Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-24-2021 01:33 PM
    It's hard to believe that on March 9th, we as ECE providers, will have been dealing with an ongoing pandemic and crisis for a full 12 month period.  In Texas and many other Gulf Coast states we are used to Annual Disasters due to our Tornado and Hurricane Seasons.  With those disasters there is always a beginning, middle and an end and at some point we are able to move on get back to normal.  However, with the Covid 19 pandemic, the problems never seem to end and in fact they continue to get worse.  Early on in the pandemic, I was interviewed by NPR, our local and state news stations and newspapers as to what impact I thought the pandemic was going to have on childcare centers.  It's now a year later and I am planning on going back to those news sources to give them an update on what has happened over the last 12 months and although I think most of us have had similar universal experiences over this past year, the ECE industry is so varied that I'm sure that some of you have had very unique experiences based on where you are located and how long you have been in the industry.  I would like to hear from other providers on how this past year has impacted your program, your children and their families and yourself and where do you think your program will be a year from now.

    I'll start the conversation by saying that 4 out of our 7 locations are still closed.  The three that have remained open are operating at less than 50% enrollment from where we were at this time last year.  We have applied for every PPP loan, local and state grants that have been available and we're still always just one payroll away from having to close.  We have seen more behavioral issues with our students due to new stressors in their homes and the inconsistency of their schedules.  We have had to cut staff hours and reduce our operating hours.  Many of our parents work from home now so they have chosen to keep their kids at home to save money.  Our local school district only has about 50% of the students attending in person, so that has devastated our after-school programs.  As for me, my stress level is through the roof and I spend my days searching the internet for more grant programs both for small businesses and specifically for childcare programs and the rest of my time is spent trying to explain to our State and local leadership about how dire the situation is for childcare providers at this time. 

    That's my story, what is yours?

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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 2.  RE: The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-24-2021 04:46 PM
    Tim,
      I feel for you.  I see your posts on here regularly and know that you care deeply about ECE.  And I know the pandemic has hit your program with a sledge hammer.  I personally have been pretty lucky.  We're a small three classroom COOP school, with families whose jobs have not been interrupted by the pandemic to a large extent.  When we temporarily closed our doors last March, a large enough percent of our families continued to pay full tuition for virtual classes that we were able to keep the teachers employed and not take to big a financial hit.  
      Reopening in September was difficult though.  Meeting local Office of Child Care regulations meant a mandatory drop in enrollment, and then there was even more drop off as families simply opted out due to the risk.  We opened in September at about 40% capacity.  Thankfully, the 4' class, which brings in the most income, was at about 70% enrollment.  We shifted our program all outdoors, so the teachers have had to reinvent what they do on a daily basis.  Were it not for a PPP loan and a local grant, we would have lost about 70,000 this year against a total budget of about 150,000.  We had enough reserve for that not to have totally crushed us, but it would have left us with empty bank accounts and a sizeable deficit.  
    We've been lucky for sure.

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    James Mitchell
    Teacher
    Silver Spring Nursery School
    Takoma Park MD
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  • 3.  RE: The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-25-2021 12:45 AM

    Tim

    Thank you for the reminder of the date approaching.  I have personally been so in the event and applying instructional strategies, increasing parent engagement through blended learning, creating individual learning kits for both settings, to observing the changes in funding for our ECE public school based, that I am just now thinking WOW.  

    I have over 16 years in education and the last 9 has gone from teaching foundational skills, to social emotional, to Equity and meeting the health and safety of our students, family and staff.  So when I stop to think of where we are now after a year our ECE services are even more needed.  It is clear that providing a healthy and safe environment is not depended on the center alone.  We need to shift to
    meeting the needs of the parent from home to building.  A clear example, are the continued assessment requirements for students both ASQs and the State School Readiness are still on the table.  We have to collaborate with how it can be done and with safety.  

    Yes, some parents have create their own educational co-ops, and they still need to learn how to time manage working from home and engaging with their child's learning. 

    The reality is the funding is there we just need to be innovative enough to approach the outcomes differently.  VPK requires 3.5 hours of direct instruction blended.  Head Start has a Family Engagement contract, that outlines parent and providers expectations, therefore, let us review realign resources that will prepare our families for the reality.  Things will not be the same and accesses to services have to be different.  All parents will not need full day child care, but the availability for it and the safety is needed.  Can you see a real one stop program that assesses the needs of the child, access the screening, provide blended learning for parents, work life development, and support?  I have learned on thing for sure our parents are very Technology savvy.  They are teaching their children and don't even realize how to direct it to a well rounded school ready child.  

    Anyway, our program numbers to what we are use to are not the same, however, the need is there just with a shift.


     



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    Terri Robinson
    Department Lead Teacher
    Boynton Beach FL
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  • 4.  RE: The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-25-2021 08:23 AM
    Tim,

    I appreciate your message and the passion you share with the rest of ECE providers! My center has been hit hard as well as everyone else. Last year when COVID-19 hit, my center was running full capacity (243) and now we are running only 20% of those children. My center has been able to stay open through the pandemic, thankfully! We have several doctors and nurses children whom we care for so we did not have to close our doors. We also have several school teacher children we care for as well but, half of them are now working from home doing the virtual teaching so it has been a challenge. We did offer the virtual learning here through the ISD for those children who were being taught through virtual learning but, now they have been able to go back into the school.

    Our after school program went from 25 children down to 5, we are trying to get a head count for our Spring Break camp and so far we only 1 child sign-up. This has really hurt not only the business but the fundamental development of our children seems to be decreasing too. The first 5 years of a child is when the brain is developing and if the children are being taught be professionals I feel like this influences them developmentally. 

    We have taking out several loans and everything that has been offered as well but it is them same for us here, we are always one payroll away on having to shut down. I love what I do and I love my staff and families and it really is disheartening to see how the pandemic has really taken its toll on ALL ECE providers!!

    -Katy

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    Linda Katy McDonald
    Director
    Legacy Academy
    McKinney TX
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  • 5.  RE: The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-25-2021 12:36 PM
    Hello,
        I'm so glad you shared this. For us in Michigan, it was March 13. In no way did we know we would still be out a year later. and still on lockdown or "pause" as it is now being called. We began operating back on June 22. As our early childhood building also houses daycare 0-4 years. I teach with the Great Start Readiness Program (3, 4, and 5-year-olds) and are housed in the same building. I work with the daycare in the summer. When we started back, I was one of two who WASHED ALL of the toys and other supplies needed every day. There was a process we as staff went through that summer with fear, disbelief, yet partially happy to be back in a somewhat normal capacity. Our rooms were allowed to have 5 or 6 students at a time and must be kept in the same cohort. So we had some teachers working many many hours in the rooms. We developed a code word for them to say over the walkies when they needed rest/break, etc. The stress levels were through the roof but we did it somehow.
         With the return of the new school year, we are virtual and still with limited students in each room. Many of our classrooms were changed to school age. So we now have ages 0-13 in our building, I lost my classroom and am online. I have a small office that I share with my TA. We have since brought our things home and are working from home every day on top of regulating our own families and their school schedules. Even had to adjust the internet to a new carrier because our old one was unable to provide the services needed to run so many programs at the same time.  
         Some schools are having to provide a face-to-face option by March 7 now. Very few kids are actually going back. We can still only have up to 50% of students in a classroom due to the Michigan guidelines. Most classrooms are not big enough to meet this. While other classes/teachers are scrambling, we have remained online and happily at this point. We finally have a "grove" and have figured out a lot.
    Nicole VanZwoll
    GSRP Lead Teacher
    M.Ed
    Okemos, MI

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    Nicole VanZwoll
    Teacher
    Okemos Public
    Okemos MI
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  • 6.  RE: The Impact of Covid 19 on ECE Programs 1 Year Later

    Posted 02-25-2021 02:02 PM
    I was moved to respond because of how deeply COVID has affected what we do. We are a Campus Children's Center at a State College in the Pacific Northwest. Our Campus closed in March of last year, and the Children's Center reopened Sept 1st. at 1/3 capacity. Our Campus is still closed to in person learning, as all classes are virtual until Fall Qtr. COVID safety protocol and procedures are a blend of Higher Ed. requirements, DOH, and CDC. As a 69 year old ECE professional I feel safer in our environment than I do out in our local community. Though it seems to be slowly/slightly getting better, it has not been enough to save many of our colleagues and their Centers who are hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

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    Donna Simon
    Olympia WA
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