Arrival and Dismissal of Children
Persons dropping off children must accompany them to the lobby for sign in each day. They must sign in each morning and sign out each evening at the front desk. Parents must notify a teacher that they are dropping off or picking up their child.  Only people designated on the registration form, or designated in written form for a special occurrence, will have permission to pick up a child. Anyone picking up or dropping off a child from preschool must be at least 18 years of age, unless special permission has been granted. Anyone not recognized by EC staff will be required to present a photo I.D.  and know the “security code.” All persons may be asked for identification for the first two weeks of each new school year and summer.

In order to receive the full benefits of our program, as well as to help your child adjust accordingly, we ask that your child maintain a regular school schedule. Please try to have your child arrive no later than 8:40 a.m. Rest time is also a crucial part of our day. Please avoid dropping your child off during this time. We understand that special circumstances do occur and your child will be welcomed regardless of what time they arrive.

Late Pick-Up Policy
Westgate’s EC program closes promptly at 6:00 pm each night. All children and parents must exit the building by this time. The school’s clock will serve as the “official clock” for determining time. Please synchronize your watch with this clock. Parents that have a lengthy departure routine must arrive early enough to meet the time criteria. A No Exception Policy is in place for several reasons:

• Teachers give their best to your children each day. They also have responsibilities to their own children and family. They need to know they can end their school day reliably at 6:00 daily.
• Late pick-ups require Westgate to pay their teachers overtime. These additional costs must be passed on to parents who create the need for overtime.
• Most preschooler’s internal body clock knows when their usual pick-up time is! Children can become nervous or fearful when they are at school later than normal. Please know that your child will always be comforted and safe, even in the event of an emergency.

The Westgate Late Policy is as follows: A fee of $1 for every minute that your child(ren) is in the building after 6:00 pm is applied per family. After 10 minutes, this late pick up fee goes to $2 a minute. A form, indicating the child’s name and time of dismissal to the parent, has been developed with this policy clearly stated. Signatures are required by both the parent and staff member in charge at the time of pick-up.

There will be no exceptions or warnings. If you are late for ANY reason, a charge will be issued. This No Exception Policy makes it easier for us to apply the late policy to everyone consistently and fairly. It will be greatly appreciated, however, if parents call to notify us if they will be late and give an approximate arrival time so that we can better comfort your child. If this becomes a frequent problem, Westgate reserves the right to dismiss a family from the program.