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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=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.[/quote]

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.[/quote]

Other Director here - ditto!  So don't assume that we all don't pay our staff for snow days (I even do it for my part timers who aren't salaried) and that we are just "trying to make money" off parents.  I'm tired of this.

We follow DCPS, although a few years ago we followed the federal government.  No matter which we do, we'll hear about it - because the year we decide to switch to the fed. gov, they'll close more than the school system!  And if we change our minds and start following our own thing, then it becomes, what, I look out my window and decide?  But I live in a different area than my staff and even from my parents, so why is looking out my window any better than following the superintendant who is in touch with the mayor (or county government in VA or MD), etc?  The mayor of DC is not going to chat with me about what she thinks I should do to keep her roads free so they can plow!

And, yes, we cannot operate without 2 teachers in every single room.  Period, end of discussion (in DC, not MD and VA).  OSSE Licensing isn't going to "understand" that we had 6 babies and only 1 teacher today because we were trying to keep the school open.  Or that we combined two preschool rooms and had 2 teachers but 28 children (when you're supposed to have 16 or 20 based on the age of the children)  Not to mention that isn't high quality care, and you'd NEVER want that.  I wouldn't want that. As one director (and with one Asst. Director) we can only be in one room at a time.  And if we are in a room all day, something else doesn't happen - the phone never gets answered, payroll can't be done, orders can't be placed, etc.

Our staff have children and cannot afford to hire a backup nanny to care for their children - they don't make as much money as your average middle class working parent who populates our centers.  Not that the average middle class parents are making megabucks, but they aren't making $36,000-42,000 a year.

And of course our teachers can't telework, can't just do a half day, can't just come in late if there is ice - we must be open and legally operating all hours we are open.

We are trying.  But we must be safe and legal - it's not just having 'anyone near a phone' answer it like an office that is missing a receptionist for a few hours might choose to do. And, frankly, children don't do well if there are all subs in a room - and you wouldn't be happy to arrive and discover that your 12 month old was going to be with all strangers either.[/quote]

There is no excuse for our school not being open.  Most of the teachers live nearby and all are posting they are getting out and about.  95% of the parents are dual working parents so ask the rest of us who can flex or volunteer to help out.  I'd go in for a few hours just for my kid to go play.  A day care should not close through the school system as the kids have transportation.  Yes, you have to pay your teachers but many parents don't get paid if they don't work, like my husband.  So, its not reasonable our kid could go to his school and instead he cannot... luckily I am not working but if I was at my old job and he took off it would be LWOP.[/quote]

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