Enrollment and Policies

Upon notification of an available space for a child at Rainbow’s End Child Development Center, parents may schedule a visit to the Center to discuss policies and procedures and ask any questions they have about our program.  During this first visit, parents will visit their child’s classroom, meet the classroom teachers and tour the facility. 

Prior to a child’s first day at Rainbow’s End, all enrollment forms must be completed. These forms assist us in providing the highest quality care and many are required by our state licensing agency. The completed forms must be submitted two weeks prior to the first day of attendance.

• Application/Record of Child Information Form
• Consents of Release
• Verification of Receipt of DCFS Booklet
• Verification of Receipt of Primer, Late Fee Policy, Discipline Policy & Pest Management Policy
• Birth Certificate
• Child History Information
• Medical Form / Immunization Record
• Household Income Eligibility Application
• Tuition Contract

Children may not attend Rainbow’s End Child Development Center until all completed Enrollment forms are received by Rainbow's End.

Deposit and registration fee are due on Start Date.

There are three categories of tuition rates.  These rates apply to the parent or to the family member who resides with and financially supports the enrolled child(ren).

SIU Student Rate - must be enrolled in at least one (1) credit hour at SIU.

SIU Employee/Alumni Rate - must be a full or part-time employee of SIU, or a graduate of SIU.

Community Rate - no student, employee, nor alumni affiliation with SIU.

* Preschool rate effective the month following the 3rd birthday.  

As mandated by the State of Illinois CCR&R Subsidy Procedure:

* Preschool rate effective the month following the 3rd birthday. 

If a child will not be in attendance on any regularly scheduled day, the office staff should be notified by 8:00 a.m. on the day of absence.

Tuition is paid whether the child is absent or present.

Parents must provide a Notice of Departure at least two weeks in advance of the planned withdrawal date. The parent will forfeit their Deposit if Notice of Departure is not provided at least two weeks in advance of the child's Last Day.

If a child is absent for two consecutive weeks and Rainbow’s End is not notified of reason for the absence, the child is considered withdrawn and the parent will forfeit their Deposit.

Parents who have a balance on their account when they voluntarily or involuntarily withdraw their child will not be allowed to re-enroll at Rainbow’s End until their account is paid in full.

To maintain the highest possible standards relating to the health and safety of the children enrolled at Rainbow's End, the following guidelines have been formulated for the staff and the parents. If, at times, this causes some inconvenience to either a staff member or a parent, we ask your tolerance in our effort to protect ALL the children and maintain a safe environment for them.

Illinois state law requires certain immunizations before a child can be enrolled in any preschool program. By age two (2), a child should have received the Basic DPT Series and the first booster, the Oral Polio Series and the first booster, the Measles, Mumps, Rubella shot, the Hib Series, the Hepatitis B Series, and the Varicella vaccine. Rainbow's End staff will enforce these immunization requirements. As laws change, Rainbow's End will follow the new guidelines.

A child may be exempt or on a delayed immunization schedule if written documentation is provided by the child's physician indicating a health risk.

Religious beliefs and parent preference are not valid reasons for a child to not receive immunizations. Noncompliance with immunization laws will result in the child being excluded from attending Rainbow's End.

If a child leaves the United States and returns to Rainbow's End, the family will have to have the TB test addressed again by the child's physician if the family has visited any of the countries at high risk for TB exposure. This will need to be addressed prior to the child attending the center.

Colds and other viral illnesses are common among children and, indeed, it is only through exposure to them that children build up an immunity system. A person in the incubation stage of most common illnesses will spread the virus from one (1) to three (3) days before any symptoms of the illness appear. Therefore, children with nonserious communicable diseases (cold, etc.) may attend Rainbow's End if they can be managed comfortably.

Within limits, alternatives will be supplied for children who are unable to take part in all activities because of health reasons.

1. In general, children should NOT attend Rainbow's End when:

• The child is obviously distressed, appears extremely uncomfortable, is crying or cannot be managed. This applies to the child's physical condition.
• The child's oral temperature is over 101 degrees or higher.
• The child had diarrhea or vomited within the previous 24 hours unless it is known to be diet-related as indicated on a written statement from the child's physician.
• Children will be sent home from Rainbow's End if they have two bouts of diarrhea in a span of 30 minutes.
• The child has strep throat or scarlet fever and has been on medication less than 24 hours.
• The child is in the contagious stage of chicken pox, as indicated by any open or non-crusted sores.
• The child has conjunctivitis, "pink eye," and has not been treated for 24 hours. There should be no drainage when the child returns for care.
• The child has other contagious disease not otherwise specified.
• If a child is sent home from PreK, Head Start, or school, then the child should not attend Rainbow's End either.

2. A signed physician's release is required before a child can return to Rainbow's End after experiencing any impetigo, scabies, ringworm, and/or hand foot and mouth disease.

3. A signed physician's release may also be required in any instance in which a contagious and/or communicable disease is suspected. If there has been an exposure to any contagious disease at Rainbow's End, a written notice or report will be posted at the center and/or sent to the parents.

4. To ease communication between the home and Rainbow's End concerning health and medical matters, the staff has designated areas for notes from parents. Please use these areas to update the staff on any condition which the child has that is out of the ordinary.

5. In case of an accident or an illness which warrants sending a child home, the following procedure will be followed in this order:

• The parent/guardian will be called at home or on their cell phone.
• The parent/guardian will be called at work.
• The two (2) emergency numbers which are left at Rainbow's End will be called.
• An effort will be made to locate the parent/guardian.

6. If the staff is unable to locate a parent/guardian or the two (2) emergency persons, they will use their own discretion in contacting the child's doctor/clinic/hospital as listed on the Department of Children and Family Services Emergency Care form.

7. In case of minor accidents, the staff will follow procedures outlined in first aid manuals and report these to the parent.

8. In case of a more severe accident, such as a minor laceration requiring stitches, possible concussion, or possible simple fracture,the staff will follow the steps outlined in #5 above.

9. If the child has a compound fracture, deep laceration, severe trauma of any kind, or convulsion, the ambulance service will be called, SIU Student Health Services will be contacted for aid, and the parents will be notified.

10. Rainbow's End has formal arrangements with the SIU Student Health Services for a licensed, practicing physician and nurse for consultation about health care issues when necessary. A registered nurse visits and observes diaper changing and sanitation procedures each month.

11. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to reimburse Rainbow's End for any expenses incurred because of emergency health/medical procedures undertaken on behalf of the child.

12. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to call and let Rainbow's know End when your child is ill and, therefore, will not be attending the Center.

13. If a child begins to run a low-grade fever, parents will be contacted and placed on notice of the potential for the child to be picked up when the fever is 101 degrees (100 degrees during the cold and flu season, and if there is an outbreak of illness that is out of the norm).

14. Children should not attend Rainbow's End if they have been given fever medication, as this medication could mask a contagious disease. If fever medication is issued at Rainbow's End, then parents must immediately pick up their child and the child does not return to the center until they have been fever free without fever medication for at least 24 hours.

15. During the cold and flu season (generally November through February), parents will be contacted, and children sent home if the child has a fever of 100 or above degrees.

16. Staff at Rainbow's End can identify symptoms of illness, but a physician must diagnose the illness. It is important for parents to understand that staff will err on the side of caution and encourage a visit to the doctor for the proper diagnosis.

17. Parents should pick up their child within 30 minutes or less after the first call is made regarding a child's illness.