Safe. Quality. Affordable.
Safe. Quality. Affordable.
With over 15 years of experience, Smart and Healthy Kids is OUR Business!
PARENT AWARE 4 STAR RATED PROGRAM
We use a nationally recognized, research-based curriculum for each classroom, we design learning experiences and the environment to meet the individual needs of each child and ensure that they are ready for kindergarten.
What sets us apart is our ability to communicate, understand, and deliver personalized attention to our families, building deep and lasting relationships.
Smiling Faces Academy
Smiling Faces Academy
Policies and Procedures
MISSION STATEMENT - Smiling Faces Academy staff strives to provide the highest quality of Childcare and educational service that promotes and enhances each child’s development; while assuring our parent’s peace of mind in the care and services we render.
Our program focuses on building positive self-esteem, self-confidence and positive body image in each child. We promote and model healthy eating lifestyles, along with incorporating healthy practices into daily meals and curriculum. We promote and model active movement through physical fitness and integrate movement in our schedule throughout the day.
EDUCATIONAL METHODS - Each lesson plan has specific early learning approaches that are outlined by Minnesota’s Early Learning Guidelines using Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPS) and include a wide variety of activities. In addition to ECIPS for class objectives, Smiling Faces Academy uses 123 Learn Curriculum as developmental and learning tool. We encourage theme-based learning that includes cultural traditions, holidays, special events, shapes and sounds, colors, numbers, the alphabet, manners and much more.
Smiling Faces Academy uses a variety of learning materials that are available from along with the wide variety of backgrounds and experiences our great staff has brought with them to enhance and expand your child’s learning.
Smiling Faces Academy commits to keeping constant communication with our families through newsletters, parent boards, and parent teacher conferences. We support an open door policy and invite families’ participation in their education.
Smiling Faces Academy ensures you that safety is our number one priority. Children are screened upon arrival There are several methods that facilities uses to protect their workers while conducting temperature screenings. Methods include social distancing (maintaining a distance of 6 feet from others) physical barriers to eliminate or minimize exposures due to close contact to a child who has symptoms during screening.
We are committed to providing a safe clean environment for your family. We exceed national standards for cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection of educational facilities for children. Toys that can be put in the mouth are cleaned and sanitized immediately. Other hard surfaces, including diaper changing stations, door knobs, and floors are disinfected daily and as needed. All children will be supervised within child/teacher ratios.
Smiling faces Academy Will ensure children will be supervised within child/teacher ratios.Children will be within sight and sound of teaching staff. School-age children will be supervised within appropriate state guidelines.
HOURS OF OPERATIONS/SCHEDULE - Smiling Faces Academy is open year-round; January through December (except on listed holidays & days closed) we provide care from 7:00am to 5:30pm, Monday through Friday. Our daily schedule is posted inside the door and reflects a typical day.
HOLIDAYS & CLOSINGS - Holidays Observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Staff Development Days (two per year), Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, Day after Christmas and New Years Eve. If one of these holidays falls on a weekend, it will be observed on either Friday or Monday. Smiling Faces may be closed additional days, these days may vary, families will receive a full calendar of closing days for the year, at time of enrollment
Full tuition is charged for Holiday weeks and ALL absent days. Your tuition is based on scheduled enrollment, not attendance, therefore no credit is provided for absences due to illness, family vacations or other times the child is not in attendance.
FINANCIAL POLICIES - Smiling Faces Academy, policy is to charge tuition in advance of the week services are provided. Tuition payments for each and every child enrolled with Smiling Faces Academy are due and payable on Friday morning for the upcoming week. A late fee will be assessed to all accounts that are not current on Tuesday at noon. Payments need to be received by Monday, all payments processed after Monday, will receive a $25.00 processing fee.
If Smiling Faces Academy, fails to receive your tuition payment for one full week, your child’s enrollment will be immediately terminated and Smiling Faces Academy will pursue collection remedies for any and all unpaid tuition and associated costs, disbursements, and attorney’s fees.
Families receiving childcare assistance - If your family receives childcare assistance, and you are obligated to pay a parent portion, parent portions must be pain in full by the first business day of the month. A late fee of $25.00 will be assessed to all accounts that are not paid in full by the 10 day of the month. An additional $25.00 fee will be added every Friday that the parent portion is not received. If the county’s maximum tuition rates are lower than the Smiling Faces Academy, tuition rates, you are responsible to pay the difference. The weekly difference is due on Friday for the upcoming week. It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that your childcare fees are paid in full and in a timely manner. If the county terminates childcare assistance, it is your responsibility to pay tuition. Non-payment will result in termination of care.
RETURNED PAYMENTS - A service charge of $30.00 will be assessed on all returned payments. If a second payment is returned, your account will be on a cash only basis. Returned payments will result in late fees being assessed.
TERMINATION OF CARE - Smiling Faces Academy, requires a two-week/14-day notice in writing to terminate childcare. We will also give families a two-week/14-day notice in an event that we may no longer care for your child. In an event that your child becomes violent and may create danger for themselves, other children, or staff member’s termination may be At-Will. A two-week notice will not be given for non-payment.
INCLEMENT WEATHER - Winter weather guidelines when we will close school. We will likely close if the wind chill reaches -35°F at 5:00 a.m. We closing if 6 inches of snow falls in 12 hours or if 8 inches falls in 24 hours.
In an event that Minneapolis Public School District is closed due to inclement weather, Smiling Faces Academy may also be closed. In an Event that we will be closed, our staff will make every effort to send out an email to each family and update our Facebook page (Smiling Faces Academy) by 5:00am. Please make sure that your email address is updated in our records.
If sirens are sounded or a warning is announced all staff and children will proceed to our assigned safe place. Staff will calmly initiate appropriate activities with the children, all staff and children will remain in the shelter until the "all clear" is announced on the radio.
ADMISSION- Smiling Faces Academy provides childcare to a diverse number of families without regard to race, creed, religion, parent’s sexual preference, cultural beliefs or economic level. Childcare is provided to children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. All required forms must be completed prior to your child’ first day.
All families will receive a copy of the Family Handbook at time of enrollment and upon request.
Additional need specific forms are also available at time of enrollment. If your child is in a special education program through the school systems or any outside agency, we request a recent copy of their individual Education Plan (IEP) or similar documents for inclusion to keep in the child’s file. Please notify staff of any special accommodations for your child.
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) or INDIVIDUAL FAMILY SERVICE PLAN (IFSP) -If a child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP), Smiling Faces Academy shares assessment results with our team with family’s permission. For a child with a special need who is receiving specialty services (for example, physical or occupational therapy), Smiling Faces Academy shares assessment results with service providers with family’s permission.
PICK-UP/DROP-UP PROCEDURES/ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES - Children may not enter or leave our care unless accompanied by an adult. Smiling Faces will only release children to their parents or other authorized adults. It is our policy to ask all unfamiliar adults for photo identification. This is vital to ensure the safety of every child.
The greeting between caregivers and children is invaluable. Many things about the child's health and state of mind can be determined in that brief time. We will then help the child transition into our daily routine.
To help achieve the goal of allowing your child to become independent, emotionally healthy, and well adjusted, and to maintain safety, please present your child to a staff member. Please be sure that the staff person is fully aware (per verbal communication) that your child has arrived or that your child is departing.
Remember hellos and goodbyes are a part of our everyday routine. Separation should be sweet and brief, with reassurance about the planned pick-up time.
Parents should encourage children to make friends and interact with the caregivers and look forward to being at school without feeling guilty or disloyal to their parents.
MISSION STATEMENT - Smiling Faces Academy staff strives to provide the highest quality of Childcare and educational service that promotes and enhances each child’s development; while assuring our parent’s peace of mind in the care and services we render.
Our program focuses on building positive self-esteem, self-confidence and positive body image in each child. We promote and model healthy eating lifestyles, along with incorporating healthy practices into daily meals and curriculum. We promote and model active movement through physical fitness and integrate movement in our schedule throughout the day.