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Hartingirl 08:07 AM 11-24-2014
Good morning! First post here.

I am about to open my preschool/daycare (in-home, 6 child maximum legally) for kiddos ages 3-5. I have my parent handbook ready to go, but something is still nagging at me... I think I'd love some reassurance and/or suggestions regarding my policies.

First off, pricing and tuition payment schedule. There are a range of centers/in-home care options around my location. I'm priced higher than some and lower than others. I believe my full time and drop in rates are as they should be. I'm torn on my half-day rates, however.

Full time: $800/mo (Covers any hours from open to close)

Drop in: $9-10/hour, depending upon whether they buy some time upfront in blocks

Half-Day - From 9 AM - 1 PM.
2 days - $286/mo
3 days - $418/mo
4 days - $557/mo

Do those prices seem reasonable next to my full time and drop in rates? There are VERY few options around me that offer half-day/part time, so there aren't many things to compare to.

Also, for planning purposes, my thinking is that parents enrolling in half-day should commit to set days during the week so I can block out those spots for their contracted period (1 year). I am thinking that the tuition every month should be the same - I might explain that the yearly cost has been calculated to consider days during which the school is closed, etc. (Holidays) and that the annual cost is split over 12 payments. My full time folks will already pay a set $800/mo every single month. I think it might be a logistical nightmare to have half-day parents paying me weekly and selecting days as they choose. Is there a universe in which I may be able to just charge my half- day families by the month?

I am thinking that I will allow full time families to take one vacation per contract year of 5 consecutive days during which the tuition for those 5 days specifically is charged at half rate. Any days over those 5 days will be charged at the full rate.

For half day families, the vacation period to which they are entitled at the half-rate tuition will be equal to the number of days for which they are enrolled during the week (2 day/week will get 2 days per year of "vacation" eligible for the half-rate tuition; 3 day/week families will get 3 days, etc.).

What are your thoughts on these policies?

Any suggestions on a cap on the number of students to enroll for full time/half day? My community seems to lean more toward half day and drop in preference so I'd love to leave lots of room for drop-ins.

Thoughts on my half-day pricing structure? Can I charge those families monthly, the same amount every month? I can just hear it now: "I'm paying for 2 days a week, but I couldn't come during my normal days because of Christmas!" I am trying to avoid headaches... Maybe it's just a matter of phrasing it to parents?

Lastly, if you could offer ANY advice to me as a newbie, what policies do you think I should be sure to include in my handbook that I may not have already considered? It's already 21 pages long and I believe I've thought of everything, but if you could say ANYTHING to me that would help me be able to head off some problems, what would it be?

Thank you SO MUCH!
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