Why do daycares and preschools follow the school systems?

[Anonymous]

I imagine that it's quite lucrative for the daycares and preschools who don't have to pay their staff for the snow days, and other operating expenses such as meals for the children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that it's quite lucrative for the daycares and preschools who don't have to pay their staff for the snow days, and other operating expenses such as meals for the children.

In DC in order to be able to take child care subsidies, the contract stipulates that you close when the DCPS are closed and pay your employees for that time off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that it's quite lucrative for the daycares and preschools who don't have to pay their staff for the snow days, and other operating expenses such as meals for the children.

In DC in order to be able to take child care subsidies, the contract stipulates that you close when the DCPS are closed and pay your employees for that time off.

That is not the case in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Our daycare center has been open every day, only closing one hour early on Friday (5 PM) for the storm. They put workers up in a hotel across the street from the center to ensure that everyone can get to work safely. The center has a lot of parents who are doctors or otherwise work jobs that do not stop for a storm.

We had to telework, so it was nice to be able to walk our daughter there and then work from home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare center has been open every day, only closing one hour early on Friday (5 PM) for the storm. They put workers up in a hotel across the street from the center to ensure that everyone can get to work safely. The center has a lot of parents who are doctors or otherwise work jobs that do not stop for a storm.

We had to telework, so it was nice to be able to walk our daughter there and then work from home.

So they made the daycare staff stay separately from their families for the duration of the storm? That's kind of crappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several reasons.

1) Staffing: A large percentage of preschool and daycare teachers have kids relative to other professions, and daycare salaries don't allow for things like nannies or snow day camps, so absenteeism would be high. But daycare and preschools aren't businesses that can run on a barebones staff because of legal requirements about ratios.

2) Liability: If a school opens and a teacher or parent or child is injured en route there is some liability. Of they can demonstrate that they followed an "authority" it makes a difference

3) Costs: TV and radio stations charge for announcing. Plus even if you pay to announce it is easy for your announcement to get buried. Closing with a public district is an easy way to get the word out and it is free.

your liability argument is BS...every workplace, other than schools are currently open. So I guess every business in the areas is currently liable if employees get injured driving to work? By this logic even an accident in rain should count.

Cost... not an issue if you say you follow the Fed Gov then no need to pay to post on site as all sited will list Fed Gov closings.

your only argument that makes some sense is the argument on staffing because yes, not every worker can take liberal leave.

-signed a parent whose lazy daycare provider follows every federal and school closing

Workplaces make their decision to close by looking at their peer institutions. Yes, if a workplace makes a decision to open when peer institutions are closed, it's a liability. Schools would be considered peer institutions for daycares. Add in the fact that attendance when daycare is open is mandatory for parents on subsidy, and you're forcing parents to take a risk with their children.

So you agree that daycares can't offer liberal leave, and that if liberal leave is needed then the daycare has no choice but to close? If so, then I think a policy that the daycare closes whenever the feds are closed or on liberal leave might be a fair compromise. I assume you live in VA though because for the rest of us that policy would mean more closures rather than less. Such a policy wouldn't go over well in MD or DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that it's quite lucrative for the daycares and preschools who don't have to pay their staff for the snow days, and other operating expenses such as meals for the children.

Director here--not lucrative at all. Our staff is paid for closings, and our food order was already in--and growing old in the fridge. Costs are largely fixed. Anyone who thinks it's a lucrative deal is clueless.

[Anonymous]

School districts make their decisions based on whether the buses can safely make the pick-up routes, which involves residential street driving with a big bus. So, they are reasonably more cautious than OPM, which is deciding based on whether their staff can safely get in, mostly via public transit.

Daycares and private preschools have their staff + students arriving by private car & public transit, so in that sense, their safety concerns more closely align with OPM than public school districts.

I think this week of extended closure for daycares & non-public preschools is excessive. My local arts center has opened up emergency back-up day camps to accomodate the demand and it's selling out. Clearly, families are able and wanting to get their kids out of the house, down the block, and into something fun to do.

[Anonymous]

If anything, I'd love to see school snow policies and the Fed. Govt. to coordinate more / become one and the same

Quiet, you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine that it's quite lucrative for the daycares and preschools who don't have to pay their staff for the snow days, and other operating expenses such as meals for the children.

Director here--not lucrative at all. Our staff is paid for closings, and our food order was already in--and growing old in the fridge. Costs are largely fixed. Anyone who thinks it's a lucrative deal is clueless.

Fair enough. I would love your perspective on the broader subject, though. Say there is a preschool/daycare in Arlington, VA. It is a private school that does not bus children. How do you think the director might justify staying closed for a 6th straight day when most of the rest of the world is required to report to work?

[Anonymous]

13:03 here again and I'll add that the arts center staff are all able to arrive by 8am. I know at least some of them are coming from 20 minutes away, others are walking. Some parents are walking their kids in and some are driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several reasons.

1) Staffing: A large percentage of preschool and daycare teachers have kids relative to other professions, and daycare salaries don't allow for things like nannies or snow day camps, so absenteeism would be high. But daycare and preschools aren't businesses that can run on a barebones staff because of legal requirements about ratios.

2) Liability: If a school opens and a teacher or parent or child is injured en route there is some liability. Of they can demonstrate that they followed an "authority" it makes a difference

3) Costs: TV and radio stations charge for announcing. Plus even if you pay to announce it is easy for your announcement to get buried. Closing with a public district is an easy way to get the word out and it is free.

your liability argument is BS...every workplace, other than schools are currently open. So I guess every business in the areas is currently liable if employees get injured driving to work? By this logic even an accident in rain should count.

Cost... not an issue if you say you follow the Fed Gov then no need to pay to post on site as all sited will list Fed Gov closings.

your only argument that makes some sense is the argument on staffing because yes, not every worker can take liberal leave.

-signed a parent whose lazy daycare provider follows every federal and school closing

Why on earth would you choose a "lazy" daycare provider? Surely you can find another primary caretaker for your child, someone who prioritizes your needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare center has been open every day, only closing one hour early on Friday (5 PM) for the storm. They put workers up in a hotel across the street from the center to ensure that everyone can get to work safely. The center has a lot of parents who are doctors or otherwise work jobs that do not stop for a storm.

We had to telework, so it was nice to be able to walk our daughter there and then work from home.

So they made the daycare staff stay separately from their families for the duration of the storm? That's kind of crappy.

This is a longstanding policy. I haven't heard any grumblings from the staff so I'm assuming that they were appropriately compensated. The few I spoke to seemed excited to be hanging with their friends at a fancy hotel for the duration of the storm. I think it turned into a staff party every night.

[Anonymous]

It must be pretty hard to motivate people to leave their children and come out in the snow storm to take care of your children for $10 per hour. Kudos to Preschool Directors who made it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It must be pretty hard to motivate people to leave their children and come out in the snow storm to take care of your children for $10 per hour. Kudos to Preschool Directors who made it happen.

Except the snow storm happened almost a week ago now.