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Frequently Asked Questions

• When and how do I register my child for E.D.S.?  Applications are available to all families registered with the Mill Valley School District. When applying for E.D.S, return it as soon as possible because the programs fill up quickly.

• Can I change my child’s E.D.S. schedule? Yes. Schedules are set on a monthly basis. If you want to change your schedule a change form may be filled out at your center by the 1st of the previous month.

• Who do I call with questions? You can call the E.D.S. center that your child will be attending directly.  A director will return your call as soon as possible.

• How much does E.D.S. cost and how do I pay?  Rates are included in the enrollment packet.  Payment can be made via personal check, and some centers use the EasyDraft ACH system.   As a non-profit, E.D.S. is not part of the Mill Valley School District and is supported independently through parent fees and fundraising.

• Is E.D.S. open on days that the elementary schools are closed? Yes, with the exception of legal holidays and the summer.  See our rate sheet for more information.

• Do you have a drop-in option? Yes, drop-in care is available. All drop-in’s must be enrolled in E.D.S. prior to attending. Drop-in is always dependent upon space availability. Requests for drop-in care should be made at least 24 hours in advance.

• Do I need to call E.D.S. on days that my child is sick and/or will not attend? Yes. We expect your child to attend E.D.S. on the days they are scheduled unless we hear from a parent. 

• Are there other forms to complete after I send in my registration form? After your application is processed by your E.D.S., you will need to complete Bright Horizons and State forms.  Required forms are available in the document section of each center website and in paper format upon request. Please review all materials thoroughly and return all completed forms promptly. All forms must be received prior to your child attending E.D.S.

How can I obtain information about tuition?

Tuition varies by center, schedule and by individual classroom. To find out more information about tuition, please contact the center directly.

Are all staff trained in CPR and First Aid?

All Bright Horizons staff are trained regularly in CPR, even if not required by the state. First Aid is taught as required by state licensing agency/regulations so that you can feel confident that your child is safe and receiving the best care possible at our center.

Can I visit my child at the center anytime I’d like to?

Yes, Bright Horizons has an open door policy.  You are encouraged to visit your child anytime.

I'm not quite ready to enroll in the center but I am interested in continuing to hear about what is happening at the center. How can I get information more regularly?

We encourage any family interested in center information, regular updates and invitations to the many events we are planning, to contact us.

Where can I learn more about other Bright Horizons locations?

To find other locations, please visit www.brighthorizons.com/locator.

Policy: Absences from EDS

Extended Day Services Absence Notification Policy

The E.D.S. campuses of Marin Day Schools take your child’s safety very seriously. It is essential that children are accounted for on days they are scheduled to attend our programs. When a child does not check-in as expected after school or after an activity, it is cause for alarm and immediate reaction by school staff to locate the missing child. As such, parental failures to notify the center, in advance, of any absence impacts our orderly operations and cannot be permitted.

Parents are expected to notify an E.D.S. faculty member prior to all absence, for any reason, including illnesses, emergencies, vacations, scheduled play dates, early pick-ups from school, or pick-ups directly from an enrichment activity on a day he/she is enrolled at E.D.S.

Failure of a parent to provide appropriate notice shall be subject to the following:

□ FIRST TIME: You will receive a written warning notice from the director. This notice is recorded in your child’s file at school.

□ SECOND TIME: You will receive a second written warning notice from the director.

□ THIRD TIME: You will receive your third and final written warning notice from the director, and will be required to sign an acknowledgement of our policy as a condition for your child’s continued enrollment. At this time, your child’s enrollment is in jeopardy. This is the last warning.

□ FOURTH TIME: Your child will be disenrolled from Extended Day Services (E.D.S.) immediately, and his/her space will be offered to a student on the Wait List.

We hope parents understand the compelling need for strict adherence to this policy in light of the safety concerns involved and the disruption of our orderly operations resulting from unreported absences, so that we can properly focus our efforts on your children and our program.

Policy: Late Pickups

MARIN DAY SCHOOLS EDS STATEMENT ON LATE PICK UPS

The EDS Campuses of Marin Day Schools close at 6:30pm everyday. This means that your child must be totally ready to go home, with gear packed up, prior to that time. It means that all students, parents, and staff must be out the door by that time. Therefore, we require that all parents (babysitters and guardians) arrive at school by 6:20pm daily (at least 10 minutes BEFORE closing) so that your child has a few minutes to have a smooth transition.

This policy is also in effect for the 2:50 kindergarten transition – parents need to be picking up their child before 3:00pm. It is important for the children to have transition time at drop off and at pick-up. This also enables you to chat with the teacher and gather all your child’s projects and belongings. In addition, at 2:50 pm, MDS/EDS has another class beginning, whose safety is dependent upon maintaining proper teacher-child ratios and classroom occupancy maximums.

While we understand that emergencies and unexpected situations do occur from time to time, we must be very strict about late pick-ups. This procedure is designed to take into account occasional problems but also addresses the situation. If there is some type of common problem, we will not put this policy into practice for that day. If a group of parents arrive late with the same explanation or we hear about a traffic or emergency situation over the radio, we will not enforce the policy for that day.

We have had to establish this policy to address the people who repeatedly cannot seem to arrive on time. When you are late it affects everyone, but it is especially difficult for your child who is tired and really ready to go home. It can mean we cannot meet safe teacher-child ratios, and personally affect the teachers and their families or plans for the evening. Therefore, we ask for your understanding and full cooperation regarding this policy. Thank you.

FIRST TIME: You will receive this written notice with our late pick up policy from the office.  This is your warning.

SECOND TIME: You will receive a written notice from the office and must pay $1.00 for each child per minute that you are late. This fee is paid directly to the office and must be paid within 48 hours for your child to attend. This payment is to cover the cost of time our school is paying our teachers for overtime or going over their scheduled hours. This is your second warning.

THIRD TIME: You will receive a written notice and must pay $1.00 for each child per minute that you are late. Once again, this fee is paid directly to the office and must be paid within 48 hours in order for your child to attend. This payment is to cover the cost of time our school is paying our teachers for overtime or going over their scheduled hours This is your last warning. If you are late one more time, your child will be dropped from the MDS/EDS program.

FOURTH TIME: Your child will no longer be permitted to attend this facility. This is very sad, unfortunate, and difficult for all of us as the child is important to us and never responsible for the situation.

What is The World At Their Fingertips?

Bright Horizons curriculum, The World at Their Fingertips, is our unique curriculum designed to engage children in active learning that prepares them for school while helping them achieve their individual potential and fostering a spirit of community. It includes curriculum elements such as Language Works, Math Counts, Science Rocks, ArtSmart, Our World and Well Aware that cross all age groups. For more on information on our curriculum, click here.

Policy: Onsite Enrichment & Activities

 Bright Horizons Family Solutions/Marin Day Schools EDS
Enrichment Acknowledgement and Activity Policy

Bright Horizons/Marin Day Schools E.D.S. provides an array of wonderful experiences for the children. In addition, children may also participate in enrichment or recreational programs outside of E.D.S. The Parks and Recreation Department offer on-site enrichment classes at each campus as well as Brownies, Girl Scouts and sport programs. Please read the following policies if your child is going to participate in any activity that takes place on their regular scheduled E.D.S. day:

· Children will not be released to after school activities without prior written notification from parents.

· Enrichment class teachers/coaches/troop leaders’ names must be added onto child’s Bright Horizons/Marin Day Schools E.D.S. Emergency Card as an authorized pick up for that class (first and last name).

· All children must be picked up and signed out by a designated enrichment teacher or other authorized adult.

· Children scheduled to return to Bright Horizons/Marin Day Schools E.D.S. must be walked back and signed in to E.D.S. by the designated enrichment teacher or other authorized adult.

· Parents need to notify their E.D.S. center if their child will be picked up directly from the after school activity.

· Bright Horizons/Marin Day Schools E.D.S. is not responsible for missed enrichment classes.

· Bright Horizons/Marin Day Schools E.D.S. is not responsible for children once they have been released from our care and direct supervision.

Our priority is for the safety of every child in our care and it is critical that the E.D.S. faculty know where each child is at all times.

I'm interested in applying for a job at this center. Is there someone I can contact?

For job listings and to complete the application process, please visit www.brighthorizons.com/careers.

What is Bright Horizons' process on checking the background of their employees?

Bright Horizons conducts a comprehensive background check on all prospective employees and frequent visitors. The background check consists of a county criminal record check for the past seven years performed in all counties that a person has lived, worked or attended school. In addition to the county criminal search , a sex offender search, OFAC search and a social security verification trace are also conducted. For all location employees, program licensing background checks required by the state are also performed.

Does Bright Horizons offer discounts to military families?

Tuition assistance for eligible military families is available at participating Bright Horizons’ centers when on-base care is not available. You can find more information and a map of participating centers here. 

Are you allowing prospective parents to visit centers?

Yes! Prospective parents can schedule a center visit by completing our Tuitions and Openings form from our center website. 

How is Bright Horizons ensuring the health and safety of families and staff at our centers?

At all of our centers, rigorous health and safety practices are a foundation of the way we care for children. These include:

• An illness and daily health check policy that strives to mitigate the spread of illnesses
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces and toys; frequent laundering of soft items 
• Regular maintenance of the center, equipment, and supplies, updating and replacing items as needed 
• Secure entrances to all centers 
• Strict handwashing and sanitary policies to prevent the spread of illnesses 
• Curriculum that emphasizes healthy practices for children 

Strict safety and security procedures are designed to keep our families and staff protected. 

What are the educational goals of Bright Horizons?

During your search for the perfect child care partner, this is among the most important questions you can ask.  For over 30 years, we’ve been a company that is guided by our HEART Principles and an unerring belief in putting children first. 

At Bright Horizons, we know that childhood is a treasured time. We believe it is our responsibility to provide environments and experiences that capture the joys of childhood, nurture each child’s individual growth and development, and pave the way for success in school and life. We promise to:

• Nurture and care for the whole child
• Craft and integrated curriculum based on expert research
• Support and develop each teacher
• Implement an emergent, inquiry-based approach to learning
• Cultivate curiosity and creativity through projects, exploration, and play
• Encourage children to be confident experimenters and problem solvers
• Build an inclusive and respectful community
• Create joyful places for childhood

Can children with special needs enroll in a Bright Horizons center?

Yes! Bright Horizons strives to and has successfully accommodated a wide range of special needs and individual differences in our group programs.  We believe in inclusive programs that attempt to meet the needs of a wide range of children and which focus on each child’s strengths. We support a collaborative team approach – the teacher, director, specialists, and parents. The team will work closely together to try to maximize each child’s opportunities for learning, growth, and development, and to attempt to eliminate any barriers or safety issues which a group program may present.

Does Bright Horizons perform background checks on its employees?

The safety of the children in our care is our highest concern.  Bright Horizons maintains stringent hiring practices and conducts criminal background checks on all teachers and caregivers in our centers. This check includes a criminal record search and a cross-reference check to determine prior convictions or other records of criminal activity that would call into question an employee’s’ suitability to care for children. Additional elements of our required background checks include verification through the Office of Foreign Asset Control and Sexual Offender Database Search. The frequency for updating criminal background checks for employees depends on state or other center-specific requirements.

What is The World At Their Fingertips?

Our research-based World at Their Fingertips® curriculum meets children where they are developmentally, with Signature Practices that build confidence and excitement about learning at every age and stage. In every classroom, our goal is to help children do more than learn; it’s to cultivate the joy of learning. And our emergent approach — teaching skills by leveraging a child’s own interests — enables teachers to tailor activities and projects for the specific talents and needs of each child in the class. Learn more about our specialized programs for babies, toddlers and preschool children, and how we prepare children for school and life beyond. 

Are all staff trained in CPR and First Aid?

All Bright Horizons center staff are trained in CPR and first aid.  Once an employee is hired, they are required to fulfill 16 hours of training through our new employee orientation. This training takes place over a two-day period, where the employee spends time observing each age group in the center. Teachers must successfully complete first aid and CPR training, in addition to local licensing and/or Department of Health requirements (e.g., food handler safety card.)

I'm interested in applying for a job at this center. Is there someone I can contact?

Absolutely! Named one of Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 20 times, we are proud of the environment we create for our educators. We are always looking for great teachers, and offer competitive benefits and innovative programs. like our Horizons Teacher Degree program. For job listings and to complete the application process, please visit the Bright Horizons jobs and careers page at https://careers.brighthorizons.com. 

Where can I learn more about other Bright Horizons locations?

We have many centers across the US, and each center reflects the unique personality of its leadership and community. To find the best fit for you and your family find a child care center near you.

I'm not quite ready to enroll in the center but I am interested in continuing to hear about what is happening at the center. How can I get information more regularly?

We encourage any family interested in center information, regular updates, and invitations to the many events we are planning, to contact us.

What is NAEYC accreditation?

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed standards to define and recognize quality child care programs. In order to be accredited, a child care program must meet a variety of strict criteria, including having a well-trained faculty, good staff-child ratios and group sizes, and a comprehensive curriculum, as well as meet stringent health and safety standards. The program must also provide meaningful opportunities for family involvement.

What if I’d like to enroll but the center doesn’t have space available?

Finding the right daycare and early education solution can be a lengthy process. Our best recommendation is to start early! Even if your preferred Bright Horizons center doesn’t currently have space available, we still recommend registration for your first choice center.  At Bright Horizons, you can register at up to three locations. Once registered, we will add you to our wait list and you will be offered a space as soon as one is available. For many families on a wait list, Bright Horizons offers the ability to enroll at a nearby center on a temporary basis, or until your first choice center becomes available. If you’d like further advice on how to find the best preschool for your family, take a listen to our webinar on finding a quality preschool program.