Nordeast Gnomes Child Care and
Pre-K Education

Terms of Payment

A. Child Care Rates and Fees 

1. Contracted Rates

• For the 2009-2010 contract, Nordeast Gnomes will operate on a 42-week schedule (from mid-August through mid-June).  The contracted 42 weeks occur within the period of August 10, 2009 through June 11, 2010. The contracted dates are based on the Minneapolis Public Schools' academic calendar.  
• A regular week is five days from Monday through Friday.  
• Clients who have a child attending the child care program on a regular basis will be required to sign a contract. 
• Contracts can be set up for full-time and part-time schedules, and the rates are listed in the table below.
• Full-time and part-time contracts must be signed by July 15 for the following school year.  
• The regular full-time rate is $160.00 per week for the 42-week contract.  
• The client will not be responsible for paying the normal rate during the 8 to 10 weeks of summer break and 2 weeks of winter break.  For the 2009-2010 contract, the summer break will begin on June 14, 2010.  The winter break is from December 21, 2009 through January 1, 2010.  (The exact length of next summer's break is currently unknown since the 2010-2011 contract start date is yet to be determined.)

 

  Rates for Contracted Part-time and Full-time Clients:

 

	2 days	3 days	4 days	5 days
Half Days
Morning Session:  7:30 am - 12:30 pm       or Afternoon Session:  12:30 pm - 5:30 pm	$50	$75	$100	$125
Full Days
Full Day:  7:30 am - 5:30 pm	$80	$120	$160	$160

 

2. Drop-in Rate

• The provider does not offer drop-in care on a regular basis.
• Under special circumstances, drop-in care may be arranged in advance.
• Drop-in care is not guaranteed by the provider.  It will be accepted based on availability. 

3.  Before-and-After-School Rate

• The provider offers before-and-after-school care at a rate of $5.50 per hour.  
• Clients who have a child attending before-and-after school care on a regular basis will be required to sign a contract. 

4.  Trial Period

The first two weeks of the contract will be a trial period.  During this time, either the client or the provider may cancel the contract immediately, without written notice.  Clients will pay their regular contracted rate per week during the trial period.  If the contract is cancelled during this two-week trial period, the client will pay a prorated fee.  Payment is due for each day unless the contract is cancelled before the day begins.

 

5. Family Discounts

There is no discount for two or more children from the same family.

 

6. Rate Increases 

Rate increases will be applied each year on the anniversary of signing the annual contract.

7. Payment Due Date

Child care fees are due each Friday by 5:30 pm for the following week.

 

8. Late Payment Fees

• If the child care fee is not paid when due, a late payment fee of $20 per day will be added to the past due amount until it is paid.
• If the client does not make payment within 5 days of the due date, the provider will cease to offer child care until full payment is made, including late payment fees.
• The fee for an insufficient funds check will be $20, plus the amount of any bank charges to the provider’s account.

9. Early Drop-off and Late Pickup Fees

• The client will be allowed to drop off early or pick up late 3 times during the 42-week contract without charge.  After that, there will be a fee (as described below) for all early drop-offs and late pickups.
• The client will pay an additional fee of $15.00 for every 15 minutes the child is dropped off earlier or picked up later than the time stipulated in this contract.  This fee is not prorated.  The client will pay a flat fee of $15.00 for the first one minute to 15 minutes he/she is late or early.
• All fees for early drop-off and late pickup are due the following Friday (the next payment due date).
• The client will be allowed to drop off early or pick up late 10 times per contracted year (3 times without fees and 7 times with penalty fees). If there are any more early drop-offs or late pickups after that, the provider will terminate this child care agreement.

 B. Holding Fees

• At the end of the contracted school year in June, the provider agrees to hold a space in her program for the client’s child until July 15.  In return, the client agrees to pay the provider one week's regular rate at the start of the holding period. Payment is due on the last contracted day in June. If the client decides not to enroll the child on or before July 15, the holding fee will not be refundable. If the client enrolls the child by July 15, the holding fee will not be refunded, but the client will get the first week of care free.
• If the client chooses not to pay a holding fee, the provider does not agree to hold a space for the child.
• The client must contact the provider on or before July 15 to confirm that the child will begin child care as scheduled. If the provider does not receive this confirmation and is unable to reach the client within 48 hours, the provider will assume that the client has changed his/her mind and will not be enrolling the child.

1. Field Trip Fees.

The client will pay any out-of-pocket costs involved with field trips, such as zoo entrance fees, community recreation center fees, and event fees.

 

2. Fees for Extra Services and Food 

• The client will be responsible for bringing (if applicable) diapers, baby wipes, baby powder and ointment, baby bottles, baby food and formula, and teething gel to the child care program.  If the client does not bring these items, the client will be charged for the cost of these items, and payment will be due on the next regularly scheduled payment day.
• If applicable, the client will pay the fees for special programs like swimming lessons, ballet lessons, or other special programs run by an outside provider. The provider will notify the client of these fees at least one week before the event. Payment will be due on the next regularly scheduled payment day.

3. Charges for Damage by the Child

If the client’s child intentionally or deliberately damages or misuses an item, the client will be responsible for the cost of the damage as determined by the provider. 

D. Holidays, Vacations, and Absences 

1. Non-contract days (unpaid breaks)

• The child care program will be closed on the following days during the calendar period covered by the contract:  
  • 2 weeks for winter break.  For the 2009-2010 contract, the winter break is from December 21, 2009 through January 1, 2010.
• The client is not required to pay for the 2 weeks of winter break. 
• The contract ends on June 11, 2010.  The client is not required to pay for the 8 to 10 weeks of summer break.  However, the client must pay a holding fee to guarantee their child's spot in the next contracted period.  (See Holding Fees above.)

2. Holidays 

• The child care program will be closed on the following days each school calendar:
  • Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January)
  • Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Labor Day (first Monday in September)
  • Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
  • the day after Thanksgiving 
• If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the child care program will be closed the day before (Friday). 
• If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the child care program will be closed the next day (Monday).
• The client must pay for all paid holidays listed above, regardless of any other term in this contract.

3. Provider Sick/Personal Days

• The provider has 5 paid sick/personal days per contracted 42-week period. If the provider takes more than this number of sick/personal days in a calendar year, they will be unpaid days.
• The client is responsible for arranging backup care for the provider's sick/personal days.

4. Client Vacations

Since the child care program is closed for winter break, summer break, and holidays, if a client chooses to take additional vacation days, the client will be required to pay the regular rate during their absence. 

5. Child Sick Days and Absences

• The client must notify the provider in advance (before the scheduled starting time) whenever a child won’t be coming to care due to illness or any other reason. 
• Failure to comply with the program’s illness policies may result in the termination of this contract.
• The client must pay for all days when the child is sick and not in child care or if the child is absent for any other reason.

 

Termination Procedure

• After the two-week trial period, the client must give a three-week written notice to terminate their contract.  The client must pay their regular child care rate for the notice period even in the client removes the child from the provider's care before the notice period ends.