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Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

  • 1.  Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-30-2020 01:21 PM
    Hello Early Childhood Educators.  My name is Stephanie and I am the director of a non-profit preschool in San Diego, CA.  Our preschool has been closed since March 17th and we plan to stay closed through April 30th, unless conditions call for extended closure.  Currently we are not charging our families tuition.  In order to meet our overhead costs and to remain sustainable, so that the children have a preschool to come back to, we have to start charging tuition in some capacity.  We are looking into the CARES Act and how it can apply to us but also realize this may take some time.  I am curious how other preschools are dealing with the financial hardships during the COVID-19 crisis?

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    Stephanie Larson
    Director
    San Diego Cooperative Preschool
    San Diego CA
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  • 2.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-30-2020 11:21 PM
    Hello Everyone,

    I hope you are all staying healthy and safe during this uncertain time. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share what their withdrawal policy is for their program and whether or not they have adjusted it due to the current pandemic. Are there any other policies you have adjusted and if you are closed are you charging full tuition or a discounted rate? Any feedback/guidance is much appreciated while we try to work through all of this as a small business.


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    Cecelia Hart
    Director
    LITTLE AMBASSADORS' ACADEMY
    Arlington VA
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  • 3.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 04-01-2020 07:44 AM
    Hello Cecelia,
            I hope you are safe and well, we are doing good here in Harrisonburg VA. We have a new drop off policy all parents ring door bell and children brought into the foyer while the parent waits outside for the child's temperature to be taken. Once the temp is verified the parent can leave and the child is escorted to the bathroom for hand washing then taken to class. 
    Our pick is the same in reverse. We are taking payment over the phone, and cash in envelopes left for accountant in a box. We only have six children in a room with one staff, and every child has  a 8 foot square with all items they may want to explore for the day. I will send pics. Please feel free to call and debrief if you would like, I am happy to collaborate and share ideas with our new normal. 
    Angela Rouse
    Executive Director
    Roberta Webb Child Care Center

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    Angela Rouse
    Executive Director
    Roberta Webb Child Care Center
    Harrisonburg VA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 04-01-2020 09:03 AM
    Our families pay a 2 week deposit when they start that is credited back to them as long as they give us a two week's notice when they withdraw.  During this COVID-19 pandemic, we have waived the requirement to give us a two week's notice.  We are refunding the deposit to the families as long as their balance was paid up to this point.  As far as tuition charges, the state of Indiana has CCDF grant money that is covering the tuition for families who are staying home.  Therefore, we do not have to charge families who are home at this time.

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    Elizabeth Weller
    Director
    Park Place Children's Center
    Anderson IN
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 04-01-2020 09:07 AM
    I agree that some policies going forward will need to be changed, however did not want to make any right now as everyone around us is facing a similar crisis.  I also think it is important as a childcare network we come up with some best practices to help keep us all a float if something like this occurs again in the future.  One thing that I had in place that is helping me a little right now, is any time a family wants to take a full week off they still are required to pay a $40 vacation hold spot.  So the children who are not attending are at please paying $40 a week.  Long term with about 50% of students out only paying $40 a week will still hurt the program, but not as bad as not having anything coming in for them and most parents feel it's a fair price to pay when their children are not attending.   I also think this has helped cut down on parents trying to withdraw from the program.
    Looking for ideas to improve systems in the future, and if we all share similar policies then parents will know better what to expect in the future.

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    Amanda Flowers
    Operations Manager
    Best Friends for Kidz
    Brandon FL
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 04-01-2020 09:16 AM
    Our center did close for two weeks, we reopen to the families of essential workers beginning April 6.  Prior to closing, we were still charging full tuition since we were open.  When we closed, no tuition was charged, even though a few families did offer so that staff could be paid.  When we reopen to essential workers, those will be the only families paying full tuition, other families will not pay anything until we reopen.  The owner is looking into the small business loan that will help with payroll and the center's other bills.  I want to say thank to you all fellow early childhood professionals for working through crisis within a field that is already facing many challenges.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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    Cynthia Bohrer
    Director
    Kids International Early Childhood Education Cente
    Ellisville MO
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 04-01-2020 10:23 AM
    Good Morning,

    Our parents pay the last month's tuition (May) deposit at the beginning of the school year.  If they give 30 days notice and have kept up with all their parent responsibilities (we are a parent participation school), they get their deposit back.  If they don't give 30 days notice, they don't get their deposit back.  If they do give 30 days notice and haven't completed their parent responsibilities, we deduct from their deposit and refund accordingly ($25 per hour of work they did not complete - they have 8 hours to complete each year).  This is a part of our bylaws and would need to be changed by a full membership vote, so we have not changed this policy at this time. 

    We have been closed since March 16th.  We did not refund March tuition (but offered to if needed - no one took us up on that) and are using their last month's tuition deposit for April.  We are tentatively re-opening on May 4th and if that really happens we will charge May tuition.  If we do not re-open in May, we will not be charging tuition but asking families to donate what they normally would have paid in tuition for that month as our staff are working from home to provide resources for families and we intend to pay them through the end of May.

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    Sherrie Rose Mayle
    Director/Teacher
    Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
    Campbell, CA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-31-2020 12:49 AM
    Hi Stephanie.

    We are a non-profit faith-based program in Lenexa, KS.(greater KC area).  We have been closed since March 16 and have a staff of 42 full and part-time staff members.
    We paid our staff for the first two weeks, but are in the process of deciding if we can pay our staff for the next 3 weeks.  Our parents pay two weeks in advance and only 2 of 200 families have asked for their last week to be refunded to them.  We have also had some parents pledge to continue paying through the end of the school year.  We are exploring how to collect and distribute this without having to deduct any payroll taxes.  We have kind of missed the boat on continuing to collect tuition -- many of our families have already dropped from the program for the rest of the school year. 

    Mary Kay

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    Mary Kay Scanlon
    Holy Trinity Early Education Center
    Lenexa KS
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-31-2020 09:58 AM
    Good Morning,
    I am the Director/Teacher at a non-profit preschool in Campbell, CA.  We have been closed since March 16th and right now are anticipating reopening on May 4th.  We did not refund March tuition (though we did offer families that opportunity if they needed - no one asked for a refund).  We are using our last month's tuition deposit that parents paid at the beginning of the year for April.  If we really do return in May, we will charge tuition for that month.  If we do not, we are planning to not automatically charge everyone tuition but to ask families who are able to donate the amount they would normally have paid for that month's tuition so we can continue to pay our teachers through the end of May. 
    All the Best,
    Sherrie Rose

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    Sherrie Rose Mayle
    Director/Teacher
    Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
    Campbell, CA
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-31-2020 11:00 AM
    Hi!  We are in that same boat.  I am the Director of a private, non-profit, faith-based preschool.  We have closed our building but are striving to keep our community open.   We are looking into various ways to provide activities and support to families with mailings, emails and a private facebook page where teachers can post videos for our students and parents and teachers can share ideas and encouragement.  Our tuition is broken up into quarters and we have reached the last quarter so we will need at least a partial tuition payment in order to sustain teachers to continue with this kind of work on this new platform.  We realize it is not what anyone signed up for but we are trying to make something work.  We hope parents will understand and make a partial payment as we seek to pay teachers a partial payroll.  There is also the CARE ACT where non-profits can apply for a payroll loan which can, in some cases, be 100% forgiven.  I would encourage you to look into that. I hope some of this information is helpful and I would love to read about other ideas anyone else has.

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    Sharon Culbertson
    Head Teacher/Director
    Trinity Community Preschool
    Woodbridge CT
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Sustainability for private non-profit preschools during COVID-19

    Posted 03-31-2020 12:28 PM
    Hi Stephanie,
    I work for a non-profit that has centers across the state of California. We have had to close about 50% of our centers across the state. There are many community COVID19 Relief Funds popping up. I have completed two applications already and am working on two more. Most of the funds are offering $25,000 to $50,000. Look into any Relief Funds in your area. The local planning council may be able to help you find resources. I am the Chair of the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council and we are sending out information on grants that can help child care centers. ​If you are not on your planning councils list serv I recommend subscribing to that. Try googling San Diego COVID19 Relief Funds or San Diego Community Foundation and see what pops up. Most of the applications are brief because the funders understand the urgency to get funds to non-profits during this time.

    Good Luck,
    Fritzi

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    Fritzi Gragg
    Director of Program Compliance and Special Projects
    Continuing Development Inc.
    Irvine, CA
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    Original Message