Dear Parent/ Guardian,

Welcome to Upstream Learning, an exceptional preschool experience, where your child will be nurtured and supported in his or her learning and growth! We are thrilled that you have chosen to research our facility as part of your search for quality child care and education in the Williamson County area. Please find an abundance of information attached in this handbook, but always feel free to call, email or stop by to ask additional questions!

To begin, the Upstream Learning philosophy, values and core beliefs drive the passion of our work to serve children. The statements below exemplify the learning experience that your child will have at our preschool:

• Exploration of our world and our place in it engages us and pushes us to value new experiences
• Curiosity and inquiry are encouraged as opportunities for teaching and learning
• Problem solving and creative thinking are embedded each day to move us toward becoming great mathematicians, scientists, and citizens
• Consistent and repetitive exposure to literature and print across all content areas is focused on our goal of becoming great readers, writers, and researchers
• Social interactions, understanding teamwork, and working together toward common goals are areas that allow us to be contributing members of our families, classrooms, friendships, and more
• Development of Christian character and appreciation of diverse backgrounds creates an environment where children thrive in their learning and growth

The commitment of the Upstream Learning staff is to create a content rich environment where research based instructional practices are utilized daily to most effectively meet the needs of your child. We love children! Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where your child loves to come and never wants to leave.

You as the parent or guardian are our most important partner in this mission to serve your child. We value your input, expect your feedback, and seek to earn your support and trust very quickly.

As always, we are happy to help in any way or answer further questions that you may not find addressed in this handbook.

Sincerely,
Emily Reichert and the Upstream Learning Team
512.381.1940
Emily.Reichert@upstreamlearning.com
www.upstreamlearning.com

Upstream Learning, a preschool focused on inquiry, literacy, problem solving, exploration, and citizenship, will be the premier child care facility in Williamson County. Serving children ages children ages 1-5 years, Upstream Learning will utilize research based instructional best practices and engaging curriculum to inspire young learners as they first become literate, well-rounded, contributing members of the community.

Vision:

• To serve as the premier preschool option for parents in Williamson County of children children ages 1-5 years old and to house the first professional development school for preschool professional learning in the state of Texas.

Mission:

• To nurture young learners in their initial experience in education with a focus on key areas: inquiry, literacy, exploration, problem solving and citizenship.

Keys to Success:

• All components of the school are focused on students and their learning
• Highly qualified staff focused on professional learning and growth to fully impact student achievement
• Superior levels of care and learning for students of preschool age
• Collaboration with parents and community stakeholders to provide a content rich environment
• Use of research in best instructional practices for preschool age learners in all teaching and learning
• Director with experience at all levels of education in the public school system who deeply understands the need for preparation in these young years

Monday-Friday from 7:30AM to 4:30PM
*a late fee of $25 applies for pick up after 4:30PM

Owner: Emily Reichert, Ph.D.

Upstream Learning is fully owned and operated by Emily Reichert. As a lifetime student and educator, Emily worked for over 12 years in public education as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher. She served as an administrator for an elementary campus serving over 1,200 Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade students. Emily most recently served as the leader of all professional learning for a local school district employing over 5,000 teachers and staff.

As a high school student, Emily worked and volunteered in local preschools. Her love of children and their learning started at that time. In a continuous effort to learn professionally in the area of education, Emily earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University. After teaching elementary school, she attended Arizona State University where she received her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision degree. Returning to Texas, Emily continued teaching at the middle and high school levels. She moved into administration where she began her doctoral work in the area of School Improvement through Texas State University. Upon graduation, Emily has continued to work at the university level as an adjunct professor in the School of Education with Master of Instructional Leadership students.

As a wife and mother of two teenage daughters, the quality of preschool learning environments is not only an area of passion, but a calling. Emily's interest in opening a preschool resulted from her work in professional learning with preschool teachers in the Williamson County area. This level of education is the point where the most significant impact can be made for children. It is Emily' s personal goal to operate a student-centered, highly engaging, and learning focused preschool for children in Williamson County.

Upstream Learning has been operating since Fall of 2011. Together, with family and Director and friend Jeneffer Allen, Emily has been able to build an environment that provides high level care, but also meets and exceeds educational expectations to set the Upstream Learning students of all ages on a path to life long learning!

Director: Jeneffer Allen

Jeneffer Allen earned her Bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University in the area of education. Jeneffer taught elementary school prior to having her own home based child care center for a number of years. Jeneffer joined Upstream Learning from the moment it opened in 2011 and has been a steadfast part of the school since then. She started her journey at Upstream by teaching the Kindergarten Ready classroom for three years. After earning her Director certification and completing a number of leadership courses, she agreed to step into the Director of School role.

Mrs. Allen’s leadership at Upstream, her connection to parents and students, as well as her passion for serving teachers and improving curriculum have had an everlasting impact on the school. We are blessed for every minute we get to have her as our school leader.

Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers and Support Staff Members:

The Upstream Learning team has been handpicked from a sea of very qualified candidates. Lead teachers and support staff alike have a focus on the learning and care of young children. All team members are fully trained in CPR and First Aid in accordance with state licensing requirements. Upstream Learning staff members are hired with the sole purpose of highly effective service and teaching of children. Teachers in the 4 year old and Kindergarten Ready classrooms are fully degreed teachers that have extensive knowledge of the Texas Essential Knowledge and skills. All staff members participate in professional learning focused on research based best instructional practices for early childhood students. Though the requirement for the state is 24 hours, Upstream Learning staff earns well over 30 hours of professional learning each year. Collaboration and professional are embedded as part of the daily routine at Upstream Learning to ensure the most aligned and productive environment for students.

*links to current and future calendars are available in the Parent Corner of the Upstream Learning website

• Tuition is due in full each month regardless of closings or absences.

• If tuition day falls on a weekend or holiday, tuition must be paid on the last school day prior. Checks may be postdated for the 1st or 15th if needed and will not be cashed until that time. Checks sent directly from the bank should arrive at Upstream by the tuition date to be on time— please make sure to set the mail date early enough to ensure this

• Tuition paid by Zelle must hit the Wells Fargo account for Upstream Learning by the first or fifteenth in order to be on time

• Annual supply and registration fee should be paid each year in accordance with the sessions that your child will attend. In order to secure your child’s space for the next session, the registration fee must be paid in full by the due date. Please note that if the fee is not paid, you risk losing your space to a family on the waiting list.

• Tuition increases go into effect on September 1.

• No additional increases will occur from September 1 to August 31.

Tuition Rates/ Registration Fees: Annual Enrollment/ Registration Fee Per Child: $200
*$100 for Fall/ $100 for Summer following your initial enrollment

Tuition rate sheets are provided annually to each family showing any increases that will go into effect for September 1.

*Payments can be made in one payment on the first of the month or half payments on the first and fifteenth of the month

*Payments must be made by check, cash, or money order or through Zelle.

*There is a $35 fee for returned checks. Once a check is returned NSF, no further checks will be accepted from that family.

*There will be a $25 per day late fee for payments made after 4:30PM on the first or fifteenth of the month. Payments must be made on the last school day prior to the first or fifteenth if those fall over a weekend or holiday.

Sibling Discounts Available at Upstream Learning:
Multiple Sibling Discount for Full Time Students
Full payment on first child,
$150 off the second child,
$175 off the third child per month

Two week notice is required in order to leave Upstream Learning in good standing. If a family chooses to leave prior to the two week notice, the full two week tuition is due. Families not in good standing cannot be accepted back into care without full payment of outstanding balance. At that point, it is the owner's discretion to allow families to return to care at Upstream.

In the event of inclement weather, we will follow the operating schedule of Round Rock Independent School District.
Please make sure to watch the news or the RRISD website for school closing or late start.

http://www.roundrockisd.org

Examples:
▪ RRISD closes campuses for a bad weather day; Upstream Learning will also be closed.
▪ RRISD does a 2 hour late start for student due to road hazards from bad weather;
Upstream Learning will open at 9:30AM.
▪ RRISD does an early release due to inclement weather during the school day;
Upstream Learning will close 2 hours early to ensure staff and student safety.
▪ Tuition is not impacted by inclement weather closures; full payments are still due

The Upstream Learning Team takes the safety of your children very seriously and has a number of key components in place to ensure that each and every child is safe and secure in our facility and care at all times. These key components include:
▪ Secure access to the front entrance of the building through a coded access panel
▪ Full CPR and First Aid Training for all staff members
▪ Daily play area checklist to ensure consistent safety of all play equipment
▪ Naturally shaded play area for protection from ultra violet rays
▪ Play area designed according to state safety standards with age appropriate equipment
▪ Emergency preparedness plan posted in every room of the building
▪ Fire safety drills, evacuation drills, severe weather drills conducted monthly
▪ Allergy efficient air filters for all air conditioning ducts in the building
▪ Cleaning and sanitation regimen followed twice daily in each room
▪ Sign in and sign out procedures for each child with arrival and departure times
▪ Photo identification and previous notification from parents required for alternate pick up by anyone other than parent
▪ Backpack, diaper bag, and personal item labeling system
▪ Allergic reaction/ illness awareness for each child by name and face for all staff members

In accordance with Senate Bill 1098, Section 43.04271 from the 88th Legislative Regular Session, parents and guardians have certain rights. Please review these rights below and feel free to ask any questions! Parents and Guardians of Children at Upstream Learning Preschool have the right to:

• Enter and examine the child-care facility during its operation and without advance notice;
• Review the child-care facility’s publicly accessible records;
• Review the child-care facility’s written records concerning the parent’s or guardian’s child;
• Review inspection reports and information about how to access the child-care facility’s online compliance history;
• Have the facility comply with a court order that prevents another parent or guardian from visiting or removing the child;
• Be given the contact information for the child-care facility’s local Child Care Regulation office;
• Obtain a copy of the facility’s policies and procedures handbook;
• Review the facility’s staff training records and any in-house training curriculum; and
• Exercise these rights without receiving retaliatory action by the facility.

*there are additional rights associated with viewing video footage in a child-care facility. Upstream Learning Preschool does not have internal cameras in any classroom or common area. For this reason, those rights have not been included here, but be aware they exist in the event that you attend another center

Please sign and date below. A copy of this document will be kept in your child’s enrollment folder. You are welcome to a copy as well. A soft copy of this document is available in the Parent Corner of the Upstream Learning Preschool website.

Upstream Learning has a full emergency preparedness plan including response to bad weather, evacuation, and other safety concerns. Per the state licensing guidelines, we conduct emergency drills each month to ensure student safety and knowledge of procedures in an emergency situation. In addition, full inspection by the Child Care Licensing division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are conducted on a regular basis to monitor our compliance. Inspections are also completed by the fire department, sanitation department, city offices, and other appropriate personnel for the safety of our children.

Upstream Learning is required to obtain food allergy emergency plans for each child with a known food allergy that has been diagnosed by a health-care professional (§§744.605, 744.2667, and 744.2669), post a list of the food allergies at the operation (§744.401 and §744.403), and not serve the child food identified on the food allergy emergency plan (§744.2401).

12 Months to 2 Year Olds:

• Theme based curriculum with a focus on highly engaging content
• Continued language development through clear speech, repetition of sounds
• Use of literature, poems, puppet shows, dramatic plays, BIG books to encourage literacy
• Highly active and engaging environment promotion social interaction
• Understanding of friendship, feelings, emotions, attitudes
• Music, visual arts, dance, drama
• Painting, coloring, play-dough, puzzles, blocks and other creative outlets
• Listening and speaking in turn
• Fine motor and large motor skills with tumbling, running, walking, dancing
• Problem solving, counting, matching, sorting

3 Year Olds:

• Theme based curriculum with a focus on highly engaging content
• Enhancement of vocabulary with introduction to new sounds, words, meaning
• Use of literature, poems, puppet shows, dramatic plays, BIG books to encourage literacy
• Independent, content based, and free play centers to meet differentiating needs
• Highly active and engaging environment promotion social interaction
• Music, visual arts, dance, drama
• Painting, coloring, play-dough, puzzles, blocks and other creative outlets
• Science experiments and investigations that are age appropriate
• Fine motor and large motor skills with tumbling, running, walking, dancing
• Healthy eating, nutrition, exercise and health instruction
• Problem solving, counting, matching, sorting, sequencing with manipulatives for mathematics instruction
• Citizenship, service projects, community helpers and volunteerism

4 Year Olds:

• Theme based curriculum with a focus on highly engaging content
• Enhancement of vocabulary with introduction to vocabulary, phonics, literacy immersion
• Use of literature, poems, puppet shows, dramatic plays, BIG books with comprehension components to develop understanding of text
• Independent, content based, and free play centers to meet differentiating needs
• Highly active and engaging environment promotion social interaction
• Music, visual arts, dance, drama
• Painting, coloring, play-dough, puzzles, blocks and other creative outlets
• Science experiments and investigations aligned with Kindergarten readiness standards
• Fine motor and large motor skills with tumbling, running, walking, dancing
• Healthy eating, nutrition, exercise and health instruction
• Problem solving, counting, matching, sorting, sequencing with manipulatives for mathematics instruction
• Citizenship, service projects, community helpers and volunteerism

5 Year Olds:

• Curriculum alignment with Kindergarten Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
• Literacy immersion and exposure to print rich environment daily
• Problem solving and mathematics skills embedded into each day's instruction
• Social interactions and skills for group work, partner work, and whole class work
• Enhancement of vocabulary with introduction to vocabulary, phonics, literacy immersion
• Use of literature, poems, puppet shows, dramatic plays, BIG books with comprehension components to develop understanding of text
• Independent, content based, and free play centers to meet differentiating needs
• Music, visual arts, dance, drama, and fine motor development
• Science experiments and investigations aligned with Kindergarten standards
• Physical education each day with a structured focus combined with free play and recess
• Healthy eating, nutrition, exercise and health instruction

On the first day, there are a few things that you'll want to bring for your child to make sure he or she is comfortable and feels at home while in our care! We have made a listing of items organized by age level:

Enrollment/ Withdrawal Processes and Procedures:

What forms and information are required for enrollment at Upstream Learning?
In order for your child to be cleared for enrollment, the required forms by state child care licensing include:

• Enrollment Form
• Immunization Record Signed by Doctor
• Authorization for Medical Treatment
• Authorization to Dispense Medication
  (only if your child will take daily meds in our care)
• Parent Handbook Signature Page
• Registration Fee
• First Month's Tuition (due on the start date at Upstream Learning)

What are the operational hours for Upstream Learning?
Please see the above section "Hours of Operation".

What are the tuition charges and when can I pay them?
Please see the "Tuition" section above to view the tuition rate chart.
Monthly tuition can be paid in full on the first of the month or 1/2 on the first of the month and 1/2 on the fifteenth of the month. In the event that the first or fifteenth falls over a weekend or holiday, tuition is due on the last school day prior. Checks may be post dated for the first or fifteenth of the month. There is a $25 per day late fee for late payment.

Is it possible for my child to attend Upstream Learning as a part-time student?
Upstream Learning is a full time only program.  We know that consistency of care and learning is key to children's success in preschool and we strive to provide a daily opportunity for your child to learn and grow.

Do we have to pay for the weeks that we go on vacation or if my child is absent for another reason?
Payment is due in full each month of service regardless of absences, vacations, or school closings.

What are the daily schedules for each classroom?
Daily schedules are posted in each classroom and are a part of the Welcome Packet for each age level. These schedules will vary on special days and will change as the seasons change and we are able to spend additional time outside when the weather is not too hot or cold. Any change in schedule will be communicated with parents through daily notes or the school newsletter!

What should my child bring on the first day of school?
Please refer to the "What should my child bring on the first day of school?" section above.

What should my child wear each day to school?
Our days at Upstream Learning will be filled with highly engaging, movement oriented, brain based instruction that is age appropriate. Each day children will spend time outside in formal and informal play with classmates. With this in mind, please make sure that the clothes your child is wearing are appropriate for lots of movement inside and out! It is also important to wear closed toe shoes for outdoor play!

What requirements are there for daily attendance at Upstream Learning?
Daily attendance at school is important to the consistency in learning. The structure of our daily schedule allows for the key instructional time to begin in each classroom at 8:30 AM. If at all possible, it is our request that your child be in the classroom by that time so that he or she can be a part of circle time, explanation of the day, and the daily procedures that help keep the structure in the classroom successful. Parents are required to pick up children by 4:30PM each day. If a parent is late for pick up, regardless of the reason, there is a $25 fee assessed for the family that should be paid in full by the next school day.

Are there additional expenses that I should expect as part of child care at Upstream Learning?
Expenses at Upstream Learning over and above your annual enrollment or registration fee and monthly fee for school will be completely optional aside from the late fees for tuition or late pick up. Optional expenses may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Purchase of school pictures during the school year
• Participation in additional enrichment classes (Skyhawks Sports Classes, etc.)
• Hearing and Vision Screening (optional for 3's; required for 4's and 5's but may be completed at your doctor's office and results provided to Upstream Learning)
• Monetary contributions to service projects in the classrooms

How do I withdraw my child from Upstream Learning?
Withdrawal from Upstream Learning requires a minimum of 2 weeks notice. In the event that you choose to withdraw your child from Upstream without notice, you will be charged and have an outstanding balance for the two weeks of care.

• Please notify the director of the date of withdrawal with as much advanced notice as possible, but a minimum of 2 weeks.
• We will work with your child's teacher to ensure that all of your child's belongings, projects, and supplies are ready on his or her last day.

Enrichment Activities and Field Trips:

Do the children get to take field trips with Upstream Learning?
Our days at Upstream Learning will be filled with exciting instruction on-site.  We offer on-site field trips with visits from our community such as the Mad Hatters Reading Group, the Round Rock Library, the Round Rock Fire Department and other safety personnel, many community helper groups, the Round Rock City bus, and various other visitors.  The bottom line is that we want to bring the community to your child rather than transporting them out into it and risking safety issues off our property where we are able to control all of the safety protocols!

Are there enrichment activities within the school day that I can sign my child up for?
Additional enrichment activities during the school day are not offered at this time. Through collaboration with parents and teachers, it is our goal to begin offering enrichment opportunities for our 3 to 5 year olds. We will be researching the best options for these and provide parents with information well in advance of the start of such activities so that you may decide if your child would like to participate!

Health, Wellness and Feeding of Children:

How do you clean and sanitize the facility to ensure student safety and health?
Cleanliness and a sanitary environment is a foundational component to the operation of Upstream Learning. All staff members have a cleaning regiment that they follow a minimum of twice daily in the facility. This includes the wipe down of all tables in the classroom, sweeping and mopping the floors, sanitizing toys and equipment, vacuuming rugs, wiping down of nap mats or cots, cleaning all restrooms, wiping door handles, and the sweeping sidewalks as well as monitoring the playground equipment for anything harmful. If you have concerns at any time about the cleanliness of your child's room or the school, please contact the director or assistant director immediately!

What meals or snacks does Upstream Learning provide for my child?
Upstream Learning provides healthy snacks for each child twice daily. Lunch should be brought from home from Monday to Thursday each week. On Fridays, Upstream will provide lunch. Please view the snack and Friday lunch calendar for each month in the facility and as part of the parent newsletter. In the event that your child does not like the snack or lunch option, please plan to send another healthy option for him or her to eat at snack time or Friday lunch time.

What is the procedure if my child gets sick in your care?
In the event that your child is not feeling well, our staff will contact you immediately by phone. If your child is suffering from a fever, we will request that you pick him or her up as soon as possible to prevent the sickness from worsening and/or the spread of the illness to other children in the center. According to state guidelines, parents have one hour within which to pick up their child from school. After having a fever, your child cannot return to Upstream Learning for 24 hours. We will be excited to see your little one when he or she is feeling better and this will also ensure that your own child is not unnecessarily exposed to other's germs when they are sick either!

What kinds of illness prevent my child from being able to be in care at preschool?
In the event that your child exhibits any of the following symptoms or in general is not feeling well, please plan to keep the child home from school so as not to further expose him or her to germs that could worsen the illness or expose others to his or her potential germs:

• Evidence of a cold including green mucus in the nose or from a cough, significant runny nose or cough of any kind, continuous sneezing, watery eyes, achy head or body or other cold symptoms
• Has had a temperature of 100.8 or more in the last 24 hours; must be fever free without fever reducer of any kind for 24 hours before returning to school
• Upset stomach including but not limited to vomiting or diarrhea during the last 24 hours
• Red or watery eyes with crusty discharge on the eyelids (most often when a child wakes up in the morning or from a nap)
• Rashes or skin irritation that is abnormal for the child
• Head lice or bugs in hair of any kind (children may return to care after treatment and removal of all bugs or infected areas are clear down to the shaft of the hair)

Will you administer medication to my child?
There are specific guidelines that we must follow with regard to the administration of medication to children at Upstream Learning.
Prescription Medication: If your child has a medication that he or she must take daily while at school, it will need to be in the original prescription bottle with the child's name on it and the administration instructions. The administration instructions must be from the doctor with a signature to show that based on his or her recommendation, we should provide the medication in this amount to the identified child. Please bring this and the Release to Administer Medication form attached in this packet to your child's teacher.
Over the Counter Medication: If your child is in need of medication of some sort on a less routine basis or needs a fever reducer if he or she gets sick at school, Upstream Learning will need a Release to Administer Medication form signed by the parent with the administration instructions. Fever reducers will only be given to a child after a parent has been contacted by phone, given permission to administer, and is on the way to pick the child up from school. Upon pick-up, the parent will sign the Release to Administer Medication form showing what was given to the child and in what amount.

May I breastfeed my child or provide breast milk in while in your care?
We do provide a private space for mothers that choose to breastfeed children while in our care. In addition, families that wish to send breast milk for children to consume while in our care should plan to do so and keep the milk refrigerated in the child's classroom refrigerator. The milk will be provided to the child at drink, snack, or lunch time as requested by the parents.

Will you administer and/or provide insect repellant?
Upstream Learning will not provide insect repellant for your child, however, you are welcome to provide your family's choice for insect repellant. The insect repellant should be clearly labeled with your child's first and last name. You will be asked to fill out an 'Authorization to Dispense Medication' form that will tell us when you wish the repellant to be applied.

Safety and Security of Children:

How do your ensure safety of the children during the pick-up time at the end of the day?
As parents or guardians drop off their children each morning, the teacher will sign the child into the classroom. On that sign in sheet, the teacher will note who is picking up the child that afternoon and make any special notes with regard to changes in regular procedure. A picture identification and written permission on the enrollment form or on a note from the parent is required for release of a child to someone other than their parent. In addition, if a change is made from the morning drop off sign in sheet that has not been communicated, the Upstream Learning staff will contact the parent for further permission to release the child to the other adult.

What happens in the event of inclement weather?
Please see the corresponding section for "Incelment Weather" above.

Are there emergency policies in place for the school?
Upstream Learning is equipped with a full emergency preparedness plan as required by the Department of Family and Protective Services. This document is available for your review at any time. In addition, all emergency numbers are posted on the main bulletin board in the lobby of the center. These numbers include:
Emergency Medical Services, Poison Control, Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline, the local licensing office telephone number, and the numbers of the owner and director.

What are the regulations in terms of activity in proximity of the preschool building?
Gang Free/ Weapon Free Zone: According to the Texas Penal Code, areas within 1,000 feet of a child care center are gang free zones. Criminal offenses in these areas are subject to harsher penalties by law. Smoke Free Zone: Upstream Learning is a smoke free facility. Smoking is not permitted within 50 feet of facility.
Open Carry Law: Please note that Upstream Learning does not allow weapons of any kind in the building or on the premises. Even if you are following the open carry requirements in the state of Texas, please refrain from exercising that while on the premises of Upstream Learning with young children.

Visitors and Volunteers:

May I come to visit my child during the day?
Absolutely! We welcome parent visitors anytime and invite you to come and be a part of our learning environment. A note here on parent visitors with regard to your child's reaction and ability to see you come and go from the classroom is sometimes challenging in the beginning of the year. We want your child to be most successful and happy while in our school; please utilize your own judgment and communicate with your child's teacher about your planned visits!

May I volunteer at the school or in my child's classroom?
Of Course! We welcome you as a volunteer in our classrooms and our school. There is some required paperwork and a background check that is necessary for a person to volunteer in the classroom environment or be on campus with the children. Please access the Volunteer Application on the website or ask a staff member for one when you come in to drop off or pick up your child!

Holidays and Celebrations:

How are holidays and children's birthdays celebrated at Upstream Learning? Will there be parties in the classroom?
At Upstream Learning, we will celebrate the following holidays by having a celebration in the classroom:

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• Valentine's Day
• Easter
• 100th Day Celebration
• Dr. Seuss Week
• Community Helpers Week
• Mother's Day
• Father's Day
• Grandparent's Day

Behavior and Discipline:

How does your discipline policy work for my child? Would a child ever be removed?
Upstream Learning believes in the positive guidance of children to make good choices in the school environment. In accordance with state standards, children making poor choices will be redirected with positive feedback from the teacher, age appropriate consequences, and individualized based on student need. Upstream Learning does not support ANY discipline system or communication that is detrimental to a child mentally or emotionally. Parents will be notified of any issues in the classroom that are causing challenges to the learning environment and the consequences set forth by the teacher.
In the unfortunate event that a child is continually a danger to other children or to him or herself in the learning environment, parents may be called to remove the student for the day. Upstream Learning reserves the right to discontinue service for a child in any event deemed necessary by the director of the school.

Can my child bring toys, movies, or other play items from home?
It is so important for children to feel at home in their new school environment. Because we know how important this is and that children often show parts of themselves by special items they choose to bring from home, we have specific days identified each month as "Bring a Toy from Home" day. These may be shared during the appropriate classroom time and the teacher may choose to allow these to be a part of the free play section of the day. On other days, it is important for children to leave their home toys at home so we make sure to avoid a loss or broken item at school.
Movies from home may be requested by a child's teacher. If this is the case, only "G" rated films may be brought from home. Teachers will be the final decision maker on whether a movie is shown the classroom as part of rest time or at the beginning or end of the day. All other time in the classroom is instructional and engaging activities will ensure that TV is the last thing students are thinking about!

Communication Between School and Home:

What kinds of communication should I expect from the school or the teachers?
Each day, Monday through Friday, you will get a note home from your child's teacher. The note will be a description of the daily activities and some key learning from the day's instruction. Also, you will get a personalized section of the note dedicated to your child's experience, mood, excitement, successes, or challenges from the day.
The website for the school as well as the Facebook and Instagram pages are great places to gather additional information, see events that are upcoming, and pictures of students in all classrooms during the school day.
For specific requests or concerns, always feel free to call or make a meeting request when you sign your child in each morning. If the teacher is not in the middle of instruction, she will be happy to speak with you at that time, but often fruitful parent conversations take a bit longer than that, so if the meeting request is made on the sign in sheet, the teacher will call you on her conference time to talk or set up an alternate meeting time.

How can I monitor the compliance of Upstream Learning with the Child Care Licensing division in the State of Texas?
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Care Licensing Division, issues our licenses and conducts inspections based on the Child Care Standards for the state of Texas. I encourage you to review the TDFPS website at: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/search_texas_child_care/ppfacilitysearchdaycare.asp
You can view the listing of child care options in the Williamson County area with the listing of inspections that have occurred and the results of those inspections. We encourage you to view this listing and also to look at our most current inspection on display on the Parent Communication Bulletin Board in the hallway of the school

Teacher Training and Development:

What background, experience, and qualifications do the teachers at Upstream Learning have?
All Lead Teachers at Upstream Learning have extensive background experience with early childhood students. Through previous teaching experiences in other organizations or full Texas teacher certification, all staff is fully prepared and able to serve your children in the most effective way possible. Assistant Teachers and other support staff members are either pursuing degrees in education and/or have experience in early childhood environments. Upstream Learning staff members would be happy to share with you their background and passion in education; please feel free to ask. In addition, please view our Upstream Learning Team board with pictures of all staff members and information about our families, love for education, work history, and other fun details!

What kind of training do the teachers at Upstream Learning get to support the children?
The Upstream Learning staff will be exposed to a plethora of research based professional learning as part of their employment at the school. Internal collaborative planning structures as well as opportunities for full days of professional learning are a part of the vision and mission of Upstream Learning. Also, attendance at local, state, and national early childhood conference will not only be an option, but be encouraged by the leadership at the school. In order for our children to continue to grow and progress, it is imperative that our teachers are doing the same. Professional learning is a significant area of passion for this campus.

Because you will be providing breakfast and/ or lunch on Monday through Thursday, please note that Upstream Learning is not responsible for the lunch's nutritional value and meeting the recommended daily nutritional needs. All snacks and the Friday lunch provided will meet the minimum standards for nutritional value according to the State of Texas.