Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

CAP Tulsa follows all federal and state privacy laws regarding student records that apply to the information you provide, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Full information about your child’s student record, confidentiality, and your rights regarding your child’s student record is provided on our FERPA Notification page.

Open Door Policy

You are always welcome to visit your child during the school day. Our school doors are open only during drop-off and pick-up times. Families wishing to enter the building at any other time on a scheduled school day will only be able to do so after an SSA or other front desk personnel unlocks the doors.

We encourage involvement in our program by reading stories, volunteering, attending parent meetings, and serving on school committees. If you are volunteering, you must see the SSA at the front desk to have a short volunteer orientation before volunteering for the first time. After your volunteer orientation is complete, you may sign in at the school’s front desk and receive your volunteer sticker to wear for the duration of your visit. Volunteer orientation is a once a school year process. Once completed, you will sign in and receive a new sticker each time you volunteer.

Parent involvement is a great way for parents and teachers to build relationships. If you plan to join your child for breakfast or lunch, you must give 24-hour advance notice to your child’s teacher or School Leader.

Dress Code

Your child must dress in clothing appropriate for the weather and must wear their shoes at all times. We ask all parents to bring an extra change of clothing, labeled with their child’s name, to keep at school. Please bring these clothes on the first day of attendance and give them to your child’s teacher. If you need assistance with extra clothing or diapers, contact your FSS.

Schools and classrooms may hold special events related to current lesson plans throughout the year. These events may include pajama day, backward day, fairytale day, etc. To take part in these events, we may invite children to dress up. Dress-up days are not related to a specific holiday, as CAP Tulsa does not hold or sponsor specific holiday celebrations. When participating in such events, child safety is the top priority. Please remember these helpful hints when dressing your child:

Clothing should be short enough to prevent tripping
Shoes and footwear should fit well
There should be no long strings, sashes, or ribbons that could become tangled and potentially trip or choke the child
Avoid masks or hoods that can impair your child’s line of sight or vision
Make sure face paint or makeup is non-toxic and safe for your child
Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over the eyes
To prevent injuries, accessories, such as swords or canes are not allowed
Clothing/accessories should not be valuable, expensive, or sentimental as CAP Tulsa is not responsible for any lost or damaged items

Rest Time

Sleep is essential for your child’s health and development. Important physical and mental development occurs in early childhood, and rest time provides downtime for growth and rejuvenation.

Sleep sacks for swaddling are provided by the school per parent request for infants 0 to 3 months old. Children ages 4 to 12 months old will be placed in a crib to sleep with a fitted sheet only. All infants are placed on their backs to sleep during rest time, as this is the safest position for an infant to sleep. For your child’s safety, no blankets or pillows will be allowed in cribs.

All children 12 months and older are transitioned to a mat for rest time. Children 12 months and older may bring a special small-sized blanket to use during rest time.

If you have questions about rest time at school or safe sleep practices, please talk to your child’s teacher. For more information on safe sleep, you may also visit: https://www.cdc.gov/sudden-inf...

Inclement Weather

At times, schools will close due to inclement weather conditions. CAP Tulsa schools will follow decisions by public school districts to close due to ice, snow, or other dangerous weather conditions without exception. For example, schools located in the Tulsa Public School district, follow their decision about whether schools are open, will open late, or will close. Schools located in the Union or Sand Springs Public School district will follow their decision to remain open or closed. If inclement weather closures last more than three consecutive days, families will be directed to at-home learning resources on our website.

At times a public school’s calendar may not match CAP Tulsa’s calendar. If the school district where your school is located is not operating based on the calendar and inclement weather occurs, you will be notified by phone call if a decision to close your CAP Tulsa school is made. Contact your school or refer to School Locations to find your school’s district.

We will always send an automated call notifying you of a closure. Please be sure to keep your phone number updated with your school so we can notify you of closures or other emergencies. CAP Tulsa will only notify the local television stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) when all school districts close. School closures or notifications will also be shared on our social media channels.

Text Messages

All families are automatically opted-in to receive text messages from CAP Tulsa upon enrollment. You will receive instructions in your first text message from CAP Tulsa on how to opt out of this service. You will be able to opt-out at any time.

Through text, we will be sharing two kinds of messages with you:

Early childhood program information and updates
Educational and engagement opportunities for you and your family from CAP Tulsa

CAP Tulsa does not charge for this texting service and does not pay for any charges for you to receive text messages. You must check with your cell phone provider for any charges associated with receiving texts. Please do this before opening the first message received by CAP Tulsa. Text messages will only be from CAP Tulsa about our programs and services. Only CAP Tulsa will use your provided cell phone number to text program information about our programs and services. To be sure you receive text messages, please update your cell phone number on file if your number changes. You can update your cell phone number with your child’s teacher or the SSA at your school. If you have any questions about our terms and privacy for texting, please visit Text Message Policy.

Playground Weather Policy

It is important that children play outside every day that weather permits, even if it is just for a few minutes during warmer or colder temperatures. Children need the opportunity to exercise their muscles and stretch their limbs; this is a vital part of their development. Infants can go outside right away if there are no health issues identified by their doctor.

Classrooms have scheduled outside learning and play each day. We have several guidelines in place to ensure the health and safety of your child while outdoors.

These guidelines include, but are not limited to, the following:

The time of day for outdoor play and the amount of time outside may be adjusted when weather and environmental conditions are not favorable for extended outdoor time.
Children, volunteers, and staff will not engage in outdoor playground activities for more than 15 minutes when the temperature and/or heat index are 90º Fahrenheit or above.
Children, volunteers, and staff will not engage in outdoor playground activities for more than 15 minutes when the temperature and/or wind chill are 36º degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Children, volunteers, and staff will not engage in outdoor playground activities when the Air Quality Index has been deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups based on the EPA national pollutant standards.
Children who have "at-risk" health conditions should have a healthcare provider's confirmation statement on file and accommodations will be made for them.
Children will wear weather-appropriate clothing outdoors and keep coats on outdoors when the temperature is 45 degrees or below.

Licensing Compliance File

Each school maintains a Licensing Compliance File. This file contains records and information related to childcare licensing, monitoring, and correspondence. This includes but is not limited to monitoring reports, licensing complaints, and Investigative Summary Notifications. You will be told where to find this file and how to access this information during Meet the Teacher Night. You can also find this information in the welcome packet you receive before your child starts our program. You will sign a form acknowledging that you know where the Licensing Compliance File is located at your school. If you have any questions, please talk to your School Leader.

Child Abuse Reporting

What is Child Abuse?
Child abuse can be:

Physical – a child is mistreated physically or sexually
Sexual – any sexually oriented act with a child, inappropriate touching, exposure to sexual acts
Emotional – placing excessive or unrealistic demands on a child, name-calling, providing constant criticism, excessive yelling
Neglect – failing to provide a child with basic needs such as food, shelter, supervision, education, or medical care

What are some ways you can help to prevent child abuse?

Prevention begins right in your own home or neighborhood.
Start talking to your child about body safety as early as age 3. Tell your child that their body is very special, and no one has the right to touch them if they do not want to be touched (this includes hugs, kisses, tickling, or being held too tight).
Give your child words to say when someone touches them in a way they dislike. For example, a child could say, “Stop touching me” or “I don’t like that. Please stop.”
Encourage your child to tell you if someone is hurting them or touching them in a way that is not OK with them, even if it is someone they know. Give your child permission to tell other adults if someone is hurting them or touching them (sometimes people who harm children make threats to the child, stating that they will cause further harm if the child tells you what they did). Help your child identify adults other than yourself that they could tell (grandparents, teachers, police officers, doctors, etc.).
Educating yourself and your child is one of the best preventions!

For more information on signs of child abuse, please visit: https://www.healthychildren.org/english/safety-prevention/at-home/pages/what-to-know-about-child-abuse.aspx

If you have questions about child abuse or neglect, please talk to your School Leader or FSS.

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse
Every person, private citizen or professional, who has reason to believe that a child has been abused, has a mandate by law to report suspected abuse immediately to the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division. You can make reports at any time to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-522-3511. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Reporting of Human Trafficking
Every person, private citizen or professional, who has reason to believe that a person or child-placing agency is engaging in the crime of trafficking children, should report the matter promptly to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control. You can make reports at any time to the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-617-2288.

Lost and Found/Personal Belongings

Contact your child’s teacher or School Leader to locate the Lost and Found at your child’s school.

Please do not leave purses, cell phones, or other valuables in your car.

CAP Tulsa is not responsible for any lost or damaged items. Please call the police to file a report for any stolen belongings.

Pedestrian & Parking Lot Safety

NEVER allow your child or any other child under the age of nine to cross the street alone. You or an older child who has demonstrated pedestrian safety should always cross with them. Cross the street hundreds of times with your child before letting them cross alone.

STOP at the curb or edge of the road
MAKE SURE your child knows that they should cross streets at the corner and crosswalks
NEVER walk into the street
LISTEN and LOOK for traffic to the left, to the right, and to the left again
TEACH children who don’t know left from right to look “this way,” “that way,” and “this way” again
WAIT until the street is clear
KEEP LOOKING until you’ve crossed the street
ACCOMPANY children, nine years old or younger, until they can show that they are safe pedestrians
TEACH your child not to enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs
REMIND your child to be extra alert in bad weather as visibility might be poor and motorists might not be able to see them
BE AWARE that handicap spaces in our parking lots can only be used by those with a handicap parking sticker/placard
DO NOT park or block spaces in our parking lots designated for wheelchair access
DO NOT park in spaces that are not designated parking spots or are not clearly marked
DO NOT leave your car running in the parking lot

BE A GOOD role model by obeying traffic signals and markings. Even if your child is not with you, someone else’s child may follow your example!

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL!

Parent Conduct

You have a great influence in shaping your child’s academic performance and behavior. We ask all parents and guardians at our schools to model appropriate behavior and to be good examples to our school community. CAP Tulsa has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. Failure to comply with the Parent Conduct standards may result in a parent and/or family member being excluded from CAP Tulsa school buildings.

Be respectful to teachers, staff, children, and other parents at all times
Refrain from using profanity and inappropriate language on school property
Handle complaints by seeking a resolution with the person(s) involved in a positive and professional manner
Threatening behavior of any kind will not be tolerated
Do not leave any children unattended in your car
Practice safe and respectful driving skills in school parking lots and turn car radios down
Cell phones may not be used while in the school
Firearms are not allowed in our schools

Parent and Family Volunteers

CAP Tulsa recognizes that parent and family volunteers are a huge asset to all our programs and provide the agency access to a rich mixture of backgrounds and experiences. We appreciate all family members who are willing to commit their time and energy to help our families and community succeed! As a volunteer at CAP Tulsa, we ask you to be mindful of the following:

You must have filled out the paperwork and had volunteer orientation at the front desk before your first time volunteering in the classroom. Please check in and out at the front desk at the beginning and end of your volunteer time.
Adhere to the confidentiality of other families.
Teachers and staff provide all directions while in the classroom or office and will direct all volunteer activity.
Due to food allergies and regulations, outside food items will not be permitted to be served to children, stored in the classroom, or consumed while children are present.
If you are volunteering for the day, you are welcome to bring your lunch to store and eat in the staff lounge or you may sign out and enjoy lunch off-site.
Open-toe shoes are not allowed at schools for the safety of volunteers.
All volunteers will use positive methods of child guidance (see pg. X [Positive Guidance section]).
Do not take pictures or videos of the children or staff.
Posting of any confidential school information, including but not limited to Policy and Procedures, reporting, or posting any photos or videos of the children and families we serve on social media, is prohibited.
If you had a great experience, please encourage others to volunteer with us.
If you did not have a great experience, please let the SSA know if there are ways we can improve.

Complaint Process

If you ever have a complaint about an incident, please speak with the staff directly involved with the incident or notify the School Leader. If you still feel that the issue has not been resolved, contact our main office at (918) 382-3200 and ask to speak with a member of the School Leadership Team. A formal complaint form can be filed if a resolution is not made and can be found at captulsa.org/contact-us.

Emergency Procedures and Guidelines

CAP Tulsa has preparations and practices in place in the event of an emergency. Families will receive notifications from school personnel or an automated message from our call alert system in the event of an actual emergency.

If an emergency occurs, we ask that you follow these procedures to ensure the safety of your child and our staff:

Evacuation (i.e., fire, gas leak, etc.)

All children, staff, and visitors evacuate the building until given an “all clear” signal.
Children, staff, and visitors will go to a previously identified, safe location.
A sign will be posted on the front door of the building to let you know where to pick up your child.
If all children and staff must move to an alternate location, the school will use the call alert system and other communications to let parents know.

Modified Lockdown

All children will remain in their current classroom or previously identified safe areas until otherwise notified.
Daily classroom activities will continue in a secured room except for going onto the playground.
No one will be allowed to enter or leave the school for any reason.
When a modified lockdown occurs, families will be notified after the event by automated phone call.
A sign will be on the front door notifying parents during pick up.

Lockdown

All children will remain in their current classroom or previously identified safe areas until otherwise notified.
Classroom activities will stop; staff and children will shelter in place.
No one will be allowed to enter or leave the school for any reason.
When a lockdown occurs, families will be notified after the event by automated phone call.

In the event of an emergency, school staff will work to ensure the safety of your child. We encourage parents NOT to come to school during an emergency. In most cases, local emergency responders are the only individuals allowed to enter or leave the school during emergencies. Parents should move to a safe area away from the school until the emergency has been resolved so as not to interfere with emergency personnel.

Safety Drills

CAP Tulsa conducts safety drills (Evacuation, Lockdown, Modified Lockdown, and Tornado) every month. Safety drills are a time for your child, teachers, staff, and visitors to prepare for an actual emergency. There will be a sign posted on the front door of the building notifying families when a drill is being conducted. Please understand that during some safety drills, school doors may be locked, and entering or exiting the building may not be allowed. For your convenience, safety drills are not conducted during drop-off or pick-up times.

General Program Guidelines