Dear parents
In this season our Little Scholars administrative team along with Pastor Milas have been diligently working to reopen Little Scholars. We have been keeping up to date with CDC and NH and MA guidance to create a reopening plan that will keep our staff, children and families safe as best we can. We are seeking guidance from our insurance companies and lawyers to ensure we are doing our due diligence throughout this process. And above all, we are continuing to pray for guidance and protection for our center and all who enter.
Returning to Little Scholars will look different and aren’t sure how long it will last, but we assure you that we will follow all guidance and communicate out when things need to be adjusted.
We are blessed with amazing staff and amazing families and we can’t wait until we see each other again!!
We have attached resources to this section to help you understand what will be different but also to use to help ready your child to return to school!
Little Scholars Executive Team
Following state requirements, all staff will be wearing masks at all times during the day when they need to be in close proximity to each other or children. Specific times they will wear masks are food prep, diaper or pottying and handwashing. We ask parents to wear masks whenever interacting with teachers. It’s currently not recommended, but Children over 2 can wear masks if you choose.
In our new norm, parents will drop off and pick up children in the parking lot. A staff member will ask a series of health questions and take the child’s temperature every morning before entering the building. If your child has any signs of illness, we ask that you keep your child home or immediately pick your child up. If illness is noticed at drop off, we will ask for your child to be taken home. Children must stay home for 72 hours without fever reducing medicine.
Teachers will also follow the same screening process.
While our cleaning and sanitizing process prior to covid meets cdc cleaning guidelines, we have increased our cleaning and sanitizing process. Toys will be in play centers on a rotating basis in order to clean and sanitize daily at nap and the end of the day. At nap and the end of the day, every surface in the classroom will be cleaned and sanitized, including shelves, counters, handles and faucets. Soft items have been removed or laundered after use. Bathrooms and playground and gym toys will also be sanitizer more frequently throughout the day.
Events are an integral part of our community at Little Scholars! However events will be cancelled or adjusted as we follow guidance from the state.
With the loss of tuition and the increased cost of supplies to prepare for this reopening, the 2020 Tuition Rates will go into effect upon return. There will be an updated tuition rate for the 2020/2021 school year released in August.
During this time our illness policy has been altered. If a child or staff has a temperature of 100° they will not be allowed to attend the program. Children and staff need to stay home until they are 72 hours fever free without any fever reducing medication.
Children and staff will be screened each morning and afternoon and will be monitored throughout the day. The screening will consist of a temperature and symptom check. The symptom check will consist of Covid related symptoms such as: Fever· Cough · Sore Throat· Loss of Smell or Taste· Breathing difficulty · Vomiting · Diarrhea · Headache paired with another symptom · Runny Nose or Congestion paired with another symptom.
If a child or staff member appears sick and the above symptoms are exhibited, children or staff will not be allowed to attend the program and will be sent home. They may not return for 7 days plus 3 additional healthy days. Any child or staff sent home will be required to contact the director within 24 hours to inform the school what the illness may be.
If a doctor has cleared your child or the staff member to attend sooner, the medical professional MUST in writing state “_______ (individual’s name) was seen and was evaluated for ___________________. They do NOT have Covid-19 and is able to return to childcare without placing another child or adult at risk”. The medical professional must also include the sickness the child or staff member has as well as the reason behind the symptoms. A child or staff may return with a negative Covid-19 test as long as they are symptom free for 24 hours without medicine.
If your child or anyone in the home is being tested, your child must stay home until results are received. If your child has tested positive or has been in direct contact with an individual who has a positive Covid-19 test, your child(ren) will be required to stay home for 14 days. Families must inform Little Scholars via email ASAP.
If for any reason a child in our care or staff member is diagnosed with Covid-19, we will immediately close down that classroom and upon guidance from the state may have to close the center for two days up until one week.
Salem, NH location - Following the NH and CDC guidelines, if your family is traveling outside of New England, we do ask for your child to quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. Under current guidance, we will not be able to accept a negative Covid test to return.
Haverhill, MA location - Following the Mass and CDC guidelines if your family is traveling outside of New England or to a state that is not listed as a safe state in the Mass travel guidelines, we do ask for your child to quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. If your family chooses, your child can return with a negative Covid test as long as they are not exhibiting any Covid related symptoms.
We know that this is an inconvenience when planning a vacation, and we know that all of our families are committed to keeping the risk down and not exposing other families at the center. Please keep in mind that if you have a $0 balance, your family is eligible for 1 free week of tuition per school year. This free week will need to be requested by email with the date you would like to apply it to your account
