Frequently Asked Questions

If weather is bad, where can I get notified of delays or cancellations?
Click Here to see if Kids & Company has been closed or delayed for the day.

Who is eligible to attend Kids & Company?
Kids & Company is open to children 4 years and older who attend a Council Bluffs Community Elementary School. If your child has special needs or has a condition that requires close supervision or assistance, please let our office know so that we can evaluate ways to best serve your child. Please review the specific eligibility requirements in the Parent’s handbook.

Special Needs and Accommodations:
If your child has special needs or has a condition that requires close supervision or assistance, please let our office know so that we can evaluate ways to best serve your child. Please review the specific eligibility requirements in the Parent’s handbook.*

*In accordance with Federal Law & U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

How do I register for the SUMMER program?
First, see the Summer Adventure page for more details on the summer program. Families currently attending Kids & Company’s school year program can pick up a short form at your site. New families may download 1 form for each child , or you may pick one up at our office in the Omni Centre. There is a $15.00 non-refundable registration fee per family.

What is the School Year registration process?
Before your child can start at Kids & Company, the following must be completed:

1. One registration including release authorizations and the free and reduced meal income form must be filled out and signed for each child registering.
   
   
2. The scheduled attendance portion of the registration form (part of the registration packet) must be completed. There is a minimum charge of 5 units per week with each morning and each afternoon equaling 1 unit. See payment of childcare fees for more information
   
   
3. For children five years of age and older and enrolled in school, a statement of health status signed by the parent is adequate. For children ages 4 & 5 enrolled in preschool, immunization records and a physical report signed by a physician is required.
   
   
4. A $15.00 non-refundable registration fee per family payable at the time the registration packet is turned in. This fee is separate from childcare fees.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
5. Your first week's childcare fees are due at teh time of registration. All fees are due prior to the start of each week.
   

Meals:
Kids and Company does not provide breakfast on regular school days. If you want your child to eat breakfast at school, the cost will be charged to your child’s school lunch account. If you receive free/reduced lunches you will also receive free/reduced breakfast. Kids and Company does provide a nutritious snack after school. Please help us to receive reimbursement by filling out the CACFP Form in the packet. This form is mandatory.

During non-school days, a breakfast and snack are provided. Children need to bring a sack lunch.
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Monday Afternoon Care Only:
The Council Bluffs Community School District will dismiss school at 1:55 p.m. on Monday afternoons. The Monday Afternoon Club activities are included in the regular charges for children attending Kids & Company throughout the week.

For children attending only on Monday Afternoons, please refer to the registration packet for the Monday Afternoon Club.
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Non-School Days:
Kids & Company offers a full-day program on non-school days for children attending the regular Kids & Company program. Several Kids & Company sites are “clustered” into one location for these special days. There is an additional charge for full-day childcare. Parents must pre-register prior to each full day for their children to participate in the full-day activities. Kids & Company policy states that anyone who signs up for a full day will be charged even if their child does not attend.
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Important Information:
Information regarding non-school days, holidays, field trips and special events are posted near the sign-in sheet. Please watch for this information so that you know what is happening at Kids & Company.
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Snow-Days:
On days when school is cancelled due to snow or ice, please call the office at 322-8800 or page your director to see if Kids & Company will be open. A recorded message will be left by 6:00 a.m. on the office recorder providing this information. Full day rates apply on Snow Days only if your child(ren) attend. Hours for snow days are 7:30 – 5:30.

Kids & Company is available when school is delayed or let out early for weather. Children may attend these days even if it is not a scheduled day. There is a charge of one additional unit for a late start or early out. Please note that you can sign up for notifications from ‘cancellations.com’
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Providing a Safe and Harmonious Program:
Children are entitled to a pleasant and harmonious environment while attending the program. This school-age childcare program cannot serve children who display chronically disruptive behavior. Behavior that poses a physical risk to themselves, other children or staff may result in immediate termination from the program.

Schedule of Attendance:
For their safety, children must arrive and leave the Kids & Company site according to the schedule provided by their parent on the registration form. Parents must contact their site director to report illness or absence. Absences without prior notification may be mistaken for a missing child. This may cause unnecessary concern and a search for the child.
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Release of Children:
All children must be signed in when they arrive and signed out at the end of the day by a parent/guardian. Failure to sign in or out could result in suspension of childcare.
Children will be allowed to leave with persons other than a parent/guardian, or person on the emergency contact list, only if permission has been given to the Site Director in writing by the parent.
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Late Fees:
There is a $10 late fee per child for every 15 minutes a parent/guardian arrives after 6:00 P.M. Late fees must be paid to the staff that work at the site and are not part of the regular billing. If a parent/guardian frequently arrives after 6:00 P.M., childcare services may be terminated.
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Child Care Fees:
Childcare fees are due prior to the start of each week. Childcare services will not be provided until payment is received. A minimum weekly charge will be billed to each family enrolled in Kids & Company. The minimum number of units is equal to the number of days there are school during that week. Before-school is considered one unit and after-school is considered one unit. A normal school week will have a minimum of 5 units. After the minimum units are used, additional units will be billed to a maximum of 10 units per week. In special circumstances i.e. vacations or extended illness, if your child will be absent for a full week (Monday through Friday) you will not be charged the minimum fee. If your child is gone more than two weeks from Kids & Company without prior notice, you may be required to re-register and pay another registration fee to be readmitted in the program.
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Payment of Childcare fees:
Parents may pay for childcare on either a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Payment on a less frequent basis is not acceptable. Weekly invoices shall be provided to parents/guardians at the site by Wednesday of each week for services provided during the previous week. Parents are expected to respond to weekly invoices with payment for services rendered within two weeks of the date of service. Please verify the accuracy of the invoice immediately. Any questions should be brought to the site director’s attention or you can call the main office at 322-8800. Any questions or concerns should be addressed within two months. After that time, the invoice will stand as presented.
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Kids & Company does not provide an itemized statement for tax purposes.  We suggest that you keep a record of your checks as an accurate account of your childcare expenses.
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Full Fee	1 Child		2 Children		3 Children
Minimum Weekly Charge	$30.00		$52.50		$75.00
	Weekly	Daily	Weekly	Daily	Weekly	Daily
Before & After School	$60.00	$12.00	$105.00	$21.00	$150.00	$30.00
Before School Only	$30.00	$6.00	$52.50	$10.50	$75.00	$15.00
After School Only	$30.00	$6.00	$52.50	$10.50	$75.00	$15.00
Full Days	$112.50	$22.50	$190.00	$38.00	$270.00	$54.00
Late Start/Early Out (1 additional unit)		$5.75		$10.00		$14.25

There are a limited number of subsidized reduced rate scholarships available.
Please see below for eligibility.
Only children attending 10 units per week are eligible for the reduced rate:

Who is eligible for reduced child care fees?
The CCS reduced rate is available to families who do not qualify for DHS assistance, whose children attend Kids and Company on a full-time basis (10 units per week), and whose gross monthly household income falls within the guidelines in the CCS column in the chart below. In order to be eligible for the reduced child care rate, all adults in the household must either be working a minimum of 28 hours per week or attending school full time. All others pay the full fee rate. *Only 12 reduced rate grants will be available at any one time, and will be awarded on a first-come - first served basis.

How to apply for reduced rate child care (CCS):
Families who qualify for the reduced child care rate must complete the application for reduced-price meals for children (even if you filled one out for the school). Failure to provide accurate and complete information will result in the full fee rate for child care.