We are glad to have your child in Timber Ridge’s After School Program!  It will operate as a service to the parents and students of Timber Ridge.  Its primary purpose is to provide a safe and happy place for your child to stay following the regular school day.  Beverly Miller is the Director of the program, and Barbara Myers is the Bookkeeper.  All ASP inquiries can be answered by calling the school between the hours of 3:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.  Any questions regarding your ASP account may be directed to Barbara Myers between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. 

The program will operate every day that school is in session beginning with the first day of school.  The hours will be from 2:20 P.M.-6:00 P.M.  Anyone arriving past 6:00 by the school clock will be considered late and will be charged a late fee for each child being picked up.  The late fee will be $1.00 per minute for each minute past 6:00 P.M.  A total of three late pick-ups will result in the child’s termination from the program.   

 

To pick your child up from the After School Program, please go to the PE Room (by the bus parking entrance) and sign your child out.  Please use the entrance to the hallway by the PE Room.  The ASP staff person at the desk will call for your child to meet you there.  Children must be signed out by an authorized person.  Only those persons listed on your registration card will be allowed to pick up your child.  We must strictly adhere to this policy.  Should you desire to add or delete names, please send in a note to the After School Program.  Please be prepared to show identification (picture I.D.).

TUITION:

The After School Program has a pre-payment policy.  Payment for the week is due the first day the child attends each week.  A credit will be applied whenever a child does not attend on a day for which payment has already been made.  Payments two weeks past due will result in termination from the program.  This policy will be strictly enforced.  If possible, payments should be made by the week or the month rather than daily and should be enclosed in the ASP envelope provided for your convenience (although any envelope is acceptable).  All payments must be made in the morning.  No money will be received in the afternoon.  Please adhere to this prepayment policy.  A statement will be available at the ASP desk at the end of each month.   Statements not picked up will be sent home with your child(ren).

The basic cost of the program at this time is $35.00 per week or $7.00 per day.  (This cost includes a daily snack.).  Make checks payable to Timber Ridge After School Program.  Write the child’s full name, homeroom teacher, and dates of attendance on the front of check.  This is extremely important, especially if the parent’s name is different from the child’s.  Do not put notes to the teacher or to the After School Program staff in the payment envelope.  These should be sent separately or attached to the outside of the envelope.

If you use the program on a drop-in basis, you may send payments in an envelope to the child’s classroom teacher, marked ASP.  Payment is due the day your child attends the program.

A returned check because of insufficient funds will count as a late payment.  Two returned checks will result in payment on a cash only basis for the remainder of the school year.  There will be a $25.00 charge for all returned checks.  Checks for returned checks charges must be made payable to Timber Ridge Elementary School, not the Timber Ridge After School Program.  If your child will be attending the ASP on a regular basis, please let us know whenever he or she won’t be coming for any reason.  Conversely, if your child does not normally attend, please let us know the times when we should expect attendance.  Any time your child varies from his or her pre-determined schedule, please send in two notes – one to your child’s teacher and one to the ASP – to keep everyone informed of any changes or plans.  This is extremely important for your child’s protection.  Notes involving changes need to be received by the teacher(s) first thing in the morning.

If school ever closes because of inclement weather or for any other reason, we need to know what you want your child to do.  Make sure this information is on the application form.  We will automatically send the child home on the bus, unless you indicate otherwise on the application.  However, do not request to be called, as limited time, phone lines, and personnel would make it impossible to notify all parents.  REMEMBER:  WHEN SCHOOL CLOSES, THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM CLOSES!

To make sure we have every student accounted for, please use the following guidelines: 

  1. If your child uses out program occasionally as a drop-in, you should send a note and payment on the morning he/she plans to stay.  The note should be addresses to the homeroom teacher and given to that teacher directly buy the child.   Please include the child’s first and last name.
  1. If your child stays all week or in a regular basis, you should send a note on the days they will not be attending if we would normally expect him/her to be in the program.  Address the note to the homeroom teacher.  These notes should be turned in to the teacher at the beginning of the day.
  1. On days that have special activities planned, i.e., skating parties, Girl Scouts, riding home on the bus with a friend, etc., it is still important to let us know if that event will change your child’s scheduled attendance in the ASP.
  1. If an emergency change in your child’s schedule occurs during school hours, call the school (770-640-4808) by 1:45 P.M. and report this change to the secretary.  The homeroom teacher wand the ASP need to be notified of the change.  CHANGES BY PHONE ARE TO BE ONLY IN AN EMERGENCY.  Do not leave a message on voice mail.  We cannot assure that late messages will be heard before dismissal.  A FAX message by 1:45 P.M. is most helpful (770 640-4811) so we all have the message in writing.  Repeated requests to make changes for the same child will be addressed through conversation with the ASP Director and/or Principal.  Plans for changes need to be made between parent and child before the school day starts.  This helps provide security and confidence for the child.  Changes by phone or FAX are for unusual, emergency circumstances.
  1. If you pick up your child early from school on a day they are expected at ASP, please inform the front office concerning the change.  It is the responsibility of the parent and child to make sure that the child knows what to do concerning ASP – the classroom teacher knows only if she has received a note from the parent.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES:

When special activities have been planned, i.e., skating parties, Girl Scouts, riding home on the bus with a friend, etc., it is still important to let us know if that events will change your child’s scheduled attendance in the ASP.  Once your child leaves the school grounds, he/she is not allowed to return.  In other words, any child leaving the school for another activity may NOT check in with them ASP later.

SNACKS:

Refreshments will be provided at no additional charge.  This will include milk, juice, fruit punch, cookies, chips, popcorn, ice cream, fruit, etc.  If your child has special dietary needs or allergies, please include the information on the registration form.

 

FIRST DAY: 

Send a note to the homeroom teacher or pin a note to your child’s shirt indicating he/she is to go to the After School Program. 

SCHEDULE:

 Each day your child will follow a simple schedule which will included roll call, snack, and restroom break, followed by a rotating activity, and free-play period time.  Once a student has been dismissed to the After School Program, he/she MAY NOT return to the classroom for any forgotten books or items.  

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS and DISCIPLINE GUIDELINES

 The following is a list of our general expectations for each child’s behavior:

  1. Respect shown to other children and adults
  2. Ability to follow directions
  3. Ability to sit quietly during roll call
  4. Appropriate behavior

Minor problems will be handled using methods similar to those used in the classroom such as time out and taking away privileges.  More serious incidents will be recorded on a discipline form for a parent signature.  This is called a “write-up”.

The problem will be discussed with the child and appropriate behavior will be pointed out to him.  Serious incidents which will result in a write-up include: 

  1. Fighting
  2. Hurting another child
  3. Throwing rocks, sticks, dirt, etc.
  4. Disobeying staff members
  5. Disrespect
  6. Inappropriate language – swearing
  7. Damaging or destroying school property
  8. Leaving a supervised area without permission
  9. Receiving a total of 3 checks for talking during roll call (3 checks = 1 write-up)

Because we want our program to be a positive environment for your child and all children who attend, we have developed the following consequences if the rules are not followed:

  1. First Write-Up:  A staff member will speak to the parent at pick-up time and explain the problem.  The parent will sign the discipline form.
  2. Second Write-Up:  Same as #1.
  3. Third Write-Up:  Same as #1 and #2, but in addition, the child will be suspended from the program.

Please keep in mind that the ASP may not be an appropriate place for all children.  We reserved the right to dismiss a child from the program permanently if he or she displays an inability to follow the rules and repeatedly engages in disruptive behavior which causes distress or ham to other children.   

Please discuss these behaviors and discipline guidelines with your child.  Your cooperation and support is requesting in helping us achieve a happy and safe environment for your child.  We look forward to a great year!