PANTHERS KIDS' CLUB

Phone Number: 715-273-4425

Email: pkc@ellsworth.k12.wi.us

TO REGISTER PLEASE EMAIL pkc@ellsworth.k12.wi.us

GENERAL INFORMATION:

LOCATION: Ellsworth Elementary School

HOURS OF OPERATION:

  • School Days:  6:00 am - 7:45 am & 3:20 pm - 5:30 pm

  • Non-School Week Days:  6:00 am - 5:30 pm

  • 4K Wrap-Around: Morning -> 8:05 am - 12:20 pm / Afternoon -> 11:05 am - 3:20 pm

WHO CAN ATTEND:  The Panther Kids' Club (PKC) program is open to Ellsworth Elementary School children ages 4-12 (grades 4YK through 5th).  Preschool Wrap Around Care is open to all children registered and participating in the 4-year-old Kindergarten program.  Space is limited for Preschool Wrap Around Care.  Children may attend Panther Kids' Club at 4-years-old once school begins the year they start the 4-year-old kindergarten program at Ellsworth Elementary School. Children who are 4 years of age must be enrolled in the 4-year-old kindergarten program in order to attend Panther Kids’ Club.  Children must be fully potty trained to attend Panther Kids' Club.  Children who are participating in both the Panther Kids' Club before/after school program AND the Preschool Wrap Care MUST be registered for both programs but will only be charged one registration fee.  The regular PKC Before/After/Non-School Day programs are limited to 65 children in attendance.  The Preschool Wrap Care program is limited to 20 children in each session (AM or PM).  Being accepted into one program does not guarantee you will be accepted into the other program.  You must sign up and be approved for both programs.

REGISTRATION FEE:  There is a $25 per family registration fee. This fee goes towards running the program and is nonrefundable. The fee must be paid after approval of the child care contract.  This fee is charged once per year (September through August).

CONTRACTS:   Contracts will be approved in a reasonable amount of time for the director to review all registrations.  The exact date will be communicated with families when forms are distributed to families.  Contracts will NOT be approved if there is an outstanding balance owed from a prior season.  Contracts may be canceled by a parent with 7 days notice.  If a contract is canceled then your child's spot will open up for other parents to register and re-registration will only be available for your child once space is available in the program.  If there is a waiting list, your child will be placed on the bottom of the list.

BILLING:  Notification of billing invoice will be sent electronically every Friday.  All parents are required to supply an active email account as part of registration.  It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to maintain an active email account and keep track of current account balances and communications.  It is also the responsibility of the parent/guardian to check brightwheel messages and keep track of invoices received and balances owed.  Brightwheel is our main source of communication, but you still need to have an active email account on file in your brightwheel account.  A computer is available for parent use for the purpose of maintaining their childcare account when picking up or dropping of child(ren) at Panther Kids' Club.  Payments for the current week's care are due the following Friday (one week later).  Invoices will be sent out Fridays for attendance dates Friday of the previous week through Thursday of the current week (Friday-Thursday).

PAYMENTS:  We use our brightwheel app and website for our PKC payments using electronic payment by card or bank transfer.  There is NO electronic payment fee.  We also use autopay to avoid late payment fees.  Electronic withdrawals for parents set up on Auto Pay will process from your account on the due date, the Friday one week AFTER the billing statement is sent.  We will no longer be accepting cash and checks. 

COST:  

  • Before/After School: $4.00 per hour per child with a minimum one hour charge per session.  Sessions include before school, after school, and wrap care.  PLEASE NOTE:  Hourly cost is subject to change with only 30 days notice.

  • Before School Pricing Breakdown

    • 6:00 am to  6:59 am - $4

    • 7:00 am to 7:45 am - $4

  • Half day Pricing Breakdown:

    • 1:00 pm to 3:19 pm - $6

  • After School Pricing Breakdown

    • 3:20 pm to 4:19 pm - $4

    • 4:20 pm to 5:19 pm - $4

    • 5:20 pm to 5:30 pm - $2

  • Please be aware that if your child is signed in during part of one of the above time frames you will be charged for the entire hour.


  • Wrap care: $18 daily fee

    • Wrap care is a full time position for every student unless otherwise stated to a family by the PKC director.  This means that your child will be charged for 5 days a week unless there is no school per the Ellsworth Elementary calendar.  This means if your child is sick/has an appointment/ etc. you will be billed the daily charge. Please note: Cost is subject to change with only 30 day notice.


  • Full day cost for non-school days/screening days(4YK)/summer session is $30.00 per day per child.  PLEASE NOTE:  Cost per day is subject to change with only 30 days notice.  Please only sign up for non-school days that your child will be attending PKC. If your child is signed up for a non-school day and does not attend, you will be charged for that day unless you notify us by brightwheel, emailing pkc@ellsworth.k12.wi or by calling 715-273-4425 at least 14 days prior to scheduled attendance.  You may leave a voicemail.  If your child wakes up ill the morning they are to attend, you need to email or call and notify us of their absence by 7 am or you will be charged for the day.  Again, you may leave a voicemail. 

LATE PICK UP CHARGES: $10 flat rate per child PLUS $1 per minute per child for every minute late. 

LATE FEES/UNPAID ACCOUNTS:  All accounts must be paid in full upon receiving a billing statement.  Families with an overdue unpaid balance will be unable to attend any Panther Kids’ Club program until the account is paid in full.  Please contact PKC staff ASAP if you have any billing questions.  Families have two weeks (14 days) from the date the invoice is sent to bring an account into a positive balance or there will be a $10 late charge plus a $10 for each additional week late from the time the account becomes negative.  Also, children will not be able to attend after 14 days of delinquency until the account balance is paid and the account has a positive balance.

SNACKS:  Snacks are provided free of charge for all children attending after school, wrap-around, or all day care. Parents may also send a snack from home each day if they choose.  PLEASE NOTE:  Snack fee is subject to change with only 30 days notice.

BREAKFAST:  Children who attend before school PKC have access to the school breakfast program (regular elementary school breakfast price - payments made directly to Ellsworth Food Service). Breakfast is also available for our AM wrap students.  Please have a conversation with your child about if you’d like them to have breakfast at school or not.

LUNCH:  

  • Children participating in the 4K wrap-around program would eat lunch during their school day. When you register please plan to send lunch from home or purchase school lunch through Food Service (regular elementary student lunch price - payments made directly to Ellsworth Food Service). 

  • On non-school days, children will need to bring a sack lunch and beverage. Dress for weather as we do go outside to play when able.  

WRAP AROUND SCREENING DAYS:

  • Preschool Wrap Care is available all day on days that 4K is closed but the regular K-12 school day is in session including preschool screening days.  Watch brightwheel for a sign up if you need care on a screening day.  The cost for a full day of wrap care is $30.  If your child is also in the before and after school program this is a separate charge that you will also be responsible for paying on those days.  If you sign up for a full day of wrap on a screening day, but do not show up for the day you will be charged $30 for the day. Wrap Care is also available to all registered PKC Wrap-Care children on late start days due to weather during the hours K-12 are in school.  

SCHEDULES:  

  • Before/After Care:  All schedules for before/after care are consistent schedules.  However, drop-in status is available for before and after school. There is no charge for non-attendance for before or after care.  

  • Non-School Day Care:  For non-school day care, we request registration 14 days in advance.  Drop-in's are permitted on non-school days, however, if we are full and your child is not registered for that day, we will not be able to accept your child (they will not be able to stay) as per state rules, we must meet the allowed child to staff ratio and maximum capacity licensing requirements at all times.

SCHEDULE CHANGES:  Changes can be made to schedules at any time for before/after school care.  If a schedule change is made during the school day, the Ellsworth Elementary School office must be notified at 715-273-3912.  If a schedule change is made to a non-school day, we MUST have 14 days notice or you will be charged.  If your child is ill on a non-school day they are scheduled to attend, you must notify PKC by 7 am or you will be charged.  You will only be allowed two sick call in days during the regular school year for scheduled non-school days.  All other non-school days your child is registered for will be charged.

DATES PANTHER KIDS' CLUB IS CLOSED: 

Labor Day, Thanksgiving Break (Wednesday,Thursday and Friday), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. We are also closed for summer session the week prior to the start of the regular school year for staff training. See staff for list of dates.  We may also need to close if there is a staffing shortage. 

PROGRAM: 

  • Mornings: Rest as needed (depending on time of day), personal care for morning, homework time as needed, breakfast (part of current school breakfast program), recreation, art, and enrichment experiences, outside play with weather permitting.

  • Afternoons: Snack (free of charge), homework time, remediation experiences, recreation, art, and enrichment experiences tutoring, outside play with weather permitting.

  • Preschool Wrap Care:  This program is open to children enrolled in the 4-year-old Kindergarten program. The time in PKC includes free play, outside time, rest time, snack, crafts and early literacy activities. Students must be potty trained in order to attend.

  • Non-School Days: All day care program includes a variety of activities, recreation, swimming pool, field trips, public library visits, enrichment experiences, and breakfast ($1.00 charge - breakfast is optional), snack in the afternoon (free of charge).  NOTE:  We are limited to 65 children in attendance.

  • TOYS/ITEMS FROM HOME:  Toys or personal items like Pokémon cards, iPads, gaming devices from home are not allowed at PKC.  If a child brings these items, they will be asked to keep them in their backpack.  PKC is not responsible for any personal toys/cards/devices brought from home.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AND TRANSPORTATION

I understand that by registering my child in the Panther Kids’ Club program and/or Wrap Care program I am giving my consent for emergency medical care or treatment to be used if I cannot be reached immediately.

I also understand that by registering my child in the Panther Kids’ Club program and/or Wrap Care program I am giving permission for my child to participate in transported and walking field trips and other activities during operating hours.

PAYMENT AGREEMENT

I fully understand it is my responsibility to pay child care invoices by the due date or my child will no longer be able to attend the Panther Kids' Club child care program until all amounts due including late fees are paid in full.  I also understand that if my invoice goes unpaid for more than 3 weeks, my child may lose their spot in the program to a child on the waiting list and will no longer be able to attend Panther Kids' Club for that session.

EMAIL AGREEMENT

I fully understand that I must have an active email account associated with my Brightwheel account and that it is my responsibility to check my email and brightwheel messages regularly for billing invoices and other correspondence including registration information from the Panther Kids' Club.  

BEHAVIOR POLICY: click to view Behavior Policy

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:  click to view Inclement Weather Policy

WISCONSIN RULES FOR LICENSING CHILD CARE CENTERS: click to view WI Rules for Licensing Child Care Centers