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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZoom notes 9.24.20Center Director Zoom Connect 9/24/20 Welcome and Introductions 16 attendees representing the following programs – CalPoly Preschool Learning Lab; SLO Classical Academy: Valley View Children’s Center; Child Development Resource Center; SLO County Office of Education Early Learning Centers/California State Preschool Programs; Open Door Preschool; St. Rose Catholic School; Arroyo Grande United Methodist; Cuesta College Children’s Center; Bright Life Playschool; Paso Robles Joint Unified Early Learning Academies; CAPSLO Early Head Start and Head Start Programs; and representatives from SLO Quality Counts and CAPSLO CCRC Resource and Referral Open Discussion Funding Concerns/Opportunities  Has anyone head anything about the Block Grant?  Programs are struggling financially and the increased costs to operate, including all of the additional personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, exacerbates the struggle  City of SLO opened up a grant process for businesses within the city limits. They received over 400 applications. Awards went out to 52 businesses including 9 child care businesses DSS Community Care Licensing  Licensing Program Analysts seem to want to be helpful and flexible  They are reviewing plans and giving programs encouragement to move forward Program Hours  Many programs continue to operate at reduced hours to account for additional cleaning  Reduced hours have impacted program enrollment Capacity  Many programs are operating at reduced capacity due to cohort guidance limitations, staffing limitations, and/or reduced enrollment (parents who are fearful, changes in program hours and school closures)  Quick calculations shows programs attempting to operate serving an average of 64% of the number of children they typically served (lowest was 34% and highest was 80%)  Directors are increasingly being called upon to cover for staff who call in sick Policies and Practices  Some programs have decided that families planning to enroll in multiple child care programs to get their care needs met are not able to attend the program. This is important to reducing exposure across cohorts and programs.  Some programs are only taking families in need of full day/ five days a week  Sick policies coupled with cohort guidelines equate to some programs being a sick teacher away from having to close a classroom for an extended period of time  Borderline cases (runny noses etc.) are being asked to stay home and monitor for a few days – often it is teething or allergies. CCL told one program that if a parent says a runny nose is allergies, they should have the parent get a doctor’s note  How can we get pediatricians and doctors to support us? We need children to be screened quickly so they can be re-admitted to programs but many pediatricians/clinics have a policy of not seeing families for 3 or more days. Doctors seem to be getting frustrated when called upon to do this screening for mere runny noses.  Parents continue to express appreciation for open and honest communication and programs are counting on that communication going both ways ECE and Child Care  Feeling that some days/some scenarios result in us just providing care rather than the ECE programing we value  Substitutes and floaters can’t provide the continuity or quality of care that is so very important  Not able to be as inclusive as would like/have prided ourselves in being  Programs have had to replace teachers who did not return and newer teachers who are overwhelmed – it is hard to give them new students Meeting Notes  Group seemed to want to continue to receive notes that allow for a measure of anonymity  Notes are also being shared with directors who miss the call and ask for them For Our Next Meeting…  How are programs encouraging friendship, cooperation, and working together while also teaching children about physical distancing? Next meeting tentatively scheduled for October 8, 2020 from 11-12:00