Annoyed/amazed by daycare response to Mem Day flooding

[Anonymous]

I'm going to guess next week. I think they'll have the clean up done but I worry about the inspection as the director has time and again demonstrated a lack of knowledge of what the licensing regulations actually are. So I wouldn't be surprised if there are additional things they need to address unrelated to the "flood" - hopefully not but it wouldn't surprise me.

I totally agree that a good faith update would have been nice - and I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! I've wondered if I'm unreasonable in thinking there should have been more communication. I mean, a quick line or two every few days - at least to the displaced families - would have been nice. But it appears that the director doesn't have the authority to issue communications on her own - it has to go through others (the church? board? someone to spell check?) so I guess that process precludes more frequent updates.

Did anyone stop in on Saturday?

[Anonymous]

No update from the director, but I popped in the Center. The carpet is in and the smell of new carpet is quite powerful. Wow! I'm questioning whether or not they went with the low VOC carpet like they had planned. It doesn't smell like they used low/no VOC paint. Overall it smells like fumes from all the work that has been done and the rooms being closed up for 13 weeks. Not too appealing to thing babies and toddlers that will be in those rooms - or the teachers -breathing in those fumes. I'm actually hoping the rooms can stay closed for a few more days to air them out. And I'm hopeful we'll get a rundown of all the chemicals used to clean/repair the rooms -- although I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Ha! This may be the one time in this whole process where we're hoping their incompetence leads to more delays! But really, if the fumes are that bad, I can't imagine the licensing folks will approve the reopening.

[Anonymous]

I talked with my teacher over the weekend and she said there is so much to do to really get the rooms classroom ready before licensing could/should be called. She didn't think the rooms would be given the approval to be opened until after the 1st. Yes, that officially puts us into the first week of September!! And I'm still amused by the silent updates from the director.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know when they hold board meetings and whether those are open to parents? The thread re: RSSC got me thinking about it. I'm not holding my breath that FBC is actually planning any kind of meeting with the parents once the center re-opens as they had said and I think there needs to be some venue for discussing this. In lieu of such a meeting perhaps the board meeting would be that venue. I really think FBC-CDC needs to do something for the displaced parents in the form of reduced tuition for a month or something. I can't imagine they'll do anything though - the families ($) are easily replaced.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread proves that those who complain the loudest do the least. Those who showed up to help were in unaffected classrooms but care about the center as something other than a place to check their kids in between 9-5 daily. I find it really ironic that the people who rather than engaging in a dialogue come to an anonymous forum, complain, run the reputation of the center throught the mud but did not bother to lift a finger to help and now people want monetary remuneration. How more entitled can one get? Seriously take your children elsewhere and stop complaining in a vacuum.

[Anonymous]

I hear what you're saying, 13:51 but, in fairness, if you aren't among the displaced then I'm not sure it's fair for you to judge how those folks are responding. It's been unbelievably stressful. And, yes, some of us are very much trying to find other long term solutions for our families. As I'm sure you know, waitlists are incredible around here as is tuition. While some in this situation could afford to hire a nanny and not be at the mercy of waitlists, others cannot. And please don't assume that those discussing the situation here haven't also attempted to address it in a productive manner with FBC. I'd really like to see an opportunity for the FBC and families to have a dialogue about the situation because, I agree, a childcare center should be a community.

The teachers and families are fantastic but the leadership, in my opinion, needs to improve.

[Anonymous]

I understand the frustration but for none of the people engaging in 8 pages of complaints to gather to help out on Saturday really is indefensible. One who cares about the community, teachers and a more expedient return to 'normal' would have lent a hand.

When the director was hired the salary listed in the ads was $46,000 so I think that this answers why she is still employed and will remain employed for most likely as long as she likes. The going rate for directors of non-profit daycare centers in 2007 (when she was hired) was over $60K. Several good candidates refused the job based on the salary.

[Anonymous]

Yay, the rooms are back open with new carpet and walls. A pat on the back for those parents and teachers who came to help out over the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Woooo! Fun to reunite the kids and see how much they've all grown over the past 3 months!

[Anonymous]

any updates on this situation? i just (seemingly miraculously) got a call that a slot had opened for us after literally over a year of not hearing anything back from the director (despite many tries). i was jubilant earlier today, but now that i'm reading this, i see why i might have gotten that call. would love some counsel on how seriously to pursue FBC-CDC as an option. we are in the fortunate position to also be exploring nanny options, but we were excited about the prospect of more structure and socialization - just haven't been able to get off of any of the d*mn wait lists. so sorry that everyone has been dealing with this. several months is totally shocking and just crushing for working families.

[Anonymous]

The center has re-opened and all seems fine. There are some things that still need addressed (for example, I don't think any of the affected rooms have phones yet and the walls are sadly bare) but it's clean and safe.

I would say it's a matter of priorities - if FBC is the best locale for you and the right price, then it's probably good. The infant teachers (in our room anyway, can't speak for the other) are fabulous. If you expect communication from and a sense of 'we care about our families' from the leadership, I would seriously consider elsewhere. But, really, that may be too Pollyanna looking at all the other threads on places with management issues. Just make sure you have good backup lined up if you go with FBC because I think it's a matter of when, not if, something happens again.

Hope that helps!

[Anonymous]

We were fortunate insofar as our DD was able to be accomodated in one of the other classrooms. There seems to be some room in the 2-year-old rooms right now, if your child is coming up on 24 months this would be a good time to check with the director about your wait list status.

[Anonymous]

RT: 22:01: if your child is in the 12-24 month age, you likely finally got a call because over 1/2 of the toddlers in the two classes left the Center. The Center is trying like crazy to fill those spaces and make up for all the lost income. Many families left after trying to patiently wait for 12+ weeks. The communication from the teachers (for us) was great during the hiatus was great, but not from the administration. It was sad and unfortunate.

The classrooms that were impacted by the flooding are prohibited by the church from putting anything on their newly painted walls. Yes, in a room with children they are restricted from putting up cute-kid artwork if it's not on a church-provided cork board.

[Anonymous]

Isn't this the opposite of what serving the community and 'ministry' is supposed to look like? But what do I know? I'm an atheist