Greetings!

We have so much to tell you about our new school year!

I'm looking forward to our
TOWN HALL FOR PARENTS
Tuesday, August 11
11am-noon

In advance of that meeting, I am sharing information about what our school days will look like for reopening. I am hopeful that the information here will answer many of your questions and perhaps prompt some some further questions to be answered at the town hall.

I know that this is an unprecedented year and that the unpredictability of our times may bring anxiety as you try to care for young children and manage your households at the same time. I hope that CCPC will be a source of support for you and a source of joy for your children as we move through this school year.

Although my door can not be open to you as we start the year, please know that I am always available by phone and email to respond to your concerns. I am committed to using all my resources and skills to shepherd us through to more certain times.

With appreciation for all of our families!
Noni
IMPORTANT VERIFICATION NEEDED
Please notify Noni no later than Monday, August 3rd to confirm your intention to send your child to school for the upcoming year.

with the subject line: Yes We're Coming or Withdraw Please

In planning for our additional classes and staff,
it is essential that we have accurate enrollment numbers.
When Will We Know If School Will Open?
CCPC Nursery School has a DC Childcare license. We follow DCPS on many measures, but not all. Our ability to open relies on the decisions of Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, our ability to meet the OSSE guidelines, and any orders by the DC mayor. We continue to work daily to an on-time start of school.
New Classroom Spaces &
Small, Consistent Cohorts
Class Size
We will reduce class sizes to maximize safety. We anticipate final approval to open four new classrooms from the DC Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs which allows for much needed new space on the second and third floors.

Cohorts
Each of our classes are being considered as independent cohorts. Our cohort groups will not mingle, even when outside. Cohort groups will be kept separate for arrivals, departures, and moving through the hallways at school. Most cohorts do not share a bathroom with other cohorts and there is a cleaning protocol for those that do.

Lesson Planning
Our lessons will be coordinated across cohorts at each Program Level. The Lead Teachers will develop lesson plans together so that every class cohort is receiving the same curricular content. 

New Staff and Teams
As we add new teachers to our wonderful staff, we will put together the strongest pairs to lead each small cohort. We are proud of all the great teachers we have at CCPC and look forward to expanding our team. 

Playground Use & Outdoor Time
We are so fortunate to have over 11,000 square feet on our primary newly renovated playground in addition to our Summer Camp playground adjacent to Oliver Street. We will also utilize a new “picnic grove” area to the right of the lobby. This will help us maximize time for play and instruction outside including snack time and story time as feasible.

Bathroom Use
Bathrooms will be dedicated by class as feasible and will be cleaned after each individual and class use. Our shared “buddy baths” will no longer be shared, but rather dedicated for one class with the other class utilizing the hall bath.
Health Management
Daily Health Screenings
We will conduct Daily Health Screening/Protocols for school attendance. This document details the health screening process, exclusion protocols, and links to testing sites throughout the city.

Masks and Other PPE
Children over the age of 2 1/2 should wear a mask as feasible since we know this helps lower transmission. Many children may not be able to safely wear a mask and therefore we be exempt for this guidance. It is important to note also that young children are now known to be at lower risk for transmission of COVID and lower risk than other age groups for serious symptoms. Parents will provide the mask and the school will have disposable backup masks as needed. We encourage parents to help “normalize” mask wearing by practicing at home and out in public before the start of school.

Staff Health and Safety
Keeping our teachers safe and healthy is a top priority. Staff will wear masks at all times, and some may add shields along with long sleeve smocks for teachers working with younger children.  One exception is during active play on the playground. Teachers will wear buttons with their smiling photos to help with the children's transition.

Point of Contact and Reporting
Director Noni Lindahl will serve as the official Point of Contact for confirmed COVID Cases with OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent for Education) and the DC Department of Health to ensure swift follow up on contact tracing and resolution of next steps on a case-by-case basis. Infection rates across the city are closely monitored with a focus on Ward 3 and lower Montgomery County.
Sanitizing and Disinfecting
General Facility
We are fortunate to have nightly full custodial care from the church staff which will continue with full sanitation of all classes and bathrooms, hallways, carpets and the lobby. 

Railings, doorknobs and all handles will receive extra sanitizing throughout the day as children move through the building.

All high touch surfaces will be cleaned daily and sanitized after each class concludes. 

Playground
Our playgrounds will be sanitized regularly with a special focus on high touch surfaces such as swings and climbers. 

Toys and classroom materials
Our materials will be disinfected daily and rotated frequently.

Teachers and Children & Hand Washing
Thorough hand washing will occur after every distinct part of the school day (after free choice centers, before snack, after playground, after art, and during all toileting activities). Extra hand washing will be done on an individual basis after any sneezing or encounter with bodily fluid. Hand sanitizer will be used when hand washing is not an option. A new station is open in the lobby. Hand washing is preferred when possible. Parents should have children wash their hands before they leave home each morning.
Building Access
Only staff and children will be allowed access to the building. Parents, caregivers, therapists and outside consultants will not have building access.
We will institute staggered drop-off and pick-up times for four to five children at a time with direct access to classrooms when feasible. First floor classrooms will be accessed from our alley. PreK will drop off from cars or on foot on Patterson Street and second and third floor classes will enter the building from the church’s columbarium courtyard. Dispersing traffic flow to the greatest extent possible is the goal.
Suspended and Deferred Programs
These programs will not be available at the start of school, but may become available later in the school year:

  • Parent participation in classrooms
  • Early Drop-Off in the Big Room
  • Specialists such as Jump Bunch
  • Outside therapists working with children at school

Extended Day classes for our older children may be possible beginning in October and more information will be forthcoming.
Fall Events
Class Visiting Days -
September 9 & 10
These days will be held in person with parent (s) accompanying each child. Small groups of 4 or fewer will attend at a time. Health screenings will be conducted for visits.

Back to School Night
September 21 Zoom and
in class September 22 & 23
We will host a ZOOM meeting with Noni Lindahl to go over school-wide policies followed by an onsite meeting with your teaching team in the classroom. Again, one parent should plan to attend the in-person event.s on September 22 and 23. Classrooms will be sanitized afterwards in advance of the next school morning. 

Fall Family BBQ will not be held this October. 
Distance Learning
If Mayor Bowser issues new guidance and a stay at home order goes into effect, CCPC will provide remote learning via Zoom meetings, Marco Polo, recorded story times and personal connections, in addition to many resources on our website. If a single cohort must shut for a short period, online resources and class meetings will be held virtually.

We recognize that COVID safety compliance has put significant financial burden on families and the institutions they rely on. And we understand your need for reliable, full-schedule, in-person classes.

We will hire new staff to meet class size requirements, increasing our staff expense by almost 50% with no tuition increase to parents. We are contracting our teachers for the year in the expectation that our families will continue to make tuition payments should we have to move to a distance learning model for some period of time.

We will continue to evaluate our tuition policy and be flexible for those in financial need.
How You Can Prepare
  • Practice CDC guidelines at home: wash your hands, wear your mask and practice physical distancing!
  • Keep your child home when sick/symptomatic—our community is only safe if all families are careful. 
  • Have a plan for accessing COVID tests through your doctor’s office or testing sites available throughout the city.
  • Follow the DC guidance on travel to and from "high risk" states and subsequent self-quarantine protocols if travel to these areas has been necessary.
  • Ask questions and stay in touch with concerns about health and safety, tuition commitments/financial flexibility and any educational concerns for your child.