Communicable Disease Policy

Staff are also required to stay home when showing symptoms of illness. Because we keep smaller group care bubbles, staff illness can significantly limit our operation. We address staff illness as follows:

1. For groups running with two or three staff, the group will receive a staff-illness rotation list and children will attend alternating days at a 1:8 ratio (3–5 programs) or 1:4 ratio (toddler programs). Your educator will provide this list.
2. If a substitute is available to cover for several days, we will temporarily place them with the group. Where this isn’t possible, the group will operate as above until the staff member can return to work.

Children, staff and other adults may not attend or enter Bee House Montessori Day Care programs if they are sick or are required to self-isolate. Parents and caregivers are required to complete a daily health check for symptoms.

This policy remains in place indefinitely. Parents are encouraged to plan ahead for how they will care for children who must stay home until they are symptom-free.

Fees are not refunded due to illness — whether staff or child illness.

Our regular permanent withdrawal policy applies: 30 days’ notice is required, provided no later than the 1st of the month. Failure to provide notice results in forfeit of the security deposit.

Parent visits inside the daycare are not permitted during this time. Please have only one adult drop off and/or pick up.

• Daily disinfection: our classrooms and all accessible materials are disinfected daily with a health-authority-approved sanitizer (bleach, alcohol or quat-based solution). We understand some families prefer other products; unfortunately these are the only approved options for disinfection.
• Shoes: please provide both indoor and outdoor shoes.
• Hand washing: children wash hands on arrival, before going home, before eating and drinking, after using the washroom and when coming inside from outdoor activities.

Please send all lunch and snack items in a disinfected lunch bag, with morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack each in their own bag so children aren’t unpacking multiple items. Uneaten food and packaging may be disposed of after each meal. We are currently not able to use the microwave or fridge — please plan lunches accordingly.

If your child is not potty trained, please ensure diapers and wipes are provided. If your child wears a diaper only at nap time, please place one diaper in their backpack.

One set of bedding stays at the school and is sent home every Friday for washing.

Please apply sunscreen to your child before arriving at school.

Communicable diseases change rapidly, and our ability to remain open may change without notice, or we may be ordered closed by BC’s Provincial Health Officer and/or our licensing officer. The following policy applies to all staff and children within our facilities.

Parents are expected to complete a health review of their child at home before arriving, including taking their temperature. If you forget or run out of time, our educators have touchless thermometers at the school.

Parents may be asked each morning to confirm that their child is symptom-free and has not been given acetaminophen or ibuprofen in the last 12 hours. If a parent is found to be withholding important medical information, child care will no longer be provided to that family.

Use a daily health check to decide whether your child should attend child care that day. If your child isn’t feeling well, you can use the BC self-assessment tool or call 8-1-1 (HealthLink BC).

If a test is recommended, self-isolate while waiting for results. If the result is positive, self-isolate and follow the direction of public health. If negative, your child may return once well enough to participate.

If your child becomes ill at the centre, you will be asked to pick them up as soon as possible — please keep your contact information up to date.

• Unusual, unexplained loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, or headache
• Eye infections
• Unexplained rashes, or any rash not confirmed by a doctor to be non-contagious
• Known or suspected communicable diseases (measles, chicken pox, pink eye, hand foot and mouth, etc.)
• Ear infection
• Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Fever of 38°C

Open transparency and candour around these requirements is essential for the well-being of children, staff and families. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

1. 1Immediately separate the symptomatic child from others in a supervised area.
2. 2Contact the child’s parent/caregiver to pick them up as soon as possible.
3. 3Where possible, maintain a two-metre distance from the ill child; if not possible, staff will wear a face covering.
4. 4Provide the child with tissues to cover coughs or sneezes, throw away used tissues and perform hand hygiene.
5. 5Avoid touching the child’s body fluids (e.g. mucous, saliva); if needed, practise diligent hand hygiene.
6. 6Once the child is picked up, practise diligent hand hygiene.
7. 7Clean and disinfect the space where the child was separated and any areas recently used by them (e.g. classroom, bathroom, common areas).

Parents/caregivers must pick up their child as soon as possible when notified that their child is ill.