TRANSITION WEEK
Following a few days of rest, Kids in Christ staff will be ready to welcome the 2023-2024 students participating in the Latchkey Program! Everyone is excited for what this school year has to offer.
You are being provided with your first account statement that shows charges for next week.
Here’s some information about billing, this is likely new for families joining us for the first time.
Tuition is applied in advance of the week of care. You’ll notice the date on the statement says 8/14/2023 (Monday).
Tuition for the week is due at the end of the week (Friday). On Saturday, payment is considered 1 day late. At 15 days late, additional late fees begin being applied. This grace period allows for those that are paid every other week to stay current, although best practice is to pay in advance so the account does not go past due.
For those enrolled with the AUTOPAY option, you’ll typically see the tuition post on the first business day of the week (Monday, unless a federal holiday) for that week’s tuition, not the previous week’s.
The policy of Kids in Christ is to charge a full week of tuition for any week where care is available at least 3 days of that week. This is because we still have many fixed and required costs of the program. However, because we are not attempting to make a profit, if cashflow remains healthy based on your timely payments, I often offer prorated tuition for short weeks. This is solely at my discretion and based on the financial health of the program. Please don’t expect it, but also please don’t think it’s an error if I am able to offer it.
Kindergarten has a very limited schedule this week. You will not see a charge for care this first week, but if you would like your child to attend latchkey when their schedule allows as a way of easing into the program, you are welcome to do so.
FINALIZING SUMMER CAMP
This account statement includes remaining outstanding Summer Camp tuition fees. Your prompt tuition payments are very important in helping us close out our summer records and concentrate on the school latchkey program. Thank you for remaining current with your payments and helping us serve you at an affordable cost. Unresolved accounts will forfeit the opportunity to participate in future summer camps. I will soon begin deactivating accounts that were Summer Camp only to prevent unwanted emails through the school year. Watch our website/blog to keep informed of announcements and 2024 Summer Camp information.
DAY CAMPS AND EARLY RELEASE DAYS
Ms. Shawna and Ms. Ciara will be handling these care opportunities a bit different this year.
Camp Days: A Google Form will be used to sign up for any Camp Day care within a specific month. A link and QR code will be provided to register as we approach the new month. Watch for October’s registration to be provided soon.
Early Release (11:45 AM) Days: Ms. Shawna and Ms. Ciara will manage this coordination to determine attendees and lunch arrangements. This could entail sign-up logs at the kiosk and/or personal contact being made.
AUTOPAY ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM
If you’d like to sign-up to have payments automatically applied to your banking account, debit card, or credit card, a new option is now available to complete an online form, bypassing the printed form process. A button has been placed on our website that should initiate an email to me requesting the online registration link. The link expires 24 hours after being sent, making this request coordination necessary. If the button to email me does not function properly (some mobile browsers don’t like these buttons), simply send me an email to request the online registration form.
PROCARE APP
Tomorrow, 8/13/2023, formally begins our Latchkey Program within our Procare system. In addition to the myprocare.com website and online parent portal, Procare offers an app you can download and use on your mobile phone. To access our Kids in Christ center, new app users will need an invite code. I will soon send out invite codes to families that have not yet registered to use the app. I only send out these mass invites periodically so those that do not want to use the app aren’t constantly receiving unwanted emails, but situations and decisions do change so this will be one of those mass invites to ensure all have the chance.
Caveat: Kids in Christ does not manage the app’s functionality, only the data within your account. The app is great for communicating with our team, for reviewing your authorized pick-up list, and for checking your balance and making payments. But the app does not allow you to make updates to account details. I’ve heard from several parents that the recurring payment feature is not reliable, so please reference the section above regarding autopay if you’d like to setup a recurring payment option.
NEW TO KIC LATCHKEY?
If you are new to our program, welcome! Please take a look at the Welcome tab of our website: kidsinchrist.org for helpful information. On that page you’ll find a link to a blog post from the 2021-22 school year that is still relevant in terms of explaining our use of Procare to check your students into and out of the program. Staff will assist with getting your PIN/Password setup, but it will be helpful and quicker if you have a familiarization with the process.
Another reminder is that a valid ID is required to be shown by the person picking up your student. This is a requirement EACH AND EVERY TIME. Please help us reduce frustration by informing those you have authorized to pickup your students that they will be required to (1) show ID and (2) setup and utilize the Procare kiosk.
More information will be provided as we kick-off the school year, to include how Day Camp and Early Release sign-ups will be conducted this year. We are always trying to improve our processes to find the right balance for your ease and our awareness. Thank you for your partnership in these efforts.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the school’s calendar, which can be accessed from the district’s homepage: https://www.highlandcusd5.org to learn about No School dates and Early Release dates. Early dismissal at 11:45AM will incur an additional charge for those that participate, but early dismissal at 2:15PM will not incur an additional charge.
Another reminder as we head into the school year that Kids in Christ seeks to ensure the safety of all students and staff. If school is closed or released early due to inclement weather or other emergency situations, Kids in Christ will also be closed and care will not be provided. Please ensure you have a reliable contingency plan that can be quickly implemented if needed.
Enjoy your last weekend of summer! Please let us know if you have any questions!
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