Hampton Preschool and Early Learning Center designs policies and practices for optimum child health, safety, and nutrition.
Universal precautions and recommended sanitation practices are used in an effort to promote wellness and safeguard the health and safety of children, staff, and volunteers. Food and nutrition practices are aligned with USDA recommendations for young children in child care centers.
Health
During the registration visit, families will discuss with the administrative staff/teacher the child’s health including any suspected or diagnosed medical conditions and any specialized needs related to that condition. As part of enrollment, each child will have documentation of a physical examination on file. A record of immunizations is included and updated regularly, no less than quarterly. Each child’s overall condition will be noted each morning. If a child comes to school but during the day an illness prevents participation in activities or creates a greater need for care than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children, the program will notify the parent, legal guardian, or other person authorized by the parent to pick up the child. If the child’s condition is suspected to be contagious, then the child is made comfortable in a location where other children will not be exposed and where she or he is supervised by a familiar caregiver until he or she can be picked up by the family. In the event that a child / children have been exposed to an unusual level or type of communicable disease, the program will notify parents verbally and in writing about signs and symptoms of the disease, mode of transmission, period of communicability, and control measures that are being implemented at the program and that should be implemented at home.
Please consult the Parent Resource Handbook for more information on our policies towards and best practices for ensuring a happy and healthy environment for all children:
- Hand Washing
- Water Play
- Diapering
- Communicable Diseases
- Health & Medical Consultants
- Medication Administration
- Medical Procedures
- Animal & Pet Policy
- Cleaning
- Accidents
- Playground Audits
- Drills
- Balloons
- Child Abuse Reporting
Nutrition & Food
We comply with The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Health for all food handling regulations. Meals served are prepared in a commercial kitchen, licensed by the state of NC. Please note: NC Child Care Law does not allow foods that have been prepared or assembled at home to be served to groups of children in licensed child care centers.
Milk and Formula Practices
Parents of children between the ages of 12 and 24 months who are in the toddler classroom, will be encouraged to send whole milk for lunch and snack for their child.
Required Lunch from Home
Parents will need to send their child’s lunch from home in an insulated container with a date each day. According to NC child care licensing regulations, every child’s s lunch sent from home must meet the state nutritional guidelines. And as a licensed child care center we must check each child’s food and guarantee that every child is receiving the recommended amounts and types of food, as required by USDA nutrition guidelines. If a food component is missing from a child’s lunch sent from home, the child care center MUST provide the missing component. The cost of that food will become the responsibility of the family.
Children 12 months and older: Lunch has 5 nutrition components that must be met:
- 1 serving milk (children must be offered milk at lunch unless they have a doctor's note because of allergies)
- 1 serving protein/meat or meat substitute
- 1 serving bread
- 2 servings from fruits and vegetables
Sample Lunches for Young Children
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Example 1: ½ peanut butter / jelly sandwich on whole grain bread; Small apple; Carrot sticks; Milk
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Example 2: ½ cheese sandwich on whole grain bread; ½ orange (in sections); ½ cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half for children under 3 yrs); Milk
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Example 3: Whole wheat crackers; Cheese slices; ½ cup 100% fruit juice; Strawberries; Milk
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Example 4: ½ turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread; Blueberries; Orange juice; Milk
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Example 5: Spaghetti / pasta; Cheese slice; Peas; Grapes (cut in half for children under 3 yrs);
Milk Snack Costs
The school provides mid-morning snacks and afternoon snacks that meet the NC Nutritional Meal Guidelines at a cost to the parent of $12.00 per month. Click here to see a sample Snack menu.
Please consult the Parent Resource Handbook for more information on our policies towards and best practices for ensuring a happy and healthy environment for all children, including nutritional requirements for each age group, what to do if your child requires a lunch from home, snack costs, food allergiest, parties and more.