Wild Ginger Day Care
Enriching experiences for head, heart and hands
Payment and Schedule Details
Tuition
Just like in a school, tuition covers the cost of operating my early childhood program, and thus needs to be paid even if your child is absent. You are paying for a place in the program. So if you sign up for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from September 1st through May 31st, you will be charged for all of those days even if your child is absent, regardless of the reason, and even if planned in advance.
One day per week: $51
Two days per week: $102
Three days per week: $153
Four days per week: $204
Five days per week: $230
Closures and Holidays
There is no charge for days that Wild Ginger Day Care is closed.
This includes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, the day after Christmas.
During the week between Christmas and New Year’s I have offered optional day care since so many families have an unusual schedule during this time. However, I am considering closing for New Year’s Eve or the whole week since enrollment is usually very low. In November, I will either announce that Wild Ginger will be closed for the whole week or ask you to sign up for any days you would like your child to come Christmas week. If you choose to sign up, you will be charged even if your child ends up being absent. However, you will be released from paying for your typical schedule that week if you choose not to sign your child up.
I typically take a week, or possibly two, of vacation each year. I will tell you these dates at least a month or two in advance.
There are also occasionally a few single days when Wild Ginger may be closed. I will tell you about these a few weeks in advance whenever possible.
Unexpected closures: there will be times that Wild Ginger will be closed with little notice due to things such as staff illnesses or family emergencies. There will also be times when Wild Ginger will remain open, but can’t accommodate all of the scheduled children for that day (i.e. when my assistant is sick, but I am not.) You will need to have a backup plan for childcare when such circumstances arise.
Schedule
As long as they are available, you may choose one to five days per week, but the days need to be the same each week. Before your child is admitted to the program, I need to know how long you plan to enroll them. Preference will be given to families whose children are enrolled year-round. As long as space is available, families who wish to enroll their children for part of the year will be admitted. If your child stops attending for a period of time or reduces the number of days they come, I cannot hold a spot for them. However, if a spot is still available when you want them to return or wish to increase the number of days they come, I would be delighted to have them.
Even though a flat daily rate is charged, I still need to know what your child’s typical hours will be so that I can plan. I will ask you what they will be when your child is enrolled and ask that you please tell me if they change.
Hours
My hours of operation are 8:00 to 5:00, and I prefer not to be open beyond those hours.
I realize that some people’s work situations are inflexible and require dropping their child off earlier or picking them up later than this. If this is your situation, talk to me and we may be able to make arrangements for you to drop your child off slightly earlier or pick up slightly later. In these circumstances, the extra time will be included in the flat daily fee.
In special circumstances, I may occasionally agree to care for a child more than half an hour earlier or later than my typical hours. In those cases there will be an additional charge.
Cancellation and Tardy Policy
So much of what we do, from deciding which puppet play to perform to how much food we cook, depends on the particular children that are scheduled to be here. The planning and preparation take place ahead of time, therefore please let me know about absences and tardiness as soon as you can.
I expect you to pick up your child on time (and so does your child – they get worried when things don’t go as expected). I allow a ten to fifteen minute grace period, but would like to be able to plan to leave to go to my evening obligations on time, and not have to worry that I am going to miss an appointment because someone picks up late. If something happens, and you realize you are going to be late, please tell me as soon as possible. Most likely I will be able to accommodate you, but communicating with me about it is important.
Payment
Cash and checks are accepted. Make checks payable to Christina Evans. If you want to set up some sort of electronic payment, such as with PayPal, bill pay, Venmo, or some other platform, talk to me.
New families pay weekly to establish good credit. After one month of paying on time and in full, you will change to being billed monthly. I will email you at the end of the month with the total due. Payment is due within a week of receiving your bill.
If you prefer to pay weekly instead of monthly may do so; just tell me that that is your preference.
Families that receive the child care subsidy will be billed every other week to align with the Child Development and Care billing and payment cycle.
Late Payments
If you aren’t able to make your payment on time, talk to me and we may be able to work out a payment plan.
I cannot continue to provide child care for families that do not make their payments.
Child Development and Care Payments
Child Development and Care benefits typically only pay for part of the cost of child care. If your family is using these payments you will be responsible for the remaining balance.
The Child Development and Care program provides assistance in paying for childcare to qualifying families. To find out more go to Michigan.gov/childcare and look for the parents section at the bottom of the page.
Christina Evans 231-409-0198 chriswildginger@gmail.com Bellaire, Michigan