Staff Resources

Imagination Zone (IZONE) has been approved by DPHHS childcare to use the areas listed below for each elementary campus: 

Lunchroom, Gym, Library, Computer Labs, and Playground 

Administrative Duties 

Administrative tasks involve processing enrollments, keeping individual student attendance and payment records. You will be responsible for keeping all students' files up to date including medical and emergency contact information, and records of any behavioral incidents. 

Managing Staff

 You will be responsible for the staff attendance and work schedule (including earlier dismissal schedule and summer meetings) and ensure guidelines for ratios of staff to student are met. You also will be responsible for oversight of menu creation and snack shopping. 

Instructional Duties 

You are responsible for overseeing the activities and curriculum used in our program. You will also provide ideas for training for the staff. You may often need to fill in for staff when there is no substitute available.

Communicating with Parents

 It is your responsibility to deal with parental concerns and questions and convey any policy changes to parents. You will talk with parents regarding behavioral concerns, injuries or other incidents that occur during the operational hours of our program. It is also your responsibility for billing and collecting payments for services. 

Compliance Duties 

You will ensure that our program is in full compliance with all licensing and safety regulations. You will update licensing paperwork and schedule any needed inspections. You will keep records on all staff members to ensure the records are in compliance with licensing and continuing education requirements. You will be responsible for fire and disaster preparedness drills as required by law and have written policies and plans for dealing with various types of emergencies in our program. 

Required Forms

IMAGINATION ZONE INC_Employee Handbook 7.21.2021 edit.pdf
Izone orientation powerpoint 7.8.23.pptm

Child Care Training Requirements

All staff members are required to complete 24 Orientation hours plus CPR & First Aid. 

Minimum Standards Requirement 744.1301

Your pre-service & orientation for employees must include at least the following:

(1)  An overview of the minimum standards

(2)  An overview of operational policies, including discipline and guidance practices and procedures for the release of children. 

(3)  An overview regarding the prevention, recognition, and reporting of child maltreatment including:

(A) Factors indicating a child is at risk of abuse or neglect.

(B) Warning signs indicating a child may be a victim of abuse or neglect.

(C) Procedures for reporting child abuse or neglect

(4)  An overview of the procedures to follow in handling emergencies, which includes sharing the emergency preparedness plan with all employees. Emergencies may include fire, explosion, tornado, toxic fumes, volatile persons, and severe injury or illness of a child or adult.

(5)  The location and use of fire extinguishers and first-aid equipment.

(6)  Preventing and responding to emergencies due to food or an allergic reaction

(7)  Understanding building and physical premises safety, including identification and protection from hazards that can cause bodily injury such as electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic.


Online Training Resources


Child Care Training Requirements

All staff members are required to complete 24 Training hours plus CPR & First Aid. 

Site Directors are required to complete 30 Training hours plus CPR & First Aid.

Online Training - Step to follow to complete training requirements:

 

·        First, follow link - Texas Child Care  - Annual Subscription


IMPORTANT: The courses that need to be taken first are:

·        Minimum Standards in Child Care,

·        Understanding Shaken Baby,

·        Safety and Supervision, Positive Guidance,

·        How to Care for Children with Food Allergies,

·        Child Abuse and Neglect,

·        Emergency Preparedness and Preventing Communicable Disease,

·        Positive Guidance

Please complete 24 hours of training total.  (7 of your courses are listed above – You will choose the additional 4 courses you want to complete and then attend the 2-hour pre-service training provided by your site director.)

Once each course has been completed, the certificate will be easier to print from the system.  Please forward the certificate to your site director so she can place it in your employee file.


If at any time you are having issues, please -email support at support@texaschildcaretraining.com 


Helpful Hints:

·        Notes can be taken as you go through each course. A helpful handout can be printed to provide support for this. The handout is labeled “Listening sheet”.  

·        Expect about 1 hour per course.  

·        Review questions will be embedded in each course. 

·        A quiz is at the end.  

·        80% is a passing score.  

  

 Due Dates and Information:

·        Please complete training requirements by August 1st, 2023

·        The first week of August your site Director will be getting with you to complete your employee paperwork for the 2023-2024 school year. 

·        Your site director will be scheduling an in-person orientation before school starts that she will ask that you attend. 

·        All CPR and First Aid certificates will be completed by August 1st, 2023.  Ask your site director for the online link, if needed. 



   

Jan Cleere, M.Ed.        214-986-5360jancleere@imaginationzone.org