Frequently Asked Questions
What are your hours of operation?
What is the age-range of the children at the Centers?
What will my child do during the day?
What else will my child experience in the classroom?
What are the teachers’ qualifications?
How much is tuition? How often will I need to pay? Are there other fees or charges?
Does my child have to eat the meals and snacks you provide or can they bring their own food?
How do you safely administer medication?
Is transportation available for school-age children?
What is your inclement weather policy?
Are there additional educational programs available for my child?
What are your hours of operation?
The Centers are open from 6:30 am until 6:00 pm; Monday through Friday.
What is the age-range of the children at the Centers?
The children’s ages range from six weeks old to 12 years of age.
What will my child do during the day?
Your child will participate in a wide variety of teacher-directed and child-initiated developmentally appropriate activities. A typical day may include an art experience, literary activities, music activities, playing with toys (encouraging fine motor skills), other indoor/outdoor activities (providing gross motor skills development) and math and science activities designed to stimulate cognitive development. There will also be healthy meals and snacks, bathroom breaks and rest periods.
What else will my child experience in the classroom?
Our programming provides each child with opportunities to explore and grow so that they may master current developmental milestones while acquiring the cognitive and social tools necessary to begin their next stage of development. As part of our curriculum, we strive on a daily basis to teach our children three important lessons: be safe, be neat and be kind. Through this social instruction we hope to teach children to avoid danger, take proper care of themselves and their environment and respect the rights of others. Most importantly, we love and nurture our children so that they feel good about themselves and have the best chance for developing a positive self-image.
What are the teachers’ qualifications?
Our goal is to have each of our teachers meet all of the qualifications required by the Division of Child Development of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Our caregivers either meet those standards already or are in the process of pursuing the required qualifications. We hire professional, dedicated and loving teachers who are willing to pursue and meet these required standards. All teachers complete an extensive in-house orientation program and participate in regular training sessions on curriculum enhancement, child development, and classroom management. All of our caregivers have current CPR and first aid certifications.
How much is tuition? How often will I need to pay? Are there other fees or charges?
Tuition, which may vary by facility due to market-related expenses, is a weekly fee that is due in advance each Monday. In addition to excellent care and education, weekly fees include meals, snacks and the materials used by the children during the day. A registration fee is charged upon enrollment and at the beginning of each year. The registration fee is $50 for one child and $75 for a family. Additional fees will be charged for elective educational programs and field trips. On occasion a classroom project may require children to bring in their own materials, such as a basket for Easter or costume for Halloween. Tuition and fees are typically evaluated on a yearly basis.
Does my child have to eat the meals and snacks you provide or can they bring their own food?
Children are discouraged from bringing food to school since we provide nutritious, well-balanced meals and snacks that are consistent with USDA Food Program Guidelines. As part of the exploratory process, we encourage children to try a taste of each food unless they are allergic to that food. At the same time, we recognize that for various reasons (no appetite, illness, etc.) children are not always hungry and may not want to eat during meal times or snack breaks. We never force children to eat and food is never used as a reward or punishment.
How do you safely administer medication?
We require written authorization from the parent and physician in order to administer medication. A medicine log is maintained and only designated caregivers may administer medication. All medications are locked up and out of the reach of children.
Is transportation available for school-age children?
Centers may provide transportation for students to nearby public and private schools. The Center Directors can provide information regarding service to specific schools.
What is your inclement weather policy?
Because we respect your work schedule, we make every effort to open the center during inclement weather. Should severe weather prevent the center from opening on time, or at all, an announcement will be made on WXII Channel 12, WFMY Channel 2, or you can call your center’s telephone number to listen to a recording with an updated operating schedule. In the event of early dismissal, parents will be contacted by phone. No tuition credit is given for closings due to inclement weather.
Are there additional educational programs available for my child?
We contract with private instructors to teach elective programs in a variety of subject areas including computers, music, dance and gymnastics. There are also elective field trips scheduled throughout the year for specific age groups.