Welcome to February!

Valentine's Day Party - Children will exchange cards and enjoy special holiday treats on Wednesday, February 14th at 3:30pm (Both Houses.) Please look for sign-up sheets if you would like to bring in food items for the parties. All Valentine's cards must be given to teachers no later than the Monday, February 12th. Please do not include any candy or chocolate with your cards. We will email class lists by the end of this week. Children in the Infant Room will not be participating in the party.

Immunization Audit - We will be undergoing an Immunization Audit this month administered by the Health Department. If your child has recently had or is about to have their 12-month, 18-month, or 4-year annual check-up, please remember to bring in those immunization records.

Your Child's Place has a pro-vaccine Policy in place that requires all registered children to follow the Minimum Immunization Requirements that Fairfax County has put into place. These guidelines come directly from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control. If your child's Immunization Records are not kept up to date, we may ask that you keep your child at home until all records are submitted - our Licensing requires that we stay on top of your child's Vaccination Records at all times.

Updated Medication Policy - Please note our updated Medication Policy. We have revised to make the procedures and requirements easier to understand in an effort to minimize confusion.

One form must be completed for each medication. Multiple Medications cannot be listed on a consent form.

Prescribed Drugs shall be given to a child only in accordance with a signed Dr.’s order/authentic prescription, with the parent/legal guardian’s written consent

Please make sure all given medication is age-appropriate for your child (Specifically Infant/Under 2 vs. Child/Over 2.)

Forms are good for 2 weeks only, and doses after that period will require a new Consent Form.

Any Medication that does not have a current Consent Form will be discarded. Any Medications after the 2-week period will be discarded unless parents request a return.

When bringing in Medications:

• Please hand directly to a Teacher or Director. Please do not leave any medication in your child’s bag or cubby or on the Front Desk.
• All Medication must be given in original packaging, to include package insert or pharmacy printout.
• All Medication and Packaging must be clearly labeled with your child’s name.
• Over the Counter Medications used on an as needed basis (for general pain/teething/fevers associated with shots/etc.) must list specific times and be renewed every 2 weeks.
  • If your child is under the age of 2, these types of Medications can only be given with a Doctor’s Consent Form + parental consent form.
  • Children over the age of 2 can be given these types of Medications with just a parental consent form.

For severe Allergy Medications:

• Epipens and Benadryl may be stored for up to 1 year with a signed Dr.’s order/authentic prescription + parent/legal guardian’s written consent. These medications must be stored in original packaging.

Playground Gate - Please make sure that you close the gate behind you everytime you enter and exit the Playground.

Water Cooler - We would appreciate if parents could assist their children when using the Water Cooler and encourage them to use only one cup and try to limit water spills.

Events

February Monthly Activity Calendars and Lunch Menu are now posted online.

We will be OPEN Monday, February 19th (President's Day.)

Wear your PJs Day on Friday, February 2nd for Grasshopper, Ladybug, and Bumble Bee.

Winter Policies

Winter Playground Policy - We include Free and Structured outdoor play every day and see this as a vital part of your child's schedule. If your child is not able to participate in outdoor play for whatever reason, we ask that you keep them at home. During periods of extreme cold, playground times may be shortened. Young Toddlers go out once every morning. Children ages 2 and older go out twice a day, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Children will remain inside for any active snow showers.

In order for your child to comfortably play outside, they will need the proper attire, to include:

• Sturdy shoes/boots and socks
• Hats
• Gloves/Mittens
• No Scarves
• IF there is snow on the ground, you may bring a snowsuit - We are only able to play in the snow if at least 5-8 children (depending on the classroom ) have proper cold-weather attire.

All playground visits are at the discretion of the Director and may be modified during extreme temperatures/weather.

YCP Closings & Delays - On the days when YCP has a delayed opening, Morning Snack will not be served. Please make sure your child has been fed before bringing them. During severe weather, we always appreciate early pick-ups, so that staff and families may travel safely home. 

To check YCP’s status during an emergency, please go to:

·       YCP Twitter Account (@yourchildsplace)

·       YCP Home Page, the live feed at the bottom of the page.

Weather-Related Closings/Delays:

YCP follows the Federal Government (OPM) for closing and late procedures based on weather. The Center will remain open during liberal leave policies. If you are uncertain about a potential delay during school hours, you may call us on the day in question for verification. 

After hours, you can also go to OPM Current Status for up to the minute alerts on the Federal Government's operating procedures.

Emails will NOT be sent for standard OPM weather closings and late procedures.

Emergency Closings during a Federal Holiday:

If there is an emergency closing on a Federal Holiday where YCP is open, all Closings/Late Procedures will be at the discretion of the Director. Decisions will always err on the side of safety for our staff and families traveling to and from school. A decision will be made by 5:30am on the day of. 

Parents WILL receive an email stating any closing/delays for these types of unexpected emergencies only.

Do not check the OPM site during Federal Holidays as the status will reflect Normal Operating Procedures and not display Emergency Closures on Holidays.

All Other Emergency Closings:

During all other emergency closings, including but not limited to Terrorist Alerts, the Center will observe Fairfax County Public School Procedures.  Please ask to see a copy of our Emergency Preparedness Policies and Procedures at the front desk for further information.

An email WILL be sent if YCP closes for localized emergencies.

Ointment Policy for Outdoor Activities

Mosquito Repellent

The outdoor play area at Your Child’s Place is maintained regularly to keep clear of any standing water that breeds mosquitoes.  A regular monthly inspection of the outdoor play area is conducted for any sign of harmful insect nests or prevalence of mosquitoes. Additionally, we hire a professional pest service to apply a natural mosquito barrier spray every 2 weeks (and more often when there is increased moisture/rainfall.)

We ask parents to bring in mosquito repellent to be kept on hand for days when mosquitos may be particularly aggressive. Mosquito repellent will only be applied on an AS Needed basis. Teachers will not apply mosquito repellent each and every time children play outdoors. When to apply repellent will be at the discretion of the Director with input from Teachers.

Mosquito Repellents  must be accompanied by an Ointment Permission Form (see below.*)

Sunscreen

We understand that children need to be protected from direct exposure to the sun due to sensitive skin.  The outdoor play area at Your Child’s Place has been specifically designed to make use of the ample shade created by existing mature trees, and therefore, there is very little direct sunlight. The sun shines most directly on our playground in the afternoon and children may need sun protection at that time.

We ask parents to apply sunscreen at home before bringing their children into school. Sunscreen will be applied to your child for afternoon outdoor play only. We also recommend dressing your child in long-sleeved shirts and/or pants made of light/breathable fabric. We strongly encourage parents to bring in a sunhat for their children – specifically those that cover both the face and neck and will firmly stay on your child’s head as they run around. All outdoor water activities will occur in a shaded area and sunscreen will not be applied at that time.

Young Toddlers under the age of 2 years will only go to the playground once in the morning. Teachers may reapply sunscreen on them at that time, due to the sensitive nature of their skin. We will not take any children under 2 years out without a sunhat.

Sunscreen must be accompanied by an Ointment Permission Form (see below*.)

*Ointment Permission Forms are good for three (3) months and new forms will be required after the expiration date, if still needed.  Staff is instructed to use the specified ointment products supplied by the parents from the original containers labeled with the child’s name.  Staff must follow manufacturer’s instructions for age, duration and dosage. Ointments will always be applied to the staff member’s hands and then rubbed onto the child’s skin. Staff members without medication administration training may apply ointments, unless it is a prescription in which case the container must be clearly labeled, locked, and applied by a MAT-trained Staff member.

We will no longer be accepting any forms of Aerosol Sprays.

Please bring in Pump-Sprays or Cream for Mosquito Repellent and Sunscreen only.

Updated Closing Policy

YCP Closing Procedures:

Please find the following YCP procedures for closings and delays. On the days when YCP has a delayed opening, Morning Snack will not be served. Please make sure your child has been fed before bringing them. During severe weather, we always appreciate early pick-ups, so that staff and families may travel safely home. 

To check YCP’s status during an emergency, please go to:

·      YCP Twitter Account (@yourchildsplace)

·      YCP Home Page, the live feed at the bottom of the page.

Weather-Related Closings/Delays:

YCP follows the Federal Government (OPM) for closing and late procedures based on weather. The Center will remain open during liberal leave policies. If you are uncertain about a potential delay during school hours, you may call us on the day in question for verification. 

After hours, you can also go to OPM Current Status for up to the minute alerts on the Federal Government's operating procedures.

Emails will NOT be sent for standard OPM weather closings and late procedures.

Emergency Closings during a Federal Holiday:

If there is an emergency closing on a Federal Holiday where YCP is open, all Closings/Late Procedures will be at the discretion of the Director. Decisions will always err on the side of safety for our staff and families traveling to and from school. A decision will be made by 5:30am on the day of. 

Parents WILL receive an email stating any closing/delays for these types of unexpected emergencies only.

Do not check the OPM site during Federal Holidays as the status will reflect Normal Operating Procedures and not display Emergency Closures on Holidays.

Other Emergency Closings:

During all other emergency closings, including but not limited to Terrorist Alerts, the Center will observe Fairfax County Public School Procedures.  Please ask to see a copy of our Emergency Preparedness Policies and Procedures at the front desk for further information.

An email WILL be sent if YCP closes for localized emergencies.

Welcome to February

Valentine's Day Party - Children will exchange cards and enjoy special holiday treats on Friday, February 12th at 3:30pm (Both Houses.) Please look for sign-up sheets if you would like to bring in food items for the parties. All Valentine's cards must be given to teachers no later than the morning of Thursday, February 11th. Please do not include any candy or chocolate with your cards. Teachers will place classroom lists in your child's cubby by the end of this week. Children in the Infant Room will not be participating in the party.

Updated Nap/Rest Policy- We believe all children need an opportunity to recharge during their days at YCP. We schedule a daily (2 Hour) Quiet Time where children may nap or rest. During this time, children will not be forced to sleep, nor woken up prematurely from their naps. We will never prevent a child from sleeping if they ask to sleep or exhibit drowsiness.

Infants up to 8 or 12 months have a flexible daily schedule based on their individual needs. They are allowed to sleep on-demand and all naps are recorded in their Daily Info sheets.

Young Toddlers (up to 18 months) are put down for nap every day, but may also sleep for additional periods, if needed.

Once your child has graduated out of the Infant Room, Licensing requirements mandate a designated Rest Period of up to one (1) hour and no more than two (2) hours every day. Your Child’s Place schedules a two-hour period for Rest/Nap every day.

During this time, children will be put down on their individual mats or cots, lights will be dimmed, and soothing music will be played.

• After thirty (30) minutes, if a child awakens on their own or is still awake, they will be given books or soft toys to play with on their mats. 
• If after an hour, they choose not to or are unable to sleep, they will be allowed to sit at a table for quiet activities until the rest of the class awakens.

Our Teacher Ratios do not allow us to have children opt out of naps/rest period.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease - We have had a few cases of this highly contagious and very common virus in the Infant, Flower, and Grashopper Rooms. In order to prevent further infections, if your child has been diagnosed, they must remain at home until the following criteria have been met:

• They are able to maintain a regular temperature for at least 24 hours.
• All blisters/sores have healed and are dry (with no puss or fluid leaking.)

Although symptoms may be minor, the disease is highly contagious. Please inform your Pediatrician that your child may have come into contact with the disease, as symptoms may be attributed to other viruses. Symptoms include:

• Exhaustion
• Sore Throat
• Fever between 101F – 103F
• Blisters in the mouth, hands, feet, or buttocks
• Pimple or rash-like appearance
• Loss of Appetite and Dehydration

In some cases a skin rash may appear before the blisters do. The blisters may break open and crust over. The sores and blisters usually go away in a week or so. In some cases there are no symptoms, or they are very mild. Parents may get the disease from their children and not even realize it. You and your child can get HFMD multiple times as it is caused by several different viruses.

Events

Show & Tell is now listed in the Calendar portion of the website - click on the individual day to see what items your child needs to bring in.

February Monthly Activity Calendars and Lunch Menu are now posted online.

We will be open on Monday, February 15th for President's Day.

Snow and Emergency Closings

For Weather/Snow Closings:

Your Child’s Place follows the Federal Government on all closing and late procedures based on weather.  The Center will remain open during liberal leave policies. We always appreciate early pick-ups during severe weather, so that our staff may travel safely home.  If you are uncertain about a potential delay during school hours, you may call us on the day in question for verification.  After hours, please check our Twitter Account (@yourchildsplace) or the live feed on the bottom of our Home Page. You may also check the OPM Current Status for up to the minute alerts on the Federal Government's operating procedures.

We will no longer be sending out emails if school is delayed or closed due to inclement weather.

For Emergency Closings:

During all other emergency closings, including but not limited to Terrorist Alerts, the Center will observe Fairfax County Public School Procedures.  Please ask to see a copy of our Emergency Preparedness Policies and Procedures at the front desk for further information.