Before the Summer Program Begins

Health Forms

Open House Nursery School is licensed by the NY Department of Health, and they require that we follow strict guidelines. Before your child enters school, we need a doctor’s report of a physical examination within the last 12 months. Have your physician fill out the Child Health Examination Form. This form is mandatory for admittance and must be handed in by the first day your child attends. We cannot admit children into Open House without a current health form.

Children New to Open House

Parents of children new to Open House should plan on spending time in the classroom during the first week. If you are in doubt as to whether you should leave the classroom, ask your child’s teacher.

You will need to fill out other forms in addition to the child health examination forms. They can be found on our online registration portal.

Contact Information

All families need to make sure that contact and pick-up information is up-to-date on the Famly App. Open House will not release your child to anyone who has not been authorized to do so. If a caregiver picks up your child, it is important that we have a cell phone number and email for that person.

Labels

Label anything you wish to see again in waterproof ink, including towels, bathing suits, sunscreen, hats, and shoes.

First Day

Please bring the following items that stay at Open House while your child attends our summer program. These items may need to be refreshed during the program; a staff member will let you know.

• Sunscreen (we reapply when necessary)
• One complete change of clothing  (including socks & underwear)
• Hat or visor
• Closed-toe sandals (no flip-flops please – they are dangerous to climbing children)
• Labeled, large ziplock or plastic bag in which your child’s items will be kept
• If your child stays after 1 PM, please also send a toddler-sized sheet or light blanket (roughly 4′ by 4′) to be kept in their cubby — no sleeping bags; you may also include small pillow or a cuddly rest toy, if desired
• A beach towel that you take home at the end of each week and replace at the beginning of each week
• A refillable water bottle or thermos

During the Summer Program

Daily Tasks

Each day, send your child to school wearing a complete, head-to-toe application of sunscreen.  The children will most likely spend the first portion of their morning on the roof playground in the water and under the sun. Your child should be dressed in a clean and dry bathing suit under their clothing and bring a clean and dry towel and an extra set of underwear.

Open House provides snacks and drinks, but each child will need to bring a lunch. Perishables must be labeled and placed in “perishable” basket every morning to be kept refrigerated until lunch time. Candy is not allowed. Glass containers, nuts, and nut products are strictly prohibited. Open House is a nut-free facility. Classrooms may have additional restrictions if attending children have allergies. If your child is going on a trip and is required to bring a bagged lunch, make sure all items are completely disposable.

If needed, please send your child with an adequate supply of diapers.

Schedule

Early drop off is available beginning at 8:30 AM.  If you are signed up for a 9 AM arrival time, please do not arrive before 8:50 AM, unless you have purchased extended day vouchers.  We expect children to arrive no later than 9:20 AM, but if your child is going on a trip, be sure that he/she arrives at least ten minutes before the scheduled departure time. [In Summer 2022, due to Covid restrictions, children will not take field trips.]

Pickup

Open House closes promptly at 6 PM.  It is important to our staff and your child that your child’s pick-up is by 5:55 PM.  Therefore there is no grace period for late pick-ups.  Late fees will be charged when pick-up occurs after 6pm.

It is very important for the well-being of your child that you arrive on time.  If you do expect to be late, please notify the school so your child can be prepared for the delay.

Children are only released to their parents or to those designated in writing.  Alert us in the morning if you have any change of plans via the Famly App. We will not release a child to anyone who is not scheduled to pick up your child that day.  Keep all contact numbers completely up to date so that the school can reach you at any time.

Food

The school provides snacks and parents provide lunch.  Glass containers, nuts, and candy are strictly prohibited.  If your child is on a special diet or is allergic to certain foods, let us know before camp begins.  If your child’s needs are very unique, we may ask you to provide snack from home.

We will not force children to eat at lunchtime but will encourage them to eat.  Children are asked to eat a minimum of half of their main course before proceeding to the dessert portion of the lunch.  When feasible, we will send home the uneaten portion of your child’s lunch.  In this way you will have concrete “feedback” concerning your child’s lunch habits.

Health & Safety

Illness

Please alert the school if your child has been ill or exposed to a contagious disease.  The staff at Open House is allowed to administer prescription medicine only with the written authorization of a parent.  Pre-measure the dosage at home and label the container with your child’s name.  Teachers cannot administer over-the-counter medications.

If your child falls ill at school, we will notify you and ask you to pick him/her up as soon as possible.  Here are the symptoms that will prompt such a phone call:

• A fever of 100 degrees or over
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Persistent cough
• An unexplained rash or blistering
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Head lice
• Symptoms consistent with chicken pox, impetigo, strep throat, Covid-19, or any other contagious disease.

An ill child will be compassionately isolated from classmates and be made as comfortable as possible.  Before returning to school your child must be free of symptoms, including fever, for 24 hours.  In some cases we may require that you bring us a doctor’s note.

For more information, visit our Health & Safety page.

Accidents & Medical Emergencies

If your child sustains a minor injury at camp, an Incident Report will be completed and sent home to you.

If your child has a medical emergency, we will call you immediately. If you can’t be reached we will call your child’s physician, and if necessary we will call an ambulance or take him/her to the Brooklyn Hospital Center. Until you arrive, a Director will take responsibility for your child’s well being.  The Directors and many staff members are trained in CPR and first aid.