Opening Letter to Families

London Mancuso

5/19/2020

Dear families,

            We are pleased to announce our plans as we move into the first phase of a soft opening set for June 1st, (barring any unforeseen circumstances).

 The LSLC-CDC Board has the following tuition guidelines in place for June:

For children attending

6/1-6/5= 100% tuition

6/8-6/12= 75% tuition

All other families are asked to pay a 50%. This will continue to help us cost share expenses.  

            The following are new parameters in place to keep everyone safe. Of paramount importance to the LSLC-CDC Board Members, administration, and staff is the health of your child(ren), you, your extended families, and ourselves.  Staff will stay home if exposed to anyone confirmed to have COVID-19 or if we have any questions about our health.  We ask that families respect the critical nature of honesty regarding health assessments of children and self as equally vital.

Not to follow the following guidelines would mean possibly exposing other families and CDC staff to infection/illness, which would initiate school-closure protocol again. 

We understand that the following parameters may create some questions, and we welcome you to

Reduced operating hours for children:

8 a.m.- 3 p.m. This will allow for added disinfecting and sanitizing of items and rooms at the beginning and end of the day.

Drop Off /Pick Up Procedures: 

For our older children (Rain Forest, Jumping Jungle, Farm Friends, and After School Care):

  • Drop off: 8-9 am
  • We will be forming a system similar to a carpool lane, families are asked not to get out of the car.
  • Children’s temperatures taken (as well as any persons in the car with the child, limiting the number of individuals in the car would be helpful).
  • We will have designated staff person(s) (wearing a face mask and face shield) to meet families at cars and walk child(ren) into the center via the ramp to the front door.
  • Pick up: 2:30-3
  • Please remain in your vehicle, and we will walk your child(ren) to you.
  • You will pick up your child(ren) at the top of the ramp, where you will secure them in your vehicle.
  • Procedures will be adapted for inclement weather.

For our younger children (Ocean, Mother Goose, Forest Friends, and Backyard Buddies):

  • Drop off: 8-9 am
  • We will be asking one family member to walk the child(ren) to their outside classroom door, where the classroom teacher will greet them.
  • Families will walk child(ren) to the classroom doors via the grassy area alongside the wooden fence.
  • The temperature of the child(ren) and accompanying adult will be taken at the gate before entering the playground.
  • You will then enter the playground area through the gate (which will be open).
  • We ask that families maintain a safe 6 ft separation as they walk child(ren) to their classroom doors.
  • After drop off families will walk around the playground area to exit and walk back to their cars.
  • No families will be allowed inside the center at this time.
  • Car seats, strollers, or any other personal items will not be left at the center.
  • We understand that this will take some time and ask for your patience as we move through this process.
  • Pick up: 2:30-3
  • Please follow the drop off protocol when picking up your child(ren) (no temps will be taken at pick up).
  • Procedures will be adapted for inclement weather.

All Classes:

  • Children’s shoes will be sprayed with a sanitizer before entering the building, please be certain these are shoes that may be cleaned/bleached/stained. We will do our best to ensure this does not occur but would like families to aware.
  • If families need to pick up their child(ren) earlier, families must call center, and the child(ren) will be brought out to you. Families will always have access to their child(ren), but not to the building.
  • Items from home will not be permitted into the building. This includes car seats, boosters, bookbags, toys, etc…

Facemasks:

  • All staff will be wearing face masks (and shields when necessary).
  • Families may provide facemasks for children over the age of three if they would like their child to wear one. While we understand that children may not wear them reliably, we will do our best to make it fun, easy and ensure their safety.

Health Checks/Sick Child:

  • All staff, child(ren), and caring adults will have their temperature taken at drop off.
  • If the temperature shows <100.1 of higher the staff member or child will be asked to return home.
  • The temperature of staff and children will be taken at least twice a day, at the start of their shift/drop off, and later in the day.
  • If a child develops a fever during the day they will be moved to the “sick area” and a family member will be called. It will be expected that the child will be picked up immediately (with 30 minutes).
  • Children who have had any symptoms must stay home until fever-free (<100.1 degrees) for three days without fever-reducing medication.
  •  The Director or Office Administrator must have a physician’s note with the diagnosis (and non-contagious status) of the person with the fever before child or adult will be allowed to return to the facility.
  • LSLC-CDC will not be administering medication of any type for any reason, if your child(ren) must have medication during the day, please plan to pick them up early or keep them home until the medication is no longer necessary.
  • An immediate caregiver who has exhibited any symptoms should not send a child to school; that child has been exposed to something. Adults often self-medicate, yet this approach is potentially disastrous in this group-setting situation.  Moreover, if anyone in the child’s house has had symptoms, that child should stay home.
  •  A caregiving adult who has been exposed to someone positively diagnosed with COVID-19 should self-quarantine and keep child(ren) away from school to prevent unknowingly exposing others.

Food handling :

  • The C.D.C. will continue to provide a morning and an afternoon snack for children.
  • To keep down cross-contamination, food from home must be ready-to-serve/eat.
  •  All bottles must be in a zip-lock bag with child’s name. Bags will be sanitized after bottles are used and empty bottles will be sent back home in the same bag (to be disposed of by families, please do not reuse bags).
  • Sippy cups will be provided in the classroom for children that need them. Please do not send in sippy cups from home. We will wash/sanitize daily here on site.
  •  All food must be in a zip lock bag, clearly labeled with the date and child’s name. This bag will be thrown away.
  • To eliminate the need for staff handling food, food should be cut up and ready to eat/serve. Lunch boxes, thermos’ or plastic containers not allowed, as nothing will be returned home.
  • The C.D.C. will provide one use/disposable cups for use both indoors and out.

Naptime/Bedding/clothing:

  • Children will nap in their classrooms.
  • Mats will be sanitized after naptime is over.
  • We will be requiring all children to have a minimum of 2 sets of bedding (sheet and blanket) which will remain at the C.D.C.
  •  All bedding will arrive on the first day of the week that the child attends. Please have your child’s bedding in a zip-lock bag it will remain here at the center, and we will launder on site.
  • Please send extra clothing in a zip-lock bag. Items will be washed on-site and put into the child’s extra clothing bin in their cubby.
  • If your child is potty training or prone to naptime wetting, please be certain they have plenty of items to change into as well as extra bedding. 
  • If your child runs out of clothes, we will call you to pick them up, as we will not be using any clothing from the center for children.

Classroom/Playground Schedule

  • We will have fewer materials and fewer classroom centers open.
  • Toys that cannot be cleaned and sanitized will not be used.
  • Teachers will only be around their children and in their classrooms.
  • We will disinfect and sanitize classrooms at the end of the day.
  • We will plan to extend outside times as we are able.
  •  Only one classroom will be permitted on the playground at a time.
  • We will sanitize playgrounds after each class use.

We understand that this information can be overwhelming and encourage you to ask questions. Honesty is vital to the success of reopening, we look forward to this partnership to maintain the health and safety of all involved.

Thank you for entrusting your child(ren) to us,

We look forward to seeing you soon and we wish you well, Tammy and C.D.C. Staff

What to bring to the first day:

_Childs lunch (or bottles) in zip-lock bag clearly labeled with child’s name and date.

_ 2 sets of bedding in zip-lock bags clearly labeled with child’s name (both bag and bedding).

_Extra clothing in zip-lock bags clearly labeled with child’s name (both bag and clothing).

Please DO NOT bring anything extra from home, this includes car seats, toys, lunch bags, backpacks, etc…