Starting September 1, 2021, our hours of operation will be:
Toddler and Preschool programs
Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm
School Age programs/Out of school time
- On days when school is in session – our programs will close at 6:00pm
- On full days in the program/Fun Days – 7:30am-5:00pm
Drop-off procedures
- Parents/guardians will park in designated child care parking spaces and come to the door to drop off their child.
- Parents/Guardians are not permitted into YMCA Childcare Program locations.
- When children arrive in their classrooms, each child’s belongings will be stored in an individual cubby/locker. Children will wash their hands before engaging in play.
- Face masks must be worn by parents/guardians when dropping off children.
Pick-up procedures
- Parents/guardians will park in designated child care parking spaces and come to the door to pick up their child.
- In our Toddler program, the ratio is 2:9 (two educators for every nine children).
- In our Preschool program, the ratio is 1:10 (one educator for every ten children).
- In our School Age/Afterschool program, the ratio is 1:13 (one educator for every thirteen children)
Children’s personal belongings, including nap items, must be secured in a zippered backpack/diaper bag/tote. In our Andover/North Andover location parents provide a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack.
Outdoor play is part of our daily curriculum. Each classroom will have a scheduled time outside. High touch playground equipment will be sanitized between groups.
Cleaning procedures
Staff shall ensure all equipment is properly sanitized or disinfected to prevent the spread of infection. The goal of safe cleaning is effective germ control using the safest amount of cleaning, sanitizing or disinfecting product.
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- The sanitizing and disinfecting solutions used in our child care programs are either a bleach solution prepared by the program daily or a commercial product registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Manufacturer’s instructions are followed.
- The center has intensified our routine cleaning, sanitizing/disinfecting practices, paying extra attention to frequently touched objects and surfaces, including door knobs, bathrooms and sinks, keyboards, and bannisters.
The center is cleaning and disinfecting toys and activity items used by children more frequently than usual and taking extra care to ensure that all objects that children put in their mouths are removed from circulation, cleaned and sanitized before another child is allowed to use them.
Staff (vaccinated and unvaccinated) will continue to wear masks while indoors and outdoors until further notice.
Per CDC Guidance, Merrimack Valley YMCA Child Care Programs are recommending masks for children 2 years of age or older who can safely and appropriately wear, remove and handle masks. Masks will not be worn during eating/drinking, sleeping/nap or outside times. Educators will encourage children to wear them as much as possible.
Families should provide their children with a sufficient supply of clean masks for their child to replace as needed.
Children are divided into cohorts. Each cohort is no larger than 15. Each room must have a minimum of 35 sq. ft. per child.