MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to provide a safe, loving, Christian environment for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age in a childcare setting.  It is our desire to minister to families of Blount County by providing childcare opportunities that will enhance and develop strong Christian principles and practices.

PHILOSOPHY

The Little River Learning Center is unapologetically Christian.  Bible stories and prayer play a major role in every day activities and curriculum.  Our staff will be composed of trained and experienced Christian workers.  The facilities have been constructed to provide the most comfortable space for various activities in which your child will be engaged.  Daily routines will be consistent and will provide age appropriate activities for every child.  Developmental assessments will be taken 3 times per year allowing us to provide the very best learning atmosphere

HOURS OF OPERATION

Our center is open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  No children will be admitted before 6:00 a.m.  Any child remaining after 6:00 p.m. will be charged $5.00 for the first 5 minutes, per child and $1.00 per minute, per child for every minute following.  Any child left for more than one hour after closing without prior notification will be reported to the Department of Child and Family services and your child released to the local authorities. 

The center will close in observance of the following holidays with no reduction of tuition:

• New Years Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving 
• Friday following Thanksgiving day
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day

Should any of the above listed holidays fall on a weekend, we will close on the Friday or Monday before or after the holiday weekend.  Parents will be notified of the closings in advance so that child care arrangements can be made.

The Little River Learning Center reserves the right to close one day per year for teacher in-service training.  We will notify parents in writing minimum 8 weeks in advance to allow parents the opportunity to make other arrangements for their children. 

The center will close for inclement weather only when the Maryville City schools are closed.

MEDICATION POLICY

All medications must have original labels indicating child’s name, method of administration, and name of medication.  In order to prevent breakage medications must come plastic bottles.  A medication form must be filled out for each medication by the parent upon arrival.  This includes diaper rash creams, insect repellent, chap stick and sun screen.  Medications will be stored in locked medication boxes in either the child’s classroom or the kitchen refrigerator.  It is the parent’s responsibility to ask for medications at the end of each day.  All medication boxes will be cleaned out at the end of the day on Friday of each week.  All medications left at that time will be disposed of.  The cook will be responsible for administering all medications to students only.  Administrative staff is the alternate designated person to administer medication.  Medication forms are to be posted in the kitchen on the refrigerator.

ENROLLMENT

Children ages 6 weeks to 12 years (not to be in a grade higher than 5^th) may be enrolled in our center.  An application and a Tennessee Child Health Record showing date of last physical and current vaccinations must be completed and returned to the director with a non-refundable registration fee and one week’s tuition paid in advance.  There is a required pre-enrollment conference between the parent and the director, as well as, an orientation visit with the child, before the child’s first day.

It is the policy of our facility to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all children and staff who attend The Little River Learning Center.  If your child shows uncontrollable, aggressive or destructive behavior toward others, you will be asked to make other child care arrangements after the director gives reasonable notice. It is the desire of the Little River Learning Center staff that every child be treated as individuals.  When a child’s individual needs can not be met through positive discipline actions and the philosophies of this child development center, a conference will be necessary and options for other child care arrangements discussed.  It is at the center management’s discretion to ask that a family find alternate child care.

SECURITY

Parents are welcome in the center any time your child is in care.  The Central facility is equipped with a keypad security system that will allow only authorized personnel to enter the building during operating hours.  Parents will be informed of entrance codes to the building.  The 180 location and South locaion require all parents to sign in with the director.  All visitors will need to speak with the director or person in charge before entering the building.  At the Central location, security cameras and recorded monitoring systems will be used in each classroom.  Parents may view recorded activities up to 10 days of the requested date per the director only.

FOOD

Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack will be served at regularly scheduled times each day.  All meals and snacks will be USDA approved and nutritionally sound.  Menus will be posted each week for parents to view.  Should a parent choose to send a sack lunch, it must contain all components of a USDA approved meal in order to be served to the child unless otherwise prescribed by a physician and approved by the director.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROCEDURES

In the event your child needs emergency medical attention the Little River Learning Center will contact the parents by phone.  We need current work and home phone numbers for each parent, plus three additional phone numbers in the event both parents cannot be reached.  Should the emergency require an ambulance, 911 will be called and your child transported to Blount Memorial Hospital by an ambulance.  Immediate attention will be given to the distressed child and the director notified immediately.  The director will take responsibility for notifying both 911 and the parents or legal guardians of the child.  In the absence of the director, the assistant director will take responsibility for the injured child.