Nap Policy

A rest time for those students staying in Extended Day beyond 2:00 p.m. will be provided.  Individual mats will be used for each child.  Parents are requested to place a small lightweight blanket (please label blanket) in child's backpack for use on the mat.  The rest period will last one-half hour, during which time a story will be read and soft music played.  Your child's blanket will be replaced to his/her backpack at the conclusion of rest time.

Payment of Tuition and Optional Programs

In order to maintain high standards, quality programming and excellent teachers in our Nursery School, we rely upon the prompt payment of tuition and Jewish Center dues. We hope you understand that the following policies have recently been implemented with much reluctance.  They are, however, necessary because of chronic difficulties with collections and non-payment of monies owed.

The first semester’s tuition, as well as all current financial obligations to The Jewish Center, must be paid in full by July 15.  If payment is complete, you will receive a registration packet shortly after this date with your child’s class placement and a class list that will only include paid up enrollees for the fall semester.

If you are in arrears in your financial obligations to The Jewish Center, your child will not be assigned to a class nor will his/her name appear on the class list.  After August 1, your child will no longer be considered enrolled in the Nursery School and his/her place may be given to someone on the waiting list.

Tuition for the second semester is due on December 1.  If you are in arrears in your financial obligations to The Jewish Center, your child will not be admitted into class when the second semester begins.

Of course, the Finance Department is happy to make arrangements for monthly payments of tuition and dues or to assist you in any way if you have extenuating circumstances.  Please call the Finance Office at 609-921-0100, Extension 204, to discuss the matter with them.

All Early Drop Off and Extended Day services will be billed from The Jewish Center's bookkeeping office on a monthly basis according to the Fee and Payment Schedule. 

If a child stays in Extended Day from 1 to 30 minutes into the hour, the parent will be billed at 1/2 the hourly rate; 31 to 60 minutes will be billed at the full hourly rate.

Late Pick Up Fees

If your child is not scheduled to stay for Extended Day (signed in on the Extended Day Program board), pick up time is at 12:55 p.m.

If you arrive after 12:55 p.m. and your child is not registered for Extended Day, you will be billed not at the present Extended Day rates, but as follows:

  1 - 10 minutes after 12:55 p.m. - $4
11 - 20 minutes after 12:55 p.m. - $8
21 - 30 minutes after 12:55 p.m. - $12

The late pick up fees were designed and implemented by the School Committee of The Jewish Center to discourage parental lateness at pick up time. Late pick up fees will be charged to your credit card account.  Not only do these penalty fees apply to late pick up at lunch time but also to late pick up after the listed closing time of Extended Day every afternoon.  It is in recognition of fairness to our staff, many of whom have other jobs after leaving the Nursery School, young children to whom they must go home, appointments after school, continuing education commitments, etc.

However, we do realize that emergency situations sometimes occur.  If you do have an emergency and your child is not registered to stay for the Extended Day Program, you should try to phone the school office at 609-921-7207, so that your child can be registered for the Extended Day Program.  This will also allow a staff member to explain your delay to your child to alleviate any concerns he/she might have.

In most instances, an Extended Day staff member will notify you verbally that you are late, so that you can check the exact time together.  You will be charged accordingly.

If you are in charge of picking up several children for the 12:55 p.m. dismissal, please allow yourself sufficient time to get all of the children so that you will not be charged these late pick up fees.

Late Pick Up Plan

Because we are a licensed child care center, we are required to comply with regulations from the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS).  The following is excerpted from the Manual of Requirements for Childcare Centers and is The Jewish Center's policy. This plan will be followed in the event that the parent(s) or other person(s) authorized by the parent(s) fails to pick up the child or is late in picking up the child at the time of the center's daily closing.

1.   The child shall be supervised at all times.

2.   Every effort is made by School staff members to contact the custodial parent(s) and/or other person(s) authorized by the parent(s) to care for the child; and

3.   Whenever the custodial parent(s) and/or other person(s) authorized by the parent(s) fails to pick up the child one hour or more after closing time, and provided that the staff members have been unable to make other arrangements for returning the child to his/her custodial parent(s), a School staff member shall call the division's 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline (800-792-8610) to seek assistance in caring for the child until his/her custodial parent(s) or other person(s) authorized by the custodial parent(s) is available to care for the child.

Release Of Children

If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) appears to be physically and/or emotionally impaired to the extent that, in the judgment of the Nursery School Director, and/or staff member, the child would be placed in risk of harm if released to such an individual, the following procedure will be put into effect:

1.   The child will not be released to such an impaired individual.

2.   Staff members will attempt to contact the child's other parent or an alternate person authorized by the child's parent(s).

3.   If the center is unable to make arrangements, a staff member will call the DYFS 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline to seek assistance in caring for the child.

If you will not be picking up your child on a regular basis (i.e., if you are part of a carpool or a caregiver picking up the child), you are responsible for letting the teacher know, in writing, who is allowed to pick up your child at dismissal.  One note at the beginning of the school year with your signature listing the days and the names of the people who are authorized to take your child is sufficient.
     
Any time your child is going home with a person other than one listed as a regular carpool person, you must give your child's teacher a dated and signed note to that effect.

Many families have childcare workers who pick up their child at school.  It is strongly recommended that you bring this person to school either for the Open House or on the first morning of school to introduce him/her to your child's teachers so that the face becomes familiar to the staff.

If you are a custodial parent and your former spouse does not have permission to pick up your child at school, you must notify your child's teachers and the Nursery School Director in writing.  In addition, if there is information that you do not want relayed to your former spouse about your child, you must convey this to your child's teachers and the Nursery School Director in writing.

Security System

In 1991, a security system was installed at The Jewish Center through fundraising efforts by our Nursery families.  Both doors leading into the school building are kept locked except in the morning from 8:50 - 9:15 a.m. when the Nursery Director stands at the door furthest from the playground to welcome you and your child to school.

There are two ways to enter the building when it is locked.  Proceed to the door furthest from the playground.  When you are facing the door, you will notice two key-pads.  The silver colored pad has numbers on it.  When you enter the five-digit security code that you will receive at the Back to School Night, the door will unlock for five seconds.  This is the easiest and most convenient way for you to enter the building.  If you forget your code number or a non-Nursery School family is picking up your child, please instruct him/her in the following procedure:

1.   Press the key pad (the one without the numbers).

2.   Listen for a beep and pull the door toward you to enter.  If you do not hear a beep, it means that no one is in the office to admit you.  If you repeat this procedure and still do not hear a beep, you must cross the courtyard, go the Synagogue office and ask one of the secretaries for assistance.  In either case, please make sure that the door is closed behind you and that you do not allow anyone to follow you into the building.  After school hours, the security system is disarmed and the door is locked with a key.  This automatically prevents the security code from working.