Employee
Handbook
Table of Contents
I Mission Statement
II Statement of Purpose
III Position Descriptions
IV Requirements
V Training
VI Probationary Period
VII Vacation/Sick Leave
VIII Illness
IX Insurance
X Terminating Employment
XI Signature Page
Mission Statement:
Moments of Joy Infant & Child Learning Center, LLC will provide quality
child care and create a safe, fun environment for children to learn,
grow, and develop. It is also our mission at Moments of Joy to show
the love of Christ to each child and their family, to instill Biblical truths
in their hearts, and to provide families with the tools the Bible lays out
for how to raise a family.
Statement of Purpose:
Positions:
Lead Teacher – is responsible for writing and implement lesson plans,
completing developmental assessments on the children twice a year.
Children will be assessed by the lead teacher, along with input from the
assistant teacher and other staff, within the first month of the child’s
enrollment. The lead teacher will present findings to the parents of the
children in his/her classroom. A meeting will be held with the
directors/owners and the parents to review the results and design a
plan of action.
Lead teachers are also responsible to give direction to the assistant
teacher and other support staff working in their classroom, manage
children’s behavior in a positive manner, being prepared for each day’s
lessons, showing lesson plans to directors/owners by Friday of each
week for the following week, changing out toys and areas as necessary
to keep negative behaviors at a minimum and to create enthusiasm and
exploration among the children.
The lead teacher will be responsible of gathering anecdotal evidence of
growth and progress of the children in their classroom.
The lead teacher, along with the assistant teacher, will aide in serving
meals and feeding children, eating with the children, collect data on
any concerning behaviors or delays of children in their classroom, and
completing diaper changes as well as toileting needs.
The lead teacher will work with any and all special services staff to help
identify a delay/disability in a child in their classroom and to develop a
plan of action to help the child progress and be successful. The lead
teacher will also implement any strategies, techniques or resources any
special services staff member indicates is necessary for the success and
progress of any assessed child.
The lead teacher will design, implement, and follow a predictable
classroom schedule daily.
A lead teacher must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Early
Childhood Education, Child Development and Family Studies, or Early
Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. It is preferred that a
lead teacher in the two, three, and four year old classrooms hold at
least a Bachelor’s degree in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special
Education. The exception to this requirement is with infant and one
year old lead teachers. Those teachers can hold a WVIT, ACDS, or CDA
in lieu of a college degree.
Assistant Teacher:
Assistant teachers will aid the lead teacher in writing and implementing
the lesson plans, managing children’s behaviors in a positive manner,
assisting with diapering and/or toileting of children, help collect
anecdotal examples of growth and progression, feeding and serving
meals, organizing the room for current and future lesson plans,
cleaning of toys weekly, cleaning of mats/cots weekly, play with the
children during free choice times when children indicate they want
adult involvement, help to keep the classroom neat and orderly in
general.
The assistant teacher will take the lead teacher’s position when he/she
is absent.
All assistant teachers must hold either an Associate’s degree in Early
Childhood or Child Development and Family Studies, a ACDS, or a CDA.
Support Staff/Floaters:
Support Staff/floater will assist the lead teacher and assistant teacher
as indicated by lead teacher, assistant teacher, PIC, and/or
director/owners. In the event a support staff/floater is filling in a
classroom due to a regular staff absence, the support staff/floater will
take on the position of the assistant teacher.
PIC (Person in Charge):
There are 2 PIC’s:
1. Kitchen
2. Center
The kitchen PIC will oversee all food prep, serving, cleaning and
cooking. This person is responsible for making sure the center is
following all the rules and regulations of the Health Department.
Should a member of the Health Department come into the center to do
an inspection, the kitchen PIC will be the person responsible for
answering all the Health Department’s representative’s question.
The center PIC, will perform all duties of the directors/owners in their
absence until such time as they return. Those duties include but are
not limited to overseeing staff:child ratios, contacting parents for
children’s illnesses/injuries, double checking attendance against the
check in system, accepting tuition payments, moving staff around as
needed, answering phones, answering parent’s questions, and
reporting any issues to the directors/owners in their absence.
Special Services Staff (SLP, OT, ABA, Music Therapies):
Special services staff will perform an assessment indicative to their area
of therapy on children whom either the directors/owners or the
parents have requested. Upon completing the assessment, the special
services staff member will present findings to the directors/owners
and/or parents. A plan of action will be formulated and implemented
within one week of speaking with the parents.
Special services staff will direct the lead teacher, assistant teacher, and
any support staff working in the assessed child’s classroom on
techniques, strategies, and resources to help the child make progress.
The special services staff with work in conjunction with the lead teacher
in an assessed child’s room to gain information on the child and to view
observations of the lead teacher’s concerns.
Special services staff will conduct quarterly assessments to chart
progress of all assessed children under their discipline. A special service
staff member may use any assessment tool they are comfortable with
and knowledgeable of to complete this task. Special services staff will
keep daily notes on any child they are working with. These notes
should include activities attempted, outcomes of the activities, data on
the activities and list of activities, strategies, techniques or resources
given to the lead teacher. The special service staff member will also
give weekly updates to parents along with activities to complete at
home to ensure continuity of services over weekends, vacations, or
long holidays.
Special Services Staff must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree in their
area of discipline. And with the exception of the music therapist, all
special services staff must possess correct and current certification in
their discipline area.
Custodian:
The custodian will clean (sweep, vacuum, mop, wipe down tables,
chairs and shelves, wipe down water fountains) the area used for the
center on a nightly basis. The restrooms will be cleaned daily. The
gym/sanctuary area will be swept and mopped on Friday evenings only.
The custodian will vacuum the office and wipe down keyboards of
computers and wipe off desks in the office.
The custodian will wipe sweep and mop the employee area daily as well
as wipe down the counter area.
Requirements:
All lead teachers will complete developmental assessments on all
children within one month of the child
All lead teachers will write and implement lesson plans. Plans are to be
presented to the directors/owners on Friday of the week prior to the
plans intended implementation.
All lead teachers and assistant teachers will eat breakfast and lunch
with their classroom, modeling proper table manners, appropriate
conversations, and quizzing them on age appropriate academics and/or
discussing the day’s Bible lesson.
All staff will work with special services staff to ensure success, progress,
and proper development of children on their case loads.
To request time off, a request must be made to the directors/owners as
soon as the employee discovers time off will be required.
Directors/owners may deny any request due to lack of coverage in the
room the employee is assigned, so, it is in the employee’s best interest
to get the request in as soon as possible.
No employee is allowed to work with children if they have a fever
greater than 100 degrees, has a communicable disease, is vomiting, or
has diarrhea. For an employee to return to work, they must be fever
free and symptom free for at least 24 hours. If the employee has been
put on antibiotics for an illness, they employee must be on the
antibiotics for at least 24-48 hours before returning to work.
If for any reason an employee cannot make it to work due to illness,
weather, etc., the employee must call the directors/owners as soon as
it is determined they will unable to come to work.
All staff members must use the center’s approved curriculum entitled
‘Pinnacle’. Other resources such as Creative Curriculum, Teaching
Strategies, Reggio Amelia, and/or Montessori techniques.
All employees must wear conservative style clothing – no mid drifts,
excessive cleavage, or back sides may be shown. Staff may choose to
wear ‘scrub’ shirts and/or pants as well. Blue jeans may be worn as
long as they are appropriate. No clothing may be worn that has curse
words, graphic pictures, or inappropriate sayings on them. It is
recommended that comfortable, enclosed shoes be worn at all times.
Employees working in the infant and one year old room may wear
house slippers that are used only inside the center.
All employees must enter their assigned classrooms and be ready to
begin their work day at their assigned time. If an employee needs to
gather supplies or get ready for the day, they may do so but prior to
their assigned work time. Time will be given each day to lead teachers
to work on lesson plans as well as gather supplies.
Employees may have drinks in the classrooms provided they are in a
container with a locking lid and are placed out of reach of the children.
All cleaning supplies must be kept out of reach of the children.
Water must be made to children upon their request.
All allergies in any given classroom must be plainly posted on the
entrance door to the classroom and again near the eating area in each
classroom. Do not include the child’s name with the allergy but simply
list the allergies in that classroom and post it.
All employees must have a criminal background check, TB test, and
Croup vaccine.
All employees must possess and keep current a CPR/First aide
certification and a food handler’s card.
Any employee arrested for any reason, must inform the
directors/owners within 24 hours of arrest. Any employee arrested and
convicted of a felony will be dismissed from employ and will not be
rehired for any reason.
All employees must clock in and out using the center’s system. All
employees who work an 8 hour shift will be given a half hour off the
clock break away from children and two 15 minute breaks on the clock.
Due to the number of children in each room and child care licensing
staff to child ratio requirements, 2 adults must be in each room at all
times. If an employee needs to step out of their room for any reason
they must notify the office in order to get coverage during their
absence from the room. The only time when ratios may go down is
during the children’s rest time.
All employees must register with the WV S.T.A.R.S. program and take at
least 1 class per quarter.
All employees will read, make themselves familiar, and follow all child
care licensing rules and regulations.
Trainings:
Both in house/center and out of center trainings will be offered. Due
to child care licensing S.T.A.R. requirements, all employees must
participate by taking classes on a regular basis. Other trainings will be
offered as the center is able to afford by sending employees to
conferences and week long trainings such as ‘Celebrating Connections’.
Probationary Period:
All employees will complete a 90 day probationary period, during which
attendance, how well the employee adheres to child care licensing
rules and regulations, as well as following Moments of Joy Infant and
Child Learning Center policies and procedures will be looked at and
considered. At the end of the 90 day period, the employee will meet
with the directors/owners and review their probationary period. If the
probationary period has been positive then the employee will begin
accumulating vacation days, which can be used after their 1 year
anniversary hire date, and the employee may decide to either
participate in the center’s insurance plan.
After the 90 day probationary period, employees will be reviewed at six
(6) months and then on their anniversary hire date. After one year of
service has been completed, employees will be reviewed yearly on their
anniversary hire date thereafter.
Vacation/Sick Leave
Employees will begin earning paid vacation days after their 90 day
probationary period is over with. One week (5 days) of paid vacation
time will be earned over the course of the first year of service and will
be available to be used after their one year anniversary hire date.
Employees who gain 5 years of service will be given 2 weeks (10 days)
of vacation time to begin after their anniversary hire date.
Paid sick leave will not be available during the first year of service.
However, 2 days will be made available after one year of service and
will increase by one day for each year of service after that but not to
exceed 5 days total.
Illness:
No employee may work if they have a fever greater than 100 degrees, a
communicable disease, are vomiting or have diarrhea. Employees must
be fever, vomit, and diarrhea free for 24 hours before returning to
work. Employees who have been prescribed antibiotics must be on the
medication for at least 24-48 hours prior to returning to work.
If any employee discovers they are sick and are unable to work, the
employee needs to make the directors/owners aware of the inability to
work as soon as possible.
Insurance:
After the 90 day probationary period, employees will be offered the
opportunity to participate in the center’s health insurance plan.
Moments of Joy will cover a portion of each employee’s premium.
Terminating Employment:
Any staff who wishes to leaves the employ of Moments of Joy Infant
and Child Learning Center need to provide a two week notice in writing
to the directors/owners. The employee will be paid for time worked
within 48 hours after the last day worked. No employee will be paid for
vacation time or sick leave earned. When an employee leaves
Moments of Joy’s employ, they forfeit this benefit.
Signature Page
I, ________________________________________________, have
received, read, and understand the
Employee’s Handbook for Moments of Joy Infant and Child Learning
Center. I received a copy of the handbook on ___________________.
Employee Signature
Date
__________________________________________________________
Moments of Joy Infant and Child Learning Center Signature
Date