ADMISSIONS + Enrollment
Our Mini Makers™ Preschool operates five days a week (Monday through Friday) from 7:45am-5:15pm (early drop off and late pick up options are available). We have space for 25 students onsite daily and aim to keep our student-to-staff ratios low to increase engagement and safety.
We offer flexible enrollment options for families based around an integrative, developmental curriculum to target mixed age groups (ages 2-5 years), including half-day or full-day enrollment for 2 days a week (Tu/Th), 3 days a week (M/W/F), or 5 days a week (M-F) as well as a daily drop-in option. All of the specific program details are listed on our Enrollment Options page and are also available on this downloadable PDF.
We open our admissions for new students annually in the spring and enroll students for the entire Academic Year. As space is available, incoming students may begin mid-year. We maintain an active wait list that is based on the date of application, age of the child, and preferred days enrolled in Preschool, and we contacted families as space becomes available.
ENROLLMENT FEES
Submit your application online - no charge
Admission Processing Fee - $25 (non-refundable)
Enrollment + Materials Fee - $150 (initial annual cost for incoming students)
Re-enrollment + Materials Fee - $100 (annual cost for returning students)
Monthly Tuition
For details on tuition, please visit our Enrollment Options page or download this PDF.
Tuition fees are due on the 1st of the month. An invoice will be sent out at least one week before tuition is due and a receipt will be provided upon successful payment. Monthly tuition is standard no matter the number of days operational per month, with the month of June billed at a partial month if school ends before the 20th calendar day.
Multiple Child Discount: A 10% discount will be applied to the monthly tuition for additional siblings from the same family enrolled concurrently (same fees above apply per student).
LATE PAYMENT OR LATE PICK UP
Late Tuition Payments: Tuition will be considered late if not received by the 5th of the month. There will be a late payment fee of $25 for tuition paid between the 5th and the 20th. A $25.00 fee will be charged for all returned checks. Any account, which becomes thirty days (30) delinquent from the first of each month, will result in the suspension of services until the account is paid.
Late Pick Up Fee: A late pick-up fee of $20.00/hour is charged for late pick up after the designated time to cover additional staffing costs of waiting with your child (due upon arrival)
MISCELLANEOUS FEES
Daily Register Compliance: Licensing requires the person dropping off and/or picking a child up from school sign the child in and/or out and document the time accurately. This person needs to be listed on your current Identification and Emergency Information Form (LIC700) submitted at the time of enrollment. A complete legible signature is required for compliance (initials are not adequate). Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a $15.00 fee per incident. Chronic non-compliance may result in termination of services.
Change Fees: Changes in attendance schedule, start date, and/or withdrawal date cannot be made for the first full month of attendance. Changes thereafter must be in writing on a Preschool Notification Form and submitted a minimum of two weeks in advance of requested change and do not negate existing Preschool Agreements. The deadline to change any upcoming invoices for future months based on enrollment changes is the 15th of the month. Requested schedule changes will result in a $25.00 processing fee, automatically added to your account and payable on your next month’s invoice. All changes must be approved by our administration and will take effect the following calendar month. Change requests may be submitted a maximum of four times per academic year.
Rates + Fees
Our daily routine has been intentionally designed to help young children explore and create, while learning responsibility and how to transition effectively between activities. Below is a sample daily schedule:
7:00-7:45am: Early Drop Off (additional fee applies)
Morning Program: 7:45am-11:00am
7:45-8:45am: Inside Free Play and Bathroom Breaks
8:45-9:15am: Morning Circle Time
9:15-9:30am: Wash Up and Morning Snack
9:30-10:00am: Center-Based Learning
10:00-10:15am: Bathroom Breaks and Transition Outside
10:15-11:00am: Outside Free Play (weather permitting)
10:45-11:00am: Dismissal for Morning Program
Extended Program: 11:00am-2:00pm
11:00-11:45am: Inside Free Play and Bathroom Breaks
11:45am-12:15pm: Wash Up and Hot Lunch
12:15-12:30pm: Clean Up and Bathroom Breaks
12:30-3:00pm: Nap Time/Free Play (non-nappers)
1:45-2:00pm: Dismissal for Extended Program
Afternoon Program: 2:00-5:15pm
2:00-2:30pm: Outside Free Play (weather permitting)
2:30-3:00pm: Literacy and Learning
3:00-3:15pm: Wash Up and Afternoon Snack
3:15-3:45pm: Center-Based Learning
3:45-4:15pm: Afternoon Circle Time
4:15-4:30pm: Bathroom Breaks and Transition Outside
4:30-5:15pm: Outside Free Play (weather permitting)
5:00-5:15pm: Dismissal for Afternoon Program and Full Day Program
5:15-6:00pm: Late Pick Up (additional fee applies)
DAILY SCHEDULE
ACADEMIC CALENDAR + HOLIDAYS
We follow the Sacramento City Unified School District academic calendar and reserve the right to close on specific national and religious holidays.
2023-2024 ACADEMIC TERM
July 5-August 25, 2023 – Storybook Summer Program
September 5, 2023 (Tuesday) – First Day of Preschool
June 14, 2024 (Friday) – Last Day of Preschool
2023 planned closures
June 19, 2023 (Monday) – Juneteenth Holiday
June 20-July 3, 2023 – Summer Break
July 4, 2023 (Tuesday) – Independence Day Holiday
July 5- August 25, 2023 – Summer Program (all programs open)
August 28 - September 1, 2023 – Fall Break
September 4, 2023 (Monday) – Labor Day Holiday
September 25, 2023 (Monday) – Yom Kippur Observance
November 10, 2023 (Friday) – Veteran’s Day Holiday (observed)
November 20-24, 2023 – Thanksgiving Break
December 25, 2023 - January 5, 2024 – Winter Break
Tuition rates will remain the same for all months regardless of scheduled breaks or holidays observed. These non-school days were considered when formulating our fee schedule as some months have more than four weeks and the final month of tuition is billed at a half-rate if school ends before June 20th.
We cannot allow make-up days nor do we offer tuition reimbursement when a child misses a regularly scheduled school day due to illness, family holiday, unplanned school closure (including health and safety quarantine periods or forced government closure, or inclement weather), or any other reason.
Behavior + Discipline
BEHAVIOR POLICY
Our goal is for every child enrolled in our Mini Makers™ Preschool Program to have a safe and positive experience. We understand that transitioning to a new space with unfamiliar people can present unique challenges. We value the diversity of personalities and temperaments that our children possess and will work with you and your children to make sure they feel comfortable in our space and with our staff.
When young children are developing, they are learning about making choices, natural consequences, and respecting personal space and boundaries. When they cannot communicate what they want or how they feel, they may act out or get frustrated. We understand this developmental process and will work to de-escalate and redirect children who are experiencing and expressing negative behaviors, while reinforcing positive behaviors.
Certain unacceptable behaviors are not allowed in our space, including: Kicking, hitting, biting, pushing, throwing objects indoors or at others, name-calling, bullying, disrespectful or profane language, or threats against another person. The first time this occurs, we will respond by telling the child not to do this and offering them an alternative to redirect their focus to another activity.
If a child reacts physically against another child or staff member, they will be safely removed from the situation and redirected. If the child continues to escalate beyond what is deemed by staff to be a reasonable limit, the child’s parent(s) will be called to pick them up early.
If your child is on a Behavior Support Plan or requires additional services during instruction, please contact us. We strive to serve any and all students, and when additional services are needed, we ask that you discuss your child’s needs with our Behavior Analyst to see if arrangements can be made.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT + DISCIPLINE
While our program primarily focuses on using positive reinforcement to increase socially acceptable behavior, there are times when other actions may be taken to give children a chance to name and process their emotions and reflect on their actions. These include redirection away from an escalating incident or person as well as time spent in our Thoughtful Spot reflecting on personal decisions and in our Conversation Corner where we discuss what occur and create shared solutions for behavior issues.
We have a zero-tolerance policy for corporal punishment and work collaboratively to uphold children’s personal rights as outlined by the California Department of Social Services (LIC613A) which every family receives and signs prior to admission.
CONSULTATION + DISMISSAL
In very rare, extreme cases, a child may not be an appropriate fit for our space based on repeat behavior and will be dismissed from our program. This is handled on a case-by-case basis. A child is typically only dismissed after exhibiting aggressive or self-injurious behavior that cannot be safely managed in a classroom setting or for repeatedly violating our behavior policy.
To support families in our program, we contract with a local Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who specializes in Early Childhood Education. Our Behavior Analyst provides additional support and consultation to determine if your child can be safely and appropriately integrated back into our current program or will need to be removed before the academic year is completed.
All behavior conflicts will be handled professionally and with confidentiality as much as possible. We want to make sure your family is supported, even if your child does not prove to be a strong fit for our current program.
WELLNESS + EMERGENCIES
SICK POLICY
Our first priority in our Mini Makers™ Preschool is providing a healthy, safe learning environment for all children. We ask to respect the community wellness before bringing your child (and yourself!) onsite. Children who show any signs of illness will not be allowed to join the Preschool Program that day (please refer to our Parent Handbook for more detailed symptoms that exclude enrolled children from school). In order to rejoin our program, children need to be symptom-free for 24-hours or provide a note from a physician to show that they are no longer contagious.
A child or staff member who becomes ill while at our Mini Makers™ Preschool must be removed from the classroom in order to limit exposure of other children to communicable disease. Mini Makers™ Preschool staff reserve the right to make the final determination of exclusion due to illness. Any exceptions to our sick policy will require a written note from a licensed health care professional stating that the child is not contagious.
HEALTH HISTORY + IMMUNIZATIONS
Upon application to our Preschool Program, each child must have completed state-required current health forms on file, including a Child’s Preadmission Health History – Parent’s Report (LIC 702) and Physician’s Report (LIC 701). All enrolled students must also supply current immunization records when they apply for enrollment. For a current list of state-required immunizations in order to enter Preschool, please visit Immunization Requirements for Preschool (IMM-230).
MEDICATION POLICY
Any children requiring specific medication that needs to be administered by a Preschool Staff Member while onsite must supply a doctor’s note with specific dosage and timing instructions (including Epi Pens and Inhalers). Medication will be kept in a locked box in the snack area that only the Preschool Staff will have access to; under NO circumstances should a child have any medication on their person or within reach of another student. Staff are not able to administer any additional over-the-counter or prescription medicine without written parental permission and/or physician consent.
MEDICAL + DENTAL EMERGENCY PLAN
In the event of a Medical or Dental Emergency, our Preschool Staff will follow all proper steps to ensure our students are cared for safely and quickly. Parents will be informed by the phone number on file at the earliest possible time; in the event that we cannot reach either parent/guardian, we will call the listed Emergency Contact to inform them of the situation and have them reach out to the parent/guardian while we manage the situation onsite. For more serious injuries, an Incident Report will be written and parents will receive a copy and another copy will be added to the student’s file.
If a child sustains a minor injury while at school, First Aid will be applied if necessary and we will notify you when you pick up your child. All onsite staff (Director, Teacher, Aide) are required to complete a mandatory 8-hour EMSA approved CPR Certification and First Aid class every two years and are trained for emergency procedures and triage. We have a comprehensive First Aid Kit onsite as well as multiple fire extinguishers that have been regularly tested.
SUBSTANCE-FREE ZONE
Our Mini Makers™ Preschool is a substance-free zone, including alcohol and recreational drugs of any kind. Any parents arriving onsite under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances will be asked to leave immediately. If the Program Director or other staff member has probable cause to believe a parent’s faculties are impaired, the proper authorities will be called.
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products (e.g. chewing tobacco, vape pens, e-cigarettes) are prohibited on Mini Makers™ Preschool premises, including parking lots and outdoor play areas. Smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products are also prohibited in personal vehicles being used for the transportation of Mini Makers™ Preschool children while on field trips. Parents who smoke are strongly suggested against doing so immediately before drop off/pick up as smoke can stay on clothing and hair for an extended time.
Our Mini Makers™ Preschool is part of The Makers Place™, a DBA under Entropy Behavior Services, Inc. and is licensed by the Department of Social Services and the State of California (Facility Number: 343623934).