. 

Outside Approved Temperature Range for Infants: Infants are taken outside between 60 and 80 degrees

Outside Approved Temperature Range for Toddlers: Toddlers are taken outside between 55 and 95 degrees

Outside Approved Temperature Range for Preschool, Kinder Prep, and School-aged children: Older kids are taken out between 40 and 100 degrees

If the weather outside is 90 degrees or above, we will either have water activities or limit the time the children are outside to keep them from getting over heated. As stated previously, filtered drinking water will be readily available to all children throughout the day whether they are inside or outside the Center. 

Water Activities

In the months of June, July, August, and early September, children have designated sprinkler, splash pad, and water slide days. The children are allowed to get wet in water activities with parent permission. Swimwear will be needed for these days. A note will be sent home with parents the day before as a reminder to bring swimwear. If swimwear is not brought in for your child, they will not get to participate in water play.

Hand Washing Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin will be firm about health and safety practices and controlling the spread of germs through hand washing routines. All children and staff are required to wash their hands throughout the day. (Section: 746.3407 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Day Care Centers.)

Meals & Snacks Policy

Each class has its own scheduled meal and snack times. Our Center provides the following meal and snack times for our daytime students:

Breakfast-Breakfast will be served from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM. If your child arrives at 8:00 AM or after, they will not be served breakfast. 
AM Snack-Our AM snacks are served at 10:00 AM
Lunch-Lunch is served from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
PM Snack-Our PM snacks are served at 4:00 PM

For our evening and night time care students, our Center provides the following meal and snack times.

Supper-Supper will be served from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Breakfast-Breakfast will be served from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM

Children must be in the Center's care at designated meal and snack times to receive any meals or snacks. Children will not be sent out the door with any food. 

The Center will provide healthy daily means, snacks and drinks to all students signed up to our daytime or night time child care programs and are attending within the time frame of our food serving schedules listed above. Our menu can be found on our website or you may ask for a copy. We also have a copy of our menu posted in the Reception area. We use a monthly rotating food menu. If a child has a food allergy, the parent must provide a written note from the child’s pediatrician. We do NOT accommodate special meals unless the child has a diagnosed food allergy. We do NOT allow outside food. The only exception to this is for parties or Birthday celebrations. Parents can then bring sweet treats or goody bags. All children will receive the same meals and portions each day. We serve too many children to accommodate special requests so unless a child has a medical statement from their pediatrician, they will again, receive the exact same meal as everyone else in the Center. 

Rest Time/Quiet Time Policy

(Section: 746.2901 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Child Care Centers)

Every child will be provided with supervised sleep or rest periods after scheduled lunch time.
A child who does not desire to take a nap will be provided with a quiet activity while they sit on their individual mat.
Infants’ schedules will be followed according to their individual needs.
The Center provides assigned nap mats for each child.

We go even further than the Texas Minimum Standards requirements. Our little cubs don't just get nap mats, they all receive comfy nap mats, not those thin preschool mats, their very own pillow, pillowcase, blanket and lovey. These are purchased by the Center and will stay at the Center. Every item gets washed daily in an all natural hypoallergenic detergent. Nap mats and pillows are disinfected daily after each use. 

Texas Minimum standards requires a daily nap time for a minimum of one hour to a maximum of 3 hours. Our classes each have their own scheduled nap time/quiet time and the length of each is dependent on age. The younger children in our care receive more rest time. You will receive a daily schedule for your child's class with all of your admission paperwork. You can also find these daily schedules in our reception area, as well as in each classroom. If you would like an additional copy, you can ask the receptionist for one. 

Parents, please be mindful of nap time/ rest time; young children need their rest. We ask that parents do not come to the Center during nap time so that children are not disturbed. The entire Center is considered in our nap time routine from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

Daily Schedules

Each classroom has a daily schedule that is similar in all classrooms, but unique in small ways. The infant’s schedules will be more individualized than the other classrooms. Check with your child’s teacher about your child’s daily routine. Lesson plans and schedules are posted in the individual classrooms.

Daily Reports
Parents will be provided with daily information regarding their child(ren) through our Brightwheel app. Information posted in here will not only be for diapering, potty times, snacks, meals, nap time, play time, discipline actions, learning activities, etc.. but it will also provide daily Center updates, closures, and events, tuition payments and so on. Using our parent app is vital to stay up to date on all that goes on throughout our Center. 

Transportation

As of right now, Little Cubs Learning Cabin does not have its own private transportation. However, in the near future we will. Private transportation will be used for field trips. For Before and After school students who attend Howe I.S.D. they will right the public school bus to and from our Center to their specific school. 

If there becomes a great enough request, we will do private pick up and drop off to public schools within a 30 mile radius of our Center for before and after school care. 

Field Trips

Once our private transportation is cleared by the state, we will be able to take field trips. Planned field trips will be made throughout the year for certain programs. A field trip permission slip will be sent out to each student with all of the details listed and request parent permission to attend. 

If a parent does not give permission for their child to attend one of our field trips. Their child will remain at the Center with an assigned teacher until the end of the day. 

Packed lunches will be provided by the Center during field trips. Parents do not need to pack a lunch for their child. 

Parents may sign up to be a volunteer for any of our field trips. 

Notification of Absences or Illness Policy

Parents must inform the Center no later than 9:00 AM if their child will be absent. In the event of a doctor's appointment or an emergency, (emergencies do not include waking up late/running late) If a parent shows up after 9:00 AM to drop their student off, they will be turned away. This will allow the Center staff to plan for your child's attendance and keep daily schedules regular.  Please keep in mind, no drop-offs or pick-ups are allowed during nap time hours. If a child is absent due to illness, the child cannot return to the Center until the child has no fever WITHOUT medication for a 24 hour period. (Please see our Illness Policy.)

Illness Exclusions and Accident Policy

Full-time staff members are trained in emergency procedures (Infant CPR, Pediatric CPR, First Aid, Self Defense, Commissioned Officer Training, and Emergency Evacuations).

The staff will work through the arrangement of play, learning environment and supervision of children to prevent accidents. Nevertheless, there are certain risks and hazards that may arise in the course of your child’s daily activities. The Center is not to be held liable for any minor accident. Children fall, they trip, they run into things, children go through a biting stage, a hitting stage and so on. Though we do apply disciplinary actions to children who hit or bite to teach them right from wrong, accidents do happen with young children regardless of where they are at, which is why we are not to be held responsible for minor adolescent accidents.  

The staff will conduct daily health checks at check in time and will take notice and inform the parent of any signs of illness or injury which might have occurred outside the Center. Children will be monitored throughout the day and if any accident occurs while the child is in our care, an accident report will be written up and parents will be informed. 

Parents are required to fill out a form if a child comes in with prior injuries that occurred outside the facility and must advise Center staff members if their child was injured outside of the Center. This includes bruises, rashes, burns, scratches, bite marks, cuts, broken bones, and so on. 

Again, if a child was injured while in the Center’s care, an accident report will be sent home with the child at the end of the day. If the accident is severe enough to seek medical treatment, parents will be notified immediately, and medical emergency procedures will take place.

Little Cubs Learning Cabin is currently not licensed to provide care for ill children. Your child will not be accepted into the Center if they possess one or more of the following: (Section: 746.3601 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Child Care Centers)

• A temperature of 100 degrees or greater, parents must keep their child at home. The child can then return to the Center once they have gone 24 hours without fever reducing medications and hold a normal temperature. We will know if you gave your child fever reducing medication prior to dropping off if the child is still sick. If this tactic is tried, we will send the child home immediately, and parents will be placed on a probationary period. If this takes place more than 3 times in a years’ time, the child will be terminated from our Center
• Has an illness that prevents the child from participating in both indoor and outdoor activities for the day
• The illness results in a greater need for care than Little Cubs Learning Cabin staff members can provide without compromising the health, safety, an supervision of the other children at the Center
• The child shows signs and symptoms of possible severe illness such as fatigue, abnormal breathing, uncontrolled diarrhea, two or more vomiting episodes in a 24 hour period, rash with fever, mouth sores with drooling, behavior changes, or other signs that the child may be severely ill
• A child who has been diagnosed with a communicable disease, and the child does not have any medical documentation to indicate that the child is no longer contagious. All communicable diseases will be reported to the local health department and Child Care Regulation per Texas Minimum Standards
• A child with head lice will need to be picked up and a hair treatment must be completed prior to returning to Little Cubs Learning Cabin. A copy of a receipt for Head Lice Shampoo/treatment must be provided when your child returns to the Center. There should be absolutely no signs of head lice present upon return. 
• If a child has ringworm, they have a spreadable fungal infection and are not allowed to attend the Center until this has been properly treated and is no longer contagious. 

Contagious Illnesses and our Center Protocols

Doctor notes for ill children are NOT accepted at our Center for the return of a child after any contagious illness due to the fact that each pediatrician has different practices. Please review the following below to know when your child may return to the Center after being sick.

Children miss more school because of some sort of illness. More than 200 viruses can cause a cold or upper respiratory infection. Most children six years and younger come down with 6 to 10 contagious illnesses every year. Even though we have strict cleaning and health safety procedures, colds, viruses, and any other contagious illnesses can be spread very easily in any environment. In order to reduce the spread of any contagious illness, we take signs of pediatric illnesses very seriously. Please review the list below and our protocols for each contagious illness. We have these policies set to keep the Center children safe and healthy so they do not miss more school than they should.   

• If a child has a common cold, they must stay home for a minimum of 48 hours. If the cold worsens, they are to continue to stay home and make an appointment with their pediatrician. Only when a child is out for the minimum 48 hour time frame and can go another 24 hours without fever reducing medication and keep a normal temperature may they return to the Center. 

• If a child has Pink Eye, this is a highly contagious bacterial infection that requires antibiotics for treatment. A child must be on antibiotics for a minimum of 48 hours prior to returning to the Center. Pink eye can take up to a week to clear. 

• If a child has Head Lice, again, if a child presents with head lice, they are to stay home and have a treatment for head lice completed until the head lice has been completely removed. The child my only return to the Center if their is no visible signs of any remaining head lice. 

• If a child has strep throat, they need to be on antibiotics for a minimum of 72 hours. Once the 72 hour window has passed, they must go a 24 hour period with no fever prior to returning to the center. 

• If a child has the flu, they are to stay out the recommended 5 to 7 days. Once they become symptom free, they may return to the Center. This includes no fever for a 24 hour period without any fever reducing medication.  

• If a child has RSV, they are highly contagious for up to 8 days. Since RSV is extremely contagious, we take this very seriously. Please do NOT bring your child to the Center until the child has gone beyond the minimum 8 days. Only after 8 days, if the child has minimal to no symptoms without fever for a 24 hour period without using fever reducing medication can they then return to the Center. 

• If a child has Hands, Foot, and Mouth, a child is generally most contagious during the first week of the illness. However, children with hands, foot, and mouth disease may shed the virus from the respiratory tract (nose, mouth, and lungs) for 1 to 3 weeks and in the stool for weeks to months after the infection starts. If a child is diagnosed with hands, foot, and mouth, we will treat this as a case by case basis. However, a child can be out for 1 to 3 weeks depending on signs and symptoms. 

• If a child has Fifth Disease, the incubation period is the time that elapses between contracting fifth disease and the start of the illness. This window is 4 to 12 days. A child infected with fifth disease is only contagious during the early stages of the illness, which is before the rash appears. This contagious period of the disease is different than that for many other rash illnesses, such as the measles, for which a child is contagious while he or she has the rash. By the time a child has the characteristic of a "slapped cheek" rash of fifth disease, he or she is no longer contagious and may return to the Center. 

• If a child has Whooping Cough, a child is contagious from about 6 days after the start of cold-like symptoms to 3 weeks of starting to cough. if the child is placed on antibiotics, within 3 weeks of starting to cough, it will reduce the time they are contagious. After the child has been taking antibiotics for 5 days, and shows no signs other than the remaining cough, they are able to return to the Center. 

• If a child has Chickenpox, Chickenpox is infectious from 2 days before the spots appear, until they have all crusted over, which is usually in a 5 day span from the first appearance. Children may return to the Center once these spots start to resolve. 

• If a child has Meningitis, Viral meningitis can be contagious from 3 days after infection starts to about 10 days after symptoms develop. Bacterial meningitis is usually less contagious than viral meningitis. It is generally contagious during the incubation period and an additional 7 to 14 days. Children who contract meningitis must be absent from the Center for 14 days. Once the child becomes symptom free after the 14th day, they may return to the Center. 

• If a child has Mononucleosis, on average, most children with mono are contagious for around 6 months. In some cases, it could be contagious for up to 18 months. During this time frame, anyone with mono can pass the infection on to others. In this case, we will take children infected with mono by a case by case basis. 

• If a child has Covid, this is nothing more than a respiratory virus. However, it is still very contagious due to the fact that it can be spread easily with a cough, sneeze, or any kind of bodily fluid that comes from the respiratory tract. With that said, a child is contagious for up to 14 days. We have a minimum of a 10 day absence for those who contract Covid. A negative Covid test completed by a laboratory must be provided to the Center prior to the child returning. 

• Internal Parasites, common internal parasites in children include giardia, pinworm, roundworms, and tapeworms. Internal parasites will live in the intestine or other parts of the body and often reproduce. It is common for young children to get internal parasites. Children may be asymptomatic or they may have symptoms that could include watery diarrhea, grainy stool, a strong odor to the stool, yellowish-green mucus filled stool, vomiting, nausea, red or itchy bottoms, upset stomachs, girls may experience vaginal itching. Most internal parasites are only visible under a microscope, however, some can be seen by the naked eye, such as roundworms which look like spaghetti noodles or tapeworms, which look like small grains of rice. Children who have contracted an internal parasite should be seen by their pediatrician to receive an antiparasitic medication to get rid of the internal parasites. Internal parasites are contagious and can spread from one child to another. Children who have internal parasites must not return to the center for 10 to 14 days. It is recommended that everyone in the household be treated for internal parasites if one person is diagnosed. 

If a child becomes ill while in our care or shows symptoms as stated above, Little Cubs Learning Cabin will follow (Section: 746.3605 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Child Care Centers)
By:

• Notifying the parent of the suspected illness and requesting said parent to pick-up their child within the hour after notification of possible illness

• Give appropriate attention and supervision until the parent arrives at the Center

• Give extra attention to hand washing and sanitation if the child has diarrhea or vomiting

• Document illness onto Incident/Illness Report

• Separate the child from healthy children to keep the spread of germs minimal

Again, your child must be picked up within the hour of notification
Infant parents will be notified immediately if the teacher suspects your child has become ill.

In the event a child requires immediate medical attention, the staff will take the appropriate measures to contact emergency medical services. The staff will take the following measures per Section: 746.3607 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Child Care Centers.

• Contact local emergency medical services and take the child to the nearest emergency room
• Give the child First-aid treatment or CPR when needed
• Contact the physician identified in the child’s record
• Contact the child’s parents or emergency contact person

In the event of a serious accidental injury to a child, staff will not move the child. The staff will get another adult to immediately call 911 for emergency medical attention and ambulance then notify the parent immediately after calling 911. If the child is transported to the hospital prior to the parent arriving at the Center, a staff member will accompany the child to the hospital.

An Incident/Illness Report will be provided to parents when an injury or illness requires medical attention by a healthcare provider.

All other minor injuries and illnesses will be documented and parents will be notified during pick-up time. Less serious injuries include, but are not limited to, minor cuts, scratches, and bites from another child requiring first-aid treatment by employees.

COVID-19 Health Safety Policy

Due to the Pandemic, we have had to create a COVID-19 policy. We are a health and safety first Center. With that being said, please take the time to review our COVID Health Safety Policy. 

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus which is contagious. However, it is no more contagious than any other pediatric or human illness, virus, or disease. Our Center takes ALL illnesses, viruses, and communicable diseases seriously and we treat them all the same. 

Our Center is NOT required to close if a child or staff member contracts any virus, illness, or disease, including COVID-19. However, we will inform parents if a child or staff member contracts COVID-19 just as we would any other communicable illness, virus, or disease and treat as recommended. Per our Illness Policy, a COVID-19 positive child must be absent from the Center for a minimum of 10 days and can only return when symptoms subside and they have a negative COVID-19 test that was completed in a medical laboratory.  

Our Center has a NO MASK Policy: This includes any type of face covering. Face coverings are dangerous for young children due to choking hazards . They also restrict natural breathing and do not provide sufficient fresh oxygen to the child's brain. It has been proven that prolonged wear can cause more harm than good, including bacterial respiratory infections. Therefore, you will not see a child or staff member in our facility with any type of face covering. If you would like additional factual data regarding the safety hazards of prolonged wear of a face mask, please reach out to our receptionist for our in depth fact sheet. Each room in our Center has air purifiers, which not only cleans the oxygen in each classroom but it also provides 90% fresh, bacterial free oxygen. 

In regards to the COVID-19 vaccination, just like any other health treatment or prevention, that is each individual's choice. We do NOT require COVID-19 vaccinations for our staff members, parents, or children. With any vaccination, you as the parent have a choice to get this for  you or your child or not. 

Medication Policy

Over The Counter Medication

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has an over-the-counter medication consent form that each parent will fill out at the time of their child’s registration. This form will allow a parent to give permission to Little Cubs Learning Cabin staff members to administer certain over-the-counter medications, creams, powders, topical sprays, etc. according to the directions for use on the container in the event that your child has the following issues or as needed while your child is in the Center’s care.

For general diapering or diaper rash
A scratch/cut or any open wound
Mild fever due to early signs of a cold or flu, for teething, or earache
Seasonal allergies or allergic reaction to some sort of outdoor environmental cause, such as grass allergen or bug bite
Skin protectant while outdoors such as sunscreen or bug spray

Anything that is believed to be of a serious matter, the child will first be treated to reduce greater risk or harm. Once the child is taken care of, a staff member will contact a parent. If the child is at a higher risk for additional medical treatment, the child’s emergency contact will be notified and further steps will be taken to make sure the child receives proper care. (See: Illness Exclusions and Accidents)

If you wish for Little Cubs Learning Cabin to provide any sort of over-the-counter oral medication, such as pain or fever reducer, allergy medication, or teething medication for a continued time period, it must be supplied by the parent. All medication regardless if it is over-the-counter or prescription, must be checked in with the Center Director. The medication must have the child’s first and last name on it and it must be placed in a Ziplock bag with dosage directions listed on the container. When giving a child medication, we must follow the dosage directions on the container.  It will be stored in a secure and proper location out of reach of any child on the premises. We do have a supply of both oral and topical medications for the children in our Center. However, the  medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, any type of teething medication, oral or topical allergy medication that we keep on hand is not meant for continued use in any child. These are meant to be used if an issue were to arise while you child is in our care. The only products that we supply to our Center children for continued use for preventative treatment is wet wipes, powders, diaper creams, insect repellent, and sunscreen. 

Over The Counter Topical and Oral Products and Medications Checklist.

• Baby wipes
• Baby Lotion
• Topical Diaper Creams
• Baby Powder
• Oral Liquid Tylenol
• Oral Liquid Motrin
• Oral Benadryl
• Oral Cleratin
• Oral Zyrtec
• Topical Benadryl, Cortisone or any relevant antihistamine
• Neosporin or similar OTC topical antibiotic creams
• Bactine or similar First-Aid sprays
• Age appropriate insect repellent
• Age appropriate Sunscreen

If a parent provides a medication that does not list a dosage for their child on the label, a doctor’s note regarding dosage requirements is required. Example: Tylenol for a child under the age of 2 years. Infant specific medication must be supplied or a note from the Pediatrician must be given prior to the child receiving the medication.

Regardless if a child received one oral or topical dose or as needed throughout the day, a medication log will be kept showing the amount and times the medication was given to your child with a staff member’s signature next to each dose given. This is not only required for our records, but is also a state requirement. A copy of the medication log will be given to the parent or guardian who picks the child up at the end of the day.

Prescription Medications

If a child is prescribed a medication and needs to take it while in the Center’s care, we have a prescription medication form that is similar to the OTC medication form that parents will need to fill out prior to us being able to administer the prescription medication to your child.

• The medication must be prescribed to the child.
• It must have the name of the medication on the bottle with proper dosing instructions.
• It must have the child’s first and last name listed on the bottle
• It must have the prescribing physician’s name, name of the clinic and clinic phone number listed on the bottle
• A medication log will be used to document the doses, times given and list the name of the staff member who administered the medication.

The parent will receive a copy of the medication log at the time of pick-up

Children with Special Needs

As parents, you will be responsible for assisting Little Cubs Learning Cabin and the appropriate resource personnel to determine our ability to provide the childcare services required for your child. The resource team may consist of the director, assistant director, education coordinator, classroom teacher, and registered, licensed or certified resource personnel such as a physician, psychologist, social worker, speech therapist, physical and occupational therapists, educators and other technical and professional personnel, as indicated by the child’s special needs. We encourage parents to provide the Center with appropriate information to assist us in providing the best possible care for your child. We plan to open a center specifically to cater to special needs children in the future. However, for now, we will take special needs children on a case by case basis due to limited facility abilities. 

Infant Rooms

Diapering

Parents are responsible for supplying Little Cubs Learning Cabin with diapers. Infants will be changed at regular intervals throughout the day and as needed. Parents are welcome to bring a full package or box of diapers to be kept at the Center. Diapers must be marked with your child’s name. If a child runs out of diapers before the end of the day, we do keep house diapers in stock, which are Rascal and Friends brand. Each of our house diapers are $1.00. If house diapers are used, the diaper fee will need to be paid at the end of the day. If any fees are not paid in a timely manner, the child may not attend our Center the following day. To make things convenient, house diapers can also be purchased directly from our website so if you were to get a notice that your child has run out of diapers, you can just visit the website and pay for enough to last the rest of the day. 

We provide sensitive skin wipes for each child which will be used when changing an infant’s diaper. If your child has a diaper rash, please inform your child’s teacher so proper precautions are taken when changing your child’s diaper. 

Our Center does provide powders and creams for diapering. In order for these products to be used on your child, you will have to complete our over the counter medication authorization form. 

Infant Bottles

Our Center does provide formula for our formula fed babies. Parents will need to complete a formula form prior to our Center being able to use our formula products. This form is to inform us of the type of formula each infant needs. We carry the following formulas. If your child is in need of any other brand of formula, it must be provided by the parent. Enfamil NeuroPro, Enfamil NeuroPro Gentlease, and Enfamil NeuroPro Sensitive. We have fresh filtered water to make bottles for each feeding, as well as refrigeration and bottle warmers. Unless your infant is on breast milk, bottles do not need to be prepared prior to drop off, we will make bottles fresh for every feeding. Enough clean and empty bottles will need to be provided for each daily feeding since we do not wash infant bottles in our facility. Infant bottles will be rinsed out in our kitchen once used and sent home in a bag at the end of each day for parents to wash and sanitize. 

If your child is 12 months old and is using a bottle, you will need to provide a doctor’s note. Once a child reaches 12 months old, it is good practice to transition them to a sippy cup. When a child reaches 12 months of age, sippy cups will be used for your child’s intake of liquids while at the Center. The Center provides sippy cups so there will no longer be a need to bring in bottles.  A sippy cup will be used for breakfast, lunch, and at snack times. After each use, the cups will be emptied and washed. 

Breastfeeding-Little Cubs Learning Cabin is a Texas Mother-Friendly worksite. There are dedicated available areas within the Center for breastfeeding mothers. If you choose to feed your child breast milk through a bottle, we can store each bottle in our refrigerators located in our infant rooms. If you choose to breastfeed your infant traditionally, a mother’s chair is available in the Center. 

Table Food Ready-For babies that are transitioning from liquids to solids, our Center makes fresh homemade pureed baby food daily. There is no need to bring in any baby food, we've got you covered! Our Center also provides spoons and bibs for all of our table ready babies. Infant meals correspond with our daily menus served to the rest of the children. 

Safe Sleep

Per Texas State Minimum Standards, Infant not yet able to turn over on their own must be placed in a face-up sleeping position in the infant's own crib, unless you have a completed Sleep Exception Form that includes a signed statement from a healthcare professional stating that a different sleeping position for the child is medically necessary, they must sleep face-up while napping.  Infants cannot be swaddled while sleeping on any surface at any time unless a completed Sleep Exception Form that includes a signed statement from a healthcare professional stating that swaddling the child for sleeping purposes is medically necessary. Infants cannot have their heads, faces or crib covered by items such as blankets, linens, or clothing at any time. Infants cannot sleep in any restrictive devices such as a swing or bouncer. If an infant falls asleep in a restrictive device, the infant must be removed from the device and placed in a crib as soon as possible. Infants may sleep in a restrictive device only if you have a Sleep Exception Form that includes a signed statement from a healthcare professional that the child sleeping in a restrictive device is medically necessary. Such examples of restrictive devices include a swing or elevated bouncer due to acid reflux issues. 

Per Texas State Minimum Standards, each infant must have a supervised nap period that allows the infant to maintain his or her own pattern of sleeping and waking periods. Each infant's crib must be bare for an infant younger than 12 months of age except for a firm mattress and a tight fitting sheet. Infants are not allowed to be covered with any blankets. Blankets or loose objects in an infant crib can pose a risk for suffocation. 

Since state standards do not allow blankets for infants, we provide sleep sacks for each little cub to keep them cozy and warm during nap time. 

All infants will need two separate changes of clothes in case of an accident. Soiled clothing will be bagged and sent home at the end of the day. If this happens, you must replace the spare clothing for future accidents. 

Child Discipline Policy

Discipline and Guidance
Positive guidance teaches children skills which help them get along in their physical and social environment. Giving children understandable guidelines and redirecting their behavior helps them to develop internal control of their actions and encourages acceptable behavior.

The staff will not deviate from the discipline and guidance standards in the Minimum Standards for Licensed Child Care Centers. (Section: 746.2801, 746.2803, 746.2805 Minimum Standard Rules for Licensed Child Care Centers.)

Discipline will be:

Individualized and consistent for each child
Appropriate to the child’s level of understanding
Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.

The staff will:

Encourage good behavior
Remind the child of acceptable good behavior with positive statements
Redirect the behavior using positive statements
Use brief supervised separation of time out from the group when appropriate for the child’s age and development.
The childcare staff will only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourages self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction. Little Cubs Learning Cabin works closely with parents to understand and to determine which methods work best for each child. Repeated challenging behavior calls for conferencing with other staff, parents, and administration. If your child’s behavior compromises their proper safety, sanitation, or supervision of the classroom that Little Cubs Learning Cabin staff can provide, we will contact parents to pick up their child.

Discipline Actions

Positive Redirection: If a child is younger than the age of one (1 year), positive redirection is used. 

3 Strike Rule: If a child is 1 to 5 years old, a 3 strike rule is used. If a child is doing something inappropriate, the teacher will ask that child no more than 3 times to stop doing whatever inappropriate action they are doing. If the action is not discontinued by the 3rd verbal warning, the child will be placed in timeout. Timeout times are based on the child's age. For example, if a child is one, he or she will be placed in timeout for one minute.

Straight to Timeout: If a child hits, bites, kicks, or harms another child in any way, they will go directly to timeout. If this continues to happen after timeout, parents will be notified and our Action to Send Home policy will set in. 

Action to Send Home: If a child is just uncontrollable, harming himself/herself or another child, parents will be contacted. At that time, parents must come pick up their child within the hour. 

Parents will be informed of disciplinary actions at the end of each day.

No child is to be punished by taking away food/drinks, nap time, potty breaks, placed in timeout for long periods at a time nor are they to be touched in any way that is harmful to the child by a teacher or staff member. 

Potty Training Policy

When you feel that your child is ready for potty training, we ask that you begin this teaching at home during a weekend or vacation. We will follow through and encourage your child while in our care. Potty training will be done in a relaxed manner. We require that the child must be at least 18 months old and must be showing signs of readiness. The child must be kept in pull-ups at all times. Please keep in mind that the activity level here can distract your child from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at your home. Therefore, we will continue to use diapers or pull-ups until your child can and will announce that they must use the bathroom, not just at home but at the Center as well and can control their bladder and bowels for a few minutes beyond that announcement. Our potty training does however start in our Honey Bears classroom. This classroom does have it's own restroom and children can be taken to the potty quickly. Children over 18 months of age in our Honey Bears classroom are encouraged to try the potty and start a potty try routine but again, this is only encouraged and not forced. 

Do not bring your child to the Center in panties or underwear until they have nap time and bedtime control established. During potty training the child needs to be dressed in "user friendly" clothing as much as possible. The best items are dresses for girls, or easy slip on bottoms for either. Try to avoid really tight clothing, shirts that snap in the crotch, pants with snaps and zippers or overalls as often as you can. Your child will want to help pull their bottoms up or down at potty time and we need to make this as easy on them as possible. 

We will begin helping to potty train a child if you have been successfully potty training at home or if they start requesting to use the potty at our Center. We will gladly follow your means of potty training if you let us know what that is. For example, if your child is rewarded a sticker for each successful trip to the restroom, we will continue this tactic at the Center. We will NOT discipline your child if they have an accident. We want to make this as easy and stress free as we can on each child. 

Please note: If you discipline your child in any restroom, they will take going to the potty as punishment instead and it will be much harder to potty train them. 

During potty training, you are asked to supply us with at least 3 extra full changes of clothes, including socks and training pants/pull-ups. These are to be left at the Center and replaced as needed. Soiled clothing will be returned to you at the time of pick up in a plastic bag. 

Verbal Stages of Readiness

Basic verbal skills: The child is able to speak in 3 to 4 word sentences

Stage 1: The child tells you they wet or pooped in their diaper

Stage 2: The child tells you they are wetting or pooping at that time in their diaper. ( They recognize the sensation of going potty)

Stage 3: The child tells you they will wet their diaper and can control their bladder long enough to get to the potty.

Physical and Psychological Signs of Readiness

Stage 1: The child can stay dry for long periods at a time, showing signs they are able to hold the urge to go potty.

Stage 2: The child can recognize and does not like the feeling of a soiled diaper.

Stage 3: The child has a bowel movement at regular times.

Stage 4: Adults can recognize when a child senses the urge to need to go potty. 

Center Security Policies

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has set the bar pretty high for our security measures. It is not only our job to care for and teach young children. It is also our job to make sure they continue to be as safe and secure as possible while at our Center. With that being said, our security measures are as follows:

Our Center doors do remain locked during operational hours as well as nonoperational hours. 

Each exterior door is equipped with a doorbell camera.

We have live feed outdoor security cameras on all four corners of our Center, including in the outdoor play area. 

We have a 6 foot privacy fence surrounding our outdoor play area which has inside locks on all gates.

We have live feed indoor security cameras in each classroom and throughout the building. These cameras are not set up for parents to view while their child is in our care. It is against policy unless a child is injured while in our care to view camera footage. We do not broadcast our feeds due to the fact that there are hackers who could access any online system they wish to get their hands on. It is also a privacy breach for parents or anyone else who has access to our camera feed who does not work at our Center due to the fact that not all parents want their child being videoed or to have pictures taken and posted. We also accept foster children in our care and per child protective services, it is a privacy violation and risk to these children for any photos or footage to be shared. These cameras are here not only for protection of each child we care for but also for the protection of our employees and our Center. 

Each classroom has a locking door with a keypad entry for added safety measures. During the day, only the Lobby and Reception area are accessible without checking in with our receptionist prior to entering the rest of the building. 

Each staff member is trained in self defense. Each staff complete an 30 hour commissioned officer training annually, as well as general medical and health practices.

Certain staff members are also required to hold a License to Carry and certain areas in the building do have weapons placed in lock boxes that are out of sight and out of reach of children for our staff members who do hold a LTC to access in the event of an active shooter coming onto the property. 

Though we are pro Second Amendment at our Center, no weapons of any kind may be brought onto or into our Center property by anyone who is not a certified staff member or an officer of law. This includes those who do hold a LTC or or Concealed Carry permit. They may, however, be left in your vehicle without issue. This is a regulation which can be found in the Texas Minimum Standards for a Center. It is also a Center policy. We do NOT want a child to be able to access any type of weapon that can harm them or anyone else at the Center.  

The Howe Police Department is located right behind our Center as well and is within a short walking distance. 

Each child will be checked in every day, as well as checked out. They will only be released to a parent or an approved pick up person, which we will have on file with a photocopy of said approved pick up person's driver's license, phone number, and address. 

All volunteers will be required to have an FBI approved background check prior to volunteering in our facility. 

Registered sex offenders are not allowed on our property at all since it is a school that houses young children. Those with felonies are also not allowed on the Center property.  

Virtual tours of our Center will not be placed online or on any social media platform. Allowing the outside world to see the floorplan of our Center is not ideal for major safety reasons. However, we do share pictures of our students to show off their artwork or activities for the day but only if parent approved.

Child Safety Program & Policies

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has established a Child Safety Program with the children. Little Cubs Learning Cabin will incorporate a week of activities for introducing children to the steps and procedures for evacuating the Little Cubs Learning Cabin building in the event of a real emergency. Children will learn the evacuation route into the designated areas on the facility grounds. Little Cubs Learning Cabin will conduct monthly fire and evacuation drills with the children or as often as needed. Classrooms are equipped with a backpack filled with bottled water, snacks, emergency telephone numbers, a first aid kit, and attendance roster.

The infant classrooms are equipped with a mobile crib to place the infants and non-walking toddlers in to quickly evacuate the classrooms. The infant/toddler classrooms will bring a backpack filled with bottled water, Center supplied formula, a bottle for each infant, diapers, wipes, emergency phone numbers, a first aid kit, as well as an attendance roster.

In the event that a parent is present during the time of a practice drill, they must stay with their child throughout the entire drill until they are able to sign-in or sign-out their child from the Center.

Emergency Preparedness Plan

Evacuation Plan
In the event that Little Cubs Learning Cabin must evacuate the premises, the staff, volunteers, and children will relocate to the Howe Police Department located at 700 W Haning St, Howe, TX 75459. Center staff and volunteers will escort children to the Howe Police Department through means of walking. The Howe Police Department is located just behind our Center. 

The emergency evacuation and relocation diagram can be located on the postings board in the reception area at the Center. The designated relocation areas are clearly marked.
In the event of an evacuation, the Center Director will take with her the Enrollment and Emergency Information Binder which includes:
Admission Information
Designated Individual for Pick-up for each child
Emergency Authorization for Medical Attention

Fire Escape Plan

If a fire is discovered
Little Cubs Learning Cabin will follow the fire escape pattern below:

Evacuate anyone in immediate danger!
Call out Code Red over the staff walkie talkies and intercom if the fire alarms do not sound.
The teachers must gather all students and calmly guide them through one of the four fire exit routes. (The teacher will choose which route is safest at the time of the fire).
Everyone will meet in the rear parking lot, where the teacher will do a headcount to make sure everyone made it out safely.
Report Fire to 911 once everyone is safely outside
Tell the fire department there is a fire at 102 S Collins FWY, Howe, TX 75459 and a Licensed Daycare is held at this location.

If the fire is minimal and a teacher is able to safely use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out, the teacher may do so immediately.

Fire Exit Routes can be found on our posted diagram in the reception area and in each classroom.

Tornado

If a tornado warning has been issued

Each teacher will blow a whistle and state, “a tornado warning has been issued. Please remain calm.”
Each teacher will then proceed to gather all children in an orderly fashion.
The children will be taken to the hallway where there are no windows, line up against the walls, turn and face the walls, get down on their knees, bend over into a ball and cover their heads with their hands or a book.
The children will stay in this position until notice of the tornado warning has been lifted.

For infants, rolling cribs will be placed upside down over top of the children while sitting on the floor to protect their heads and bodies. A teacher will be next to these children at all times to keep them calm. 

Please review the Emergency Diagram for all tornado drill locations.

Active Shooter/Stranger Plan of Escape

It is a requirement by Little Cubs Learning Cabin for certain personnel to possess a License to Carry from the state of Texas. Each teacher will be trained in both self defense, as well as have 30 clock hours annually of armed security officer training, and they will all be legally armed for the children’s protection.

If an active shooter is spotted

RUN HIDE FIGHT

Take immediate action
Lock and block any entry doors
Remain calm
Gather all children and follow the active shooter/stranger exit route located on the emergency diagram.
Call 911 and inform them that an active shooter or stranger is on the premises located at 102 S Collins FWY, Howe, TX 75459. Make sure to inform the 911 operator that this location is a Licensed Daycare and does have children on the property.
Children and staff will remain in their location until they are informed it is safe to come out.
Children or staff members are never to try and exit the emergency location before they are informed it is safe to do so.

Firearms & Other Weapons Policy

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Child Care Licensing Minimum Standard Rules for a Licensed Daycare Center, Section: 746.3707 states the following:

Peace officers as listed in 2.12 of the Code of Criminal Procedures and security officers commissioned by the Texas Private Security Board who are trained and certified to carry a firearm on duty may have firearms and ammunition on the premises of the child care center.

It is a requirement that certain staff members of Little Cubs Learning Cabin hold a License to Carry granted by the state of Texas and to be properly trained to legally possess said firearm while caring for children at the Center for the protection of the children in the Center’s care. Certain staff members will attend annual Texas certified Private Armed Security Training and be listed with the TPSB as an approved commissioned security guard. 

For all other persons, firearms, hunting knives, bows and arrows, and other weapons are prohibited on the premises of the child care center. This prohibition does not apply to personal vehicles. The only individuals who are allowed to carry a weapon in the Center are commissioned security guards and any form of law enforcement.

Gang Free Zone

Under the Texas Penal code, any area within 100 feet of a child care center is considered a gang-free zone. Please inform administration if you know of any gang related activity near our center.

Social Media and Center Website

Little Cubs Learning Cabin has a website and Facebook page dedicated to show our accomplishments, center activities, celebrations, reminders and upcoming events. Photos are reviewed by the Director prior to making them public. Your child’s face will be blurred out in photos before being made public if you decline the use of photos in your child’s admission paperwork.

Observations

Little Cubs Learning Cabin may serve as a learning setting for individuals involved in the study of and or education of young children. This includes college students going to school for a teaching degree, physiologists, therapists, and soforth. Visiting individuals will always be supervised by the director, assistant director or teacher. Permission must be granted before these individuals enter the classroom. An important instrument used in the research process is that of photographs. Photographs may be taken for utilization of portfolios, documentation in the classroom, presentations, research, and on our Facebook and website. Should you object to the use of photographs of your child, this must be noted on the annual admission form.

Confidentiality Policy

Information regarding children and families will be kept in files and confidential. Only authorized personnel will have access to your child’s file. Parents should refrain from discussing personal issues or concerns to your child’s teacher in a public setting. If the issue on hand is about your child, please set up a parent-teacher conference to resolve any issues or concerns.

Reporting Child Abuse Policy

State law requires that suspected child abuse or neglect be reported. Little Cubs Learning Cabin staff is trained annually to prevent and respond to suspected child abuse or neglect and will report said abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. To prevent or respond to child abuse, please call the Texas Department of Family and Regulatory Services Child Abuse Hotline at 1 (800) 252-5400 if child abuse is suspected.

Notification of Withdrawal Policy

After the adjustment period, you will continue to have the right to withdraw your child from the Center's Program, just as the Center Director has the right to terminate care. However, you must give the Center two weeks advance written notice prior to withdrawal. This will provide the Center with sufficient time to gather your child's belongings and ease the transition.

• Parents must verify there are no outstanding fees

• Pending fees must be cleared with the Center prior to your child's last day

• If a child's account has any outstanding fees that are not paid on the last day, the payment method on file will be charged

Babysitting Policy

Little Cubs Learning Cabin staff members are not babysitters and shall not watch children that are enrolled in Little Cubs Learning Cabin outside of facility hours or off of Center grounds while off the clock. This is against our employee policy. It is also a liability concern. All of our staff members must sign a non-compete agreement prior to being hired. If a staff member is found watching a Center child outside of facility hours or off of facility grounds while off the clock, they will be terminated immediately. The child's enrollment will be terminated immediately as well. We have worked hard to counteract the miss-impression that our teachers or staff members are babysitters. Our Center offers ample childcare options and hours that should cover most all needs. 

Termination by Center Policy

Immediate withdraw-Little Cubs Learning Cabin reserves the right to terminate its provision of child care services based on instances of parental noncompliance with the law or Little Cubs Learning Cabin’s policies. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the judgment of the Center Director, the child's behavior threatens the physical or mental health of other children in the Center and cannot be modified

• Your child brings a weapon the the Center

• Tuition or annual registration or any other fees are not paid in a timely manner

• The child is picked up late more than 3 days in any 30 day period

• The child is ill and the parent fails to pick up a sick child promptly (45 minutes) more than 3 times within a 30 day period

• Parents do not follow our Center policies and continue to disregard that we have these policies in place to keep both the Center's staff and children safe

• Parents are repeatedly disrespectful to Center staff members. We do NOT tolerate disrespectful attitudes 

• Drama or slander is caused by any parent in our Center, outside of our Center, or on social media or any other online platform. This includes falsifying claims to Child Care Regulation. Parents and staff members have the right to report any unethical, harmful, or breaking of any regulation to Child Care Regulation. However, the statement must be a true statement, factual, and must not meet any one Texas State Minimum Standard for Child Care Centers. Some parents get mad because a Center will not allow certain things or actions and due to that, they act out by causing unneeded slander and drama. If you are unsatisfied with your care, we understand that. Our Center may not meet the needs of all families and that's okay, there are several child care options available for this very reason.We are strict about our policies and safety in our Center and these must be respected and abided by regardless of anyone's personal opinion. 

Miscellaneous Charges

If any miscellaneous charges are due to the Center for late pick up, returned check, CCMS co-payment, late charges, etc remain unpaid at the time of termination or withdrawal, such amounts will be withheld from any credit payment on file with the Center. If payments are not taken care of within a 30 day window, your account balance will be sent to a collection agency. Just like your cell phone or any other bill, we deserve the right and respect to be paid in a timely mannertoo. 

Complaint Procedures & Policies

The Director of Little Cubs Learning Cabin is available upon request to talk to you about any concerns or complaints that you may have regarding the Center or its policies and procedures.
The Center appreciates hearing your positive and negative feedback. If you have a complaint, we ask that you discuss this with your child’s teacher or with one of the administrators. We ask, however, these discussions do not disrupt or take attention away from the children. Please refer back to Social and Cooperative Responsibilities.

If there is any issue that you feel to be unsuitable, again, please reach out to your child's teacher or to the Director to see about having the issue at hand resolved. Posting irresponsible comments or slander on social media just because you do not agree with a part of our program is frowned upon and will lead to immediate termination. We have a 286 page book of State Regulations that we must follow in order to stay open and in good standing with the state of Texas. Something you may disagree with may actually be a state regulation that we must follow. 

We understand you may not always agree with the Center policies, but by signing our policy handbook agreement upon enrollment, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to our Center policies. We will try to assist and work with you in finding a resolution to your complaint.

If you are unable to talk to one of the staff members in person, please feel free to visit our testimonials page. You can actually submit a feedback form that goes directly to our Director's email. 

Social and Cooperative Responsibilities Policy

The Center’s mission is to build a strong partnership with parents and staff members to work together towards an effective quality child care center. To fulfill this mission, a high level of cooperation is required from all members of our community.

If any of the following situations arise, the Director of Little Cubs Learning Cabin will terminate child care services immediately:

Verbal or physical abusive behavior towards staff, children or property by parent or legal guardian.
Lack of cooperation from parents or legal guardians with the program’s efforts to resolve differences and or meet the child’s needs through parent-staff meetings or conferences
Excessive or chronic lateness in picking up a child at the end of the day3 times within a 30 day period of picking up a child
Smoking at the Center or anywhere that children can see or inhale the smoke
Failure to abide by the policies or procedures