With many centers reopening across North America and changes to recommendations and requirements for operation, the most valuable resource is the real-life experience from our community. In today’s webinar, we host two Directors on our panel to talk about their experience with COVID-19, how they reopened, the challenges faced, and how they have managed to work closely with their communities to reopen.
🎤 Our Special Guests
My name is Angela Rouse, I have been in the ECE field for over 30 years. I am currently the Executive Director at Roberta Webb Child Care Center in Harrisonburg Virginia. My number one goal is to serve families in my community with high-quality early education experience, bridging the gap so children enter school emotionally regulated and ready to learn.
🧪 Key Learning Outcomes from Angela
Keep open lines of communication with staff: In reality, everyone is a little bit nervous to be working and there are ups and downs. As a leader, creating a space with no judgement that your team can come to helps to reassure everyone that you’re in this together.
Tried masks for teachers and kids, decided against it: It was difficult to get accustomed to masks. Since her center is the same group of teachers and children, their leadership team has decided to opt out of wearing masks the whole time.
Organize classroom into pods for physical distancing:
Hart to Heart is a family-owned business that has been operating for 51 years. Wanda is a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University Bachelor’s Of Science Microbiology and Clinical Research and Nashville State Technical College Early Childhood Associate Degree. Married for 38 years, Wanda is an active member of Who’s who in America and a board member of the Group Efforts Organization
🧪 Key Learning Outcomes from Wanda
Include your community when implementing changes: Consider what your staff and parents are concerned about and use that information to inform changes at your center before reopening. This way, everyone is on board and reassured that their concerns are being taken seriously.
Stand firm on protocols: Wanda’s center closes early twice a week for the building to be defogged by an external organization to protect the health and safety for everyone. Although this means less programming time, it is an important
Get creative: Wanda has created some fun masks and tshirt designs that to fundraise for their PPE. This is an amazing way to make reopening fun and exciting for the kids, the families and your staff!
Key Resources
Check out theses useful lists and templates to help with your reopening process:
- Childcare Reopening Checklist
- Parent Handbook Template
- Parent Survey Template
- Childcare Supplies List
- Dealing with Behavioral Changes After Reopening
- How to Introduce Masks At Your Center
✨Superstar comments from our audience
Ghazala Khan
You can spray the bottoms of the shoes with the bleach and water solution when disinfecting shoes.
Gina Dixon
At our center, we’re required to wear masks in any shared spaces– hallways, bathrooms, lobby, etc. We can lower them as long as we are not “up close” to a child.
Raylene Sedley
We are storing bedding in closed bags and washing every second day.
Lucinda Crawford
Our goal upon reopening will be for children and staff to spend a good part of the day in outdoor activity.
🖥️ Watch Recording
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The HiMama child care app helps to streamline your digital parent communications. Book a consultation with us today to learn how we can support your child care center during this time.
