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Mask

  • 1.  Mask

    Posted 09-29-2021 07:59 AM
    What is everyone doing about Mask?

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    Debbie Frazier
    Director
    Green Street Daycare/Preschool
    Piqua OH
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  • 2.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-29-2021 01:42 PM
    We decided to give it a try with our 2-4 year olds.  Surprisingly, they have done really well.  Parents of the 2's especially were not thrilled about it and we lost 2 families because of the decision.  We have found that it is a parent issue more than a child issue.  We do ask parents to keep extra masks in their cubbies incase a child's mask gets to wet.  I also keep extra paper ones just in case.  We do have to give gentle reminders expecially with  our 3 year olds about pulling it up over their noses.  All in all, it is going better than we anticipated it would.
    Alice

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    Alice Patton
    Director of Preschool Ministries
    Black Mtn Presby Church Weekday School
    Black Mtn NC
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  • 3.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 12:23 AM
    Hi,
     I work with 3-4 year olds and it has been a huge struggle. I believe it's because my parents aren't on the same page. I'm now using games and activities that focus around mask (wearing mask). Slowly very slowly that's helping.
    Wish me luck…. I'm really trying.

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    Nori Carter
    Milwaukee WI
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  • 4.  RE: Mask

    Posted 10-13-2021 12:22 PM
    I teach special education preschoolers ages 3-5 and we just say over nose and most keep it on. There are some that have difficulty due to sensory issues and we understand that but we still try to help them put it on. We don't play games we just put it on and move on and they forget when they are playing or interacting. It is not a big deal at all.

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    Lori Mertes
    Special Education Early Learning Specialist
    Fairbannks NorthStar Borough School District-Anne Wien
    Fairbanks AK
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  • 5.  RE: Mask

    Posted 10-13-2021 12:30 PM
    Thank you everyone for the support about mask wearing.  It has really been an emotional roller coaster for our center.  That is why I posted.  We have families who believe in them and families who don't  Trying to stay neutral has been difficult.  We have policies in place for when they are required and when they don't have to be worn.  We have lost families due to mask wearing for children and even staff.  Regardless where you stand about mask it is always hard to lose families when you feel like you are doing what is best to keep everyone safe and healthy.  So thank you again for your support with mask.

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    Debbie Frazier
    Director
    Green Street Daycare/Preschool
    Piqua OH
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  • 6.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 12:49 AM
    Germ masks or Halloween masks? LOL, it's hard to know at the moment.

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    Mars April Caulton
    Education Coordinator,
    Mary Crane Centers
    Chicago IL
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  • 7.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 07:15 AM
    Hi all.  When we opened last fall (Sept. 2020) we mandated masks for our program which consists of three-, four-, and five-year old children. The faculty and children were masked throughout the entire year. With the exception of some reminders to pull the mask up over their noses, both children and faculty were fantastic about it.  We continued to mandate them again this year especially given the Delta variant and it's impact on the youngest children.  The parents are very grateful for our diligence in keeping everyone safe.

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    Carolyn DeVito
    Assistant Executive Director
    Montclair Community Pre-K
    Belleville NJ
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  • 8.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 07:48 AM
    We require masks for children 3 and up and we haven't had any trouble with the kids keeping them on, they adapt so easily. Some of our 2 year olds also wear masks but that is by parent request. All of our staff are required to wear masks as well. 

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    Christina McIntosh
    Director
    Discovery Learning Center
    St Petersburg FL
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  • 9.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 07:50 AM
    Here our our COVID policies.  We have had great cooperation and support from the parents, and the children are doing great wearing masks with a few reminders.  I realize we are very lucky to have the support we do, I have worked at other centers and this would not have been the case.  We serve children 3-5 years old. 

    Growing Tree Preschool COVID Policies
    1.All children 2 and older are required to wear a
    mask while at Growing Tree.
    2.We are currently not allowing parents in the
    building. Teachers will escort the children from
    their parent's car and into the building and
    brought out to their parent's car at the end of
    the day.
    3.Daily temperature checks of the children and
    parents will be taken, prior to coming into the
    church building.
    4.The children will use hand sanitizer prior to
    coming into the classroom. Children and
    Teachers will wash their hands and use hand
    sanitizer throughout the day.
    5.Teachers will sanitize the toys, equipment and other items daily.



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    Kathy Mangen
    Director/Teacher
    Growing Tree Preschool
    Athens OH
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  • 10.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 07:59 AM
    It is mandated in our county for all children over the age of 2 to be masked in all daycare and school settings, and everyone over the age of 12, regardless of vaccination status, must also be masked. Sometimes we need to remind the kiddos to pull their masks back up, but for the most part they're pretty good about it. We have prioritized mask breaks and they can take them off when we go outside, so we make sure that while the weather is still okay (Buffalo, NY), we are going outside as much as possible. We have definitely have had push back from families, but since we have no choice, there's not much we can do about it. I recommend asking families to bring in extra masks for their kiddos and keeping disposable ones happy. We have also stressed the point that with masks, we are less likely to have other viruses circulate through the center, keeping our kiddos and staff healthier and allowing our center to function at full capacity.

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    Hannah Leslie
    Special Programs Coordinator
    LE3 Inc
    Williamsville NY
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  • 11.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 08:06 AM
    Are rules are highly recommended.  It has been very difficult because we have parents on both sides of this.  We have established rules for everyone.  However we are losing families during mask time.  And losing families during non mask times.  I just breaks my heart that we are caught in the middle of all of this.

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    Debbie Frazier
    Director
    Green Street Daycare/Preschool
    Piqua OH
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  • 12.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 11:18 PM
    What does "Mask Time" mean?
    Are you having only certain times when they wear facial masks?  I think that would make it a lot harder for kids to take it seriously.

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    Mars April Caulton

    Chicago IL
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  • 13.  RE: Mask

    Posted 10-01-2021 04:49 PM
    Thank you everyone for the discussion.  Your comments have been very helpful.  Making these decisions have been very trying.

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    Debbie Frazier
    Director
    Green Street Daycare/Preschool
    Piqua OH
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  • 14.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 08:54 AM
    Our Board decided that masks were mandatory for our 3 year old through 12th grade students. Our young students have done an amazing job keeping them on with a few reminders here and there. Parents have all been very supportive.

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    Sheila Kaldis
    Westbury Christian School
    Houston TX
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  • 15.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 08:57 AM
    Autism Little Learners has a great social story about wearing masks that we have found to be very helpful in our classrooms.
    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wearing-A-Mask-Story-for-Children-5463572

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    Alice Patton
    Director of Preschool Ministries
    Black Mtn Presby Church Weekday School
    Black Mtn NC
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  • 16.  RE: Mask

    Posted 09-30-2021 11:39 AM
    Yes, we're doing it and it's fine. Yes, there are some problems, families forget to send them in (we have disposables available), children take them off and we'd get confused as to whose was whose (so now they are labeled when they arrive in the morning), they'd get full of runny noses and we'd have to change them mid-day (so we asked parents to send in extras so we always had clean ones on hand). For every issue there was a solution. Families were really on board for the most part. Some parents thought their child wouldn't do it (but they do, because everyone else is! Kind of like potty training). They thought their child wouldn't be able to breathe and wouldn't like it (we think the parents were more concerned about it than the kids). Some kids love wearing them so much they don't want to take them off!). Overall, it's going just fine. Everyone one in our school, adults down to 2-year-olds mask while at school. The children take them off to eat, sleep, and play outside. We also exempt any of our children with special needs. I would suggest having small command hooks on a wall maybe by the dining tables or by circle time, where ever you will likely have them take them off so you can easily hang them on a labeled hook and find them again, when it's time. Our county has a mask mandate for children 2-11 in indoor spaces, so it was really easy to get families on board. Good luck!

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    Amy Gottschamer
    Executive Director
    Googols of Learning Child Development Center
    Lawrence KS
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