Contract Dates? Calendar Year or School Year?

[Crazy8]

does your contract run on a calendar year (Jan-Dec), or a school year (Sept-June) or something completely different???

I can't figure out what I want to do - my kids are young - not school age and many of my parents work regular year round jobs so I thought calendar year was the way to go but with lots of teachers kids and others looking for different summer schedules AND my own kids being in school and me wanting the break in the summer I am wondering if I should go to a more school year oriented contract. But then how do I handle summers? Uncontracted? Revised contracts?

[ABCDEFG]

I give them a contact to sign before their one year anniversary. Teachers sign for one year. That contract is due June 1st and goes through the next school year. Policies are updated as needed.

[MarinaVanessa]

My contract doesn't have an expiration date. It starts when they first sign it and ends when either they or me terminate it. If they need changes to their schedule or the type of care they signed up for (FT, PT or DI) then they notify me in writing with 2 weeks advance notice and they sign a new contract. If I make changes to the contract then I do the same (give them 2 weeks notice) and they sign a new contract. Once the new contract is signed then the previous one is void (but I still keep it in their file).

[Brooksie]

Mine starts the day they sign and goes for one year with automatic renewal if not otherwise specified.

[sally]

My contract runs from June to June. They started with me last June and I just made a new contract for them to sign. I've learned a lot in the last year and I like being able to address issues all at the same time and change things if necessary. If they want to change something during the year or I need to I give them a 2 weeks notice for it or they need to give me 2 weeks to see if its something we can change or if its something that would not work.

[butterfly]

My contract runs from June to June. They started with me last June and I just made a new contract for them to sign. I've learned a lot in the last year and I like being able to address issues all at the same time and change things if necessary. If they want to change something during the year or I need to I give them a 2 weeks notice for it or they need to give me 2 weeks to see if its something we can change or if its something that would not work.

I just work the school year - off in the summer. I have my contracts due by June 1.

[momofboys]

Mine is mostly school year although my school-year families still will use me a little in the summer but only 3-4x a month so I just let them know when I am available in the summer & we work around my schedule.

[DaisyMamma]

Other. Beginning of school year - end of summer.

[GoodKarma]

I don't take school-aged children, so I do calendar year.

[Blackcat31]

I run on a calendar year but it starts in September and runs til the end of August.

New contracts are signed and handbooks and other information is updated the last week in August to start the first week in September.

[Rachel]

We go like the school year, except a much shorter break (Aug 6 last day for kids, inservice on the 7th, and back to work Aug 26 which is the first day of school).

[Crazy8]

revisiting this poll, still thinking of going to a Sept thru Aug. contract but can't figure out if there are any pros/cons to either way, LOL!

[Blackcat31]

revisiting this poll, still thinking of going to a Sept thru Aug. contract but can't figure out if there are any pros/cons to either way, LOL!

I do September to September.

For me summer time is a lazy, laid back, NO curriculum time where 99.9% of our day is simply free play.

I have several families who are teachers or work in the school district and their schedules are sporadic in the summer months, not to mention I get a lot more drop in or temp kids in the summer too.

Those are MY personal pros to doing a school year contract. I renew EVERYONE'S paperwork, contracts and schedules the first of September.

[Cradle2crayons]

I just redo once a year, in their sign up anniversary. Mainly because I only have two families totalling five kids. Same with my drop in I've had for a while.

[Crazy8]

I do September to September.

For me summer time is a lazy, laid back, NO curriculum time where 99.9% of our day is simply free play.

I have several families who are teachers or work in the school district and their schedules are sporadic in the summer months, not to mention I get a lot more drop in or temp kids in the summer too.

Those are MY personal pros to doing a school year contract. I renew EVERYONE'S paperwork, contracts and schedules the first of September.

This is exactly why I'm considering changing. I have some teachers but not all, and my program is really for 3 and under kids so they aren't really on school schedules yet either.

I am trying to decide how/if it would benefit me to change - I don't have set vac. time - I could take it in Jan. or May or July or whenever. I don't want to screw myself by moving to a school year schedule!