Coronavirus (COVID-19) Precautionary Procedures

Due to recent events, Grand Tots Intergenerational Day Center, Inc. (Grand Tots) has begun to prepare for possible community transmission of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). I want to assure you that our top priority is the health and safety of our students, families, and staff. To better ensure this, Grand Tots will begin to implement additional, precautionary procedures in order to limit possible exposure in our school.

These precautions will include:

• Revised Drop Off and Pick Up: Beginning on Wednesday, March 18th, entry to the building will be limited to only the western doorway (those closest to the gymnasium). During drop off and pick up, parents will be met at the entrance and your child will be escorted by a staff member to the classroom or to the caregiver. This is intended to limit the number of individuals walking through the building to reduce possible exposure. You will, however, always have access to your child.
• An Increased Emphasis on Good Hygiene: Grand Tots currently incorporates hand washing into every transition between classroom activities, including as part of naptime. We will also be reincorporating handwashing and other basic hygiene skills into our lesson plans and class activities.
• Updated Cleaning Regimen: Grand Tots will maintain our daily cleaning routine, but we will be including additional sanitation practices throughout the day, including the cleaning of high-traffic areas in-between group settings (i.e. all balls in the gymnasium will be wiped down after each class uses it). As part of this, parents/caregivers will be asked to take home and launder naptime items daily.

Additionally, the Center for Disease Control and multiple state agencies have issued guidance for the operation of childcare facilities. This guidance requires Grand Tots to follow specific parameters in order for us to remain open during a possible community outbreak. Some of these measures include:

• Practicing Social Isolation After School Closings: Should any local school districts close, this will impact our operations. If a school district closes preemptively, without confirmation of a positive case of COVID-19, Grand Tots WILL be able to accept school-aged students at the main site. However, if a school district closes due to a confirmed case of COVID-19, Grand Tots WILL NOT be able to accept any school-aged students from that district at the main site. Siblings of a family member associated with a school closed due to a confirmed case will also not be able to attend Grand Tots’ main site. 
• Serving Those Who Have Recently Traveled: Grand Tots will be unable to serve any students or families who have recently been on travel. Those individuals will need to remain in self-isolation for two weeks after their return. Grand Tots staff will be subject to this same requirement.

Please know that the Board of Directors and I are taking every precaution possible to keep our community safe and to keep you informed. At this time, Grand Tots is committed to remaining open and providing a high-quality educational environment for our students and a service for our parents who need to go to work. However, should anyone within our “Grand Tots family” test positive for COVID-19, we will work with our state and local health officials to determine the best way forward. If at any time you suspect that anyone in your family may have been exposed to COVID-19, we ask that you let us know immediately so that we can do our best to protect the health and safety of others. 

If you have any questions or additional concerns, my door is always open. I can also be reached at (219) 374-6025 or at grandtots101@aol.com.