Health & Safety
How we keep your child safe and well
South Hills Montessori School is a Licensed Child Care Center in the State of Oregon (Provider Number CC504770). Our licensed capacity is 80 children. We maintain a 1:10 staff-to-child ratio for children up to age 5 and 1:15 for children 5 and older, and we comply with all Oregon Office of Child Care licensing requirements — including criminal background checks and safety training for every staff member.
Trained Staff
Every staff member is trained in first aid and pediatric CPR. A trained adult is with the children at all times, indoors and on the playground.
Secure Arrival & Dismissal
Entrances are staffed during arrival and dismissal. Children are released only to a parent or a person the family has named as an authorized pickup. If someone new is picking up, families let us know by phone, email, or written note in advance, and we check identification at pickup.
When to Keep Your Child Home
Please keep your child home if they are showing any signs of illness, including:
There is outdoor play every day — a child too ill to take part should be at home. A child who tests positive for COVID-19 stays home for 5 days after the test date and may return once symptoms have improved and they have had no fever for 24 hours.
If a child becomes ill during the day, the Lead Teacher contacts the family to pick up. The child rests in the classroom area but away from the other children until a parent arrives.
Injuries & First Aid
The Lead Teacher in the classroom or on the playground assesses any injury and administers first aid as needed. For serious injuries — a broken bone, or bleeding that a bandage won't stop — 911 is called. Any injury that may need a doctor's evaluation, or any bump to the head, is reported to parents immediately. An accident/injury report is written the same day, given to the family at pickup, and kept in the child's file for two years.
Medication at School
Medication must arrive in its original container, labeled with the child's name, the prescribing doctor's name, and directions for use. Every medication requires a signed Medical Authorization form and a plan covering how it's stored and whether it travels with the child between classrooms or stays in a central location.
Allergies & Medical Conditions
Families tell us about food allergies, other allergies, and medical conditions during enrollment. For a child with a severe allergy, the family completes an allergy form that stays on file, and the child's teachers are informed. Any medication the child needs is kept in the classroom medical cabinet along with a signed Medical Authorization form. Let us know any dietary restrictions and we'll make sure the classroom team is aware.
Emergency Preparedness
We hold monthly drills for fire, earthquake, lockdown, and evacuation. Evacuation routes and fire-extinguisher locations are posted in every room, and smoke alarms are checked monthly.
If we need to leave the building, we relocate to the Amazon Community Center (2580 Hilyard Street). If that site is also unsafe, our second location is Roosevelt Middle School (500 East 24th Avenue). If both are unsafe, we post our location on the school's front door and email all families. Staff carry an emergency kit with every family's contact information, and we reach you by phone and/or email.
📥 Download the full Emergency Plan (PDF)Weather Closures & Delays
We close for weather whenever Eugene School District 4J closes. When 4J announces a delayed start or closure, the same applies to us.
- •Check local news, radio, or the 4J district website for closures and delays.
- •We also email families directly. If you're unsure, email contacts.shms@gmail.com.
- •Childcare may be affected on closure days — watch email for details.
Full Policies
This page is a summary. The complete health, safety, and emergency policies are in the Parent Handbook.
Questions about health & safety?
We're glad to walk you through any of our policies.