Archive for the 'Administration' category

Teacher Self-Evaluation Form

Nov 11 2005 Published by under Administration, Forms and Planners, Licensing and Accreditation, Professional Development

When doing performance evaluations, it’s always a good idea to have teachers complete a self-evaluation first. Then you can see what areas the teacher feels are strengths and weaknesses. Also, if a teacher gives herself high marks for something and you had planned on writing up as an area that needs improvement, you can plan on handling that area more delicately. Along the same lines, some teachers may see themselves as weak in a certain area, while you find their performance to be above average. Take the opportunity to let that teacher know about a job well done.

Here is a form you can use to perform teacher self-evaluations. You can download the .pdf and print as is, or you can download the Word version and change the wording to suit your setting.

.pdf version of teacher self-evaluation form

Microsoft Word version of teacher self-evaluation form

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Sample Enrollment Form

Nov 10 2005 Published by under Administration, Family Child Care, Forms and Planners, Licensing and Accreditation, Parent Relations

An enrollment form is more than just a place for contact information. It can be a place to learn more about the child who will be in your care. Knowing information like what a child’s favorite toys are or how a parent soothes their crying baby can be so valuable.

Below you will find links to a sample enrollment form. You can save and print the .pdf version or you can download the Word document and make changes to reflect your own setting.

.pdf version of sample enrollment form

Microsoft Word version of sample enrollment form.

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Sample Family Child Care Provider Contract

Nov 10 2005 Published by under Administration, Family Child Care, Forms and Planners, Licensing and Accreditation, Nannies and Au Pairs, Parent Relations

This contract is a sample agreement between parents and a family child care provider. You can download the .pdf version and print it or you can download the Word version and make changes to reflect your own business and policies.

Having a contract is important. It’s tempting, because of the sometimes informal nature of relations between parents and home providers, to do business on a handshake. Many providers have gotten “burned” this way. Usually because of payment issues, but other issues arise as well. It’s hard to enforce a policy when it’s not in writing and the parent didn’t know about it beforehand.

For example, if your hours of operation are 8:00 to 6:00 and you have a parent consistently coming at 6:30, it’s easier to keep this in check when you have a signed agreement that you can point to and say — you signed this, you agreed to it, there is a charge for late pick-ups and I’m going to have to charge it if you’re late in the future.

You need time to unwind when the day is over. You need time to clean up and have time for yourself and your own family. Make sure that your policies reflect this. It’s one thing to be bending and flexible when necessary, but it’s another to let your business take over your life. Some parents will take advantage if they can, so offer them clarity from the start, and the relationship will be much better for it.

Note, too, that in many states, a contract like this is required before providers can become licensed. And even if it isn’t, a contract like this can fulfill licensing requirements like having hours of operation in writing, having a written discipline policy, notifying parents of immunization requirements, etc.

.pdf version of sample family child care provider contract

Microsoft Word version of sample family child care provider contract

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Thieves Target Parents at Child Care Centers

Nov 04 2005 Published by under Administration, News, Parent Relations

Here’s a story about some robbers who know opportunity when they see it. They target busy parents and it only takes a minute for it to happen.

If you work in a child care center or have a family child care setting, you’ve probably seen it a million times. Parents come to drop off or pick up their kids and, expecting to be inside for just a moment, they leave the keys in the car, sometimes with the car still running.

It happens, too, when parents of babies or multiple children have backpacks, diaper bags, show-and-tell items, car seats or baby carriers, bags of diapers… It’s a lot to deal with in a busy parking lot when they’re possibly already late for work.

I know some centers have morning and afternoon staff that are dedicated to helping parents get in and out at these times, and wouldn’t we all be so lucky if we could afford to staff our facilities like this? A possibility might be to instruct staff, if the ratios are right and there are extra hands around, to help out in this way.

The more realistic option would be to print the above article out and distribute it to parents with your monthly or weekly newsletter with some guidelines on how to avoid this. Maybe hold a parent education night and invite your police officers to talk about this danger.

You might think your center is in a low-crime area or that you’re not at risk for this, but that’s exactly what criminals are hoping. This type of theft happens more often than you’d think.

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Former Daycare Owner Pleads Guilty of Reckless Endangerment in Infant Death Case

Nov 02 2005 Published by under Administration, Infants, News

Stories like this make me so sad.

I have to admit that I was a bit spoiled starting out in child care. First I worked at a top-notch Head Start center and then I worked at an NAEYC accredited center with very low teacher:student ratios.

I cannot imagine thinking that I could give any kind of quality care caring for, as Newsday reports, eight infants downstairs and two 3-year-olds and another infant upstairs. That’s about seven too many kids if you ask me, based on their ages.

That poor baby. :(

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Checklist for Directors Writing a Staff Newsletter

Apr 02 2005 Published by under Administration, Forms and Planners

Solicit volunteers for various center duties and projects. (i.e. The front bulletin board needs to be redone, or the supply closet needs to be reorganized, or the sandbox needs to be sanitized.)

STAFF BIRTHDAYS

Discuss any potluck events for staff. If dishes have been assigned, state who is bringing what. If there are still things that staff need to bring, state where sign up sheet is located.

Remind staff about vacation dates, when they are due, what the procedure is (as far as seniority, etc.)

Announce any staff meetings or inservice training events, whether they are mandatory, where it will be held, what the topic will be and what staff should bring.

Let staff know what you expect as far as classroom parties for upcoming holidays. (i.e. low sugar, costumes or not, enlist parent help, keep sugar to a minimum, etc).

Announce when this months supply lists will be due. (Generally the 3rd Friday so I can have it all done and distributed by the 1st of the month.)

Announce the contest of the month and the prize. (i.e. Perfect Attendance for the month wins a gift certificate to a teacher store, Best door decoration wins dinner for 2 at the Olive Garden….).

Announce any special guests to the center or to specific classrooms (i.e. Firemen, clown, etc.).

Let staff know if any surveys or questionnaires are due, and where they need to be turned in.

Remind staff of any upcoming days when the center will be closed, and tell them to remind the parents as well.

List how many hours of training each staff member has completed- give a special notation to the person with the most hours.

Inform staff of room/staff changes. Solicit their cooperation and enthusiasm for the change.

Talk a little about NAEYC accreditation in every letter. List some criteria, and give some suggestions on how we can start to move toward better child care.

Remind staff about things that must be posted in rooms (i.e. fire evacuation, cot charts, lesson plans, daily schedules….)

Attach any relevant articles and describe why they should be read, and in what way they can be used by the staff.

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