Kids Konnection and Kidz Kamp Rules, Policies & Procedures
Admission Procedure & Enrollments
City of Sparks Parks and Recreation utilized ePACT in lieu of paper emergency information forms. ePACT is a secure online system that allows parents to easily monitor and update their contact information, emergency contacts, and pick-up list.
All participants are required to have a complete ePACT emergency form on file prior to registering for childcare programs.
- New Youth Watch customers are required to come, in person, to the office at 98 Richards Way and establish a household to become eligible to register for ePACT. Please bring a photo ID.
- Existing Kidz Program customers may contact our office at 775-353-2376 to receive an ePACT account invitation by email.
Steps to Complete Your ePACT Account
- Contact or visit the Parks & Recreation Department Admin Office at 98 Richards Way, 775-353-2376, and request an ePACT email invitation.
- Click the ePACT link within the email invitation and follow the steps to create your account.
- You will receive an invitation email for each child. Please be sure to set up accounts for each individual child through the corresponding invitation.
- Click the orange "Share with the City of Sparks Parks & Recreation" button at the completion of your ePACT account set up to submit the completed form.
- Notify the Parks and Recreation office that your ePACT emergency form is completed.
- Upon verification of a completed ePACT emergency information form, you will be allowed to register for programs online, over the phone, or in-person.
Changes and updates to the ePACT account can be made at any time online by the parent or legal guardian who created the account. Only those names listed on the child’s ePACT under parent, legal guardian, emergency contact, or pick up list will be permitted to pick up the child(ren). A parent cannot give permission over the phone to allow his or her child to leave the program with someone who is not listed on the ePACT account. Picture ID is required of everyone picking up a child from the program (unless a high-resolution photo of the person’s face is uploaded to the child(ren)’s ePACT account).
Rates, Registration & Payment Policy
Registration is accepted first-come, first-serve on a space available basis only. Enrollment maximums are set so early registration is encouraged.
The Kid Konnection rate is daily, per child for before school, and daily, per child for after school. If payment is made after 5:00 pm Thursday (through the office) or 5:00 pm Friday (online), the week prior to attendance, a late registration fee per day, per child for before and after school is applied. FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME DURING THE PROGRAM YEAR.
Before School Drop Off Procedures
All children must be signed in to the before-school program. The City of Sparks is not responsible for participants until a parent/guardian signs the child(ren) into the program each morning. Staff will not accept children prior to 7 a.m. Children that arrive unpaid will not be accepted into the program. Following WCSD closed campus policy, you will need to use a doorbell or call the school site cell phone to drop off your child(ren). Once notified of your arrival, Kid Konnection staff will open the door, assist your child with entering, and provide the clipboard for you to sign your child in. Only participants and program staff are allowed in the program areas.
Pick-Up Procedures
Only those named on the child’s ePACT under parent, legal guardian, emergency contact, or pick-up list will be permitted to pick up the child(ren). Picture ID will be checked daily of all individuals signing out participants, unless a clear high-resolution photo of the individual has been added to the child's ePACT account. All children must be picked up by 6 p.m. Following WCSD closed campus policy, you will need to use a doorbell or call the school site cell phone to pick-up your child(ren). Once notified of your arrival, Kid Konnection staff will open the door, assist your child with exiting, and provide the clipboard for you to sign your child out, as well as verify your identity on ePACT. Only participants and program staff are allowed in the program areas.
Late Pick-Up Policy Procedures
Late fees apply for pick-ups past 6:00 p.m. Fees must be paid through the applicable CivicRec account, in-person at the Parks and Recreation Office at 98 Richards Way, or by calling 775-353-2376.
Staff will attempt to call the parent, legal guardian, and emergency contacts from the child’s ePACT Emergency Form within the first 30 minutes a parent is late. If running late, a parent, legal guardian or emergency contact is encouraged to contact Staff to give notice that they will be late, but advance notice will not prevent assessment of late fees. After a period of 30 minutes, if Staff is unable to speak on the phone to any contact on the ePACT Emergency Form the Sparks Police Department will be contacted to pick up the child.
Once a late fee is accessed, the CivicRec account for that child will be frozen and no future registration will be allowed until the late fee is paid. The parent or legal guardian on file will receive a written notice of the assessment of a late fee. If the child’s CivicRec account has a credit from a Program day cancellation or for some other reason, the late fee will be automatically paid by deducting the fee from the credit on the child’s account.
Each incident of late pick-up will be documented and kept on file. Excessive late pick-up, defined as three late pick-ups within an Academic year (August-August), will automatically result in the child’s unenrollment from the Program after the third incident. The child will remain unenrolled from all Programs for one year.
Attendance Policy
Children who are not paid for, in advance, will not be accepted into the program. Please call/leave a voicemail at the school site if a registered child will be absent. A missing child is treated seriously; if it is determined that a registered child attended school but did not check-in to the after-school program, all the numbers on the ePACT emergency contact list will be called in an effort to locate the child. If a child is not located in a timely manner, school police will be called. On a regular school day, if a child does not attend a school or is sent home from school, he or she is not eligible to attend Kid Konnection. Refunds/credits are not given when a child is absent.
Sick Child Policy
We do not have the facilities or staff to care for sick children. Please keep children at home when signs of infections or illness appear. This is for the welfare of your child as well as the other children and staff in the program. At no time will a child with a fever, vomiting, head lice, diarrhea, or other contagious affliction be allowed at the programs. If your child has a communicable disease, please tell staff when it first appeared. If a child is exposed to the communicable disease at a Sparks Parks and Recreation program, a notice will be posted at the program site. Parents are expected to pick up a sick child within 45 minutes of notification their child is ill, or a late fee may be charged.
Injured Child
If an accident occurs during a program, staff will notify a parent/guardian as soon as possible. Please keep phone numbers and emergency contacts current in ePACT so staff can make contact in a timely manner. In the event of an illness or injury, efforts will be made to reach an emergency contact person. If the staff decides a child needs immediate medical attention, professional medical personnel will be called to treat the child.
Behavior Policy
Discipline is used as a “learning opportunity” rather than a “punitive experience.” Staff encourages children to respect themselves, each other, staff, and property. Program leaders go over rules often. When children violate program rules, a discussion with the child will occur to make sure he or she understands the problem with the behavior. If repeated violations occur, a written report will be filed, and parents will be notified of the behavior problems. Reoccurring behavior problems or inappropriate conduct by parents can lead to suspension or permanent expulsion from the program if determined necessary by the Recreation Manager. Staff will not discuss disciplinary issues regarding other program participants.
Participants are expected to:
- Treat others with respect & keep hands and feet to themselves
- Follow directions, written and verbal, and use appropriate language and tone of voice
- Play safely without endangering one’s self or others
- Ask permission before going to the restroom, a storage area, or away from the designated area
- Use playground equipment safely and appropriately
- Clean up after themselves & keep toys and important personal possessions at home
- Electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, smart watches and video games are not allowed to be used during program hours
In the event of physical aggression, the child(ren) involved may be sent home immediately. If determined necessary, staff will notify school administration of concerns regarding children in the before or after school program.
Program Closure/Cancellations
The School District has developed a policy that on bad weather days they will either close school for the day or delay the start of the day. A delayed start will result in the cancellation of the before-school program. School closure will cancel both the before and after school programs. Household credits will be given for delayed starts or canceled program days that are a result of bad weather or a Washoe County School District decision.
Kid Konnection Closures
Kid Konnection will be closed on all non-school days, including the following:
- Labor Day
- Fall Break
- Conference Week (no after school program)
- Nevada Day
- Election Day (even years)
- Veteran’s Day
- Thanksgiving Break
- Winter Break
- Martin Luther King Jr Day
- President’s Day
- Spring Break
- Memorial Day
Break Programs
Break programs may be offered during fall, winter, spring, and summer breaks at the Recreation Gym and the LDJ Community Center. There will be no Kid Konnection after-school program during WCSD Fall Conference Week.
Cancellation Policy
No refund or credit will be given for any part of a session, daily or weekly once it has begun. Full refunds may be granted if a cancellation request form is submitted a minimum of 14 days prior to the program start dates. If a cancellation request form is submitted less than 14 days prior to the program start date, the refund (if approved) will be issued as household credit only, less a cancellation fee. The cancellation fee will be deducted from the original registration payment. Please keep in mind the cancellation fee is applicable per each cancellation request made. No credit will be given for same-day notice of absence. Cancellation request forms can be obtained at the Recreation Office or online. User credits will be issued to families registered for programs that are canceled as a result of a Washoe County School District decision.
Please note: Parks & Recreation reserves the right to adapt and change policies on an as-needed basis. Program comments, concerns, and requests for special accommodations can be directed to Tanja Ramociotti, Recreation Supervisor, or Brittany Martinez, Recreation Supervisor at KidKonnection@cityofsparks.us.