Each day the curriculum will provide activities and experiences that foster:
We hope to create a welcoming environment for you and your family to be engaged in your child’s early learning journey. Our doors are always open. Feel free to visit the center to have lunch with your child, volunteer your time and participate in special programs and activities. As your child’s first and most important teacher, your participation is a valuable addition to your child’s success.
Our children are required to spend at least 60 minutes outside playing each day, 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. If the weather is poor (raining or snowing excessively, below 24 degrees with wind chill or above 90 degrees with heat index) they will have physical activity indoors.
To ensure that each child receives individual attention, and in accordance with Indiana licensing requirements, Grand Tots’s teacher-to-child ratios are as follows.
| Age | Ratio |
| School Age | 1 teacher for 4 children, Max of 8 children per class |
| 5 year | 1 teacher for 5 children, Max of 10 children per class |
| 3 years | 1 teacher for 10 children, Max of 20 children per class |
| 4 years | 1 teacher for 12 children, Max of 24 children per class |
Consistency is important for young children. Each child will be with the same teacher and peers for the majority of each day. Sometimes classrooms are combined for short periods of time early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Providing quality care is not only important for your child but also for your peace of mind. At Grand Tots each staff member is carefully chosen and has to meet the following requirements.
Background
Grand Tots carefully reviews each candidate’s qualifications and background. A criminal history as well as a child protection services check is completed on each potential staff member.
Training, Education and Experience
Lead teachers must have or be enrolled in an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree program. Assistant teachers must have or be enrolled in a Child Development Associates credential program.
Professional Development
Grand Tots is committed to the education and development of each staff member. All teachers are trained in Universal Precautions, First-Aid and CPR and must keep up with regular re-certifications. All staff are also required to continue their education through regular trainings. A minimum of 20 hours of training is required annually. Additionally, Grand Tots employs Quality Coaches who work directly with teachers in their classrooms to help them enhance their teaching skills.
Grand Tots Childcare Centers use a positive approach that helps children exercise self-discipline to solve behavior problems. Physical punishment of any type is prohibited. Teachers communicate to children using positive statements. Children are encouraged to use and develop their words so they can find solutions to resolve conflicts. Teachers will use redirection, make classroom adjustments, and offer individual support through role modeling and positive reinforcement.
If a child’s behavioral problem persists, Grand Tots calls upon the parents to help. The center director will ask for a parent conference to discuss the situation. It is our goal to maintain a safe environment for all children and staff. If behavior poses a danger to the child or to others, the request of the parent to come and pick up the child will be made.
Yes! We serve a nutritious breakfast, morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack each day. Our balanced meals are designed to include fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, while limiting the amount of sugars and processed foods. Our menus are approved by a certified nutritionist and meet the Gold Standard from the United States Department of Agriculture for Child Nutrition Programs. Additionally, our culinary staff are Serv-Safe certified to ensure food safety..
If your child has specific dietary needs or restrictions, we will work with you to create a healthy meal plan for your child. Please provide the center director with a signed note from your physician (for health-related dietary restrictions) or a note from you (for religious dietary restrictions) stating restrictions so that appropriate arrangements may be made to accommodate your child.
Both licensing and the Federal Food Program require our children to be served meals and snacks that are prepared in our kitchen or catered by a licensed vendor. Grand Tots cannot serve sack lunches or food items brought in by parents.
If you wish to bring in special snacks or treats on your child’s birthday, you may do so as long as the food is purchased from a store. Candles and peanut products are not permitted.
If your child has any of the following symptoms, you will need to wait 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided, without the aid of medication, before returning him or her to the center:
Because the cost of operating the center is ongoing, your regular weekly fee is due even if your child is absent due to illness or other cause..
Families can take two weeks of vacation time at 50% of cost each year. To qualify, you must have attended a center for at least 3 months, leave must consist of 5 consecutive business days, and you must give advance notice to the center.
Indiana State Board of Health regulations require Grand Tots to keep up-to-date immunization records on all children enrolled. Please help Grand Tots stay in compliance by supplying these records after every well-child visit to your medical provider.
Grand Tots strives to serve our working families. Grand Tots centers are closed in observance of the following holidays:
As an essential service to working parents, Grand Tots Childcare Centers will not close for severe weather, including snow, unless there is an official mandate to stay off the roads. In the event of an emergency closing, the center administrator will attempt to contact all parents. Do not rely on the TV networks; they aren’t updated as frequently.
We do not refund for snow closings. If there is a problem with one of our facilities and we must close, we will help place your child in another Grand Tots Center, space permitting. If your child does not attend another center during that kind of closing, we will refund the cost of the day(s) affected.
Weekly fees are due the Friday before the week being covered. A late charge will be applied if the fee isn’t paid by end of day on Tuesday of the week being covered. Click here to learn more about our rates and fees.
Payments are due on the first of each month. A $15.00 late fee will be charged after the 10th. Unpaid tuition will forfeit your child’s placement in the classroom. Special arrangements may be made with the office for an alternate payment plan, if deemed necessary.
The above fees are for services provided from 7am-6pm. A late fee will be charged for any child picked up after 6 PM according to the following schedule: $5 up to 6:05; $10 up to 6:15; $15 up to 6:30; and $5 more for every 15 minutes, thereafter.
Additional days may be added, when necessary with Director approval, and are billed at a rate of $25.00/full-time; $15.00/part-time per day for Preschool & Pre-K.
A fee of $20.00 will be charged for each bounced check received. If two bounced checks are received within a year, payment must be made utilizing money orders from that point on, as no further checks will be accepted.
Grand Tots Daycare accepts the following methods of payment: cash, checks, money orders, debit cards and Discover, Visa, and MasterCard credit cards. Money orders and checks cannot be accepted on online, but still are accepted as in-center payments.
We do not store your financial account information (debit card/credit card) on our servers. If you choose to set up a payment account, your payment information is maintained by PayPal on their secure servers embedded within our website. PayPal is our independent electronic processor, and they fully comply with federal regulations.
You can pay all fees and tuition charges assessed by the center online, including registration, tuition, learning adventures, summer and late fees.
All tuition is due in advance of services rendered. Recurring payments are withdrawn from the parent account on Monday for weekly payers and on the 2nd of the month for monthly payers. In-center tuition payments are due close of business the Friday prior to service for weekly payers and by the 2nd of the month for monthly payers.
Once you have submitted your payment, you can print a receipt by clicking Printable View, and selecting File > Print from your web browser. If you lost your receipt or need another copy after you log off, call the center during normal business hours.
Yes, you are able to set up another person (an additional parent or legal guardian) to help pay your account. Please remember that you are the primary account holder and are responsible for all tuition payments, no matter who else is authorized to help make payments. Be aware that as the primary account holder, any returned payment fees posted to the account due to another payer’s returned payment are your responsibility.
Payments made online via PayPal will clear your bank account within five days of payment initiation. Payments made online via PayPal will show up on your statement as “GRAND TOTS WEB PAYMENT” in the area where other electronic debits and credits appear. You will be able to reconcile the payment by the date and dollar amount.
If two children are enrolled under the same primary sponsor, tuition fees are billed together.
If you have questions about tuition and openings or want to schedule a tour, please tell us about yourself and Cheryl Reynolds, Executive Director, will contact you shortly. To contact us directly, please call (219) 374 – 6025 or via email at grandtots101@aol.com.
