March 13: COVID-19 Letter To Parents

Dear Parents,

I have had conversations with many parents this week regarding the Coronavirus.  I felt that as many of you have similar questions and concerns, I am providing this update so that everyone is given the same information.

In case you are not aware, Miami Dade County Schools has canceled all out of town field trips and other large events such as The Youth Fair have also been canceled.  I have been keeping close communications with officials at the Miami Dade School Board as well as the Department of Health, DCF, and The Early Learning Coalition.  This week, Miami Dade Schools met with their staff in several meetings.  They have decided to close schools & are making sure that all students with no computers and internet are provided with both so they can continue their studies virtually at home on their devices.

Is Kids For Kids Open?

Miami Dade County Schools has announced they will be closed as of MONDAY, March 16.  Many families have heard this information and are asking if our school will remain open or close.  We understand that families need to work.  Therefore, our school will remain open.  We also know that since the Miami Dade Schools and Charter schools are closed, it presents a financial hardship for parents who need to stay home with elementary-age children.  For families who need care for their children in grades K-5, we have a plan in place to help those families.

We understand that there are many parents who cannot afford to miss work.  If you need care for those elementary children, we will be opening our two empty classrooms for full daycare and instruction.  This will be offered on a first come first serve basis so please send an email to bethdavis@kidsforkidsacademy & indicate the child’s name and grade for availability. As students will be given online homework, we have staff in place that will provide structure and assistance so that those students can complete their daily online coursework.  We will also provide reading and math enrichment activities, science free exploration, and daily physical education, chess classes, breakfast, lunch, snack, and free-choice time.  There will be a structured academic and non-academic daily schedule.

What are the Costs and how can we pay?

Preference will be given to students currently enrolled in our afterschool program as well as students with siblings at our school and Kids For Kids Academy Alumni.  We will offer the flexibility of drop in daily or weekly care.  The cost for this will be $185 for the complete 5 day week, which is the same cost as our full day Kindergarten program.  As we cannot provide a space for every child currently enrolled in our afterschool program and for all siblings, this will be offered on a first come first serve basis.  Call the school or send an email to bethdavis@kidsforkidsacademy.  Make sure to tell me the grade and whether you need drop-in daily or weekly care.

Families who receive subsidies from the Early Learning Coalition will be billed according to their subsidy schedule for the full day daily rate.  We can help you to determine that rate.

If your child attends, and they own their own laptop or tablet, they are asked to bring it with them, please charge it the night before and send in the cord as well.  We will have some tablets available if you do not have one.  We will continue this as long as we are able.

How are you being sanitary?

With regard to our day to day activities at our school as they relate to the Corona virus, we continue to follow instructions given by the CDC and Department of Health.  All classrooms as well as the front desk have filled containers of hand sanitizer for adult use only.  We have 2 gallons on hand to keep them refilled.  We have installed a container of hand on our front door.  We ask that parents sanitize their hands prior to entering our school.  Please also assist our teachers by helping to wash your child’s hand upon entry into the classroom.

If you drop off in a room with no sink or on the playground, please make a quick stop in the bathroom and assist your child in washing their hands.  We are also using Lysol sanitizing wipes several times a day to wipe off the door handle as well as the mouse and keypad at the front desk, the playground door handle, office phones, and keyboards.  We are also wiping down metal surfaces on the playground throughout the day as a precaution.

Our classrooms continue to be vigilant with regard to sanitizing surfaces.  After all art activities and prior to and after all meals, tables are cleaned first with a soap and water solution.  That step is followed by the spraying of a sanitizing solution that stays on tables for 20 seconds before wiping.  Each child who naps is also assigned their own cot and those cots are also sanitized at least 3 times per week.  We have brought in extra staff so that cots can be sanitized properly and more often.  

Parents are reminded to take bedding home and wash them over the weekend.  Please only send in the school pillow and blanket.  The reason we ask this is it is the perfect size to fit in your child’s cubby.  This ensures that their bedding never touches that of another child causing any cross contamination

What are your Hygiene procedures?

Staff remains vigilant with regard to making sure that children are following the proper hand-washing as directed by the CDC both in classrooms and in the bathroom.  If you have not received your free hand washing timer for your child’s home use, ask someone at the front desk, we have plenty available.  We have also hired a contractor to have a double sink installed outside of Rainbow class as they are the only classroom without a sink.  Staff also continues their practice of using gloves for all diaper changes and to wipe noses and continue to wash or sanitize after removing those gloves.  Changing tables are properly sanitized after every diaper change.

For the safety of all of our children, we will continue to send home any child who has green or yellow mucus.  Although we are not doctors, this COULD indicate the presence of an infection.  A child sent home with green or yellow discharge will not be admitted back to school until the discharge is gone or clear or a doctor’s note is produced clearing the child to return to school.  Any child with a fever will also be sent home and cannot return until they are fever free for 24 hours.

Our cleaning crew of 5 who have cleaned our school for 12 year, will continue to clean and sanitize all surfaces nightly and perform deep cleans on the weekend.  

We feel that we are doing our very best to keep our school healthy for our students, parents, and staff so we can remain open and continue our learning daily.  I am also open to suggestions from parents on other steps we can take to provide the best and most healthy school possible.

I wish you and your family continued good health!

Beth Rosenthal Davis, Ed.S, NBCT

Kids For Kids Academy 

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