pandemic policy

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Keeping our children, families & staff healthy is one of our top priorities at MGLC. We continue to work closely with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), monitoring updates from our licensing consultant, the CDC and World Health Organization for guidance. 

We are required to follow protocol given to us from the Iowa Department of Public Health, in the event of a widespread outbreak of the virus. We are also required to immediately report all cases testing positive to our DHS licensing consultant, Amy Lyons, and will be given directions for exclusions and potential closing from the IDPH.  

For more information on Coronavirus, please click on the links below;

CDC

Iowa

Traveling abroad can increase risk for exposure. To protect everyone, we must implement the following: 

Anyone in your household who has returned from or plans to travel to CDC level 3 areas must remain out of our center for 14 days after coming back to the U.S. This also includes anyone with pick-up or drop-off privileges. 

If no symptoms are evident, we welcome you back into our center at the end of 14 days. If symptoms exist, we must be notified and medical clearance given before returning to our program.

For more information on high-risk areas for travelers you can go to: 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavi…/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html

• Practice sneeze and cough etiquette by covering your sneeze or cough with a tissue or with your forearm.
• Wash hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water or use of hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol ONLY if water is not available - EVERYONE, staff, children, & volunteers should  be doing this.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid travel and large gatherings in the coming weeks.
• Keep children home if they are sick - our Illness Policy is posted in each classroom, our Parent Handbook as well as posted in the main lobby. 
• Call the center to let us know if you are keeping your child home due to an illness.
• Avoid visiting the classroom for long periods of time, and avoid touching surfaces & material in the classroom.
• Have a backup plan for childcare needs in the event of a worse case scenario and exclusion, whether short or long term, is required.  

For more information on what you can do at home to mitigate exposure, click on the link below.

Mitigate Exposure

• Provide hand sanitizer at high traffic areas - which we have always had located outside every classroom. Please remember, this does NOT take the place of washing hands with soap and water!
• Disinfect the child care environment more frequently: especially frequently touched surfaces including door knobs, light switches,  and toys etc.
• Reinforce hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette.
• Monitoring daily attendance and notifying our Child Care Nurse Consultant and licensing consultant if staff or student absenteeism is greater than 10%.
• Conducting daily health checks upon arrival where staff will determine if a child with mild illness should remain in the center.
• Keep parents informed.
• All field trips, music & dance lessons cancelled until further notice.

For more information follow the link below.

Mitigate Exposure

Any family member, authorized pick-up/drop-off person or staff member who is suspected of or has a confirmed case of Covid-19, must remain out of our center for a minimum of 14 days, and will not be allowed to return without medical clearance.

We will follow guidance provided by the IDPH and our DHS licensing consultant for any potential closing requirements. Families will be notified immediately in the event of a required closing.

As always, all contagious diseases will be posted in our main lobby. Mother Goose will NEVER disclose the name of the individual who is ill, only the illness.

Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of Covid-19 must remain out of the center for a minimum of 14 days. If no symptoms exist after the 14 day exclusion time-frame you may return to the center. If symptoms exist within the 14 day period, a medical release must be provided before returning. 

Our illness policy is posted in all classrooms, as well as in the main lobby. We will continue to enforce our current illness policy, excluding children or staff until they are symptom free, without the use of fever reducing medicine, or until medical clearance is given. 

If you are keeping your child home due to a fever or other symptoms, please be sure to call the center to let us know.  

If the center is open but your child is absent for any reason, regular tuition will be due. If the center is mandated to close for more than a three week period due to a pandemic, and unable to provide services to families, tuition charges will cease until the center reopens, then normal weekly tuition charges will be due. 

This policy is subject to change at the sole discretion of the Executive Director/owner.