General Information for Parents
Sick Days
Parents are required to find an alternate caregiver when their child is sick. If your child is too sick to attend school, then they are too sick to attend EXCEL. If your child is sick for three days or more, a refund will be issued upon receipt of a doctor’s slip indicating the dates and length of illness.
Accidents
If a child has an accident while attending EXCEL, the staff will assess the situation and act according to the following procedures:
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If a serious accident occurs which might require medical attention, the EXCEL staff will contact you immediately for instructions.
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If you are unavailable, EXCEL staff will call your emergency contact.
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If neither contact is available, staff will call for emergency transport as EXCEL staff may not transport any child in their personal vehicle.
In the event of an accident that may be life threatening or requires immediate attention, staff will first call for emergency assistance and then inform the parent. EXCEL staff are still responsible for all children in the program and may not be able to attend your child in an ambulance, but will make every effort to assist you by making contacts to attend to your child. There are always EXCEL staff on site who are trained in emergency first aid and CPR and will administer any necessary treatment as required.
Behavioural Expectations
The HRSB is committed to establishing a regional policy that supports the provincial Code of Conduct and assisting schools in the development of a School Code of Conduct. In an effort to provide consistency in the lives of students, EXCEL supports and abides by the Code of Conduct of each school in which we operate. We believe it is imperative that the expectations for appropriate behaviour be defined for and understood by EXCEL participants in order to ensure a safe, secure and healthy school and EXCEL program climate. We ask parents to review with their children their school's Code of Conduct and to ensure that students understand that the same expectations are to be followed during EXCEL program times.
EXCEL program staff strive to promote mutual respect among children and staff. Respect for the school and equipment used is also essential. Children and staff will discuss acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and a list of school rules will be reviewed periodically. General examples of inappropriate behaviour include:
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Hitting, fighting or bullying
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Destruction or damage of property or equipment
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Vulage language or interpretations
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Disrespecting instructors, other children or individuals
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Children who regularly soil themselves (EXCEL understands that this may be due to a medical condition, however we do not have the appropriate conditions to deal with such circumstances)
EXCEL staff and/or your Regional Supervisor will address with parents when a student demonstrates an inappropriate behaviour that is in violation with the school's Code of Conduct. A range of proactive interventions will be used to promote the desired changes in student behaviour. Appropriate consequences will be identified to parents and initiated when non-compliance with behavioural expectations persists. Consequences will be appropriate for each individual student and will consider factors that include: the student's age; stage of development; special needs; social/emotional needs; and level of cognitive functioning etc. Consequences will reflect the frequency, severity and intensity of the inappropriate behaviour. Consistency and fairness with respect to these consequences should be evident to the student and to his/her parents or guardians.
Inappropriate behaviour could include incidents of minor misconduct, disruptive behaviour, and severly disruptive behaviour. Ranges of possible actions/consequences could include:
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Instruction regarding school/EXEL expectations, victim impact, and appropriate behaviours
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Withdrawal on in-program privileges (e.g. games, crafts activities etc.)
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Conference with students
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Conference with student and parent/guardian
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Apology to student/staff/others
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Restitution
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Program suspension
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Program removal for inappropriate behaviour
On-going communication between EXCEL staff and parents is essential to finding a suitable solution to control or eliminate inappropriate behaviour. Every child is an individual and deterrents such as time out or loss of privilege may not be suitable to foster appropriate behaviour for all children. Input from parents is encouraged in dealing with these issues. The EXCEL program believes in dealing positively with situations and we will make every effort to reach a positive conclusion that is best for the children involved and for all children in our program.
Dismissal of Child
Suspending or removing a child from the program is not something EXCEL takes lightly. We prefer that a situation can be resolved without the removal of the child from the program. Occasionally there are no other alternatives and suspension or permanent removal is the end result after all other options have been exhausted. When a child's inappropriate behaviour is assessed as a problem to the program, the parents/guardians will:
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be advised of the type of unacceptable behaviour displayed, and informed of the possibility of suspension or removal;
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receive notification indicating suspension or removal
In severe situations the child may be asked to leave the program immediately. Once a child has been dismissed from the program, EXCEL reserves the right to disallow re-enolment to future programs. A child may also be suspended if a parent refused to follow the EXCEL policies and procedures and/or for consistent late payment of fees or non-payment of fees.
Students with Special Needs
The EXCEL program provides group supervision to elementary age children who attend the school in which EXCEL if offered. While we make every effort to be inclusive of all students, the EXCEL program is a general supervisory program and is unable to provide one on one care.
At time of registration, parents are required to identify and detail any special needs that their child may have. Before acceptance to the program is granted, the parents will be contacted by an EXCEL Regional Supervisor to discuss whether or not participation in EXCEL is viable. Some of the deciding factors to consider may include:
- Does the child require a full time EPA during school hours?
- Does the child pose a risk of injury to himself or others?
- Does the child exhibit aggression or violence towards others?
- Is the child a flight risk?
- Does the child require assistance such as washing, toileting, or changing clothes?
- Does the child require assistance with feeding or drinking?
- Does the child have mobility issues and require assistance to move from one location to another?
To fully explore the scope of the special needs and the potential accomodation in EXCEL it may also be necessary to arrange for a meeting with the EXCEL staff at the child's respective school. Access to additional documentation such as a child's IPP, IWK or doctor's evaluations, or other general information may also be helpful in the process.
The EXCEL program will make every attempt to provide reasonable accomodation in regard to children with special needs. In instances where one on one care is deemed necessary, parents can choose to provide their own qualified attendant, to accompany their child throughout the duration of EXCEL. In these cases, the regular EXCEL program fees would be discounted by 50%. The qualified attendant hired by the Parent will be required to present a current Criminal Record check and Child Abuse Registry.
All children, regardless of any special need, must meet the behavioural expectations identified above. A continuous process of communication and progress reports will be maintained. EXCEL reserves the right to remove any student if he or she is a disruption to the program or a risk to themselves or others.
In some circumstances the acceptance of a child with special needs may need to be revisited from year to year if there is a change in the scope of the child's needs or due to external factors such as a change in the program staffing or suitable program space. EXCEL will assess all situations with the best interest of the child in mind.
Parents Concerns
If a parent becomes concerned with any aspect of the EXCEL Program, EXCEL staff will be glad to discuss it with you. If you have a program concern, first discuss it with the on-site staff. If you are not satisfied, you may address your concerns to the Regional Supervisor and then to the Co-ordinator.
As with any service of this size in this field, occasional problems occur that require specific attention. EXCEL staff will deal with your concerns professionally, courteously and with diligence.
Withdrawal from EXCEL
Two weeks notice is required to withdraw your child from the program. You may be billed for time where notice was not given to the Registrar. Exceptions will be made for extenuating circumstances such as illness or loss of employment. Proof of such circumstances may be requested for refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
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