My Childcare Academy
Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! You can sign up for our waitlist here!

Our Waitlist

If your child has allergies, be sure to talk with us about how we’d handle your child’s particular situation.

We serve breakfast, AM snack, lunch, and PM snack. We have an eight-week menu that we rotate through to provide your children with variety. We serve mostly hot lunches, but will occasionally do cold lunches as well. We follow a meal plan to make sure we hit all of the food groups, and make most of our meals from scratch. If there are any food allergies, we use our Brightwheel app that shows a red symbol by their name. Teachers know if a child has that symbol to check on their allergy before serving them food. We do not allow food from home to enter classrooms unless prior approval has been made with a director.

If there are any food allergies, we use our Brightwheel app that shows a red symbol by their name. Teachers know if a child has that symbol to check on their allergy before serving them food. We do not allow food from home to enter classrooms unless prior approval has been made with a director.

Breastmilk: If a parent brings in breastmilk, we have a mini-fridge in our classroom for easy access. We use a bottle warmer to slowly warm it up to the desired temperature. If parents bring in more than one day's worth of breast milk we can place what is not needed for the day in the freezer within the kitchen.

Formula: : We provide Kirkland formula. If your child has sensitivity, you will need to provide your own formula. We ask that parents bring in their own bottles and enough for all of their daily feedings. Teachers will send home dirty bottles every night.

We typically start babies on purees at six months old. We can start feeding more "toddler" foods once babies are making active chewing movements and have the teeth to start chewing harder foods.

Every class has circle time where most of the curriculum is implemented—outside time, meal times, music/movement, STEAM centers (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), and reading time (independent and teacher-led).

The school has monthly themes for our curriculum broken down to related weekly themes where we teach through play and STEAM. Each class has an academic focus and sub-foci that we work on each week outside of the theme.

Ages 0-2: They follow a two-week plan with their main focus as a number (striving to be able to count to 10), shapes, and colors. Their sub-focus is letters and animals.

Age 3: Their main focus of letter and number recognition (counting to 20), and sub focus's of shapes and colors.

Ages 4-5:: This class is a kindergarten readiness room. They work on mastering their letters and numbers (counting to 100) and have a sub focus of shapes and colors.

For school-aged children: During the school year, we offer and encourage tutoring for our school-aged children. This way, children can work on getting their homework done before going home and are then able to enjoy time with their families.

Our discipline policy is all about teaching and positive redirection. We understand that different age groups express themselves differently. It’s all part of growing up! However, we encourage children of all ages to behave appropriately and respond to their antics in ways that help teach them the right way to act. Here are some of the common behaviors expressed among the different age groups as well as some of our common responses to them:

Typical behaviors in infants (birth to 11 months)

• Will cry when under stress, expressing a need, or trying to communicate.

Our Response

We attend to needs in a timely manner when they are crying. Infants may cry due to separation anxiety and like to be held. We will try to calm them by holding, singing, using their name, and talking calmly. Infants become bored if they don't receive adequate attention or stimulation. We believe in redirecting infants to another activity if there are behavioral issues.

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Typical behaviors in toddlers (12 to 23 months)

• May cry, hit, or bite to get their way or to express frustration.
• May show signs of anxiety during change.
• Enjoy exploring objects with others to establish relationships.
• Not able to understand taking turns or sharing.

Our Response

Redirection is most effective for this age. In instances where action would need to be taken, we would evaluate the environment to see if children are being over-stimulated or if there isn't enough space for children. We’d also ensure there are enough of each toy to eliminate the need of taking turns. We’d praise and use positive reinforcement. Our teachers will also model appropriate behavior for your children.

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Typical behaviors in two-year olds

• Say, "No!" a lot as a way to assert their independence.
• Not yet able to share well.
• Will use the word, "Mine" frequently.
• Exhibit mood swings.
• Not able to manage emotions.
• Enjoy peer play and joint exploration.

Our Response

Redirection is most effective for this age. Here is how we would respond to negative behavior:

• Evaluate environments to see if children are being over stimulated or if there isn't enough space for children.
• Ensure there are enough of each toy to eliminate the need of taking turns.
• Praise and positive reinforcement.
• Teachers model appropriate behavior for children.

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Typical behaviors for 3 & 4 year olds

• Have a desire to please adults.
• Learning to take turns.
• May have outbursts of emotions.
• Are independent and do well when given choices.
• Often tell on others to prove they know the rules and they want others to know the rules.
• Difficulty waiting very long, regardless of promised outcome.
• Exhibit negative and positive behavior for attention.

Our Response

Here are some actions we would take in such instances at these ages:

• Have a few simple classroom rules.
• Use behavioral problems as teaching opportunities.
• Calmly remind children of the classroom rules.
• Positive reinforcement and redirection.
• Teach empathy for their classmates.
• Preach the “Golden Rule.”

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Typical behaviors of school-age children

• Have a desire to cooperate.
• Like to play with others but also want to be recognized as an individual.
• Want to feel competent and capable.
• Like to make decisions.
• May stretch truth to meet social needs.
• Enjoy making friends.
• Like to explore what things are made of.

Our Response

• Let children help create classroom rules.
• Use consistency with rules and consequences with each child.
• Explain what was done wrong, what is expected, and how a situation could be handled better in the future.
• Let a child sit in a quiet area when needed to cool off.
• Preach and practice the "Golden Rule."

Every class is scheduled to go outside twice each day for 30-60 minutes, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. We keep the children inside if the air quality is bad or if it is raining heavily.

Yes. My Childcare Academy is not responsible for any toys from home that become lost or broken. We encourage parents to keep them home and ask children to put them away if they are brought out.

We encourage all parents and or guardians to be involved in the activities. We believe that parental participation is key to any successful child care program. At My Childcare Academy, we strive to fill the gap created during early separation and educational opportunities and when parents are not available.

We welcome parental visits! We have an open door policy that allows parents access to the center during operating hours. Here are some of the opportunities for involvement in our center. Parents are in no way limited to the involvement listed below. Any parent wishing to be involved in another area is strongly encouraged to contact the MY CHILDCARE ACADEMY office with their suggestion.

• Parent Meetings (Usually 2-3 times per year)
• Special parent’s involvement activities such as THANKSGIVING FEAST
• Party Day Volunteer
• Come and eat lunch with your child
• Classroom Volunteer
• Send special treats for snack or meals (please notify the teacher a day or two in advance)
• Reverse Field trips (When we bring a “field trip” type activity to our property)

We also expect parental involvement in behavior intervention as outlined in our policies.

All children must be picked up and clocked out by an adult and/or person approved by the parent and the center. All children must be clocked out before being picked up from their classroom. Anyone, including all parents, who are to be allowed to pick the child up, must be listed on the Pick-up Permission form or be approved in writing by a parent. In an emergency, parents may call the center and give verbal approval of an alternate individual. However, this is strongly discouraged. Anyone not recognized by sight will be asked for a picture ID. In the event anyone out of the ordinary is to pick-up the child, please alert the office prior to that time. This is in addition to them being on the Pick-up Permission form or approval as stated above. It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the office and make changes on this form whenever necessary. This form is re-done annually.

We use an app called Brightwheel. You are able to check your child in and out through the app. The teachers also are able to send you messages throughout the day, put in what your child is eating and when, if/when they nap and for how long, when we change their diaper, and if it was wet, bm, or dry. The app also allows us to send pictures and videos of your child throughout the day. The teachers will update parents at pick-up about the child's overall day.

To ensure we have necessary arrangements for teachers being in classrooms, we ask for a consistent schedule. When it comes to any changes to a child’s schedule, we ask for two weeks' notice to ensure we have enough teachers available for that time. If a child is in our care for three days or more, they are considered full-time. We do not offer part-time spots for children under 2.

If you are going to be more than five minutes late, we ask that you call or message us to let us know. A late fee of $2 per minute will be charged to your account. If your child is not at My Childcare Academy due to illness or vacation, we still charge the same to hold their spot. The tuition has already been adjusted to account for holidays that My Childcare Academy is closed on throughout the year.

These guidelines are for the welfare of all of our children. In order to provide a safe and healthy environment, we rely on our parents to monitor their children with these guidelines in mind.

• Outdoor play is essential to your child’s development. We feel that if your child is too sick to play outdoors, then they are too sick for group care.
• A child that is ill or has a temperature of 99.9 degrees or above should be kept at home.
• All children shall have direct contact with a staff member upon arrival for early detection of apparent illness, communicable disease, or unusual condition or behavior.
• A child that is too ill to remain in the center shall be supervised and cared for until the child can be cared for elsewhere.
• The child will be sent home if he/she is running a temperature of over 99.9 degrees, if he/she is vomiting or has diarrhea, or if it is suspected that he/she has a contagious disease. In the event you are called to come pick up an ill child, you must pick your child up within 45 minutes, or overtime rates will apply.
• If a child needs to be sent home and their parents are unreachable, we will call the emergency contacts listed on the Pick-up Permission form.
• The center reserves the right to request the child to see a physician or have a physician’s note prior to returning.

Toilet training is best accomplished with the cooperation of teachers, parents and children. Children learn toileting skills through consistent positive encouragement from adults at home and at the center. Toilet Training usually begins around two years of age. Each child will begin at a different time and progress at a different rate. The staff will provide documentation of your child’s progress each day. The director and staff are available as a resource to answer any questions about your child’s toilet training progress. Several complete changes of clothes should be kept on-center during this process.

5 Questions Every Parent Has About Potty Training

Every class has a cleaning list to complete throughout the day, nap time, and at closing time. When a child puts a toy in their mouth, the toy will be sanitized or put up for sanitation at a more convenient time. We use a solution of diluted bleach that meets licensing regulations. We also use a professional sanitation gun once per week to ensure our toys are cleaned and sanitized for the children.

Once all of the paperwork is filled out and we are able to guarantee a spot for your child, you will be billed a one-time $80 registration fee for each child enrolling and the first and last weeks’ tuition. Our classrooms are separated by the school year so the children will be assigned their classrooms based on their birthday. The cut-off for each age is September 2nd. As for tuition, here are our rates as of August 2021:

Tuition for infants (0-12 months): $275 per week.

Infant toddlers (12m-2 years): $275 per week.

2 year olds:Full-time is $220 per week. Part-time is $105 per week.

Preschool:Full-time is $205 per week. Part-time is $100 per week.

Pre-K: Full-time is $190 per week. Part-time is $90 per week.

Kindergarten:Full-time is $175 per week. Part-time is $85 per week.

School age:Full-time is $120 per week. Part-time is $65 per week.

For school age only in the summer: Full-time is $165 per week. Part-time is $80 per week.

We offer a discount rate of 10% off the oldest siblings’ tuition. Billing is done electronically through the Brightwheel app. You will get a notification every other Saturday with your bill and tuition is due that Monday. A $15 late payment convenience fee will be added if not paid on Tuesday by 6:30 AM. A $5 maintenance/ collection fee for each additional day will be added until the bill is paid in full. Failure to pay on time will result in termination of services. There is a $35 fee added on all returned checks. Fees for two weeks will be added if a two-week written notice is not given prior to your child leaving. We are open from 6:30am to 6:00pm. If you are early dropping off or late picking up your child there is a fee of $2 for every minute.

We pick up from certain schools in South Jordan and Herriman including Hawthorn South Jordan, Elk Meadows, Monte Vista, and Athlos Academy. Inquiries about other schools will be considered upon request. We can do AM drop offs and PM pick-ups from all the schools located in South Jordan; however, we can only offer PM pick-ups from Herriman schools. We do not transport PM kindergarten to any school.

We conduct background checks and fingerprinting on all employees. All employees complete 20 hours of training each year. We actively strive for every teacher to be current on their CPR & First aid certification. Lead teachers have their CDA (Child Development Associate) or are actively working to earn it.

Our Policy on Medications

Only directors are permitted to administer any type of medication. All medication to be given to children must be in the original bottle with the instructions clearly printed on it as provided by the doctor’s prescription or by the pharmaceutical company. All medicine including scripted and unscripted medications must be in an up-to-date bottle and not be outdated or past-dated. All prescription medication must have that child’s name on the script. All non-prescription medicine must have a permanent sticker with the child’s name and the date the medication was left at the center. A “Permission to give Medication” form needs to be filled out prior to the administration of any medication. All medicines must be personally handed to the teacher in charge at the time of arrival along with the “Permission to give Medication” form (Filled out). MY CHILDCARE ACADEMY reserves the right not to give medicines if the dosage is questionable or not according to the label. MY CHILDCARE ACADEMY reserves the right to request a doctor’s consent via handwritten prescription for any non-prescription medications. A copy of the “Authorization to Give Medication” form (example on page Z-23) along with the medication bottle and any remaining medication will be returned to the parent upon completion of the course of medication.

ALLERGIES

We must be aware of any food or other known allergies that affect your child. If your child has any known food allergies, you will need to fill out an “Allergy/Food Exemption Medical Statement” (form on page Z-21). This allows us to alert all of our staff to be on guard of their allergy. The Allergy/Food Exemption Statement must be turned into our office as soon as this allergy has been identified. This form must be updated annually. We also need to be aware of any Non-Food allergies that can affect your child. If your child has any Non-food allergies you will need to fill out a “Non-Food Allergy Medical Statement” (form on page Z-22) which must be turned in to our office as soon as this allergy has been identified. This form must be updated annually. You will also need to fill out a “Authorization to give Medication” form (Example on page Z-23) if your child requires an Epi-pen or other emergency treatment.

Yes! You may call the center, but the easiest way to check on your child is through our Brightwheel app. It should be kept updated throughout the day on your child, but if you have any questions, you are able to message your child’s teacher directly on the app.

When you first walk in, there is another door with a keycode. Only parents are allowed to have door codes. If somebody is able to come in with another parent and we do not know who they are we always check ID’s and the child’s approved pick-up list. If the person in question is not on the list we will call the child’s parents. We reserve the right to refuse anyone (parents included), if we suspect them to be under the influence.

We are licensed through the state and have to renew our license every year. We have two annual inspections every year to check that we are staying up to code.

We have a fairly small parking lot, so we created a driveline to help parents not have to back out of spaces and safely take their children into the building. You will park at the top of the driveline and walk your child into the building, check them in, and escort them to class.