Pandemic daycare center cares for children of essential workers
KinderCare facility in Centerville one of few in state deemed essential.
Companies may have started to reopen across the Miami Valley, but schools and daycare centers remain closed. This means parents who need to work and want to return to their jobs have a dilemma — who will watch over their young children?
Now that Ohio’s daycare centers will be able to open their doors again on May 31, parents who have been unable to work may return to their jobs. But many first responders — such as medical personnel and emergency medical service providers — also have children and have been working steadily over the past few months. What services were available to help them?
Melissa Hubley, the center director for KinderCare on Rahn Road in Centerville, was one of a handful of daycare centers throughout the state that were deemed “essential businesses,” and were allowed to remain open.
A Dayton resident who has worked at the Centerville KinderCare for nearly four years, Hubley said her center was chosen because of its size and central location.
“Normally, we can care for about 200 children,” Hubley said. “It made sense to keep us open, being that we are close to highways and hospitals.”
Of the 14 KinderCare centers in the Miami Valley area, Hubley’s was the only one allowed to remain open. All others were ordered closed on March 24 and will not reopen until May 31.
Classified and licensed as a special “pandemic” center, the Centerville KinderCare has continued to care for children at about half capacity. Most of these children have parents considered “essential workers” — like grocery store workers and medical personnel.
“After the stay-at-home order took effect, most families started staying home,” Hubley said. “But essential workers with children at closed centers called us.”
Hubley’s 30-member team has remained employed, mainly because the state also ordered a lower ratio of worker to child.
“The teachers all had to be trained on the new rules and regulations,” Hubley said. “We learned all about our ‘new’ normal.”
Those regulations include cleaning and sanitizing all playground equipment immediately after use, as well as bathrooms, sinks and anything the children touch. Social distancing requirements were met by placing colored X’s on the floors — six feet apart. The center lobby is also marked so parents dropping off children could remain safe.
“All teachers wear masks and we take temperature tests,” Hubley said. “Our health and safety director goes around and cleans and sanitizes everything every 90 minutes.”
The center also changed mealtime, eliminating family-style sit-down dining and having teachers serve each child.
“The kids aren’t allowed to get their own plates or fix the food any longer,” Hubley said.
With all the new guidelines, Hubley expected frustration among her team, but she said that being open and available for essential workers has given everyone a sense of purpose. And spirits remain high.
“We know a lot of families are thankful and appreciate that we have been here for them, keeping their children safe,” Hubley said. “We have been able to build close bonds with them and we are like a tight-knit family.”
And like many people, Hubley said her perspective on what’s important in life has changed and she appreciates being able to come to work every day.
“I’m getting emails every week detailing any new rules and regulations,” Hubley said. “It’s a scary time but it’s also very rewarding.”
Now that all daycare centers will be allowed to reopen next week, Hubley’s center will continue on, business as usual and she doesn’t anticipate any changes.
“Per the new state guidelines, we are completely maxed out and can’t accept any more children,” Hubley said. “We will continue to practice social distancing and wear masks until we hear otherwise.”
The new normal is affecting the children as well. They have had to learn many new rules and become accustomed to changes quickly. But Hubley said overall, they have adjusted well. The teachers are reading new books about the coronavirus and the pandemic, provided by Preschool Promise, a Montgomery County-based program.
“We have the kids draw pictures and we talk about everything they are feeling,” Hubley said. “If a child is scared and wants a hug — we are still giving them hugs. That’s something we decided ourselves not to change.”