Preschool Kids Club

Days of Operation School Year 2026-2027

• Offered at Hillside Early Childhood and Rice Elementary School
• Open on all regular school days.
• Begins on August 31, 2026 and ends on May 27, 2027.
• Preschool Kids Club operates 6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Monday–Friday.
• A late fee will be assessed after 6:00 p.m. If an emergency situation causes you to arrive late, contact Preschool Kids Club at 320-258-1112 (Hillside) 320-267-7768 (Rice). The late fee is $1.00/minute per child.

Preschool Kids Club will be closed:

• September 7
• November 26, 27
• December 24, 25, 31 
• January 1
• February 15
• April 16
• May 28, 31
• June 19

Non School Days 6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 

• We need a minimum of ten students signed up to operate a non-school day.
• Non-school days are listed on page 6 .If you would like your child to have childcare on any of the non-school days, you will need to register them through your online account.  
• The Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks will reach out to families if we will be adding or omitting any non-school programming days to the calendar for the school year.

2026-2027 Non School Days-Kids Club is OPEN

• September 4
• October 15, 16
• November 4
• December 23, 28, 29, 30
• January 18, 19
• February 3, 12
• March 3, 26, 29

Kids Club 6:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday

Rice Preschool Kids Club Daily Schedule 

6:30-7:30 Table Activities
7:30-8:20 Gym or Free Choice
8:30 AM Preschool Departs
8:30-8:45 Morning Meeting
8:45 Bathroom/Wash Hands
9:00-9:15 AM Snack
9:15-9:30 Books 
9:30-10:00 Centers  
10:00-11:00 Rest Time
11:00 AM Preschool Return
11:00-11:15 Bathroom/Wash Hands
11:15-12:20 Lunch/Gym/Classrooms
12:20-12:30 Bathroom/Wash Hands
12:30 PM Preschool Departs
12:30-1:30 Rest Time
1:30-1:40 Bathroom/Wash Hands
1:40-2:20 Centers
2:20-2:35 PM Snack
2:35-3:00 Free Choice
3:00 PM Preschool Return
3:00-3:30 Group Time/Read Aloud
3:30-4:15 Gym/Playground
4:15-6:00 Centers/Table Activities

Hillside Preschool Kids Club Daily Schedule 

6:30-7:30 Table Activities
7:30-8:15 Gym/Free Choice- Break up into class groups
8:15-8:30 Morning Meeting- In class groups
8:30 AM Preschool Departs
8:30-9:00 Gym
9:00-9:15 AM Snack
9:15-9:30 Read Aloud/Group Time
9:30-10:15 Centers  
10:15-11:30 Rest Time- B Group
11:00 AM Preschool Return- A Group
11:15-11:45 Lunch- A Group
11:45-12:15 Lunch- B Group
11:45-12:15 Playground/Classroom- A Group 
12:15-12:30 Read Aloud- All Groups
12:30 PM Preschool Departs
12:30-1:00 Gym
1:00-2:00 Rest Time
2:00-2:45 Centers
2:45-3:00 PM Snack
3:00 PM Preschool Return
3:00-3:15 Group Time/Read Aloud- In class groups
3:15-4:30 Gym/Playground- All students
4:30-6:00 Centers/Table Activities
 

Preschool Kids Club staff have a passion for engaging students in fun and educational activities. Our program standards have been adapted from the guidelines developed by the Minnesota Department of Education. We have a commitment to high quality and continuous improvement. Staff must have passed a criminal and child protection background check and receive ongoing professional development on behavior guidance, social development as well as CPR and First Aid Training. We maintain a staff/child ratio at the site of 1:10 preschool students.

Email is the most effective form of family communication. Families will be emailed a monthly newsletter that will include our general programming information, upcoming events, or important notices. Families will be emailed in advance if they are to bring items for their child, for example a softball glove. There may also be information located near the sign in table. 

There will also be an anonymous survey that parents/guardians will have the opportunity to fill out at the end of the summer program. 

Questions & Concerns
In order to address your needs at the most appropriate and effective level, we suggest the following steps:

1. Speak with our Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside).
2. If concerns persist, or discussions with Program Assistants, Amanda Voigt or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) are insufficient, contact the Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks.
3. The Community Education Director, Nicole Wilke, can then be contacted if the issue persists.
   *Please submit all grievances in writing as well as verbally.

Parent/Guardian Checklist

• Sign your child in and/or out daily. 
• Read all Preschool email newsletters and notifications. This is the primary way we share important information. 
• Ensure you have provided staff with documentation of any food allergies, social/emotional needs or other conditions that could compromise your child’s safety and wellbeing. Please update our Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt if there are any changes or you gain new information on your student(s).
• Please provide written or email communication with our Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) if your child will be picked up early, attending Community Education classes after school or not attending Preschool Kids Club on a regularly scheduled day for any reason. 
• Pay fees on time.  
• Notify Program Assistant Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) of any changes in parent/guardian and authorized emergency pick-up contact information; keep your child’s records up to date. 
• Dress your child for indoor and outdoor active play daily. 
• Label personal belongings and leave valuable items at home. Preschool Kids Club is not responsible for lost or damaged personal items.
• Review and talk about the importance of the Preschool Kids Club and HIllside Early Learning/Rice Elementary P.A.T.H. expectations with your child: Prepared, Accepting, Trustworthy, Helpful

Preschool Kids Club is designed to serve students enrolled in Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools. Students who are entering kindergarten in the fall may enroll in the summer program. 

To register, go to: ARUX
Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served and staff-available basis. Space is limited.

No registrations will be accepted from families that have outstanding balances from the previous school year or summer program

A child can begin programming once the following have been completed: 

• Online registration. 
• Payment of a non-refundable registration fee. 
• Be fully toilet trained and able to use the bathroom on their own

Preschool Kids Club programming is not designed to provide long-term 1:1 student support outside of the programming environment. If your student receives adult support during the school day, a meeting with staff is necessary to discuss potential supplementary aids and service. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to provide information to the Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks. Failure to inform the Child Care Coordinator of your child’s needs may result in a temporary break in care to assess supplementary aids and service that will need to be put in place to meet the essential requirements of the program.

Rates 
Rates are charged per day. Reach out to the Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks for information on eligibility for educational benefits.

• All rates are per month for nine (9) months
• Assumes K–12 school year calendar - 170 days
• Care options are available on non-school days or non-school readiness days for $32.00 per day.

Billing 
All payers are required to sign up for Auto Pay. Invoices will be emailed to families on the 1st of each month. Payments are due on the 15th of each month. A late payment fee of $10.00 will be added to past due accounts. Delinquent accounts are subject to removal from the program, as well as possible collection and/or legal action with associated fees.

Tuition Payments

To help keep program and activity costs as low as possible while continuing to offer convenient payment options, processing fees will apply to all credit card transactions at checkout. Families can avoid processing fees by choosing one of our payment methods:

• Debit Card
  • No processing fee
• ACH/Bank Transfer
  • No processing fee
  • Secure payment directly from your bank account
• Credit Card
  • Accepted for payment (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
  • Processing fee applied at checkout

We encourage families to use a debit card or ACH/bank transfer whenever possible to avoid additional costs.

Payments can be made at any time throughout the month, but must be made by the deadline in order to avoid late payment fees. You must be enrolled in auto pay, accounts will be charged the full amount on the invoice due dates.

Tax Information
All year-end tax information ARUX account. Please contact 320-258-1112 for assistance.

Dependent Care/Flex Reimbursement Forms
Forms must be sent to the Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks for verification and signature.  Site staff are not permitted to sign. 

Signing In and Out 

Children are to remain under the supervision of staff at all times. Preschool Kids Club is responsible for children from the time they are signed in to the time they go to school OR until they are signed out by an authorized adult. In order for us to accept legal responsibility for a child, an authorized adult must sign the child in and out of the program daily.

During registration for Preschool Kids Club you will provide the names that are authorized to pick-up your child. Preschool Kids Club will not release your child to anyone who is not listed as authorized pick-up individuals. If an unauthorized person attempts to pick-up a child, the family will be called. If they cannot be reached, the child will be held until an authorized person arrives. This policy is to protect the child and is not meant as an inconvenience to the family. If someone is picking up your child who is not listed, contact Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) and/or Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks by email or phone.

For safety and security, be prepared to show a picture ID at any time. Please inform any authorized people that they will be asked for a picture ID when picking up your child. 

The following will not be permitted to pick-up from Preschool Kids Club: 

• Has not been named as an alternative pick-up for the day. 
• Is not identified on the authorized pick-up list. 
• Cannot verify identity with proper picture ID. 
• Is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

Absences

Notify Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) and/or Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks by phone or email if your child will be absent at any time. The Early Childhood office does not provide Preschool Kids Club with absence information. If your child does not arrive after school as expected, Preschool Kids Club staff will investigate immediately by attempting to contact you or your child’s emergency contacts.

Tuition is not refunded for sick days in Preschool Kids Club. Parents/guardians are responsible for paying for time reserved, not time used. If you choose for your child to not attend on a day that you have scheduled, we require one week prior notice of the change or charges remain for the day. All unexpected school closure days will be refunded.

Failure to notify the Program Assistant, Amanda Voigt (Rice) or Amanda Minahan (Hillside) and/or Child Care Coordinator, Amy Dierks that your child will not be in attendance for a scheduled day after school will result in an additional $10 fee, per child. 

Late Pick-Ups 

Families are required to pick-up their children by 6:00 p.m. A late pick-up fee of $1 per minute will be assessed for pick-up after 6:00 p.m. If staff have not been contacted or are unable to reach anyone listed as an emergency contact, the child will be released to local law enforcement. Families should arrange for alternative authorized individuals for pick-up in the event of an emergency. Consistent tardiness in picking up a child could result in dismissal from the program.

Under Minnesota State Law, all professional staff who work with children are required to report all suspected physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect of children to the authorities.

Kids Club follows Sauk Rapids-Rice School District policies. For other policy information, please refer to the Rice Elementary Student-Family Handbook or Early Childhood Handbook. 

With permission from Preschool Kids Club children are allowed to bring toys and personal items from home. Please note, Preschool Kids Club is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged goods. Due to the large volume of lost items, it is important to clearly label coats, boots, bags, etc. Items not claimed by the end of the month will be donated. 

Preschool Kids Club utilizes the playground and gym for several activities. Students should be dressed appropriately for active indoor and outdoor play. Tennis shoes are required for the gym. Pack extra clothes if needed. An additional morning and/or afternoon healthy snack and/or drink can be sent with your child, if desired. 

Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and positive digital learning experience for students and staff. Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools uses online electronic resources (i.e. apps, services, and websites) to support a variety of instructional goals. These resources provide tools to transform and personalize the learning environment for all students. Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools strives to hold these online electronic resources to federal guidelines and uses common criteria and resources to vet each online electronic resource. 

Snacks & Lunch - Hillside 
A healthy snack will be provided* in the morning and afternoon each day for students. On non-school days, a healthy morning and afternoon snack will be provided to students. Lunch will not be available to preschool students on school days and non-school days. Attending students are required to pack their own healthy lunch on school days and non-school days.
*If your child has special dietary restrictions, please notify staff, by filling out that section on the registration form. 

Snacks & Lunch - Rice 
A healthy snack will be provided* in the morning and afternoon each day for students. On non-school days, a healthy morning and afternoon snack will be provided to students. Lunch will be available to all preschool students on school days. Lunch is not available for non-school days. Attending students are required to pack their own healthy lunch on non-school days.
*If your child has special dietary restrictions, please notify staff, by filling out that section on the registration form. 

The Summer Adventure Camp program follows all Sauk Rapids-Rice Public School District approved policies including those outlined in the "Students Discipline Code" and implements a program-wide Multi-Tiered Systems of support (MTSS) approach to supporting all students. (see below accordion) Reasonable effort will be made to adapt supplemental aids and services to accommodate the unique needs of each child. Our students are most successful when we all work together to support them. The following are program expectations for all important roles. 

Staff Expectations 

• Review and model expectations frequently. 
• Provide positive feedback for expected behaviors. 
• Be a resource for students to process and create “fix-it” plans for unexpected behaviors.
• Provide reasonable accommodations to engage all students during programming time.
• Communicate respectfully with families.

Parent/Guardian Expectations 

• Inform staff of any needs their child has.
• Discuss any accommodations that are important for their child’s success with staff.
• Work with staff to create and implement ideas for the correction of behavior concerns.
• Communicate respectfully with staff and students.

Student Expectations

• Refrain from engaging in serious behavior concerns listed below.
• Have fun!

• With supervision and supplementary aids and service, the student must be able to attend without presenting a direct threat of harm to self or others. 
• With supervision and supplementary aids and services, the student must be able to remain in one of the designated spaces where programming is occurring a majority of the time each day.
• With supervision and supplementary aids and services, the student must be able to follow the behavior safety guidelines as outlined below.

All students deserve to develop and practice the skills that are necessary to be successful in life. MTSS provides students with systems that encourage and recognize expected behaviors and teach social-emotional learning skills in the same ways we teach math and reading.

During Preschool Kids Club programming time, we follow a Behavior Expectations Matrix that establishes and teaches students expected and unexpected behaviors. 

Classifications of behavior allow us to provide the best support to all of our students and to address behaviors as an opportunity for learning. Supports through MTSS include the following: time spent reviewing and modeling expectations, site-wide rewards system, social-emotional instruction and activities, tracking of all major/minor behaviors, data review of behaviors to implement supports and a constant focus on building relationships. (Matrix on Following Page). 

When conflicts over the rights of other people and property arise, we work with students to actively listen to each account and aid in the resolution of the conflict to develop social skills for the future. Behavior having a high frequency duration or intensity may result in immediate parent/guardian pick-up and/or pause from the program. These behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Leaving a program space without permission for an area in the building that is not part of the programming schedule or has been closed by an adult. 
• Remaining in a closed programming space and refusing to transition to an open space when all other students have dispersed to another space that is opened by staff. 
• Act of physical or emotional aggression that present a direct physical or emotional harm to self or others. 
• Acts that violate the rights of others including those outlined in district policies 413 “Harassment and Violence” and “Responding to Racial and Bias Harm” as well as 514 “Bullying Prevention Policy”.  
• Remaining in building spaces that are closed or not part of the programming for a majority of the daily program time. 
• Significant damage to personal or school property that totals or exceeds the site's supply budget for the program season.
• Leaving the school building, if outside is not an open programming space, or exiting through a building door other than the door staff and students use to access the playground.
• Bringing, possessing or threatening another person with a weapon or illegal substance. 
• Leaving school grounds. 
  • If your child leaves school grounds during programming, staff will call 911 for assistance. 
• Having four (4) behavior reporting forms with major behaviors as defined by the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Behavior Matrix above. The student behavior support process below indicates the system for creating reasonable supplemental aids and service for students. 

Orientation Meeting & Proactive Plan

Prior to starting Preschool Kids Club, parents/guardians have the ability to request a meeting with staff (in person, by phone, in email, or virtual) to review expectations of the program, discuss any supplementary aids or services requested for the child, and share the parent/guardians preferred methods of communication. In this meeting, staff can also answer any questions parents/guardians may have. After the Child Care Coordinator has gathered the information on how to best support the child in programming, staff will email the parents/guardians to share the proactive supplementary aids and services that will be provided to their child during their time in Preschool Kids Club.

1st/2nd Minor Behavior Communication

Staff will provide behavior redirection and time for the student to reflect on expected ways to handle unexpected situations. Opportunities to “Fix-It” and social skill building will be used.

1st Major Behavior Communication

A pause in care for one day will be implemented. Staff will document the behavior on the program’s behavior reporting form and inform parents/guardians at pick-up, drop-off or by phone. The Program Assistant will also send a follow up email with details of the incident. Staff will then review data and implement supplemental aids and service to correct the behavior. These will be shared with parents/guardians prior to re-entering the program for feedback and input. 

2nd Major Behavior Incident

A pause in care for two days will be implemented. The Child Care Coordinator will reach out to the parents/guardians at pick-up, drop-off or by phone to communicate the behavior. The Program Assistant will send parents/guardians a follow-up email with information about the incident. A meeting to solicit feedback from the child’s parents/guardians will be required before the child is able to return to programming. If a parent/guardian is unable to schedule a meeting within the two day pause, attendance will be on hold until after the parent/guardian is able to meet. After the supplemental aids and service have been agreed upon by parents/guardians and the Child Care Coordinator, they will be implemented. 

3rd Major Behavior Incident

A pause in care for three days will be implemented. The Child Care Coordinator will reach out to the parents/guardians to communicate the behavior by providing a behavior reporting form or email documenting the incident. Kids Club will require a meeting with the parent/guardian to solicit feedback before the child is able to return to programming. This meeting will include the Program Assistant. If a parent/guardian is unable to meet within the three day hold, the contract will be on hold until after the parent/guardian is able to meet. After the accommodations have been agreed upon by parents/guardians and Preschool Kids Club staff, the supplemental aids and services will be implemented. Parents/guardians will be notified at the meeting that should another major behavior occur, the child will be dismissed for the school year.

4th Major Behavior Incident

The child will be dismissed for the current school year. In the event that significant changes occur, parents/guardians may request a re-entry meeting to talk through the changes and how they will contribute to correcting the major behavior/serious behavior concern. 

*Any serious behavior concern listed under Serious Behavior Concerns accordion, may result in jumping directly to step 3 or 4 in the student behavior support process outlined above. 

Daily fees will not be refunded for pauses in care caused by unexpected major/minor behaviors or serious behavior concerns. 

If Rice Elementary or Hillside Early Childhood Center is closed due to an emergency (building maintenance, weather related emergency, etc.) Preschool Kids Club will be closed. Parents/guardians will be notified by email. Parents/guardians are responsible for making alternative childcare plans.

If your child becomes ill, we require that you not send them to Preschool Kids Club. Should they become ill while they are at Kids Club, you will be notified and asked to pick him/her up as soon as possible. 

Children with a fever of 100 degrees or higher must stay home for 24 hours fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications. If your child has had diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24 hours, please do not send them to Preschool Kids Club. If we discover that your child has had one of these in the past 24 hours, parents/guardians will be called and asked to pick-up their child within one hour in the spirit of preventing the spread of an illness.
 
Please contact us if your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease or virus so we can alert all families that their child may have been exposed. If your child was absent from school during the school day, they cannot attend Preschool Kids Club.

In the event of a minor injury during Preschool Kids Club, your child will be given First Aid and parents/guardians will be informed of the incident when they pick-up their child. By completing registration, you are authorizing Kids Club and/or District staff authorization to take necessary medical measures in the event of an emergency. 

If a serious accident occurs, which may need medical attention, staff will attempt to contact the parent/guardian immediately to transport their child to a medical professional. If immediate attention is needed, the staff will call 911 and then the parent/guardian. After 911 has been called, it is up to the paramedics to decide appropriate action. If the child needs emergency treatment, paramedics will transport your child to the nearest medical facility. The parent/guardian will be responsible for all medical charges. Preschool Kids Club does not carry accident or health insurance for children. Parents/guardians are responsible for insurance and health coverage for their children.

If an incident were to happen that a child would be missing. All staff would thoroughly look for the child. If the staff would be unable to locate the child, the family and the police would be contacted. Preschool Kids Club staff will follow school procedures in the case of a lockdown, tornado warning and fire. Students and staff will practice these emergency procedures.

District policy regarding the dispensing of medication must be followed. A Medication Administration Form must be completed each school year before any medication (over the counter and prescription) can be stored or dispensed. Prescription medication requires a written physician order. All medication must be in its original container. Expired medication such as Epi Pens will not be accepted or kept. Medication forms are available on the district website. Return completed forms to the Preschool Kids Club location. Students are required to be up to date on their immunizations in order to attend school in Minnesota. If your child is not up to date, cannot provide up-to-date records or prove that they are exempt from immunizations, we reserve the right to refuse care for your child(ren).

In the event of school closings and cancellations, our policy is:

• 2 hour late start due to weather/emergency: Preschool Kids Club will open at 10:30 a.m.
• School Closed due to weather/emergency: Preschool Kids Club is CLOSED
• School Closing early due to weather/emergency: Preschool CLOSED EARLY *Staff will be onsite until 4:00 p.m. to ensure all students are picked up. Any students on site after 4:00 p.m. will follow late pick-up procedures. 
• School Closed due to Extreme Cold Weather Day: OPEN 6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
  • A sign up form will be emailed out to families to sign up for childcare in the case that school is closed due to extreme cold temperatures.