How frequently are toys and surfaces cleaned?
daily, both by our lovely staff during the day as well as by a professional cleaning crew each evening. our job is to keep your children safe and sound, so you can be rest assured that we employ the very best practices when it comes to the cleanliness and sanitation of our schools. for us, it's as simple as ABCD - always be cleaning and disinfecting! : ) for more information related to enhanced measures being taken in response to the covid-19 pandemic, click here.
What supplies/materials do you provide? And what are parents responsible for providing?
all caterpillar care families supply their child’s diapers, breast milk or formula, bottles, and comfort toys. we recommend that all of your child’s belongings are labeled with high quality labels that are dishwasher safe. we will provide baby wipes for use during normal business hours, diaper rash creams/ointments, and lunch/snacks (for children eating solid foods).
What are the ratios in each classroom?
our schools are designed as "small format” schools ensuring that all children receive the proper attention, care, and love that families should expect for their little ones. our current ratios of staff to children are 1 to 4 for caterpillars (infants) and 1 to 5 for butterflies (toddlers).
What is your sick policy for children?
parents/guardians will be notified should their child fall ill during the day via telephone, e-mail, and/or text message. it will then be the parent/guardian's responsibility to pick up their child promptly or make arrangements for an authorized emergency contact person to pick up their child after being notified. if your child is exposed to or contracts a contagious disease (bacterial, fungal, or viral), please notify us immediately. under the covid-19 pandemic, all families are strongly encouraged to complete their daily health screening questionnaire via tadpoles before their child is dropped off.
What is your travel/vacation policy for children?
families are welcome to vacation and if their child will miss a day of school, we just ask you to provide us with your travel plans at least one week in advance of your intended departure date (please inform your designated center directors via e-mail). no vacation credits or reimbursements will be offered for missed school days as families are paying tuition to hold their child’s seat within our program. your child’s seat in our program is theirs, and theirs alone, which is why we charge tuition and not an hourly/daily rate like an au pair, babysitter, or nanny. tuition payments are due each week (on sunday) whether or not your child attends school while registered in our program.
Do you have stroller storage?
we used to offer stroller storage at select locations, however, under the prevailing pandemic, we will not be allowing strollers to enter our schools for the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
Do you allow cloth diapers?
we will work with your family if you are interested in cloth diapering, however, due to strict regulatory guidelines, we will not launder cloth diapers for the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
What does the registration fee cover?
the registration fee we collect during the admissions + enrollment period helps us compensate our administrative staff for their effort in on-boarding your child. this can be a very lengthy process indeed! we also use these funds to purchase child-specific products/gifts during the course of a child's stay with us, specifically within their first year of care, during their acclimation period.
