“I have to find a new job”. Those are real words our son used with us almost 3 years ago. He graduated from college with a degree in psychology and was working in a childcare center in another state while he contemplated how he wanted to apply his degree. Being a teacher was tough, but the real reason he decided to leave his job was because in his 9 months as a teacher, he missed a month of work due to being ill. According to doctors, it was likely because of exposure to common childhood diseases in the center that led to his multiple illnesses. With him being sick so often he had no income and thus no money to pay rent. So, our son became another data point in an industry that is challenged with 40% turnover.
His situation hit home for us as parents and as new owners of our Celebree School childhood care center in Tulsa, OK. We genuinely want to provide the best possible environment, so as we started the planning process for our center, we asked ourselves, the architect, and Celebree, what can we do to provide the best possible environment to keep our teachers and children healthy. Healthy kids mean less challenges for mom and dad to find care for their kids because they are sick. Healthy teachers mean a consistent learning environment for children to help their development, and based on our son’s experience, less turnover risk.
The first thing we did was include an ionization system as a part of our heating and cooling system. Our ionization system can remove many of the viruses and airborne impurities within one hour. This can help improve the air quality and reduce the likelihood of getting sick from airborne particles.
The second thing we did was to put a policy in place for separating indoor and outdoor shoes. Wearing indoor shoes in the classroom cuts down on allergens in the school and makes for a more sanitary environment. With the high likelihood that young children crawl and sit on the floor and also put things in their mouths, keeping the environment clean is beneficial. We are proud to be able to offer childcare with this benefit to families.
That brings us to our third focus area. Within their classrooms, our teachers clean and sanitize the hard surfaces and toys twice a day. Crib sheets are also cleaned daily. Finally, we have a professional crew come in at the end of each day to clean and sanitize the center.
With the combination of the ionization system to clean the air, our local policy to have a second set of shoes for indoor use and Celebree’s standards for cleaning are all part of reducing the availability of germs in the air and keeping us all healthy. When our students are healthier, our staff stays healthier, which keeps care in our center consistent. Children thrive on that consistency. It helps them feel safe. Combined with routines, it improves quality. So in summary, keeping everyone healthy helps us ensure we provide a safe and nurturing environment so that we can all grow. And yes, it was and still is personal.
