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Starting care, required materials, fees, withdrawals and enrollment policies.
Begin by scheduling a tour. When you are ready to enroll, complete the application and medical forms and submit the required registration fee, tuition deposit and first week’s tuition before your child’s first day.
Picket Fence Learning Center serves children from infancy through age 12. Program availability and classroom placement depend on your child’s age and current openings at the selected location.
Families should provide completed enrollment and medical forms, immunization and physical records, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, a signed handbook receipt, a complete change of clothes, a toothbrush and any classroom-specific rest items.
Enrollment includes a registration fee, a one-week tuition deposit and the first week’s tuition. The deposit is generally applied to the final week of attendance or to delinquent tuition. Please contact the center for current amounts and payment details.
Families should provide two weeks’ written notice before withdrawing. The tuition deposit is nonrefundable and may be forfeited when the required notice is not provided. See the current Family Handbook for complete terms.
Enrollment may be ended when tuition is delinquent, families do not cooperate with center policies or, after a reasonable trial, the program cannot appropriately meet a child’s needs. The center will communicate with families whenever concerns arise.
Daily operating hours, arrival expectations, departures and authorized pickup.
The center is generally open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The school-year session runs from mid-August through the end of May, with a summer session from late May through mid-August. Confirm dates with your location.
Children may arrive after 6:30 a.m. Arrival by 9:00 a.m. is strongly encouraged because that is when the instructional program begins. If you expect to arrive after 10:00 a.m., please notify the office beforehand.
Please bring your child to the appropriate classroom and complete the center’s sign-in or sign-out process each day. Staff must know when every child arrives and leaves.
The center closes promptly at 6:00 p.m. A late fee is charged for each minute after closing and is due at pickup. If an unavoidable delay occurs, call the center and speak with the person in charge.
Children are released only to a parent, guardian or person authorized in the child’s records. Notify the center in writing whenever authorized pickup names or phone numbers change.
Separation, daily routines, outdoor play, personal belongings and classroom life.
Visit the center together before the first day when possible. At drop-off, tell your child clearly that you are leaving and when you will return, then follow a consistent goodbye routine. Avoid slipping away without saying goodbye.
Bring the personal care, clothing, food and rest items requested by your child’s classroom. Label every item with your child’s first and last name. Keep a complete change of clothes in the child’s cubby.
Outdoor activity is part of the program whenever conditions allow. Children should arrive with weather-appropriate clothing and be well enough to participate in both indoor and outdoor activities.
Yes. Picket Fence maintains an open-door policy and welcomes family visits. You may join your child for lunch or an activity, share a story or stop in near pickup time. Let your child and teacher know what to expect.
Changes such as travel, illness, hospitalization, a death in the family or a new caregiver can affect a child’s behavior. Sharing relevant information privately with the teacher or director helps staff respond with understanding and consistency.
Illness, medication, emergency communication and maintaining a healthy center.
Keep your child home when they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a concerning rash or discharge, severe coughing, unusual fatigue or any condition that prevents comfortable participation in the full day. Consult the current Family Handbook for the complete illness policy.
A child may generally return after being free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine, or after being on a prescribed antibiotic for 24 hours when applicable. Additional requirements may apply to contagious illnesses.
The center will contact you for immediate pickup and keep your child comfortable and separated from the group while waiting. If you cannot be reached, staff will contact an authorized emergency person.
Medication must be in its original, unexpired container with the child’s name, prescriber, medication name and dosage clearly shown. A completed and signed consent form is required. The center does not administer over-the-counter medication.
Notify the center immediately so other families can be informed of possible exposure while your child’s identity remains confidential. Follow the center’s return-to-care requirements and any guidance from your healthcare provider.
Families are contacted directly when a center closes because of severe weather or another unforeseen event. Updates may also be posted on the Picket Fence Facebook page.
Daily updates, conferences, concerns, feedback and keeping records current.
Keep your child home when they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a concerning rash or discharge, severe coughing, unusual fatigue or any condition that prevents comfortable participation in the full day. Consult the current Family Handbook for the complete illness policy.
A child may generally return after being free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine, or after being on a prescribed antibiotic for 24 hours when applicable. Additional requirements may apply to contagious illnesses.
The center will contact you for immediate pickup and keep your child comfortable and separated from the group while waiting. If you cannot be reached, staff will contact an authorized emergency person.
Medication must be in its original, unexpired container with the child’s name, prescriber, medication name and dosage clearly shown. A completed and signed consent form is required. The center does not administer over-the-counter medication.
Notify the center immediately so other families can be informed of possible exposure while your child’s identity remains confidential. Follow the center’s return-to-care requirements and any guidance from your healthcare provider.
Families are contacted directly when a center closes because of severe weather or another unforeseen event. Updates may also be posted on the Picket Fence Facebook page.
Positive guidance, belonging, equal opportunity and support for individual needs.
Teachers use simple, understandable expectations and positive language to redirect behavior. The goal is to help children build self-control, responsibility and healthy social-emotional skills.
No. Children may be redirected to another activity or area to regain control, but the program does not use shaming time-outs, corporal punishment or verbal abuse.
Picket Fence is committed to equal opportunity and inclusion. Staff work in partnership with families to understand each child’s needs, identify appropriate supports and determine whether the program can provide a successful experience.
Children and families are welcomed without regard to family structure, socioeconomic status, race, religion, cultural background, gender, ability or language. Individual differences are recognized, encouraged and respected.
Positive guidance, belonging, equal opportunity and support for individual needs.
Families may contribute time, materials, suggestions and feedback; visit the classroom; support center events; and participate in advocacy or community-improvement projects.
Any parent may join the committee. Members help discuss program policies, plan events and offer family perspectives. Ask the director about the next meeting or how to sign up.
Annual traditions may include a September open house and a fall family fun fair. Event dates and details are shared by the center.
Yes. Families are encouraged to participate in age-appropriate ways, such as reading a story, joining an activity or sharing a family tradition. Coordinate your visit with the classroom teacher.
Privacy, required records, complete policies and downloadable family resources.
Children’s and families’ records are stored securely and accessed only by authorized staff with a legitimate need to know. Private information is not released without written permission from a parent or legal guardian except where required by law.
The Family Handbook contains complete operational, health, payment, confidentiality and enrollment policies. Use the handbook button on this page or ask your center for the current edition.
Required applications, medical forms and handbook acknowledgments should be available from the center or the website’s forms area. Contact your location if you need an accessible or translated copy.
Items left at the center for more than 30 days may be discarded or donated. Label belongings clearly and check your child’s cubby regularly.
If tuition is not paid on Friday by 6:00 pm, a late fee of $10.00 PER DAY will be added. In addition, all checks returned by the bank will incur a $10.00 late fee as well as the bank fees. If there are two returned checks, the tuition will be payable by cash only. If tuition becomes two weeks delinquent, your child will not be able to attend school and your space may be lost.
After you have toured the center and have decided to enroll your child, please read this Picket Fence Frequently Asked Questions and School Policy in its entirety. Please return the application forms and the following PRIOR to starting day: