Policies and Procedures

WES Before & After School Program follows all rules, policies, and procedures of the school in which our program operates.  Students will be provided a safe, caring, and welcoming environment.  Each child will demonstrate respect to themselves, peers, and adults.  Children will be redirected in a way that is respected and developmentally appropriate when they are not following program guidelines.

Child Discipline Policy

Providing students with a safe, caring, and welcoming environment is at the forefront of the WES Before & After School Program.  We recognize the uniqueness and diversity of each child, and therefore, work to provide a positive environment conducive for all.

Sometimes children exhibit inappropriate behaviors during programming.  These behaviors are dealt with using positive child guidance, safety intervention, and parent consultation as needed.  Positive child guidance strategies and techniques not only engage the child as an active participant in a healthy program environment but encourage the use of constructive problem-solving processes.  Essentially, positive child guidance works to prevent and respond to child behavior in constructive ways that focus on empowering choices.

Proactive measures taken by staff include:

•  Building connections and relationships with students;
•  Modelling respectful behaviour;
• Setting clear guidelines for appropriate behaviour;
• Reinforcing positive behaviours;
• Anticipating child’s needs;
• Distracting and redirecting;
• Providing a calm down corner with tools to help the child reregulate;
• Removing the child from other students after exhausting all other measures.  If the student cannot be removed safely without harm, we will relocate the other students to the gym until the student has calmed down and we feel it is safe to return to the room.  
• In extreme cases, parents will be called as soon as it is safe to do so and will be asked to come and pick up their child.

Behaviors deemed inappropriate in the WES Before & After School Program include, but are not limited to:

• Inappropriate communication (such as vulgarities, sexual comments, inappropriate drawings);
• Acts of aggression (such as biting, hitting, pinching, kicking, spitting, damaging, misusing, or destroying physical property);
• Bullying (including name-calling, teasing, intimidating, racial slurs);
• Unsafe or destructive behaviors (such as leaving program space unsupervised, throwing items towards people or property; misusing equipment);
• Refusal to follow the direction of staff to ensure quality, safe programming for all

When persistent behavior concerns arise that undermine the quality and/or safety of the program environment, program staff may move from positive to progressive guidance, incorporating some or all of the following:

• Staff will discuss the behavior immediately and privately with the child and offer acceptable alternatives
• A child may be requested to engage in self–reflection conversations and complete a Refocus Form. The child will be permitted to rejoin the group after and will be monitored for improvement.
• Staff will contact parent/guardian to discuss the behavior concern and its impact on the environment of the program in order to collaborate on solutions.
• Staff will engage school personnel, including administrators, teachers, etc. with a focus on identifying constructive solutions and fostering consistency for the student between school day and extended programming.

If positive and progressive guidance does not yield improved behavior, and the program quality and/or safety continue to be compromised, the Program Manager may suggest a Positive Behavioral Guidance Contract. This contract will require an in-person conference between the program staff, the student, and parents/ guardians to discuss needed changes to behaviors in order to remain in the program, which will be documented on the contract and signed by all parties present. All parties will conclude the meeting with the understanding that if the terms of the contract are not kept, the child may be dismissed from the WES Before & After School Program.

To the extent that behavioral concerns arise from a student's disability, the WES Before & After School Program will make reasonable attempts to modify our service and provide auxiliary aids and services that:

1. do not fundamentally alter the nature of our services, or
2. result in an undue burden to permit students with disabilities to fully enjoy our services without reducing the quality and safety of our program

The WES Before & After School Program will ensure each staff member and volunteer who has unsupervised access to children is an adult and provides a criminal record check, including a vulnerable sector search, not dated earlier than 6 months prior to start date and updated every 3 years. 

We guarantee a minimum of 1 in 2 staff hold a first aid certification acceptable to the Program Director, and that a staff member with first aid is always onsite.

We will provide adequate staff to student ratios.  In class, we will provide adult-to-child ratios as required by Alberta Licensing Regulations.

Staff will do an initial walk through of our indoor space upon arrival using our daily health and safety checklist.  This will ensure we are providing a safe environment each day.  The outdoor space, including play structures, will be inspected by the Program Director on a monthly basis, and any health and safety concerns will be reported.  Staff will be actively involved in the day-to-day activities and will display active supervision by moving around the space and engaging with all students.  Staff will be thoroughly invested in the children and the activities going on throughout the day.

During program hours, whether we are inside or outside, children will be supervised to the fullest.  A regular child count will be conducted at the beginning of each class, and before and after any transition, such as heading to the gym and venturing out for a walk. 

 The program does not transport children to-and-from school.

Due to licensing regulations, if your child is sick, they are required to stay home.  If your child becomes ill while at the program, you will be contacted to come and pick them up. They must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to the program.

 As stated in the Prevention of Spreading of Communicable Diseases Guidelines, children will be excluded from the program if they have any of the following:

• Fever (38 ‘C or 101 ‘F)
• Diarrhea (defined as very loose bowel movement twice within one hour)
• Vomiting
• Persistent cough
• Breathing difficult
• Rash with fever

If your child will be absent, it is important to let us know.  You can either email wesbeforeafterprogram@gmail.com or text (403-499-9324) the WES Before & After School Program.  Please do not write it in your child’s school agenda or call the school office - contact us directly.

The administration of medication or other medical treatment to children is to be limited to those situations where the child's attending physician has provided instructions for the appropriate administration of medication or treatment and the child's parent(s) have requested that program staff engage in such medical treatment.  

The medication must be provided in the original container with directions from a doctor for administration on the label. The supervisor will make arrangements for an adult to willingly administer the prescribed medication or medical treatment. 

A record including the name of medication with time(s) and amount(s) of administration signed by the person administering the medication will be maintained by the person administering the medication and will be retained by the supervisor. 

Medication will be kept in a secure location, inaccessible by children, in a locked container unless needed in case of emergency.  All staff having direct responsibility for the students will be informed of all medical conditions and the appropriate emergency procedures of any registered student.

The WES Before & After School Program recognizes the importance of the safety and well-being of all children.  The staff will ensure students receive appropriate medical attention in the event of a serious accident or illness.

Accident or Serious Illness Procedures

• The staff will take appropriate measures to keep the children calm and do an initial assessment of needs.
• Our certified staff will administer first aid.
• Reasonable efforts will be made to inform parent(s) who will make arrangements for necessary medical treatment.  If the parents cannot be contacted, the supervisor or designate will arrange transportation for the student to a medical facility.
• In case of an emergency requiring immediate care, medical services will be contacted.  Parents or emergency contacts will be notified.
• Any incident related to bodily injury serious enough to require professional medical attention will be reported.