Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures

To ensure the smooth operation of the club and the safety of each participant, we ask your cooperation in observing the following rules.

Open Door Policy

The Boys & Girls Club of Assabet Valley operates on an Open Door Policy. This policy allows members to come and go at any time during the Club's program operating hours under the following conditions:  
  • Children may arrive and depart with approved pickup or advance approval of a parent or guardian.  
  • Children may leave the program on their own only if a walking waiver form is signed and returned by a parent or guardian.
Once members leave the building, they are not allowed back in on the same day unless approved by Program Director. Members are not required to sign out; and staff members, under normal circumstances, are not allowed to prohibit a member from leaving the facility. 

Thus, it is the responsibility of the child and the parent/guardian to determine, understand and enforce whatever arrival and departure methods they see fit. Supervision is not provided once the child leaves our facility. 

Please note that youth are not allowed on the Club's grounds during operating hours unless they are signed in and participating in Club activities. Members should not be dropped off prior to the opening of any facility, as the Club cannot be held responsible for the supervision of such youth.

Pickup & Dropoff Policy

Dropoff: Parents or guardians must come into the Club to drop off your child. No one is allowed to be dropped off before 2:30 PM for the After-School Program.

For both dropoff and pickup, please park in a marked parking spot. Do not just pull up to the Club to get as close as possible, as this poses safety risks for other parents and children

Pickup. Pickup will take place at The Boys & Girls Club. Parents or guardians must come into the Club to get your child. If someone else is to pick them up then the directors must have written instructions directly form the parent or legal guardian.

Please do not phone in to tell your child you are outside, unless this has been previously approved by the Youth Services Director.  

Late Pickup Policy

Participants must be picked up promptly at the end of each program day. BGCAV enforces a $1 per minute late fee per child. We do not have exceptions to this rule. Fees should be paid to the staff member on duty at the time of pick up.

Please remember that program hours vary throughout the year:
  • After School Program 6:00 PM
  • Full Day School Vacation and Summer Programs-4:00 PM, late pick-up 5:00 PM (Individuals that are not pre-registered for late-pick up will begin to incur late fees at 4:05 pm.)
  • Half Day Playground Program: 12:00 PM
  • Toddler & Summer Programs: 12:00 PM
If a child has not been picked up within five minutes of the program end time, staff will:
  • Contact all enrolling parents to ensure a ride is on their way
  • If parents are not reached, staff will then use emergency phone numbers
  • If the child has yet to be picked up 30 minutes after dismissal, staff is instructed to call Maynard Police and they will be dispatched to your residence. 
In the case of repeated late pick up, BGCAV reserves the right to remove the participants from the programs they are enrolled.  We regret that program fee refunds cannot be given under these circumstances.

Active Participation

Club programs are designed for all members to be fully participating in an activity during the program hours.  This ensures that each child is benefiting from the program's enrichment features and all children are being supervised by an adult for safety and appropriate behavior.  

If a child does not choose to participate in an activity, their enrollment in the program may be discontinued.

Discipline Policy

The goal of our programs is to provide a safe, fun experiene for all participants. To accomplish this goal all participants are expected to respect themselves, each other, the staff and the program facilities. 
We stress the need for each child to take personal responsibility for her or his own actions.

The Club adheres to the following principles:
  1. Discipline is more about teaching, learning, and problem solving, than about punishment.
  2. Every member deserves the effort it may take to keep him or her in the Club. 
  3. All participants can learn to behave appropriately with the help of consistent role modeling from staff and parents.
  4. We encourage, practice, and teach self discipline. 
  5. All members are listened to and treated with respect and fairness.
  6. In the unusual case of extreme or repeated negative behavior, consequences could include suspension from programs, and in the most extreme cases expulsion.
Please be aware that refunds will not be given to participants who are suspended or expelled.

Transportation Policy

The Boys & Girls Club is not responsible for transportation to or from the Boys & Girls Club. Employees are prohibited from transporting program participants. Field trip transportation will be provided by our bus or van unless there is an illness or behavioral problem. If this should happen, the Boys & Girls Club or the Program Directors will bring the child back to the Club and notify the parent/guardian.

Medical Policy

The following policies are for the protection of the participants and the staff at our programs. Unfortunately, the facilities are not conducive to accommodating children who are not feeling well. 

Our Staff is CPR and First Aid certified and therefore will have the final decision as to when a child needs to be sent home. For example, your child would be sent home if:
  • They are running an elevated temperature (100.0˚F or higher).
  • They show signs of any type of rash.
  • They have a contagious illness/condition.
  • They are nauseous, vomiting or are complaining of a severe headache. 
  • They receive an injury that requires further medical attention. 
Children who are sent home with a contagious illness/condition will not be re-admitted to the program without a doctor's note. 

For any emergency medical situation, the Maynard Fire Department will be notified first, followed by the parent/guardian. If a parent/guardian is instructed to pick up a child, transportation for the child must be arranged within the hour. If we cannot reach the parent/guardian within 20 minutes, we will call the first person listed on your child’s emergency contact form. A message will then be left with parents/guardians to notify them as to who the child is being sent home with.

Medications: Staff are not allowed to administer any prescription or over-the-counter medications. Please administer all medications prior to the start of the program. Please do not send your child to the program with any type of medication. If your child is in need of medication in the event of a bee sting or other allergy please bring this to our attention upon registering your child.

Photographs

Participants may to be photographed during Boys & Girls Club or Maynard Recreation programs or activities to be used in newsletters, newspapers, and/or any other promotional materials. Photos may also be used for social media purposes including but not limited to the Boys & Girls Club of Assabet Valley's Facebook and Linkedin accounts. If you DO NOT agree to this, please contact Nikki TYler at Tyler@bgcav.org
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