Center Operating Policies

Sign-in, sign-out: Each day your child(ren) must be brought into the classroom by an adult. As mandated by State Law, the adult must sign his/her full name on the sign-in sheet. The same is also required at pick-up time. Only adults who are authorized on the emergency cards will be allowed to pick up any child. Please make sure that a teacher knows when your child has arrived or is leaving.

Hours, late fees: The Center hours are 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The doors remain locked throughout the day, and uses a key card entry system. Families receive 2 cards upon enrollment, and can request an extra if needed free of charge. Lost cards can be replaced at a charge of $25 each.

It is important to consistently pick-up your child(ren) before 5:30 pm as the staff need time to clean up and prepare for the next day. If you have not entered the center by 5:30 p.m., you will be charged $10 for any portion of the first five minutes, and $2 per minute thereafter. This late fee will be used for staff development. Families with two children will need to pay late fees for both children, if arriving at the Center after 5:30 p.m.

If you will be late, the courtesy of a phone call is appreciated, both by your child and the staff; however, the late charge will still be assessed. Persistent and excessive tardiness will result in doubled late charges.

Parking:  There is a one-hour parking zone in front of the Center. Please refrain from parking in these spaces for longer than 15 minutes during drop off and pick up times, as there are often many parents waiting to park as well. Parking is also available in the lot directly south from the CCC and in the underground parking structure; however, these spots require Caltech parking permits. Daily permits can be purchased at pay stations throughout the campus. Remember to MOVE SLOWLY, as children are always present!

Gates:  It is imperative that all doors and gates be closed and latched behind you when you enter or leave the center. Children may not enter or exit the program without an adult in attendance.

 Annual Calendar: The Center is open year round. The Center will be closed based on National Holidays that are scheduled in conjunction with the Caltech calendar. A typical Holiday calendar will be:

Martin Luther King Day

President’s Day

Memorial Day

Juneteenth

Independence Day

Labor Day

Thanksgiving Day

Day after Thanksgiving

One week for Winter Holiday Break (between Christmas and New Year’s)

Additionally, there will be two scheduled closures each year to facilitate staff development trainings. These closures will be announced on the Center website and on bulletin boards, well in advance.

Communication:   There are many lines of communication available between staff and parents. All lead teachers and administrators have email addresses for direct communication; information is frequently posted and updated on the Center website; and each family has a mailbox in their child’s classroom. Because each “child” is assigned a classroom mailbox you may have multiple mailboxes in more than one classroom attended by your children. (Therefore you may receive multiple copies of announcements.) Please check your classroom mailbox and your email daily for information from the Center. Classroom staff can be reached by calling the main office and requesting to transfer the call to the rooms directly.

The bulletin boards in each classroom have news and information regarding events at the Center. Please check them frequently. The following forms are also found on the bulletin boards:

  • Medical Dosage Forms
  • Sign-in/sign-out sheets. Parents are required by law to sign their child(ren) in and out each day. You must sign in with your full legal signature and the time.
  • Snack menus
  • Notice of any contagious illness within the Center
  • Upcoming events
  • Daily schedules
  • Staffing schedules
  • Curriculum plans

Another source of information regarding the Children’s Center is the CCC website: https://ccc.caltech.edu/ . The website provides contact information, driving directions, a center-wide calendar, a copy of this parent handbook, the latest snack menu, the newsletter, as well as other pertinent information about the Center.