Outside. Small cohort.

Together Safer.

COVID-19 Safety

Saftey

The health and well-being of the Mighty Bambinis community is our top priority. We will work to mitigate risks to protect the health of everyone in our school community. While no single action will eliminate the risk of COVID-19, we will work with our students, families and staff to implement interventions that will reduce the risk of spread. 

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The structure of our program has built-in universal precautions- all outside, small stable cohorts, teachers wearing masks, focus on hand hygiene and other health & safety best practices. We are following guidance for childcare and day camp programs. Parents are asked during the admissions process if they would like to be in a mandatory mask cohort or not. At the time of admission we plan to make assignments to cohorts based on family preferences. 

Teachers are tested regularly and vaccinated, and act responsibly in their personal time. We also recommend children change clothes and wash when they get home. And of course, we practice hand washing before meals, arrivals and dismissals, before and after first aid/contact with bodily fluids, toileting, etc. See more details below regarding safety practices. 

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Every experience, no matter how difficult, is an opportunity for positive growth — we recognize that in the long-term, this is an experience that we will get through together, and that has the potential to make us and our children stronger and more resilient. 

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Flexibility and Adaptability. Childcare has been one of the first essential businesses to re-open and stay open through this pandemic, however, some aspect of planning are out of our control. We will remain agile as we adapt to new ways of being together.

Communication.  Communication with families will be clear, regular and timely. 

COVID Safety Protocols

For the protection of staff and students, the following precautions will be taken to ensure adherence to the most recent CDPH recommendations:

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• All students and staff will have a temperature check and healthy check before entering school

• Staff will wear face masks

• Supplies will be for individual use, as much as possible

• Students will bring their own snacks and lunch, sharing food among staff or students will not be allowed

• Staff will monitor students for frequent hand washing and sanitizing 

• Staff will conduct a deep-clean of all high-contact materials 

• Students and staff will receive daily temperature checks. Students or staff with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to attend 

• Students or staff who develop symptoms related to COVID-19 will need to be picked up immediately in order to ensure the safety of all staff and students (See CDC's guidance on COVID symptoms in children)

• Teachers will get tested regularly

• Following COVID-19 Case and Contact Management Within Child Care Facilities guidance (outlining identifying, testing, quarantine, school closure)

COVID-19 FAQ

How many children can be in the same cohort?
Childcare and camp operations must be carried out in stable groups consisting of 14 or fewer children, which means that the same 14 or fewer children must remain in the same group. Children from the same family or household unit should be included in the same group, to the greatest extent possible. Our program cohorts are generally 12-14 children with 2-3 stable teachers. Over the summer, we offer siblings older than 3 years to attend Mighty Bambinis to facilitate a tighter bubble and more convenient childcare/camp. 

Can my child attend simultaneous camps or preschools?
Children should not attend more than one childcare establishment, summer camp, or sports camp simultaneously. Some Mighty Bambinis families may have nannies or nannyshares (often with children from our program) after hours. 

Do children need to wear masks at Mighty Bambinis? 

The structure of our program has built-in universal precautions- outside, small stable cohorts, and teachers wearing masks. Parents are asked during the admissions process if they would like to be in a mandatory mask cohort or not. At the time of admission, we can make assignments to a cohort based on family preferences and program availability.

Do summer camp, sports camp and or childcare personnel need to wear masks or face coverings while teaching?
Yes. The guidance requires the business to ensure that all personnel comply with the SSP requirements and adhere to all requirements of the Facial Coverings Order and the Social Distancing Protocol as required by the Shelter in Place Order.

Will you require 6 feet of distance between students?

Playing with other children and being physically helped by teachers are important elements for healthy connection and socio-emotional development for young children. In caring for the holistic needs of children, we are mindful of balancing the physical needs of children with the benefits of 6-foot distance in our interactions.

What are the best practices our program has adopted for a safe and sanitary environment?
 

• Take every child’s temperature at the beginning of each day, and take a specific child’s temperature any time there is a concern that child may have a fever. Upon arrival, require children and adults to wash/sanitize hands. Repeat throughout the day as necessary.

• Teach and reinforce washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes among children and staff

• Teach and reinforce mandatory use of cloth face coverings among all staff.

• Staff swill refrain from touching the face covering and to wash their hands frequently. I

• Ensure safe and correct application of disinfectants and keep products away from children.

• Sanitize the travel potty before and after each child’s use.

• Wash hands for 20 seconds and use paper towels (or single use cloth towels) to dry hands thoroughly. (We will pack in and out trash daily)

How should parents/guardians safely drop off children for summer camps and preschool?
Before school, parents will be asked to submit a daily health screening - checking for temperature and answering questions about COVID contact, travel, etc. Parents/guardians should also avoid carpooling to and from the program- unless they are in the same cohort. Parents will electronically sign in and out using our parent communication platform Brightwheel. 

Are parents allowed to watch the class (at a distance)?
No, at this time parents and other spectators and visitors are not allowed at childcare establishments, summer camps or sports camps.  

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What is your refund policy? 
As a year-round childcare, there are no refunds for days missed due to any reason (vacations, quarantine, sickness). However, families can provide the program with 45 days notice of un-enrollment at anytime. In the event, our director feels that our program can not adequately meet the needs of your child and we recommend you seek alternative care, we will work with your family on a timeline to unenroll and prorate tuition for unused days. 

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What if someone in a household of a child gets COVID-19?
That child will not be able to attend preschool for 10 days after the onset of symptoms from the child or family member. Please bring in a negative test to return. All families will be notified immediately. Unfortunately, since we rely tuition to operate our program and pay teachers, no refund will be processed for missed days which is customary in Bay Area preschool.s 

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Thank you for your patience - We will update this periodically.

“There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” —Alfred Wainwright

Forest School gear

Some gear is required to ensure the safety of the group. Other gear is recommended depending on the weather or the locale.  

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Required gear

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Sturdy, waterproof hiking boots (no rain boots, snow boots or sandals)

The group sometimes walks a significant distance, over uneven terrain and puddles or creeks, with opportunities to climb rocks and trees. Invest in sturdy, supportive, waterproof footwear to protect your child’s feet. Rain boots don’t provide sufficient stability for hiking over uneven terrain. Snow boots are awkward and clumsy for children to hike distances with us. Children will not be allowed on hike this year if they are wearing rain boots, snow boots, or sandals.  Look at the photo below.  All of these are water resistant children’s hiking boots from REI or LLBean.

Wool socks

 Buy several pairs of wool socks so your child always has a spare. ALWAYS dress your child in wool socks for the hike and include a second pair of wool socks in a ziploc baggie at the bottom of your child’s pack. Cotton socks are insufficient for hike, even on a warm day. Wool socks are necessary both to keep children’s feet warm and to provide adequate cushioning inside their hiking boots. Wool socks keep feet cool in hot weather and warm in colder weather. A hat every time: A warm wool hat for cold or rainy days or a sun hat for sunny days. Teachers will not take your child on hike if she doesn’t arrive at the drop off point with a hat. 

A hearty lunch plus a snack

Children work up an appetite during hikes! The group stops for a snack at mid-morning and for lunch around noon. 

Avoid packing wet foods that spill easily or can’t be re-sealed after opening, such as yogurt. Also avoid exciting treats that other children will covet. 

Remember that whatever you pack for lunch may end up all over the inside of your child’s pack. Think about this as you choose foods for your child’s lunch.

A solution: A hard-sided lunch box helps keep food from being crushed when backpacks are thrown down. A napkin is helpful. Avoid paper bags on wet days.

5.  Water bottle or two drink boxes

Pack a full water bottle for your child’s hydration. LABEL IT PLEASE.

Or you can pack two disposable drink boxes, such a juice, milk, or coconut water. Your child will drink one during snack time and one during lunch time.

6.  One complete change of clothes, including an extra pair of wool socks, in a plastic ziplock bag or other waterproof bag.

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You never know when or how a child’s clothes might get wet, damaged, or lost. Always pack a change of clothes so your child can stay warm and dry.

7.  A hat every time please!   Pack either a sun hat or a warm hat (or both), depending on the weather. Hoods don’t work as well as hats. Sew a bit of your child’s special fabric onto her sunhat as well as the outside of her backpack.  

SUNSCREEN:

Note: Teachers are prohibited from applying sunscreen to your child, so don’t pack any unless your child can reliably apply it without help. Consider applying sunscreen before drop off if it’s a bright day. The best solution is to provide a sun hat.

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Additional gear for wet/cold/rainy days

Always check the weather forecast and look out of the window before you dress your child for hike. Sometimes heavy rain happens even when the forecasted chance is only 10%. Sometimes the fog is heavy enough to soak you, even if it’s not technically raining. Plan ahead to keep your child dry and warm on hike.

On wet days, think: synthetic, wool, and waterproof fabrics:

• Wool is a fiber with the amazing property of retaining body heat even when it gets wet.

• Synthetics do the same, and they dry quickly. 

• Waterproof fabrics keep water away from everything underneath.

Do not put cotton next to your child’s skin on wet days. Cotton is cold when it gets even slightly damp, and children in damp cotton end up shivering and miserable, with a risk of hypothermia.

If there’s a chance of wetness on hike day, outfit your child with:

• Wool or synthetic long underwear, top and bottom. They keep your child warm even if they get damp, and they dry quickly.  Tuck the hems inside your child’s socks or boots to keep them from wicking water off of the ground.

• Waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex or vinyl rain) with hood 

• Wool or polar fleece jacket (if it’s cold)

• Rain pants or snow bib

• Wool or synthetic hat:  

Finding gear

An initial investment in kids’ hiking gear can be a little pricey. Before you buy new gear, check Chloe’s Closet for consignment items, REI Outlet for clearance items, and ask other families if they have hand-me-downs to spare. You can also find inexpensive wool and synthetics at places like Old Navy, Uniqlo, Amazon, and so on. If you find a good source or a sale, tell other families about it!

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Wool or silk clothing for children:

• Icebreaker

• Smartwool

• Ibex

• Nui organics

• Nova Naturals

• Flowering Child

• Little Spruce Organics

Fleece clothing for children:

• Uniqlo

• Campmor

• LLBean

• Old Navy

Waterproof hiking boots and shoes for children:

• REI

• Zappos

• LLBean

• Cabela’s

• Sports Basement

• Steep and Cheap

• Sierra Trading Post

• Used clothing stores 

Immunization Policy

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FOR CHILDREN
The immunization requirements for Mighty Bambinis follow the State of California law SB 277 that took effect on January 1, 2016. For further details, visit www.shotsforschool.org. Mighty Bambinis also uses the guidelines set forth by the California Department of Public Health for immunizations and handling related illnesses at the school.

Parents need to provide immunization records to Mighty Bambinis before their child can attend. The school needs to report the immunization status of all students to the California Department of Public Health. Below are the required immunizations before attending a California childcare school as outlined in Senate Bill 277.

3 Polio
4 DTaP = Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
3 Hep B = Hepatitis B
1 MMR = Measles, Mumps, Rubella
1 Hib = Haemophilius Influenzae type B
1 Varicella = Chickenpox

Mighty Bambinis can no longer allow exemptions from vaccinations based on personal or religious beliefs. Medical exemptions are permitted. We can continue to permit existing belief exemptions submitted before January 1, 2016. These exemptions will remain valid until the child reaches kindergarten.

Conditional Admission: A child who is behind on their required immunizations may be admitted conditionally if they are not currently due for any doses (or have a current medical exemption). For example, children who have received some but not all of the required immunization doses may attend Mighty Bambinis while they catch up on these immunizations. These students must NOT be currently due for any doses at the time of admission (when they begin school). A student admitted conditionally will have their immunization record reviewed by the school every 30 days until the child has completed their immunization schedule.

If an outbreak of a communicable disease occurs, all non immunized children may be kept out of school until the local health officer is satisfied that they are no longer at risk of developing the disease. There are no tuition refunds for missed time.