Frequently Asked Questions | Fall Child Care 2020: eLearning Academy

Academic Coaches will provide assistance to students to assure they are on task and completing their assignments on time. The Coach will communicate with parents/guardians on the child’s progress. Coaches will:

• Monitor quality and completion of school work. Many students are much more receptive to professionals than they are to their parents in finding better ways to get school work done efficiently.
• Teach time management. This includes prioritizing and tackling homework and long-term projects, finding shortcuts, focusing in order to use time productively and fitting in extracurricular activities and down time.
• Teach organizational skills. This includes organizing supplies and papers so everything can be found easily. It also encompasses organizing ideas for writing and organizing material to study for a test. 
• Teach study skills. A coach can help each student develop and use personalized study skills, while increasing a student’s knowledge of his learning style.
• Explore goal-setting, both academic and personal. A coach can help a student see that schoolwork, homework, tests and essays are important—not just in the short run but as part of a greater goal.
• Provide regular check-ins. Daily and weekly communication to parents to help keep students on task and accountable.
• Provide a system for rewards. If a student can work more efficiently, there will be more down time for fun and more time to sleep.
• Expect students to do their best. An academic coach builds a relationship with a student and can tell when he/she is just getting by or doing their best. High expectations can build confidence.
• Provide encouragement. Sometimes, just knowing someone believes in you can make you work harder. Improving self-esteem goes a long way.
• Motivate. A coach will help each student find a reason for doing today’s tasks, with a reward in sight, and help students discover a renewed excitement and curiosity for learning.
• Provide focus. It is so easy for a student to get distracted. A coach can help a student focus by assisting in setting and writing down goals and looking at the big picture, as well as the small steps to get there.

As with all of our child care programs, our staff meet state licensing standards, are 18 years and older, have experience working with children, possess excellent character and obtain 30-40 hours of training prior to starting their role. Many of our employees are on an educational track to work with children as their career path, but a teaching license is not required.
 

Yes, the YMCA will provide free WiFi to all students and staff.

Most school divisions are providing students with laptops/tablets while learning virtually; however, the Y will have a few electronic devices on-hand just in case.

The Y will create quiet learning environments for students, ensuring they have work space, charging stations for electronic devices and reliable internet access. Because our Ys vary in design, each location will customize the environment based on available space. If gyms are used for the academy, it will be closed to members during the program hours. 
 

The Y’s program schedule will be based on the school system’s curriculum to ensure children are able to follow the virtual school routine.  
 

Outside of the school’s daily virtual schedule, the Y will offer supplemental programming and daily enrichment activities. Each academy will offer STEM, music, art, active games and more!

For students that will not have physical education as a part of their school’s virtual curriculum, the Y will provide physical education through the Y’s Homeschool YMCA Physical Education (HYPE) program.
 

Please contact your YMCA location for specific times as it varies by family center, or use the location finder for detailed information about each location.
 

Financial assistance is available through the Y's Open Doors program. Click here to apply for assistance.

In some locations, school divisions and other organizations will provide meals via the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Please contact your YMCA location for more details.
 

• Charged electronic device and charging cord as required for virtual school
• Headphones
• Paper/pencils and other school-specific supplies
• Lunch (that doesn’t need to be heated) and 2 snacks (if meals are not provided)
• Reusable water bottle (most water fountains are closed at YMCAs)

The Y will follow group size limits as ordered by state guidelines, as long as social distancing of six feet can be maintained and children do not mix groups.

• Staff to Child ratios are as follows:
  • Ages 2yrs: 1:8
  • Ages 3-4yrs: 1:10
  • Ages 5-12yrs: 1:15

• Upon arrival to the program each day, parents/guardians will be asked a series of questions related to health practices.
• Children and staff will continue to have temperature checks prior to entering the program.
• Temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will not be permitted.
• Children will need to be fever-free, with no fever-reducing medication, for 72 hours prior to being readmitted. This is a change from our normal 24 hour policy.

• All staff are required wear face coverings.
• Children age 10+ are required to wear face coverings.
• Children ages 3–9 are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.
• Parents are asked to provide face coverings for their children.
• Face coverings should be cleaned daily, following CDC guidelines.

We have developed extensive cleaning protocols our staff will follow throughout the day.

• Cleaning occurs before we open
• Before and after each activity (including mealtime)
• During transitions
• Extensive sanitizing/disinfecting at closing.

This protocol also meets our state licensing requirements and we are following cleaning recommendations by the CDC.

In the event families need to cancel due to COVID-19, the Y is happy to refund any and all deposits, registration fees and weekly tuition paid.

If there is a report of a positive COVID-19 case at a care location, the Y will launch our safety protocol in partnership with the state Department of Health, including:

• Notify members and participants about the positive case report
• Immediately close that care location while contact tracing is performed
• Deeply clean and sanitize the location (beyond regular cleaning protocols)
• Work with the Department of Health to determine the risk to staff, members and participants
  • If there is risk exposure to participants, the Y will notify participants to be tested
  • If there is low or no risk exposure to participants, the Y will resume the child care program when it is deemed safe