FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
ImagiNation Learning Center uses brightwheel for recording and tracking daily events and activities in the classroom and managing administrative tasks. As a parent, you’ll get private, real-time updates on your child delivered to your mobile device throughout the day.
We maintain an Open-Door Policy at all times. Feel free to come in and visit your child at any time. You may share lunch time with your child in class, read a book to a group during circle time, play a game of tag on the playground, or just enjoy one of our many family events at the center.
In order to meet various child care needs of our families, ImagiNation Learning Center offers not only full-time but also partial week programs and drop-in care.
All families that are not participating in Tuition Express as the Center’s standard means of payment must pay a Security Deposit in the amount of one week’s tuition.
Following state licensing regulations, we will provide approximately 1-2 hours of outside play each day except in inclement weather. We ask parents to dress their children appropriately so that they can enjoy being outside in many different weather conditions.
Teachers will release a child only to family members and other adults specifically authorized by the family. In case you assign someone to pick up your child that is not listed on the Emergency Contact Card, you must authorize the pick-up in writing. Anyone picking up a child for the first time will be asked for a photo ID.
State regulations require each child that is in a child care setting for four or more hours have a rest time. Usually, young children are ready to take a nap after a morning of stimulating play and continuous activity. We further encourage rest by playing soft music, gently rubbing a child’s back or sitting close to the child who is restless and has a difficult time relaxing.
TV and video viewing is not part of our regular schedule or curriculum. On rare occasions, we may provide the opportunity for children to watch a short program. Prior to viewing the show, the center management will determine that the program is developmentally appropriate.
ImagiNation Learning Center will provide a morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. Breakfast may be brought from home from 6:30 am-8:00 am. Children with allergies, medical or religious reasons may bring their own meals as long as they do not contain tree or peanuts. We require a doctor’s note for exceptions based on allergies and medical reasons.
We offer tuition discounts to families with more than one child enrolled full time at the Center. Families with two children enrolled full time at ImagiNation Learning are eligible for a 10% tuition discount applied to the child with the lower tuition rate. Families with three or more children enrolled at full time are eligible for a 50% tuition discount applied to the youngest sibling. Please see center management for applicable tuition rates.
All children must be picked up no later than 6:30 pm. There is a five-minute grace period that may be used on rare occasions only. Anyone arriving after 6:35 pm. will be charged a Late Pick-up Fee of $20.00 for the first 15 minutes beyond 6:30 pm. For each five-minute increment beyond 6:45 p.m. you will be assessed an additional $10.00.
ImagiNation Learning Center follows the Health Department’s guidelines for exclusion of sick children. Upon notification of a child’s illness at the Center, families must pick up the child within one hour. Illnesses necessitating parent notification and temporary removal from the center include fever, loose stool, vomiting, lung congestion, and infectious diseases.
When a child receives an injury, staff will comfort the child and give appropriate treatment. Depending on the circumstances and severity of the injury, families will be notified either by phone or when the child is picked up. The incident will be documented on a report to be signed by a parent.
Young children who are unable to communicate their feelings with words may bite other children. Though staff will make every reasonable effort to prevent this from happening, your child may at some point be bitten or bite another child. If a child continues to bite other children, we will schedule a conference with the family to determine why the biting continues and to develop a plan to address the problem.
When your child is accepted into ImagiNation Learning Center, space is reserved, and fees are due as long as the child is enrolled. Fees are not refundable when children are kept at home because of vacations, illness, holidays, or emergency closings of the school.
We charge a registration fee at the time of enrollment and every July thereafter.
Families are responsible for providing diapers as well as wipes. Due to the unique feeding needs of infants, families are responsible for providing all food for infants younger than one year of age and/or until they are able to eat regular table food.
Positive guidance techniques establish consistent, age-appropriate limits that help our children function in their world and develop a sense of independence, social competence, confidence, and responsibility. We encourage children to use their words to solve conflicts, if at all possible. Otherwise, we facilitate the resolution by using a variety of techniques, such as distraction, redirection, and discussion as appropriate for the child’s age and conflict situation.
Our centers are closed in observance of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus/Indigenous People Day, Thanksgiving Day and following Friday, and Christmas Day.
Our centers are open Monday through Friday from 6:30 am until 6:30 pm.
The majority of our staff is certified. While we recognize the challenges of achieving 100% first aid and CPR certification for all of our staff, this is always our goal. Certification renewal training is a mandatory part of our professional development program.
All teachers employed by ImagiNation Learning Center must meet state licensing requirements in education and experience. Furthermore, we continuously strive to maintain high-quality staff by hiring and searching for teachers who exceed those requirements. The majority of our lead teachers have four-year degrees and/or extensive experience in the field of early childhood education.
Throughout the year children will participate in a variety of special events. Along with center created events, outside vendors are also brought in to provide fun and exciting shows for the children.
ImagiNation Learning Centers are a proud participant in FOUNDATION FIRST. Foundation First is a Northern/Central Virginia collaboration of resources including community and business leaders, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations with the single goal of BUILDING EARLY CHILDHOOD SUCCESS. The mission of Foundation First is to ‘unify our community to promote equitable access to resources for all children from birth to five years of age.”
ImagiNation Learning Center benefits from this partnership through additional access to workshops and ongoing education; the opportunity to provide parents with increased access to information, education, and support; and overall improvement of the early childhood care and educational programs we provide. Foundations First
ImagiNation Learning Center has equipped its facilities with 24-hour closed-circuit video surveillance systems. These internal systems are without internet access. We reserve the right to conduct video surveillance of any portion of our premises at any time. Because we respect the privacy of all children, parents, and staff in our center, our 24-hour video surveillance system/security cameras are for internal purposes only.
ImagiNation Learning Centers participate in several distinct types of subsidized programs. The primary program is administered by the State of Virginia and is called the Child Care Subsidy Program. In order to participate you must meet certain criteria which may be found here: Paying for Child Care|Child Care VA
In addition, ImagiNation Learning Centers participate in several Military Subsidy Programs. The requirements for Military Subsidy vary based on each family’s unique military situation. Although not a complete resource for Military Child Care Assistance, the link provided here is a good place to start. MCCYN|MCCCentral
