Coronavirus Response

Imagine Early Learning Center has always made health and safety a top priority. In 2021, that is more important than ever. Our centers are taking extensive precautions to address Covid 19. We are following the guidelines of local and state Departments of Health, the CDC, and our local licensing agencies and expanding our health and safety protocols. Out number one goal is to keep our families and staff safe.

As of October 1, 2021, Imagine has implemented a Mandated Covid Vaccine Policy for all employees.In accordance with Imagine Early Learning Center’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and the Executive Order signed by President Biden, we are adopting a Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccine Policy to safeguard the health of our children, employees, visitors, and the community at large from COVID-19. This Policy will comply with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Imagine’s stakeholders, such as the NYC DOE (New York City Department of Education), CUNY (The City University of New York), Mt. Sinai Hospital and GSA (the General Services Administration of the federal government). In addition, the federal EEO laws under the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) do not prevent Imagine Early Learning Centers from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Imagine requires all employees to provide proof of full vaccination status no later than December 8, 2021.

Child and Family Protocols

Drop Off/Pick Up

Child drop off is at the center entrance without admittance of parents or authorized escorts to reduce outside exposure within the center.
Adults and children over two years old must wear a mask or face covering over the nose and mouth when approaching the center for drop off.
Young children do not need to wear face coverings when they are in the child care center; however, children over two years old are strongly encouraged to do so.
Postings on the front door and physical markers remind parents to physically distance by 6 feet while waiting to drop off children at the center entrance.
CDC Covid-19 Symptoms and Safety Protocols are posted at Center Entrance.
Families will be accepted into the center drop off area one at a time by Center employees.
Children will remove outside shoes and change to inside shoes if the center has adopted an optional inside shoe policy. Outside shoes will be stored individually in provided storage containers.
Strollers may not be accepted into or stored in the center depending on the number of enrolled children and space available in the center.
Each child’s belongings will be separated from others’ and in individually labeled containers or areas and ensure they are taken home and cleaned and disinfected regularly, as possible.

Daily Screening for all Families

We expect all parents to complete the COVID-19 Health Screening One-Time Attestation Form to attest they will self-screen daily. These forms are maintained at the child care center for record keeping. However, Screeners must still ask the following questions and check them off on the COVID-19 Safety Protocols Checklist.

Answering “yes” to any of these questions will result in exclusion from the center according to protocols.

Have you or your child exhibited any of the above symptoms of Covid-19 in the past 10 days?
Have you or your child had any contact with anyone that has or is suspected to have Covid-19 in the past 10 days, including anyone that has tested or will be testing for Covid-19 due to having one of the above symptoms ?
Have you or your child tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days?
Have you or your child traveled internationally or to any states listed on a CDC Travel Advisory in the past 10 days? If so, you must have completed a COVID-19 TRAVEL ADVISORY ATTESTATION FORM and completed any required quarantine and testing protocol.

Temperature check will be conducted upon arrival to the child care center by a designated employee, “Screener”, wearing a mask/face covering that covers both the nose and mouth, to include gloves and a face shield when there is an increased risk of hazard.

100.4 degrees or more is considered a fever and a COVID-19 symptom which is cause for exclusion and requires a negative PCR lab test to return to school symptom free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducers (Unless a family elects to self-quarantine a child for 10 days, then a Covid test is not required for return).
In order to follow ADA and HIPAA rules, we are not required to note the temperature…just that it was taken and document “P” for Pass and “F” for Fail. The temperature threshold for attending the program is under 100.4 degrees.
Once a cleared child enters their classroom “P” or “F” is logged in the Daily Health Check on the Classroom Attendance Log.
Children developing a temperature or other COVID-19 symptoms during attendance at the center will be isolated until an Authorized Escort can pick them up.
For more about Imagine COVID-19 Safety Plan, visit here.