March 20, 2020
Dear Park’s Edge Preschool Families:
We would like to start with a prayer from Pastor Dale, one of our board members, in light of everything that is happening around us. It has really guided Park’s Edge Preschool in our decision making this week.
God:
Embrace our children–the ones You said embodied the “Kingdom of God.”
Embrace their families, burdened with questions without answers, tasks beyond physical, emotional, and material resources, all the while still caring for Your little ones and seeking to assure them that they’re OK.
Embrace the Board members, administrators, and teachers who ARE Park’s Edge Preschool, who must navigate a constantly-changing landscape. Grant them courage, grace, humor and wisdom in abundance.
Remind us again that nothing can separate us from your love, or from your deep caring for what we do, as we give the best we have to give.
Remind us that we need not anticipate everything that’s ahead, and that while we try to make the right call with what we know today, you’re already out in front of us, preparing us for what we can’t yet see.
Now: walk with us. Be the unseen Presence in our conversations, deliberations, decisions, and in how we present ourselves as humble servants, yet confident and hope-driven leaders, who dare to believe that You are bigger, wiser, and more imaginative than anything we face–and that You love us, furiously and tenaciously.
Amen…for now…
Pastor Dale Stohre
I appreciate each and every one of you and the difficult choices you have had to make as a parent this week in providing for your family’s health and safety. The PEP Board of Directors and administrative staff have spent many hours together this week on this roller coaster. It has been a week filled with a lot of anxiety and emotion in deciding to keep our doors ‘open for children/business’. Park’s Edge is committed to the families we serve and want to make sure that those who need to bring their children during this time, we are able to provide our services.
The decision Governor Evers mandated on Wednesday, March 18, did impact Park’s Edge Preschool, by limiting all child care capacity to 50, and staff to 10, at all times. Although, that doesn’t mean we have to close, we did lose revenue as we usually have 120 children and 18-20 staff scheduled.
Next Monday, March 23, the families with infants through preschool (excluding Whitnall students) will be charged regular weekly tuition. Those families, who have already reported they are keeping their children out, will be charge 20% tuition, per week, to hold enrollment.
Park’s Edge Preschool’s goal, over the next few weeks, is to maintain the excellent teaching staff that we have and essential bills. This week, March 16-20, was collected as full weekly tuition, collected from all families, in the unprecedented event, and will not be refunded.
Proper hand-washing at home and school/childcare is the most important step in keeping families healthy and decreasing illness. Please wash your child’s hands upon entering the classroom.
Again, we are asking for your help in decreasing the spread of illness:
- 1. If a family member or anyone else that may have come in contact with your child is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, please keep your child at home for the 14-day quarantine period to confirm they do not show any of the symptoms themselves.
- Keep your child home if your child is running a fever. Please do not bring them after they have received medication to reduce the fever. The fever may be a symptom your child is contagious. Your child may return to the center fever free without medication for 24 hours.
- Keep your child home if they are vomiting or have diarrhea and should stay home from school and remain home for24 hours after they stop vomiting and/or have diarrhea.
- If/when your child is sent home sick with any of these symptoms do not bring them back to the center the following day. They may not return until symptom-free for 24 hours.
- A 14 day quarantine period, if your family is traveling out of state.
Our hope is to welcome all ages back to Park’s Edge Preschool as soon as possible…what a grand celebration that will be! Thank you!
Sincerely,
Ellen M. Kvalheim, Director
Kristin Burr, Assistant Director
Park’s Edge Preschool Board of Directors
Jennifer Hastings-Meinholdt, President
Marcia Goecks, Vice President
Matthew Egan, Treasurer
Rhonda Berg, Secretary
Adam Johnson
Kim Kozlik
Brianna Schroeder
Pastor Dale Stohre
Christine Van Hulle
March 17, 2020
Picture Day (3/19) and Spring Fling (3/26) are cancelled.
We are no longer accepting school-age children over Spring Break. Thank you for your understanding.
March 16, 2020
Dear Park’s Edge Preschool Families and Staff,
As members of the Park’s Edge Board of Directors, we understand the concerns that families have about how COVID-19 virus will impact programming at PEP. Many of us are parents ourselves with children in the program. Let me assure you that the safety and well being of children and staff is our first priority. As a board, we met with leadership on Saturday and Sunday to develop policies and procedures that will help guide us during this unprecedented event. As of today, the plan is to remain open for business for non-school age children. However, this is a fluid situation and subject to change. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate our responsibility to remain available to our families while also working with our community partners to respond and contain the spread of COVID-19. Please look for further communication in the coming days and please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Park’s Edge Preschool Board of Directors
Jennifer Hastings-Meinholdt, President
Marcia Goecks, Vice President
Matthew Egan, Treasurer
Rhonda Perry, Secretary
Adam Johnson
Kim Kozlik
Brianna Schroeder
Reverend Dale Stohre
Christine Van Hulle
March 13, 2020
Dear Park’s Edge Preschool Families:
This communication is in response to the concern over the COVID-19 Virus. I want to reassure you we have been in direct contact with the Hales Corners Health Department and are preparing for the situation. They have jurisdiction over our programs as well as the Department of of Children and Families and have the authority to close Park’s Edge Preschool in the event the situation calls for that measure to be implemented. Their goal and ours is to keep families safe and healthy and the childcare center open in support of working families.
The staff has continued our regular sanitizing, disinfecting, cleaning and handwashing routines as required by YoungStar in meeting 5-star health and safety standards. Handwashing has always been a priority at Park’s Edge Preschool in keeping children, families and staff healthy and safe. Children and staff wash their hands in the morning upon entering the classroom, (staff before) and after toileting/diapering, after touching bodily fluids, after coming inside from outdoors, before and after eating, before and after sensory and cooking projects, etc.
We have recently gone to Coverall, a commercialized cleaning company. They are using the newest technology in cleaning our entire environment daily with equipment, products and procedures. They use the Core 4 Process: 1. Hospital grade disinfectants, 2. Color coded microfiber, 3. No-dip microfiber flat mopping system, and 4. HEPA backpack vacuum. We are pleased and confident with the results.
We are asking for your help in decreasing the spread of illness:
- Keep your child home if your child is running a fever. Please do not bring them after they have received medication to reduce the fever. The fever may be a symptom your child is contagious. Your child may return to the center fever free without medication for 24 hours.
- Keep your child home if they are vomiting or have diarrhea and should stay home from school and remain home for 24 hours after the stop vomiting and/or have diarrhea.
- If/when your child is sent home sick with any of these symptoms, do not bring them back to the center the following day. They may not return until symptom-free for 24 hours.
- Proper handwashing at home and school/childcare is the most important step in keeping families healthy and decreasing illness. Please wash your child’s hands upon entering the classroom. Thank you!
UPDATE: We are no longer staffed to welcome school-age children during Spring Break. Thank you for your understanding.
We are staffed and welcome the school-age children during Spring Break. However, in the event the school district would have to close schools longer than the spring break, we may be unable to accommodate all day school-age scheduling due to staffing. We are closely looking at it, in preparation, but recommend you have a back-up plan for your family.
I appreciate your attention and help in keeping children and families safe! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Ellen M. Kvalheim, Director
