Site Supervisors are experienced professionals with degrees in child development, education, or recreation. All staff are involved in on-going staff development training. Background checks, first aid, CPR, concussion training and blood borne pathogen training are also required of staff. The target adult to child ratio is 1:15 for grades K-5.

The safety and well-being of children is a top priority in the Explorers program. Children are supervised by trained staff at all times while participating in program activities. Staff work collaboratively as a team to monitor attendance, maintain awareness of each child's location, and ensure appropriate supervision throughout the program day.

To support effective supervision, staff are strategically positioned throughout activity and choice areas so that children remain within sight and sound of staff members. Each site utilizes a tracking system to monitor children's movement between designated program areas and to ensure that all children are accounted for at all times. Regular attendance checks and clear communication among staff help maintain a safe and supervised environment for all participants.

A breakfast snack and afternoon snack is provided. During the school year all snacks are planned and prepared by District Nutrition Services. A snack calendar will be sent out monthly. You are welcome to pack your child a snack if you would like.

*Please note we are peanut/tree nut free.

Records concerning your child, including enrollment forms, health records, observation records and all other information about your child are confidential and will only be accessible to you, billing and enrollment staff, the Program Manager, Explorers staff supporting the care of your child and your child’s teachers and/or a person designated by the school or state to review our records for certification purposes. We must have an Explorers childcare contract, through our Arux registration system, for every program participant. It is important that all information on file, especially phone numbers and authorized pick-ups, be kept current. Please regularly review your Arux account to keep information accurate and notify us of any changes.

Transportation to and from Explorers will be done by the parent/guardian, emergency contact or those designated for Authorized Pick-Up, or First Student. District 276-contracted bus company will provide field trip transportation. The appropriate emergency vehicle will provide emergency transportation. Children may never be transported by staff in personal vehicles for any reason. This policy is for the protection of each staff person and for reasons of liability.

If Explorers staff have any contact with Explorers children outside of Explorers, families must understand that staff are doing so as an individual, not as a member of Explorers. Minnetonka Public Schools is not responsible for protecting staff liability in such relationships with children. Examples of such activities would be babysitting, housesitting, taking kids to ball games, etc.

Minnetonka Public Schools does not generally permit students, staff and visitors to bring dogs and other animals/pets into school district locations. However, exceptions to this rule are permitted as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or as otherwise permitted in our District guidelines. On occasion, Explorers may have presentations from outside organizations involving animals. You will be notified in writing if any animals will be present in the program for any reason.

At Explorers, we value open communication with families and encourage you to be involved. A survey will be conducted annually to gather feedback on the program. Results received will help to make improvements to our program.

If you have questions or wish to talk to someone about your child, do not hesitate to call the Site Supervisor. Conferences can be scheduled at any time staff or families feel there is a need.

The staff will make every attempt to notify the family via phone or by written note whenever a situation arises that we feel you should be aware of. We request that families keep the staff informed of your needs, concerns and feelings.

If an injury occurs at Explorers, the family will be notified both verbally and with a written form. Minor scrapes and bruises handled at Explorers and which need no further attention will be reported to you on a form called a Tier 1 injury form and given to you when you pick up your child(ren). More information about accidents and injuries can be found under Health & Safety.

Explorers is committed to supporting the successful inclusion of students of all abilities. When appropriate, additional staffing or other reasonable accommodations may be provided to help students participate safely and successfully in the program. Consistent with applicable laws, accommodations may not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or compromise the safety and well-being of participants and staff.

The information provided during the enrollment process helps us determine whether Explorers can effectively meet a student's needs within the program setting. In some cases, after reviewing a student's needs and the supports available, Explorers may determine that the program is not an appropriate fit for that student. When this occurs, we will work collaboratively with families to discuss concerns and explore alternative options whenever possible.

Students accepted for enrollment must consistently demonstrate the ability to follow adult directions and show readiness for a large-group, choice-based childcare environment. This includes exhibiting safe and appropriate behavior, interacting respectfully with others, and following all program rules and safety expectations. By working together with families, we strive to create a positive, supportive experience for every participant.

When a family indicates that their child has an IEP or PBSP during the registration process, our Program Manager may request further information regarding the student's needs in a childcare setting. Concerns about a student’s needs should be directed to the Program Manager or Site Supervisor right away.

Starting with the 2027-28 school year, Explorers will transition to priority registration. Details about the new registration process will be available in December 2026 on this website.

All schedule changes will take effect after ten business days. Schedule changes made with less than ten business days’ notice will not be approved. There is a $10 charge for each request for change to your child’s schedule.

Families will have the opportunity to make schedule changes to their summer enrollment up until the established deadline. Changes will be approved on a space available basis and are subject to our standard change fee of $10 per request. No change requests will be accepted after the deadline date.

Early release and late start days are not included in your regular contract. Separate registration is required for these days. Registration must be approved before your child can attend. Please visit minnetonkaschools.arux.app to log in to your account and complete the registration process.

Schedule changes are requested online at minnetonkaschools.arux.app. Schedule changes will be accommodated on a space available basis. An email will be sent to confirm that your request has been received.

A second email will be sent when your request has been approved. A ten-business day notice is required when withdrawing from Explorers. Withdrawal requests can be made online at minnetonkaschools.arux.app. Please note that the registration fee is non-refundable should you choose to remove your contract.

Currently enrolled children have the option of attending Explorers on days for which they are not currently enrolled. Care is available on a space available basis, and requests must be received at least 24 hours in advance. Please contact the Site Supervisor with your request. Add-a-day rates apply.

Fees are charged based on the days and program components you are registered for, not on attendance (see Sick Policy on our on page 8). You will not receive credit for late arrival or early pick-up, nor for when children leave Explorers to participate in other activities.

An email will be sent mid-month indicating that invoices are ready to be viewed online. The

monthly fees will be charged to the credit card or checking/savings account we have on file 7 days after the monthly invoice has been generated.

A $15 fee will be added to your account if your credit card is declined for any reason. Please update your account online or notify the Billing and Enrollment office of new account numbers before your card expires, or of any changes in your account. Past due accounts will be sent to collections and may incur legal fees.

Year-end tax statements can be accessed online in your Arux account. Our Federal Tax Identification number is 41-6001402. This is the number you need to complete your childcare expense forms.

If you are enrolled with your employer in a Flex Benefit Plan, forms will be signed only after payment has been received. Please call 952-401-6832 with questions.

Explorers does not offer scholarships. Financial assistance may be available to qualifying families through the county in which you live. Please call 952-401-6832 with questions.

If your child is absent due to illness, credits will not be provided for missed days. If your child will be absent from the program for an extended period due to illness, please contact Explorers Billing and Enrollment as soon as possible at 952-401-6838 to request an adjustment to your monthly Explorers invoice.

Because Explorers continues to staff all program sites, families remain responsible for payment during illness-related absences according to the following schedule:

• 1 to 4 consecutive days missed: Parents/guardians are responsible for 100% of the daily fees.
• 5 or more consecutive days missed: Beginning on Day 5, parents/guardians are responsible for 50% of the daily fees.

If your child will not attend the program due to a scheduled appointment or other planned absence, please call your site and leave a message.

If your child is ill, please remember to notify Explorers in addition to reporting the absence to the school or picking up your child from school. Explorers must be contacted before your child's normal arrival time.

If staff members spend time searching for your child because an absence was not reported in advance, a $10 child search fee will be assessed.

If your child becomes ill while attending Explorers, you will be contacted and asked to pick them up within one hour. We will provide a quiet area for your child to rest until you arrive.

Per school district policy, children must be free from fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours before returning to the program. If your child is diagnosed with a communicable disease, please notify Explorers so that we can inform families of a potential exposure.

In the event of an emergency, parents/guardians will be notified as soon as possible. If we are unable to reach a parent/guardian, we will contact the emergency contact listed in your child's account.

If emergency medical treatment is necessary, your child may be transported by a local emergency response unit to Methodist Hospital. Transportation and medical expenses are the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

Children who sustain minor injuries will receive appropriate first aid, and parents/guardians will be notified. All Explorers staff are trained in emergency first-aid procedures.

If your child is on the waitlist, you will be contacted when a spot becomes available. For questions, please call 952-401-6832.

School year program hours can be found above by site. We begin offering care the first day of school and conclude on the last day of school. Your childcare contract includes only days when school is in session. Fees are not charged on days Explorers is scheduled to be closed.

Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The summer program dates will be communicated in January of each year.

When weather or other emergencies lead to a change in the school schedule, the following practices will be in place:

• On school closure days, the Superintendent will determine if Explorers childcare is open or closed.
• Should Explorers remain open, students registered for before or after school care on these days can attend. K-5 students will attend at Deephaven Elementary. Students should bring lunch from home.
• If school is cancelled and your child attends Explorers on these days, you will be charged the non-school day rate. If your child does not attend Explorers on these days, you will still be charged the scheduled rate per your contract.
• When weather conditions lead to any of the above situations, announcements will be made on radio station WCCO-AM and on TV stations KSTP and KARE 11. Please listen for these announcements when the weather is questionable.
• Delayed Start: When the school opening is delayed by an hour or more, Explorers will be open at the regular time (6:30 AM). You must be registered to attend morning Explorers on the day school is delayed to utilize services.
• Early Dismissal: When weather related emergencies lead to an early school dismissal, Explorers will remain open until parents or guardians have picked up all children. Please make every effort to pick up your child as soon as possible when school is dismissed early due to bad weather. You must be registered to attend after school Explorers on the day school is delayed to utilize services.

All children must be signed in on an iPad upon arrival and signed out on an iPad upon departure.

Your child will be released only to people listed as authorized pick-ups. Staff is required to ask for identification from anyone unfamiliar attempting to pick up a child. If an unauthorized person attempts to pick up your child, you will be contacted. If you cannot be reached, your child will be held until you or your emergency contact person arrives. If you want to authorize additional adults to pick up your child please update your child’s profile in Arux.

Copies of legal documents regarding child custody must be provided to the program office before any staff person can actively prevent non-custodial parents from picking up their child.

• Contact families.
• Contact the school to see if the child was in attendance.
• If the family cannot be reached, persons listed as authorized pick-ups and/or emergency contacts will be called.
• If we cannot ascertain the whereabouts of the child, the authorities will be called.

If your child is enrolled in a Minnetonka Community Ed after-school class before attending Explorers, they will report directly to their class at the end of the school day. An Explorers staff member will confirm that they have arrived to class safely, and once the class concludes, an Explorers staff member will escort them back to Explorers unless they have already been picked up by a parent or guardian.

n accordance with state regulations, the Explorers program must maintain its own supply of medication for students who may need it during program hours. While we will continue to receive support from our building health staff when available, it is essential that Explorers is fully prepared to administer health support independently.

A written order signed by the licensed medication prescriber and the parent/guardian is required for all prescription medications. Such orders must be renewed annually or whenever medication dosage or administration changes. A signed Community Education Medication Form must be turned into staff. Prescription medications must be provided in their original prescription container, and over-the-counter medications must be in their original packaging.

Prescription medication must come to school in the original container, marked with the student’s name, and must be administered in a manner consistent with the instructions on the label. All medication administered, will be documented. This includes the name and dose of medication, time of administration, and the name of the individual who administered the medication. Medications are stored in our medicine lock box.

If a child has an accident/injury the staff person working with the child will notify the family with an accident report. If a serious accident occurs which might need medical attention, the staff will contact you immediately so you can take your child to the doctor or dentist.

In an emergency where immediate medical attention is needed, the staff will call 911 and then immediately contact you. After 911 has been called, it is up to the paramedics to decide what to do. If they decide your child needs emergency treatment, they will take the child to the nearest emergency medical facility, and you will be responsible for medical charges. We will remain in contact with you throughout the emergency response process whenever possible.

If your child has a food allergy, the family must bring your child’s Allergy Action Plan to the site on their first day of care. A Community Education Medication Form will also need to be filled out for any necessary medication administered. We are a peanut/tree nut free program. Please do not bring snacks that include peanuts and/or tree nuts.

In the warmer months, children are required to wear sunscreen. A sunscreen permission form must be completed during registration. In extreme heat, appropriate precautions will be taken to limit the activities of children. The children will have the choice to spend some time outside every day and should be properly dressed for the weather. We will not play outside on extremely rainy days or if the temperature is 0 degrees or reaches -10 degrees below with the wind-chill. Children must have appropriate outdoor clothing to play outside.

Explorers uses the Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care to determine outdoor activity duration. If the airquality falls under the orange category (unhealthy for sensitive groups), Explorers will limit outdoor activities and take additional breaks. If the air quality falls under the red or purple category (unhealthy or very unhealthy), Explorers will cancel or reschedule all outdoor activities. Explorers staff monitor the air quality on an app on the site cell phone called ‘EPA AirNow’.

Explorers uses the ‘OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool’ app to determine outdoor activity duration. If the heat index falls into the ‘warning’ category, Explorers will take extra outdoor precautions that include taking additional breaks, seeking out shaded areas, and extra water breaks. If the heat index falls into the ‘danger’ category, Explorers will cancel or reschedule outdoor activities.

Heat & Air Quality Safety Guidelines

Explorers recognizes that individual responsibility and mutual respect are essential components of a successful childcare experience. All students are entitled to learn and grow in a setting that promotes respect of self, others, and property. Proper student conduct is necessary to ensure the safety and respect of all students and to create an atmosphere where students can relax, explore individual interests, develop friendships, and grow in confidence.

Behavior & Student Conduct Management

Explorers strives to establish and maintain a behavior guidance system that reinforces positive behaviors. Explorers has established behavior and student conduct expectations. These expectations take into consideration the needs of each individual student and strive to create a harmonious group childcare experience.

• Staff will explicitly teach and explain the rationale for the rules of the program and behavior and student conduct expectations
• Staff will act as positive role models
• Behavior and student conduct expectations are developmentally appropriate for each age grouping in the program
• Expectations will be consistently enforced and behavior management tactics will be logical and age appropriate, such as redirecting to other activities or limiting choices

Explorers will regularly evaluate the program's ability to meet each student's needs. Behavior that does not meet our standards will be addressed accordingly. The decision of the type of consequence in a particular case is at the discretion of the staff involved in collaboration with the Site Supervisor and/or the Explorers Program Manager. Below are the steps taken if a student is experiencing difficulty following the behavior and student conduct expectations in the program.

• Staff will talk with the student about the behavior and re-teach the needed behavior expectations
• Family contact or conference
• Loss of student privileges, including participation in field trips or special events
• Referral to support services or community resources
• Suspension or dismissal from Explorers
• Other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate

• Students will show respect for themselves, the school, peers, and their belongings
• Students will follow the rules of the program and adhere to staff directions
• If a student has a problem or concern, they will notify a staff member immediately
• Students will keep the environment safe and clean and will be respectful of property
• Students are expected to treat all members of the Explorers community, and others who visit our community, with respect

The following behaviors are considered bottom line behaviors and may result in a student being dismissed immediately for the day from Explorers. If a student is sent home, the parent/guardian or an authorized pick-up person is expected to arrive within 30 minutes.

• Abusive or inappropriate language/profanity
• Defiance/disrespect/insubordination/non-compliance
• Leaving building/school grounds
• Harassment/bullying
• Fighting/hitting/kicking/choking
• Possession of Weapons
• Property damage/vandalism
• Theft

*Depending on the severity and frequency of the behavior, additional consequences may include suspension/termination of care from the program.

If Explorers leadership determines that our program is not meeting the needs of a student, we reserve the right to terminate the care arrangement on a timeline that is in the student’s best interest.

• Partner with my child and Explorers staff to support a safe community that all children can learn and thrive in
• Encourage my child to be the best that they can be and maintain a positive attitude
• Reinforce the behavior expectations for student conduct at Explorers with my student
• I will encourage my student to inform a staff member when there is an issue or concern.
• Display appropriate behavior while I am visiting the Explorers community