Lago Vista Academy is open year-round, Monday through Friday from 6:30 am until 6:30 pm with the exception of holidays. See Holiday Closing Notice located/posted in the office for specific dates when the school is closed. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the holiday will be taken on a Friday or Monday. The following holidays are observed:

New Year's Eve | New Year's Day | Good Friday | Memorial Day | Independence Day | Labor Day | Thanksgiving Day Before | Thanksgiving Day | Thanksgiving the Day After | Christmas Eve | Christmas Day | Christmas Day after | Columbus Day | President's Day

Registration/Enrollment fee: This is an annual fee that covers administration costs and guarantees your child a place at LVA. It is non-refundable.

Tuition Due Dates: Tuition is payable in advance of care to be rendered and is due on the first (1st) day of each month. If the first (1st) falls on a weekend, payment is due the first school day of the month.

Late Fees: If tuition is not paid by the due date, a late fee of $20 per day will be assessed and your child will not be allowed to attend Lago Vista Academy until the account is made current.

We accept VISA, M/C, and Discover Card, personal checks, or cash. If paid by cash, you must receive a receipt from the LVA Director or LVA Staff and retain for your records. LVA cannot guarantee credit for cash payment without a receipt. Tuition is not subject to refund or pro-ration for illness, vacation, holidays, or emergency closure of the facility.

Returned Checks: If your check is returned unpaid for any reason, you will be assessed a $40 returned check fee. If your check is returned marked "NSF" you will be required to pay the original amount and the fee by an alternate method. A second "NSF" will require all future payments to be made with Credit Card, Cash or Cashier's check.

Attendance (Vacation, Sick, Absent, Holidays, or Emergency Closure): If your child will not be attending school due to illness or any other reason for being absent, please notify the office as soon as possible so the day's activities won't be held up waiting for your child to arrive. (Please remember, Tuition is not subject to refund or pro-ration for illness, vacation, holidays, or emergency closure of the facility)

Vacation Notice: I agree to give the LVA Director, or my child's teacher, two (2) weeks’ notice of my intention to take a vacation.

The monthly tuition fee is payable in advance of your child's care. If you plan to withdraw your child from LVA, we require a 30-day written notice. We do not offer pro-ration or refunds for early withdrawal. You will sign an 'ADMISSION CONTRACT', the contract will continue until LVA has received a written a 30-day written notice to terminate this contract.

Arrivals: Children are to arrive prior to 9:30AM. This assures a facilitated program and your child’s presence in all activities. Classroom schedule begins at 8:00 AM and formal instruction begins at 9:30 AM. Latecomers are a distraction to the environment and feel left out if they have missed anything. If your child will be arriving after 9:30AM, please call Lago Vista Academy by 8:30AM.

Departure: Children will be released only to their parents unless the center has been notified otherwise at least two hours before their departure. Persons not listed on the emergency card must show state issued identification. LVA will not release your child to any person who is not listed as an emergency contact or contingency release designee, (Admission Information Form). It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to notify LVA Director in writing, and in advance of child pick-up, if a contingency designee is being added or deleted.

Court Order: If there is a court order keeping one parent of guardian away from the child. We must have a copy of said court order in our files to that effect. Otherwise, we cannot prevent the non-custodial parent from picking up the child. Copies of legal documents must be provided before any staff member can actively prevent non-custodial parents/guardians from picking up their children.

LVA opens at 6:30 AM and closes promptly at 6:30 PM. If you know you will be late, please call your Contingency Designee to pick up your child and notify LVA staff as well. The late fee is $10 for the first 5 minutes and $1.00 per minute after that.

Late Pickup Fee: The late pickup fee is a penalty and does not constitute an agreement to provide after-hours services, nor will the late fee be applied toward tuition. The late pickup fee is payable to staff on duty caring for your child.

Extreme & Chronic Lateness to Picking Up Your Child: If you fail to pick up your child or contact LVA staff, and no contingency release can be reached, please understand thirty (30) minutes after closing time, or in accordance with state regulations, Lago Vista Academy staff member may/will release your child to the custody of Child Protective Services or other local authorities.

Parent / School Communication: If you would like to get in contact with the Director or LVA Staff with any questions or inquiries during school hours, please feel free to reach out to the contact information below:

Email: lagovista.academy@yahoo.com

Office Phone: (512) 267-1886

Communication is a vital link between home and school. Consistent communication with staff is important to provide the most effective program for a child. We recommend that any special instructions regarding your child be made in writing and given to the Director or the child's teacher. Messages intended to be verbally relayed by children can often at times be misunderstood. Parents/guardians are always welcome to stop and briefly discuss the child's day with classroom staff.

Please Note: Teachers at LVA do not give out their personal cell phone numbers. If you would like to reach your child’s teacher, please call the Office Phone with any questions for them

The following is the discipline and guidance policy that is followed by the Lago Vista Academy based on the Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Chapters 746 and 747, Subchapters L, Discipline and Guidance.

❖ Discipline must be:

1. Individualized and consistent for each child.

2. Appropriate to the child's level of understanding.

3. Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.

❖ A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:

1. Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior.

2. Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements.

3. Redirecting behavior using positive statements.

4. Using brief supervised separation or time out from the group, when appropriate for the child's age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the child's age.

❖ There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child. The following types of discipline and guidance are prohibited:

1. Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment.

2. Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training.

3. Pinching, shaking, or biting a child.

4. Hitting a child with a hand or instrument.

5. Putting anything in or on a child's mouth.

6. Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child.

7. Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive or profane language.

8. Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed

9. Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time for the child's age.

Suspension and Expulsion of Children: Our program believes this is a last resort to be rarely enacted. If a child's behavior or actions is deemed to be a safety risk to oneself or others:

Steps to be taken:

1. Meet with the parent or primary caregiver to discuss the concern.

2. Develop accommodation with the teaching staff and the parents. Document positive instruction, discipline, and consequences.

3. After all efforts have been exhausted to correct the situation; we will notify the parent in writing.

Nap Time: LVA students are asked to nap each day after lunch. Lunch is scheduled for noon and naps begins between 12:30 - l :00 PM and ends between 2:30 - 3:00PM. This sleep or rest period will not exceed three hours. We will allow each child who is awake after resting for one hour or sleeping for one hour to participate in an alternative, quiet activity until nap/rest time is over for the other children, like a book, coloring, or foam blocks.

Bedding: We suggest you provide a pillow and sleeping bag or blanket for their comfort. Parents are responsible for weekly laundering. Make sure all items are clearly marked with your child 's name.

Clothing: Children should come dressed and ready for the day. Their clothing should be comfortable, allowing complete freedom of movement, washable and suitable for daily indoor and outdoor activities. Since children spend time outdoors every day, parents should consider weather conditions when dressing your child. Shoes should be well fitted, comfortable and safe.

To encourage development of independent bathroom skills, children's clothing should be easy for them to manipulate with a minimum of assistance. Every child should have an extra change of clothing available. It may be left in the child's cubby or brought daily in their backpack. As the weather changes, check the clothes at school to ensure that they are still appropriate or still fit. All outerwear: coats, jackets, sweaters, mittens, and hats should be clearly marked with your child's name. We cannot be responsible for missing clothing. Dresses and shorts should be at least fingertip length, and shorts must be worn under their dresses.

Lago Vista Academy is not responsible for the nutritional value of lunches brought from home or for meeting the child's daily food needs. However, ...

AM/PM Snacks: Our classes enjoy a morning & afternoon snack time that allows students to share in conversation, leadership opportunities, and the use of our manners. Each family will supply a low sugar nutritious snack for their child. Water and milk will be served with AM snack (breakfast] while water and his/her juice will be served with PM snack.

Lunch: Children are to bring a nutritious, balanced lunch from home each day. Pack lunches with items that do not require refrigeration, or which can be kept cool with a thermos or ice pack brought from home. (Microwave and refrigeration are available if needed). Water and milk will be served with lunch.

• Have fruit or vegetables such as apples, oranges, or avocados pre-peeled and or sliced.

• Canned food needs to be ready to eat in a disposable or in a Tupperware container.

• All containers, water cups, and lunch boxes should be marked clearly with your child's name.

• Do not send glass containers to store food items in.

Sharing Meals or Snacks with Classes: Teachers may request ingredients for special snacks that coincide with thematic activities. Any food brought into class for parties or get-togethers must be fresh fruit or food from the original packaging with the ingredients list clearly visible. (Please remember we are a peanut-free school.)

Candy, sodas, chewing gum, or other non-nutritious foods. The staff reserves the right to refrain from serving any of the above to your child.

Please refrain from bringing into the class any food item with peanuts and or nuts. Nut allergies can be life threatening. It takes only the slightest smell, touch, or ingestion of peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oil, a product that 'may contain trace amounts of peanuts' or a product that has been 'processed in a plant that also manufactures peanut products', to cause a potential anaphylactic reaction.

Foods that should not be served to infants or toddlers: choking hazard foods such as hot dogs, whole grapes, dried fruits, hard candy, nuts/ seeds, pretzels, chips, popcorn, raw peas and carrots, marshmallows, or thick spreads on bread.

School-Age Students are provided transportation to and from Lago Vista Academy through the local school district, Durham Transportation. If your child is expected at the Academy and does not arrive, the following procedure will be taken:

1. Lago Vista Academy will first call the child 's parent or guardian and you will notify that your child did not arrive at school.

2. Second, Lago Vista Elementary or Middle School will be called to see if the child was in attendance.

3. If the child was present at school, then Durham Transportation will be called to see if the child was placed on a different bus.

4. Lastly, be aware Lago Vista Academy, LVE-ISD or LVMS-ISD and Durham Transportation will actively be looking for your child.

5. It is the parent's responsibility to please notify the office as soon as possible if your child will not be attending the afterschool program, so we may avoid all the steps in looking for your child. Your child's safe arrival is of upmost importance to the Academy.

Field trips are fun and educational. Lago Vista Academy field trips are typically related to the classroom program and designed to enhance children 's learning experiences. Due to the length of our program and the cost of transportation, our field trips are located within our community. Field trips outside our area, along with the cost, will still be considered before we plan a trip.

A field trip Permission Slip must be signed by parents or guardians prior to the scheduled field trip for the child to participate. Children who do not attend a field trip will be provided with in-center services while their classroom is out. When the weather permits, classrooms will or may go on neighborhood walks (around the church). Parents and or guardians, who may have concerns about a child's participation, should communicate this in writing to the teacher.

To prevent any hurt feelings and lost belongings, it is recommended that children not bring toys, jewelry, or other valuables, or money from home. Your child should NOT bring toys to school unless specifically requested to do so by the teacher. However, books and CD's or DVD's (rated G) may be brought to school anytime. Movie Days are allowed one day out of the week to allow one-on-one interaction with teacher and student. Items for show and tell should be of interest for all children but should not be toys. Any toy(s) of a violent nature is/are not permitted in our school.

Health / Illness AND Exclusion Criteria: LVA complies with the State of Texas Minimum Standards, and it mandates and requires ill/sick children to be removed from care while and if a contagious disease is present. LVA offers a healthy and safe environment for the staff and students. Parents are required to notify the LVA Director if their child is ill, will be absent or is under the care of a physician. Additionally, each child will be assessed upon arrival to reduce the spread of illness and protect the health of others. You will be required to make alternative arrangements for childcare until the danger to others has passed. Your child will be excluded from care for the following illnesses:

• Armpit temperature above 100 degrees and accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or symptoms of illness; or

• More than two incidents of diarrhea within 24 hours

• Vomiting more than two times within 24 hours

• Any other contagious disease listed by the D>P>R>S>

If your child becomes ill during the school day or if any of the above noted symptoms are evident to LVA staff: LVA will take the following steps:

• Child will be separated from the group

• The parent will be notified and requested to pick up the ill child immediately or within one (1) hour.

• Should the teacher or LVA Director be unable to reach a parent, your designated alternates will be contacted and notified to pick up your child. Child will continue to be separated from the group until they leave the school.

Treatment of Pediculosis - commonly known as HEAD LICE: Lago Vista Academy, Inc. follows the same guidelines as Lago Vista /SD - District Guidelines.

• "A student with active head lice or untreated nits will be sent home.

• A student sent home must be checked by the Director or his/her teacher prior to going back to the classroom.

• Students who still have active lice and or untreated nits will be sent home again. "

Returning After Illness: Children who have been diagnosed as having a contagious disease, fever or any of the symptoms listed above, may not return to school until they have been symptom free for 24 hours without the use of medications and/or you must obtain from your child's doctor's written verification that your child's illness in no longer contagious.

Procedures for Dispensing / Administrating of Medications: Whenever possible, all medications should be given before or after program hours. However, in the event your child requires medication during his / her stay at LVA, a parent will be required to complete a Medical or Medication Authorization Form for daily or long-term medication use. All medications must be in their original containers with dispense.

All staff receive First Aid and CPR training. If a medical emergency occurs at Lago Vista Academy, staff will: Immediately contact emergency medical services and the parent. Staff will accompany the child to the designated emergency facility only if the parent is not available when EMS arrives. Give the child first aid treatment or CPR when needed. Ensure supervision of the other children in the group. Follow and established policies on hygiene, protective procedures, and universal precautions, include for example:

• Wearing gloves when handling or cleaning body fluids, such as after wiping noses, mouths, or bottoms, and tending sores;

• Specifying that an employee with open wounds and/or any injury that inhibits hand washing, such as casts, bandages, or braces, must not prepare food or have close contact with children in care;

• Wearing masks when the employee has respiratory symptoms to reduce the spread of droplets to surrounding areas;

• Wearing masks when taking care of children with respiratory symptoms;

• Removing gloves and washing hands immediately after each task to prevent cross contamination to other children;

• Excluding the employee from direct care when the employee has signs of illness. Use of gloves and other protections when handling blood, body fluids and proper disposals.

An emergency preparedness plan is posted and available at our center. Staff is trained on the plan and conduct regularly scheduled evacuation drills to the pre-determined safe area as indicated on the plan. Parents will be informed of the procedures and, upon request, staff will provide the emergency preparedness plan to parents for review.

Severe Weather: In the event of severe weather, please tune into your local TV stations early in the morning. They will broadcast specific information regarding school openings, closures, and or delays. If the weather is severe enough to warrant the closing of Lago Vista ISO, Lago Vista Academy will also be closed.

If Lago Vista ISD is on a 2 - hour delay or any delay: Lago Vista Academy will start classes at the same time as Lago Vista Independent School District starts their classes. There will be no AM bus drop off or AM pickup for the Academy, during severe weather day(s). Parents will be responsible for getting his/her child to the elementary and/or Middle School in the morning.

In the event severe weather occurs during the hours LVA is open and closure is necessary, you or the contingency designee will be notified, when to pick up your child. LVA maintains policies and procedures that ensure your child's safety during storms or other emergency situations.

Other Emergencies: Other situations may result in Lago Vista Academy, Inc being closed such as electrical power failure, lack of water, lack of heat or air conditioning, hazardous road conditions or other situations that may endanger the safety or health of children and employees. As these conditions occur, Lago Vista Academy will notify parents/guardians by phone so arrangements can be made for pickup of the child.

Evacuation Process: When the decision is made to evacuate the Center facility, the Director will make the announcement in the most expeditious way possible that all persons are to evacuate to their assigned assembly area and await further instruction. The building is to be evacuated completely. The Director will notify appropriate personnel and communicate what type of emergency is present. In the event of an actual fire, the Director will be responsible for notifying 911 of the emergencies from a cell phone outside the building once the evacuation is complete. Center staff will evacuate their children to designated meeting area then Director(s) will transport staff and their children to the following re-location area: Lago Vista Elementary located on Dawn Drive Lago Vista, Texas Main Phone Number (512) 267-8340

Non-discrimination Policy: We at Lago Vista Academy believe that each of our lives are enriched and enhanced when we recognize and celebrate those aspects of us which are different as well as those aspects which are universal to all people. Because we always attempt to recognize each child for the wonderful and unique individual he or she is, we work within a multicultural environment in which we encourage your participation. For this reason we accept students without regard to race, color, sex, religious belief or national origin.

Gang Free Zone: Per Texas Child Care Licensing regulations, parents must be notified that under the Texas Penal Code, any area within l 000 feet of a child-care center is considered a gang-free zone. Criminal offenses related to organized criminal activities are subject to harsher penalty. Information regarding Gang Free Zone is located in your Parent Handbook providing more detail, and parents attending LVA will have a Gang Free Form requiring a signature for receipt.

The handbook contains information concerning Policies and Procedures of our program designed to inform me about daily operations, policies and procedures pertaining to the center-based classroom and my responsibilities as an LVA parent. I must follow the guidelines outlined in the Lago Vista Academy, Inc. Parent Handbook. Yearly renewals of all forms will be conducted each calendar school year. This will insure your receive accurate and current information relevant and or applicable to your child's program.