Safety
Your child's health and safety is our utmost concern while he or she is entrusted to our care. As a licensed pre-school, our facilities and safety protocols are inspected annually by the state we've received an A+ rating for the past six years. We're committed to creating a fun, stimulating, free play environment that's also safe, clean and secure.
Cleaning and Maintenance
- We've daily janitorial service and Participating Parents in the morning programs clean and tidy up mid-day in preparation for the afternoon classes.
- We hold 8 workdays a year to take care of school maintenance and repairs; all parents take part in three of their choice.
General Safety
- The facility is fully fenced with secure gates. Our play yard is not used by the public.
- Parents/caretakers sign the children in and out every day, and the teacher on "gate duty" at pickup time ensures children only go home with authorized adults. Children are always fully supervised.
- Earthquake/emergency supplies are on site.
- We are inspected annually by the Palo Alto Fire Department. We do fire and earthquake drills with the students regularly. Teachers review emergency procedures annually.
- All our teachers are certified in first aid and CPR.
- Our facility is fully "child proof" for preschool age children. All cleaning products are labeled and stored well away from little hands. The kitchen stove is locked unless in use. All electrical outlets have safety covers on them. All outside doors have childproof handles. All windows are either safety glass or covered with anti-shatter film.
Play Areas
We've passed the Santa Clara County Health Department playground inspection (implemented in 2002).
- Battery operated devices keep cats away from our sandboxes and our sand sanitary. They are harmless to cats and people, but are turned off when the children are present.
- Our play structure was installed in 1991 and meets all current safety standards. It is set in non-compactable sand to provide soft landings.
- We use sunshades in outdoor areas in the non-rainy months, generally from March -November
Injury and Illness
Children do get minor injuries at school, particularly scrapes and bumps. Teachers respond to these as appropriate. Parents are informed in writing of all injuries and called if needed. Kids catch colds but we do all we can to keep us all healthy.
- Children wash their hands before eating and cooking, and after toileting and nose blowing, as do teachers who've assisted.
- We encourage children to cough and sneeze into the inside of their elbows.
- We use disposable paper towels for hand drying and for cleaning.
- Toilet facilities are cleaned twice daily with disinfectant.
- For the good of all, we have a strict policy that sick children, or those "under the weather" may not attend the program. At drop off time, a teacher is at the gate to ensure children look healthy enough to attend. Children who develop signs of illness or are unable to take part in activities later in the day are comforted and their parents called to take them home.