Kids & Company: Summer Program

June 1, 2020 

PROGRAM TIME CHANGE:

WE WILL BE OPEN 7:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

UPDATE:

After June 5 we will no longer be able to accommodate any type of schedule change. 

We will do our best to follow the CDC guidelines for summer child care but due to the unpredictable nature of working with children we cannot guarantee all children will always follow the guidelines we put in place. Please understand that your voluntary participation does come with some level of assumed risk.

In order to maintain the health and safety of staff and students during the coronavirus pandemic, the following practices have been put in place.  These practices work in conjunction with the policies and procedures in the Kids & Company Parent Handbook.  These practices were created under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Minnesota Department of Health. We will continue to update and revise procedures based on their guidance.

Health and Safety

Handwashing 

• Staff and students will follow proper handwashing procedures. 

• Soap and water for at least 20 seconds

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol can be used if soap and water are not readily available for students in grades 1-6

• Handwashing takes place at the following times:

• Upon staff and students arrival and departure 

• Before and after preparing food or drinks

• Before and after eating or handling food

• Before and after administering medication or sunscreen

• After using the toilet or helping a child use the bathroom

• After coming in contact with bodily fluid

• Before and after playing outdoors

• Before and after transitioning to a new space

Health Screening

• Staff and students are screened by a staff member upon arrival 

• Exclusion Guidelines per the Minnesota Department of Health will be followed 

• For the safety of students and staff, anyone not passing the screening will not be allowed into the building and will be asked to return home. Pay special attention to new onset mild symptoms, even a simple headache. If the symptom is persistent, then a staff should call their health care provider.

• If your family will be traveling, please follow the CDC quarantine guidelines before attending programming.

Ill Students or Staff

If a student or staff member develops any symptoms of illness consistent with coronavirus, the following procedures will be followed.

• Parents and/or emergency contacts will be called and asked to pick-up their child immediately.  

• The ill student or staff will be isolated in a separate room while they wait to be picked up or until they are able to leave the facility on their own.

• After the ill student or staff member leaves the facility, staff will disinfect areas where the staff or student were present. 

Sick Policy

• If a child has been directly in contact with a person in the program that is either diagnosed or presumed positive for COVID-19, you will be contacted and your child will have to remain out of the program for up to 14 calendar days from the date symptoms are first reported. 

• This action will not be taken until the person is either diagnosed or is presumed positive for COVID-19. 

• You may want to consider having a back-up childcare plan. 

• Please understand that the 14 day requirement is a directive from the Minnesota Department of Health and not a school district decision. 

• You will not be charged for days your student is asked to quarantine due to possible exposure through the Kids & Company/Stepping Stones program.

Masks 

• Staff members are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings during the work day

• Wearing masks is recommended, but not required. If your child cannot wear a mask reliably,, washing hands before and after putting on/taking off a mask and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, they should not wear one.

• Masks will be available to staff.  The available masks are not the medical-grade face masks such as surgical facemasks or N95 respirators. 

• The Minnesota Department of Health does not recommend that students wear cloth face coverings

• When wearing masks, staff and students will be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent potential contamination of their mask.

Cleaning and Disinfecting 

• All areas of the building being used (classrooms, gyms, cafeteria, common areas, etc.) are equipped with sanitizing wipes, sanitizing sprays & gloves. 

• Staff will routinely clean, sanitize, and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched, especially toys and games. This may also include cleaning objects/surfaces not ordinarily cleaned daily such as doorknobs, light switches, classroom sink handles, countertops,desks, chairs, and playground structures. 

• Toys and equipment will be cleaned and sanitized prior to being used by a new group of children. 

• After toys and equipment have been used, they are to be set aside into a bin until they are cleaned and sanitized.  

Sunscreen

• Families will need to supply sunscreen for their child. Please label with child’s name.

• We recommend that parents/guardians apply sunscreen prior to the student’s arrival.

• Programming will allow time to support students reapplying sunscreen throughout the day.

• Staff may assist in applying sunscreen if needed, but must wear gloves to apply.

Family Drop Off and Pick-Up 

• There is one designated door for entering and exiting the building. 

• Parent/Guardian will not be able to go beyond the front foyer.

• Hand sanitizing options are available for parents/guardians and students to use as they enter the building.

• Ideally, the same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the student (s) every day. If possible, older people such as grandparents or those with serious underlying medical conditions should not pick up children.

• Authorized pick-ups are required to show their ID upon pick-up. 

Programming

Group Sizes and Ratios

• Staff-student ratios are 1:9

• Group sizes are not to exceed 10

Social Distancing 

• Social distancing guidance is a 3-foot radius around each student, resulting in a 6-foot total distance between any two students

• Staff will maintain a 6-foot social distance between each other

Classroom Model 

• Students will be assigned to a homeroom by age

• The majority of the student activities will take place in the assigned homeroom 

• Students will have the opportunity to go to the gym, playground, and various other spaces in small groups.  These spaces will be cleaned prior to the next group entering the space

• Programming will avoid singing inside and will only sing in outside spaces with plenty of room between children.

Meals

• For Kids & Company families alunch option will be provided by the Hopkins School Nutrition Department until at least June 30th. We will inform you about the continuation of the meals program when we have further information. 

• Snack is provided through Kids & Company/Stepping Stones.

• Stepping Stones families will have breakfast and lunch provided throughout the summer, since it is built into the tuition cost.

• Students will use social distancing best practices while eating.  

• Students will eat outdoors or in their main room. 

Playground

• When possible, activities will be held outside

• Students and staff will wash hands before and after touching play structures and maintain 6 feet of space from other children as much as possible.

• The number of students on the playground at one time will be limited

• Playgrounds will be closed to the public

Field Trips and On-site Guests 

• Off Site field trips have been cancelled.

• This includes off-site field trips, on-site guests, and on-site vendors.  

Other

• Student belongings will be stored in an assigned area 

• Student belongings will be sent home weekly for laundering

• Students will not be allowed to bring toys from home.  

• Students may bring their own books from home. 

For Kids & Company questions, please call or email Michelle Wilcox 952-988-4083 or michelle.wilcox@hopkinsschools.org