Our Illness Policy

• Children who enter Playschool for the first time are required by the State to have up-to-date immunization records, which include all required immunizations, on file at the school. Current Immunization records are required for every child attending school before the first day of school. This requirement shall be strictly enforced for your child’s protection. Please remember to bring in updated immunizations as they occur. A child who does not meet this requirement will not be allowed to attend. A State-approved waiver must be obtained through the New Mexico Department of Health, if a child is not immunized for religious or medical reasons.
• All children must be well enough to participate in daily activities to attend LFP. If a child is not well enough to play outside s/he will be considered too ill to attend Playschool and will be sent home.
  Children will be sent home if they have a temperature of 100.4° or higher; vomiting/diarrhea; unusual lethargy, persistent crying, or other signs of severe illness; or any contagious disease (pink eye, impetigo, strep throat, etc.). If your child becomes ill at Playschool, s/he will be isolated and you will be expected to pick him/her up as soon as possible.
• Children must be fever free without the use of fever reducing medicine for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Parents must notify LFP of the reason for all their child’s absences, as we are required to report some illnesses to the Public Health Department. Parents will be informed of any cases of contagious diseases at LFP.
• Dispensing of medication is controlled by State regulations. The LFP staff may administer necessary medication to your child. Medication, prescription or over-the-counter, must be handed to the teacher by the parent on arrival in the classroom. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD MEDICATION BE LEFT IN A CHILD’S LUNCH BOX, BACKPACK, OR ANYWHERE ELSE ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN. Parents are required to sign and give the requested information on our “Medicine Sheet”. All medicine must be in its original container and labeled with the child’s name, the dosage to be given and the time dosage is to be administered. Medicine Sheets are available in each classroom. No medication will be administered without written parent permission.

To Prevent the Spread of Illness

• Staff, parents, and children must wash their hands with soap/water after toileting, after outside play or playing with sensory items, before/after eating, or coming in contact with germs.
• All classroom items are periodically removed for sanitization.

Safety at LFP

• All LFP children are required to wear sunscreen and hats outdoors.
  Children are involved in activities throughout the day that can be messy therefore we ask that parents dress children in comfortable, weather-appropriate, easily washable clothes, and non-skid shoes.
• Parents need to provide a seasonally appropriate change of clothes, undergarments and shoes.
  When the wind chill is below 0 degrees F for children two and older, children will not go out. When the temperatures climbs above 100 degrees F for children two and older, we will restrict them to indoor activities.
• Typically, LFP will not close due to weather conditions such as snowstorms or high heat indexes (see snow day policy). However, LFP follows the Los Alamos Public Schools closures and delays.
  A child will be released from the facility only to the child’s parent(s) or guardian or to a person designated in writing by the parent(s) or guardian authorized to pick up the child. Persons not known to the staff shall be required to provide a driver’s license (with photo) or photo identification card issued by a governmental agency prior to picking up a child.
• Teachers, staff, and volunteers who see an unfamiliar adult in the building will question the person’s purpose for being in the building.
• At least one staff member in every classroom is CPR and First Aid certified.

Nutrition at LFPS

• LFP provides a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.
• Snacks are prepared on site.
• We will make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs within our capacity upon a written request by the child’s doctor.
• Parents are encouraged to send simple, nutritious lunches that do not contain excessive sweets.
• Please do not send sodas or candy in your child’s lunch.