Policies that Keep us All Safe & Let Kids be Kids

In March 2020 Ahava Early Learning Center, like many other preschools and businesses, closed its doors to protect its children, staff, and families from COVID-19 spread. For three months school staff explored the world of connecting with very young children virtually (complete with a virtual Passover Seder!), completed professional development, and prepared for the day when we could all be together again. We also convened a dedicated and multi-disciplinary COVID-19 Task Force to help us understand the pandemic and determine the safest routes for supporting our children and families. Our Task Force comprises physicians, public health specialists, parents, and early childhood educators and continues to meet regularly to review our procedures and the unexpected, but inevitable, changes and challenges that are the hallmark of this time.

We reopened in July 2020 with the support of our Task Force and several modifications to our program to ensure that we reopened in the safest way possible to protect the health of our community while continuing to provide a loving, connected, and joyful environment that respects each child and the immense value of childhood itself. Since then, we have grown and adapted, seen relationships reconnect and thrive, and learned new ways to be together. Some of our key policies include:

• Mixed Age, Learning Communities: For the 2023-24 school year we continue to keep our class sizes very small and to implement a mixed age model in all of our classrooms. Children are placed in cohorts initially that are based on a three month range of birthdays. Each mixed-age class has three different cohorts of children in order to keep ages balanced and provide the children peers within their classroom communities.

• Hours of Operation: Ahava is open for 9.5 hours of operation per day, beginning at 8:00pm. Please do not drop children off at school earlier than 8:00am. Teachers who are in the building before 8:00am are busy planning and preparing for the day and may not be stationed in the classroom until school is open. It is important that pick up times be adherred to as closely as possible so that teacher/child ratios can be maintained, and children are safely supervised and monitored. Ahava does not have a car-pool system. We ask all families to park their vehicles in a designated parking space and walk their children into the school, taking the time needed to help them enter the classroom, wash hands and put away belongings. When leaving, say your farewells, offer your child a hug (or follow a Goodbye ritual), and leave as stated. Having a consistent daily routine to follow will help your child settle and transition into the school day.

• Drop-Off and Pick-Up: Parents must sign their children into and out of school each day using the Procare QR code and an individual PIN that is assigned. Parents can enter the building at 8:00 am to drop their children at the classroom door where a teacher will be greeting families. Children should be picked up by a designated and approved adult by the previously determined time of 1:00pm, 3:30pm, or 5:30pm. Pick-up is often from the playground.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Masks are not currently required for staff or children. We ask that anyone who is not feeling their best to monitor symptoms and if necessary wear a mask (available at the front desk reception area), when in the school and around other adults and children. Children are not masked at Ahava, so if a child is sick, we ask that you keep them home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medicine, and symptoms have resolved.

• Increased Cleaning and Hygiene: Cleaning and handwashing, always an essential procedure in early childhood settings, have taken on a new sense of urgency with this pandemic.  Teaching staff in each classroom have put increased focus on developing age-appropriate strategies for teaching good hand washing and provide close monitoring during hand-washing which occurs as soon as children arrive at school as well as many times throughout the day. Additionally, any difficult-to-clean items have been removed from classrooms and staff complete a thorough daily cleaning of their room and materials.

• Limited Visitors: Visitors are welcome to Ahava ELC, and some of our regular visitors include Speech and Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Outside vendors for afternoon enrichment activities, and classroom visitors, who may include Grandparents, siblings, or other volunteers. We ask that anyone who is feeling ill please reschedule your visit or wear a mask while you are here if that is applicable. Masks are always available at our front desk reception area.

Click here to read our full COVID-19 Family Handbook Addendum and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about how your child can experience a safe and loving experience at Ahava!