Bellingham Children’s House
Covid-19 Protocol and Policy Guide
Our schedule will be similar to what it has always been, with lots of projects, lessons, games, songs, playing outside, and social time. There will be a lot of play and even more time outdoors than usual, including bringing some of our indoor activities outside. To enable us to keep the children at a reasonable distance from each other while still enjoying each other’s company, we will be opening for only eight children at a time in our classroom.
Coming and Going:
Before coming to school, teachers, teacher’s spouses, parents, and children should self-screen by answering a series of questions we will give to you before school starts. You should also take your child’s temperature. It is part of the EEC protocol that you report the results of your child’s screening and their temperature each day. You will be instructed to fill out a health screening form each morning at drop off. Bellingham Children’s House (hereinafter BCH) staff are required to visually inspect your child for any signs of illness as they enter (we encourage twirls, lol) and actively monitor them during the day.
Please arrive sometime between 8:50-9:05am. Adults should wear face masks and you and your child should maintain social distancing from others (6 feet apart) outside BCH just as you would outside Trader Joe’s or another store. Let your child know that we’re only going to be giving virtual hugs to each other for right now and keeping our distance. But this will be SO much better than having to stay home and not see anyone!
Teachers will be wearing face masks which are cleaned each day. We will be wearing rubber gloves for food prep and diapering, if needed. Masks are not required in the classroom or outside as long as we keep the required distance. Regulations state that children are to be “encouraged” to wear masks inside the classroom, but it is not mandatory. Parents can let us know if they want their child wearing a mask during the time he/she is at school. We will also discourage touching one’s face.
When you arrive at school, please park on the street and walk up the driveway to the garage where you will be met by a teacher. You can text to let us know you’re there if a teacher is not at the garage already. We are going to ask you to say goodbye on the driveway and let your child walk to the classroom door by him or herself. After our warm and welcoming non-touch greeting, your child will remove his/her shoes, use hand sanitizer, enter the classroom then go directly to their coat hook, get out their lunch if they have one, and hang up their backpack.
At Dismissal time, parents should form a socially distanced line in the driveway, wearing masks, and we will get your child ready to go, then escort them out to you. If it is raining, text us so we can get your children ready and send them out one at a time.
During the Morning:
Tables: The tables in the classroom have been distanced appropriately from one another and/or delineated with colored tape to show where it is acceptable to sit and work. Tables will be cleaned after each use. Children will be free to move about the classroom to choose activities and can set up their rug anywhere there is an X on the floor (properly distanced from others).
Activities/Materials/Crafts: There will be less on the shelves and we will be choosing items that can be easily cleaned and sanitized after use. Instead of returning items to shelves, children will be returning them to a designated area for us to clean/sanitize as quickly as possible then put out for the next child. We will be prioritizing play and socializing at the beginning of the year as children adjust to school routines.
Hygiene:
-All pillows, blankets, soft toys, and cloth objects will be removed from the classroom.
-We will provide an individual container of play dough and some cookie cutters/toys to use with it. These will be kept in their cubbies. Mats will be disinfected after using.
-In addition to frequently cleaning materials that have been used, all furniture, materials, and high-contact surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized after each session. Sinks and toilets too.
-We will use liquid soap at the sink, encourage and model frequent washing, and dry with paper towels.
-We will do a lot of coaching during clothes-changing times, trying to maintain distance, but will of course help if truly needed.
-All plastic and metal outdoor equipment will be washed and spray disinfected after each session.
-Mats will be put on floor so children easily know how to distance during Circle times.
-Please follow our lead and be a role model for your child and others: Practice social distancing, wear a face covering when you are around others, and wash your hands frequently while encouraging your child(ren) to do the same.
Signs of Illness:
As always, we will notify you if your child becomes ill during the day so you can come to pick them up. While we are aware that people are contagious before symptoms appear, we will separate a sick child from the rest of the children until the parent arrives. Ms. Julie would also be required to leave the property if she showed any signs of illness. And if I become ill, unfortunately the program would have to close. As an extra precaution, anyone sent home with symptoms may not return to school for 48 hours to ensure no other symptoms appear.
You will be notified if at any point anyone (child or staff member) is sent home with signs of illness so that you will be able to make your decisions on a daily basis about whether to send your child to school the following day.
If anyone in your family has a fever or other signs of illness, we ask that you keep your child home for 48 hours to determine if those symptoms will develop into something serious. After 48 hours, if there are no other symptoms in the family member, your child may return to school.
If you would like more specific, detailed information about our cleaning and sanitizing procedures, about our health screening procedures, or about Covid-19, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you for your assistance, understanding, and cooperation. These are challenging times, but we can get through it together. As Pete the Cat always says. “It’s all good!”
Kim
Coming and Going:
Before coming to school, teachers, teacher’s spouses, parents, and children should self-screen by answering a series of questions we will give to you before school starts. You should also take your child’s temperature. It is part of the EEC protocol that you report the results of your child’s screening and their temperature each day. You will be instructed to fill out a health screening form each morning at drop off. Bellingham Children’s House (hereinafter BCH) staff are required to visually inspect your child for any signs of illness as they enter (we encourage twirls, lol) and actively monitor them during the day.
Please arrive sometime between 8:50-9:05am. Adults should wear face masks and you and your child should maintain social distancing from others (6 feet apart) outside BCH just as you would outside Trader Joe’s or another store. Let your child know that we’re only going to be giving virtual hugs to each other for right now and keeping our distance. But this will be SO much better than having to stay home and not see anyone!
Teachers will be wearing face masks which are cleaned each day. We will be wearing rubber gloves for food prep and diapering, if needed. Masks are not required in the classroom or outside as long as we keep the required distance. Regulations state that children are to be “encouraged” to wear masks inside the classroom, but it is not mandatory. Parents can let us know if they want their child wearing a mask during the time he/she is at school. We will also discourage touching one’s face.
When you arrive at school, please park on the street and walk up the driveway to the garage where you will be met by a teacher. You can text to let us know you’re there if a teacher is not at the garage already. We are going to ask you to say goodbye on the driveway and let your child walk to the classroom door by him or herself. After our warm and welcoming non-touch greeting, your child will remove his/her shoes, use hand sanitizer, enter the classroom then go directly to their coat hook, get out their lunch if they have one, and hang up their backpack.
At Dismissal time, parents should form a socially distanced line in the driveway, wearing masks, and we will get your child ready to go, then escort them out to you. If it is raining, text us so we can get your children ready and send them out one at a time.
During the Morning:
Tables: The tables in the classroom have been distanced appropriately from one another and/or delineated with colored tape to show where it is acceptable to sit and work. Tables will be cleaned after each use. Children will be free to move about the classroom to choose activities and can set up their rug anywhere there is an X on the floor (properly distanced from others).
Activities/Materials/Crafts: There will be less on the shelves and we will be choosing items that can be easily cleaned and sanitized after use. Instead of returning items to shelves, children will be returning them to a designated area for us to clean/sanitize as quickly as possible then put out for the next child. We will be prioritizing play and socializing at the beginning of the year as children adjust to school routines.
Hygiene:
-All pillows, blankets, soft toys, and cloth objects will be removed from the classroom.
-We will provide an individual container of play dough and some cookie cutters/toys to use with it. These will be kept in their cubbies. Mats will be disinfected after using.
-In addition to frequently cleaning materials that have been used, all furniture, materials, and high-contact surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized after each session. Sinks and toilets too.
-We will use liquid soap at the sink, encourage and model frequent washing, and dry with paper towels.
-We will do a lot of coaching during clothes-changing times, trying to maintain distance, but will of course help if truly needed.
-All plastic and metal outdoor equipment will be washed and spray disinfected after each session.
-Mats will be put on floor so children easily know how to distance during Circle times.
-Please follow our lead and be a role model for your child and others: Practice social distancing, wear a face covering when you are around others, and wash your hands frequently while encouraging your child(ren) to do the same.
Signs of Illness:
As always, we will notify you if your child becomes ill during the day so you can come to pick them up. While we are aware that people are contagious before symptoms appear, we will separate a sick child from the rest of the children until the parent arrives. Ms. Julie would also be required to leave the property if she showed any signs of illness. And if I become ill, unfortunately the program would have to close. As an extra precaution, anyone sent home with symptoms may not return to school for 48 hours to ensure no other symptoms appear.
You will be notified if at any point anyone (child or staff member) is sent home with signs of illness so that you will be able to make your decisions on a daily basis about whether to send your child to school the following day.
If anyone in your family has a fever or other signs of illness, we ask that you keep your child home for 48 hours to determine if those symptoms will develop into something serious. After 48 hours, if there are no other symptoms in the family member, your child may return to school.
If you would like more specific, detailed information about our cleaning and sanitizing procedures, about our health screening procedures, or about Covid-19, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you for your assistance, understanding, and cooperation. These are challenging times, but we can get through it together. As Pete the Cat always says. “It’s all good!”
Kim
