COVID-19 Reopening FAQs

When do children return to the Child Development Center?

The Mt. SAC CDC will resume in-person services on July 6, 2021 on a part day schedule. The CDC will operate from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm Monday thru Thursday during the month of July. Operating hours will increase to 8:00 am – 2:30 pm Mon-Thurs during August and resume regular operating hours first day of Fall semester.

Who will be working with children at the CDC? Who will be allowed entry into the CDC?

The CDC’s teaching staff will resume working with children in-person. Only children and staff are allowed entry into the CDC under current Los Angeles County guidance for Covid-19 childcare operations. No other visitors, including observation or practicum students are allowed entry at this time. Parents have the right to observe their child when in care, so arrangements will be made for observations with administration upon parent request. Otherwise parents will not enter the facility in general according to current county public health restrictions and guidance for childcare centers.

How many children will be allowed in each classroom, what is the group size of each classroom?

Will children and staff be required to practice social distancing? How will this work?

Yes, children and staff are still required to practice social distancing as much as feasible when working with very young children. Classrooms will position furniture and equipment to allow for small groupings and children will be provided individual materials as much as possible, to decrease sharing of items. It is impossible to guarantee complete social distancing every minute of the day when working with young children, so staff will rely very heavily on classroom arrangement, schedule/routines, and gentle reminders and redirection to achieve adequate social distancing between children and each other.

Will children and staff have to wear masks? If so, who will provide the masks and other PPE?

Yes, staff will have to wear face coverings/masks. Children under the age of 2 years old will NOT be required to wear face coverings. All masks or face coverings should first be provided by the individual staff and parents. The CDC will have disposable masks available for those who need them. The college is also providing other types of PPE to staff as needed (ie: gloves, shoe coverings etc).

Do children and staff have to be vaccinated to attend or work at the CDC?

Children do NOT have to be vaccinated to participate at the CDC at this time. All CDC staff must be fully vaccinated or receive an exemption from Human Resources to work at the CDC. This is a college requirement of all Mt. SAC employees, but does not apply to children or parents (who don’t work at the college).

What are the Covid-19 cleaning and sanitizing protocols for the CDC?

The Mt. SAC CDC will follow rigorous cleaning and sanitizing protocols as outlined in state licensing and public health guidance. The college will also provide cleaning and sanitizing activities each night after CDC operating hours for the day. For more detailed information, please see the CDC Reopening Plan appendices.

Will children be served meals while at the CDC?

Yes, the CDC will resume operation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) effective July 6, 2021. A breakfast will be provided in July (as applicable) and Breakfast/Lunch will be provided in August (as applicable). Breakfast, Lunch and Snack will be provided (as applicable) at the start of the Fall semester. The CDC will follow all requirements of the CACFP program.

Will children take naps during the reopening months?

The CDC will operate on a modified schedule for July and will not offer a nap time. Naps will resume in August and beyond. The exception to this of course is INFANTS (children under 12 months who follow individual nap schedules).

Will children and staff complete a daily health screen?

Yes. All children and adults accessing the CDC during county Covid-19 restrictions MUST be screened for signs of illness prior to entering the CDC. This will be in the form of a written health checklist and temperature checks. All are expected to remain home if exhibiting ANY signs of illness.

Those who present with signs of illness, particularly signs of Covid-19 or exposure to Covid-19 will be immediately excluded from attending or entering the CDC. The CDC will follow all college and county guidelines related to excluding and reporting. For more information about this, please visit the college website or the CDC Reopening Plan.

Are there restrictions for who can drop off and pick up children at the CDC?

Currently, Los Angeles County requires that a consistent person or people drop off or pick up the child from the facility. This person/s can be the parent or guardian or another responsible adult identified by the child’s parent or guardian. The intent is to minimize the number of different contacts at drop off and pick up times. It is preferable to have the individual be a part of the child’s household.

Are there special drop off and pick up locations and procedures under the Covid-19 guidance for early education and childcare centers?

Yes. There are specific health screening and sign-in procedures that must occur prior to children being dropped off. Parents should expect to have a specific drop off and pick up location at the CDC for their child’s classroom, to avoid large groups congregating at a single entry point. Your child’s entry and departure location will be given to you before the July 6^th return date. Families should expect to use that location while under the current county public health guidance. Once this guidance is modified or rescinded, our regular entry points and procedures will resume.

I have more than one child enrolled at the CDC, can I drop off and pick up at the same location even if they’re in different classrooms?

No. Each child must be dropped off and picked up at the identified location according to their classrooms.

What happens if I or my child become ill, exhibit symptoms of illness or contract Covid-19?

The college and CDC endeavor to keep all children, staff and families safe while on our campus or at the CDC. If a child or staff becomes ill or has symptoms of illness while at the CDC, the individual will have to be excluded immediately. For children, this means the parent or other emergency contact will be contacted immediately to come and pick up the child. If the child or staff contracts Covid-19 or is exposed to the virus, the CDC will follow all current public health mandates on exclusion timeframes and reporting, and will work with the family to determine if and when it is safe for the child to return.

Can my children be kept together in the same classroom?

Children are going to be kept in their current or future transition classroom or cohort. Children from different age groups and programs, can NOT be combined. Our childcare licenses prohibit this for developmental and safety reasons.

Will Zoom meetings continue after July 6, 2021?

The program will not require teaching staff to offer Zoom meetings as part of our early education services after July 6, 2021. However, teachers may choose to keep using Zoom meetings as a means to communicate with and educate families. The program may also choose to continue this in the future if feasible.

Do children have to attend Monday – Thursday during the reopening period?

Families must follow their contract days in general. It is advisable to ensure children have a consistent schedule to avoid unpredictable schedules and transitions. If your schedule needs to be modified for any reason, please connect with your Registration Specialist immediately to change your contract. If you do NOT want your child to come on certain days, your contract should reflect that (unless you have an excused absence – please see parent handbook).