Parents Area

UPDATED AUGUST 4, 2020

COVID-19 Policies and Procedures

Guidelines for Operation of Bridges to Learning

Detailed in this packet are the guidelines that Bridges to Learning will be using as we resume operations. These guidelines have been mandated by the State of New Jersey. Parents are expected to follow all of these guidelines beginning Monday, June 15, 2020. As always, please contact the office regarding any questions or concerns you may have.

General Information

• All staff will wear cloth facemasks, unless a medical condition prevents it.
• No more than 10 children will be in any classroom.
• No soft toys may be brought from home to the center.
• All children MUST bring their belongings from home in a plastic container. The container can not be any larger than 9x10.5 (9 in. high, 10.5 in. wide and 10.5 in. long. All containers must be labeled and taken home daily to be washed. Contents must include; change of clothing, sheet for cot, sunblock, other items needed.
• Hours for care will be 7:00 am – 5:00 pm daily. Hours will eventually be expanded as the need warrants.
• Daily reports must be sent to the state by 11 am. If you are not attending, you must notify us by 10 am, in order for us to complete our reporting requirements to the state.
• Children that become sick at the center must be picked up within 45 minutes of notification by the center.
• If a child is sent home due to a fever, they must remain home for 72 hours.
• NO VISITORS will be allowed in the building. This includes parents.
• Parents may not enter the building. You will drop off to a staff member at the door.
• If someone other than parents/guardians are dropping off or picking up children they must use the necessary guidelines.
• Center must be notified is someone other than parents/guardians are picking up children using our Alternate Pick Up Procedure and form.

Check In/Out Procedures

This method will be used for admittance to school. The cost to build barriers in the center to allow parent drop off in the building was thousands of dollars, thus this plan that was provided by the state will be used.

• All parents must carry a digital thermometer with them to school and present their child’s temperature to the drop off staff. You must answer the health screening questions the staff asks. If a child has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher they will not be admitted.
• When you drop off, pull into the spot directly in front of office.
• If there is a car parked in that spot, pull into the four blocked off spaces across from the front door and wait until the designated spot is empty.
• Once in the designated drop off spot, bring your child, your thermometer & their container to the front door where your child will be screened before entry.
• If someone is in the designated spot or at the door being screened you and your child(ren) must wait until the designated drop off spot is empty.
• At pick up pull into the designated drop off spot and we will bring your child(ren) to you. You may not approach staff within 6 feet unless passing a baby or toddler to the staff. If you need to pass a child, you must take your temperature as well. You must also wear a mask to do so.
• When you arrive at the end of the day, please call the center (973-230-0448) and your child will be brought to the front door.

At this time you MAY NOT enter the building. The Office of Licensing will be visiting centers to throughout the week to ensure that you are following these procedures.

Voluntary Quarantine

In addition to the list of questions required to be asked of staff and clients, we have also included questions that ask the following.

• Have you visited any of the states that require voluntary quarantine?
• Have you been to any large gatherings?

If the answer is yes to either of these questions, we will ask you to stay home for 14 days.

Masks

• ALL children over 2 MUST have masks, unless they have a medical condition that prohibits it. If a medical condition exists, please provide us with a note explaining the condition.
• We understand that children will most likely not keep their mask on throughout the day, but it is our job, to encourage them to wear them. We will be talking about ways to prevent the spread of disease throughout the day.
• Masks will not be worn during eating, playtime outside and napping.
• Please have your child wear their mask into the building.
• IF YOUR CHILD’S MASK IS NOT DISPOSIBLE PLEASE LABEL IT.

Meal and Snacks

• To prevent cross contamination all food and beverages MUST be brought from home.
• We can not heat food. Use a thermos to keep food warm.
• A cold pack in a lunch bag should be used to keep food cool.
• Children under the age of 4 must have their food cut into bite sized portions. No popcorn or hot dogs allowed for any child in the building.
• All bottles and sippy cups must be labeled and taken home daily for sanitation. Babies and children cannot use a bottle or sippy cup more than one time. This means if your child will have 4 bottles they will need to be sent to school with 4 separate bottles. If they are having sippy cups three times a day they need three separate cups.

Social Distancing

The staff and children will social distance while they are at school. We are working with the children so they will understand that they can’t run down the hallway together anymore. Arrows have been placed on the floor 6 feet apart. We are teaching the children to jump from one arrow to another, it’s a fun activity and accomplishes the goal of social distancing. We also social distance in the classroom and on the playground.

Classroom

Currently according to state mandate no more than 10 children are allowed in a classroom. Once a child is placed in a classroom, that room becomes their home classroom and they are not permitted to move to another classroom. Teachers will be assigned to a classroom and they also will not be permitted to move to another classroom. This is prevent germs from moving from one classroom to another.

Cleaning and Sanitizing

We are not using all classrooms in the building at this time. Currently, all rooms in use are cleaned at least two times each day to ensure that they remain clean and germ free. In addition to the teachers cleaning the rooms, we have a professional company coming in twice a week to thoroughly disinfect and clean all areas.

Cello UV Sanitizing Machine

Through a grant awarded to us from the state, we were able to purchase a Cello UV Sanitizer. This machine sanitizes and disinfects all areas of the building, rooms, tables, chairs, cots, toys, etc. We clean each of the classrooms on a daily basis with the machine. The machine sanitizes the area in a short period of time and provides our center with protection that we never had before.

Cello Sanitation

Playground Sanitation

We have three distinct playgrounds. Currently, playgrounds are not shared between groups. They are sanitized with a spray after each use and at the end of the day. As more children return to school, there will never be more than one class on the playground at a time, and again the area will be sanitized prior to a new group going out to play.

Covid 19 Attestation Covid 19 Policies

Archived Covid Bulletins

refer back to Bulletin No. 1

refer back to Bulletin No. 2