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