Virtual Brainstorm with Directors of Nature-Based Child Care Centers

Jada - Orchard Valley Waldorf Director of Sweet Clover Nursery (birth to 3)... open for essential personnel, but asking parents not to go in the building. (8:00-4:00)

Su White - Director of Quarry Hill School Middlebury, VT

Kathy Balman - Runs ECO a desert school (aka forest school) for homeschoolers K-12th in the Phoenix AZ area. Also lead private programs, a youth bird club and family programs.

Adrienne Hofmann - Juniper Hill School for Place-Based Education, Alna, Maine. (Lead Pre-K teacher, Early Childhood Department Chair - soon to be co-Director for 2020-21 school year).

Jacey Norton - Director of Framingham Centre Nursery School - a licensed nature preschool program in MA that is between Boston and Worcester.

Nicole - Director and Lead Teacher of Gale River Cooperative Preschool, Sugar Hill, NH

Anne Stires - Director and Founder of Juniper Hill School for Place-Based Education, Alna, Maine

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NOTES:

Shared agreement vs. policy vs. protocol - took protocols and broke them into sections (both parents/guardians signed). What if someone is unwilling to follow shared agreements?

Shared Agreement example

Essential classrooms will take a break to clean up the space and re-enliven the spaces. Making time to recreate and re-energize the team. First two weeks were ½ days instead of full days, which was helpful to make the adjustment. Also met each morning during these initial weeks to check in…

What if a family travels for work (or teachers) how are you handling this?

This is a state-by-state issue.

VT has said no parents or other volunteers (grandparents) in the building. Hoping to create a loophole where we can sign up parents so we can include them in our roster for a specific day of the week. If bringing them on as staff in some capacity works…

Is anyone mandating COVID tests for staff and/or volunteers?

(Jacey) Right now we are not thinking about mandating COVID testing for staff. We won't have any volunteers for the Fall. I don't think that Mass has a system set up for this kind of testing at this point.

(Jada) We are not requiring COVID testing.

Adrienne - partnering with families/parents/staff to build off our community. Putting out a survey to find out what worked, what didn’t work, using this as an opportunity that works for them what people feel comfortable with. What are people worried about? What are their have-tos? Trying to create a cohesive environment. We’ve just had our first meeting… we’re in a gray area - did this work? But know that families want what’s best for the kids, as do we.

How do you create a survey that isn’t anxiety producing, but rather has positive language?

Offering an open house in August for all enrolled families.

Jacey - held a family town hall - took time to digest the information from the CDC, included a power point, but included fun cartoons and nature photos to help keep it light. Recorded the

76 families in the program, only 30 showed up, turned it into a Youtube Video, sent it out with a survey. Need to know who is returning. (One classroom will be used as a quarantine room.)

Parents/guardians will not be able to come into the building, which can be difficult. Letting families know that they need to find a different program. Staying calm and presenting

We have a summer educator institute in person August 5-8. We are tailoring the Teaching with Nature course to our current times. Join us if you can/need that training! Details are on our website under "teacher training" http://www.juniperhillschool.org/workshopregistration

Su White - helpful advice from a Burlington program - KEEP IT SIMPLE. Bulleted list for what will be different and why. Simple bulleted list of what will be the same and why. Maintain a safe, comfortable climate for families. Health check with one person (maybe in the parking lot) then off with teacher to have fun. Health check person can then connect with parent/guardian.

It’s been very adult-centric for the past few months - maybe they are really aching for the peers. It’s on us to communicate with families and get parents/guardians on board.

Signage that has clear language and graphics the make it easy to understand.

The social story includes the parent/drop-off person so they are clear what their job is and what the expectations are.

Summer pool days and hikes - working to make micro connections and introduce new children. Small playtime pods throughout the summer with a few children and parents and a teacher… opportunity to practice health checks.

Opening the playground in an intentional, safe way.