MCDC News

Thursday, April 16, 2020 - 11:15am

Good morning, MCDC Community!

 

We are pleased to announce the acceptance of our Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application! The funds were deposited on Monday. Therefore, tuition will be waived during this loan period of 8 weeks, starting this week (4/13) and ending the week of 6/1. During this time, only a weekly fee of $25 per child will be required to keep a spot for your child. If you have already submitted a check beyond what is required, the additional amount will be applied towards the weekly fees. As before, should parents feel so inclined, funds received above the weekly $25 rate (via separate check with “Donation” on the memo line) can be considered a donation and a receipt can be provided upon request.

 

This PPP loan will cover our payroll as well as our staff’s health care premiums until June 5th. Expenses not covered by the loan are federal payroll taxes and business expenses, which amounts to between $2000-$2800 a week. These expenses will need to be covered by the weekly fees and our savings.

 

We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult and unprecedented time. Rest assured we will continue to keep you updated.

 

Author: Kelli L Wright
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 5:00pm

MCDC Families,

We hope this message finds you well. First and foremost, we greatly appreciate your understanding and patience during this unprecedented situation. The Board has been working diligently to find a way to balance the needs of parents as well as ensuring our staff is well taken care of since they are the heart and soul of MCDC. The Board has come up with a viable solution to overcome the challenging weeks ahead.

We have 3 months of operating expenses in our reserves; however, we cannot predict when this pandemic will end, and the resulting economic impacts after businesses open again. As part of the COVID-19 aid bill signed by President Trump on 3/27, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is one of the options meant to help small businesses during this pandemic. A PPP loan/grant will provide 8 weeks of payroll and health insurance for our staff. We are currently filling out and providing the appropriate paperwork associated with this, and have already had conversations with our banking institution on options and requirements. It may take a few weeks for the loan application process to be completed. Our goal is to use this loan (if approved), reduced tuition, and fees (not all in parallel and not in that order) to extend the MCDC operations for as long as possible.

If we are approved for the PPP, and spend it all on payroll and health insurance within 8 weeks, the loan can be forgiven (there are stipulations which are being considered and discussed with our financial institution). If the loan does not get approved, the board would re-assess the situation.

Our current plan and expectations are, including unknowns based on data not yet in hand:

  1. Ensure all tuition is paid in full through April 3rd. Please send checks to: MCDC; PO Box 9138; MSFC, AL 35812. These tuition payments will replenish our savings account, which is the account that will pay our staff while we wait on the PPP loan to activate. 90 % of tuition payment goes to teacher salaries and benefits.
  2. For a period of time starting on April 6th until the PPP funds become available, a discount of 25% will be applied to all tuition payments, and savings account funds will be used to make up the difference for salaries and insurance benefits. New tuition rates are outlined in the table below. Please mail your checks weekly to the PO Box.
  3. For the duration of the PPP loan, starting when the PPP funds become available, a $25 fee will be required per week, per child. Tuition will be waived during this time.
    1. This fee reserves your child’s spot in the center, while also replenishing our savings that were used for payroll (in conjunction with the reduced tuition) waiting for the PPP funds.
  4. For the time after the PPP loan ends or if the PPP loan is not approved, the board is currently assessing options including tuition payment amounts, lay-offs, reduced staffing and/or closure.
  5. During times of reduced tuition, should parents feel so inclined, funds received above the reduced tuition rate (via a separate check) can be considered a donation and a receipt can be provided upon request.

Rest assured that the Board is actively working on potential solutions.

 

2020 Tuition Rate

Discounted Tuition Rate due to COVID-19

Infants

$            233

 $              175

Creepers

$            225

 $              169

Toddlers

$            218

 $              164

Explorers

$            214

 $              161

Pre-C

$            204

 $              153

Pre-B

$            204

 $              153

Pre-A

$            201

 $              151

 

 

Author: Kelli L Wright
Thursday, March 26, 2020 - 5:00pm

MCDC Families,

 

As you know, this is an unprecedented situation that is changing rapidly every day. The board is meeting weekly to assess the situation and are trying to make sure all of our decisions are made in the best interest of our entire MCDC community, including the children, parents and staff. We are currently using funds from savings to continue paying the staff salaries and benefits and can continue to do so for approximately 3 months, with the plan to replenish the account with the tuition owed upon re-opening. We will decide the path forward for a beyond 1 month closure, and a beyond 4 month closure, in our next meeting on April 1st. Some options being discussed include charging a reduced tuition, pulling additional funds from our savings to cover our teachers, and options for waitlist accommodations should currently enrolled students be pulled out but are interested in re-enrollment when the facility re-opens. I will say that if we are required to be closed for 4 months or more, it would mean the situation in general has gotten dire, and we have to consider more drastic measures.

 

This is new territory and we cannot predict what will happen in the next month or so, even after we re-open. In general, the funds in savings are for situations where MCDC experiences an unexpected income shortage (such as a program cancellation that results in reduced enrollment). Whatever the Board decides at the next meeting, our savings would need to be kept at a sufficient level to cover any shortfalls caused by families leaving MCDC during this time of closure (which we hope won't be the case, but know it is a possibility) and other future unforeseen income shortfalls.

 

 

A few points that come up frequently in our discussions:

 

*        Our operating policies state that tuition will be due even when the center is closed. All parents are asked to review and sign it upon enrolling at MCDC. "Tuition will not be prorated or excused for days MCDC is closed for federal holidays, when Redstone Arsenal or MSFC is closed, when MSFC directs that the MCDC be closed, or for closures caused by other reasons outside of the MCDC's control."

 

*        90% of tuition costs goes to pay the teachers' salaries and benefits.

 

*        Previous instances of daycare being closed when we still paid tuition:

 

o  The April 27, 2011 tornadoes caused a power outage that closed the arsenal for around 2 weeks.

o  Snow event in 2011 that closed the arsenal for a week.

o  2013 furlough (2-3 weeks).

 

*        We understand this is an unprecedented event and we know it is a time of high stress and concern. We would like to follow the operating policies as closely as possible to keep from having to make high-impact decisions in stressful times such as these.

 

*        We have researched what other daycares are doing to see how we are in comparison. We know of one that is not paying tuition at all and therefore not paying their teachers. We know of some that are still paying full tuition and we also know of one that is paying full now, but will be looking into a reduced tuition option in April if we are still in this scenario.

 

*        The center has additional savings, but we don't want to have to use them since those are set aside for uncertain income, such as extremely low enrollment, as well as other unforeseen circumstances, such as a program cancellation/layoff that would likely cause a major withdrawal from daycare (as what happened in 2012 during Ares the cancellation). The point of the additional savings is to continue operation during times of income shortfalls until enrollment can be increased, or in the unfortunate event that we would have to suspend operations.

 

*        As previously communicated, an MCDC teacher (Explorer area) was tested on Monday (23rd) for COVID-19 and received positive results on Wednesday (25th). This teacher's last day in contact with students was on Friday, March 13th. While direct contact with children obviously occurred, it is appropriate to assume contact occurred center-wide due to the nature of our center (floaters moving room to room, community adult bathroom, community break room, etc.). We would recommend that parents follow CDC and local health recommendations to monitor their family's health and potential symptoms. As always, and ultimately, we care about the well-being of every child in our care and hope that this situation takes a turn for the better in the very near future.

 

We will send another update after our board meeting on April 1st. As always, we appreciate your patience and input. Please continue to reach out to us with any further questions or concerns.

 

Please stay safe!

Author: Kelli L Wright
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 3:00pm

Hello MCDC Community,

 

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. The board is still having meetings (virtually, of course!) to have discussions on our current situation and attempt to resolve any issues that come up. We are still in communications with NASA Center Operations and we will keep you informed of any new information as we receive it.

 

We also wanted to let you know that we found out today that one of our staff members has tested positive for COVID-19. The last time the staff member was on center was 3/16, but there was no contact with children on that day. Out of abundance of caution, we ask you to assume that you may have been potentially exposed on the 16th or prior. Per CDC, it takes about 2-14 days to show symptoms. If you or a family member are showing any symptoms, the best course of action is call your doctor and practice self-quarantine. It is unknown exactly when this individual contracted COVID-19, but we are already working with Center Operations and health authorities to make sure this situation is contained. A deep cleaning of the center was done on 3/16, but there will be another deep cleaning again as soon as possible so that it is ready to be used when we re-open. We are monitoring the situation, and wish the staff member a speedy recovery.

 

We want to remind everyone to please contact Kelli if you are experiencing financial hardship. The Board is always willing to work with families facing financial hardship on a case by case basis.

 

We do not know when MCDC will reopen since this situation is on-going with an increasing number of positive cases in the area on a daily basis. However, I do want to assure you that we are trying to keep every single member of the MCDC community in mind, and will continue to meet and discuss on a regular basis to tackle any issues that could come up.

 

A few additional notes:

 

1)     Board Elections are delayed until further notice.

 

2)     At this time, all tuition that is due is deferred until we re-open, but we've had requests for a mailing address for those who want to go ahead send a check:

 

PO Box 9138 MSFC, AL 35812

 

 

Author: Kelli L Wright
Sunday, March 15, 2020 - 4:15pm

MCDC community,


The board met today to discuss the plan for MCDC operations during these uncertain times. Our highest priority is the health and safety of the MCDC community, so we have decided to take the approach of being pro-active rather than reactive. In order to limit exposure, we will be open to Mission Essential personnel and those not authorized to telework with children at home only on Monday, 3/16. We will be conducting health checks on every child who comes in on Monday, so please be patient with our staff. We will close MCDC on Tuesday, 3/17, until further notice.

For the individual in MSFC who was tested positive for COVID-19, there is no confirmed trace back to MCDC. Despite that, we will be doing a deep cleaning of MCDC so that it is ready to be used again when we re-open. It is unknown when we will re-open since this is still a rapidly evolving situation, but as always, we will keep you continuously informed. 

A few notes:

- Per our operating policy, tuition is still owed regardless of MSFC status. Payments will be due upon re-opening MCDC. 

- Please contact Kelli for potential accommodations for those who are not eligible to telework or don't have alternative care. 

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. 

Vicky Garcia, President

MCDC Board of Directors

Author: Kelli L Wright
Saturday, March 14, 2020 - 12:15pm

As you may have heard, there was a confirmed positive COVID-19 case with an MSFC employee.  We are still monitoring the situation and currently gathering information.  We will send out another notification tomorrow with more information with regards to the status of MCDC.  Please stay tuned.

Author: Kelli L Wright
Friday, March 13, 2020 - 4:30pm

We have received notification that while they do not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Marshall as of today, March 13, out of an abundance of caution, they have encouraged employees who can work remotely to do so for the next 14 days. We are in constant contact with MSFC Operations and right now there is no confirmed case and no known direct association with MCDC. The recommendation and plan is for MCDC to continue operation as normal for the time being. That being said, we are monitoring the situation closely and will provide any updates as needed. Please continue to practice handwashing as you enter and leave MCDC to pick up your children. We really appreciate your understanding, patience, and support through this challenging time.

Author: Kelli L Wright
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 5:15pm

MCDC Families,

In light of the growing concern about the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to assure our MCDC community that we are in communication with the Center management and monitoring the situation.

As a preventive measure, we are continuing to have the facility diligently cleaned, and our staff is wiping down common surfaces (doorknobs, light switches, telephones, etc). We emphasize the importance of proper “respiratory etiquette” and frequent handwashing to limit the spread of germs. We encourage you and your child to wash hands at drop off and pick up.  There are sinks in the staff lounge and front bathroom, as well as in all of the classrooms.

We ask those who are showing symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) not to come to MCDC. It is not only for the kids, but also the staff and other members of the MCDC community. As always, if your child is sick, especially with a fever, vomit, or any other illnesses listed in our policies, we require you to keep your children at home.

Per Alabama Public Health guidelines, please contact MCDC if you have recently traveled or have plans to travel in the near future in the high-risk countries listed here: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html).

We want to keep our MCDC community safe, while also keeping in mind the community’s need for caretaking services. The plan is to have MCDC remain open until Redstone Arsenal closes, unless someone associated with MCDC is known to have some contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19.

All tuition payments will still be due/owed in the event of center telework and/or closure status. If you are not eligible to telework, then contact Kelli for additional potential accommodations in the event of a closure.

Please be aware all of the above is subject to change since this is a rapidly evolving situation, but we will always keep everyone informed of any changes via email, Facebook and our website.

During the NASA Town Hall meeting, Steve Miley mentioned not being barred from taking care of a child while teleworking for this specific case. Please keep this in mind when discussing options with your supervisor in case any of your family members may be displaying symptoms.

Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. We want to assure you that we will continue to reassess this on a daily basis as the health and well-being of our children is the highest priority for MCDC.

Thank you,

MCDC Board

**Sign up for text alerts:  Text @mcdcf to 81010

**Please send Kelli an email if you would like to add an additional email address to the MCDC main distribution list

 

Kelli Wright, Director
Marshall Child Development Center
Building 4346 Morris Road

MSFC, AL 35812
(256) 544-8607
Kelli.L.Wright@nasa.gov

Author: Kelli L Wright
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 - 1:45pm

MCDC Families,

 

With respect to the concerns regarding coronavirus, the MCDC board is currently gathering information, in discussion with center management, and having a meeting tomorrow to finalize our plan. There will be an email by the close of business tomorrow with information and our current plan. Please stay tuned for more information.

 

Author: Kelli L Wright
Monday, March 9, 2020 - 10:30am

MCDC Families,

 

It’s almost time for our annual Board elections.  Positions up for election this year are:

  • President (must be a MSFC civil servant) – 2 year term
  • Secretary – 2 year term
  • Registrar (must be a MSFC civil servant) – 2 year term
  • Member-at-Large, representing enrolled families – 1 year term
  • Member-at-Large, representing wait-list families – 1 year term

 

If you would like to run for one of the board positions, please send me a short bio and indicate which position you would like to run for, by Thursday, April 2nd.  Elections will be on April 16th, giving the new members some time to get up to speed and interact with current board members before their term officially starts on June 1st.

 

With regards to running for the board, demands on their time is one of the biggest fears parents have. Almost every new board member started with the same concern, but it always ends up working out. Board membership is a meaningful way to help MCDC, and is absolutely worth the small amount of time it takes. I can tell you that I will treasure the past 3 years I’ve served as a board member. If you have any questions about the positions, please feel free to contact me or any of the other board members.

 

Regards,

Vicky Garcia

Victoria.O.Garcia@nasa.gov

President, MCDC Board of Directors

 

President

Responsibilities:

  • Interface with Center Management
  • Coordinate Board Meeting Agendas (bi-weekly)
  • Conduct Board and General Membership Meetings (bi-weekly)
  • Board Elections (spring)
  • Budget Review/Approval (October)
  • Send out Call for Nominations of MCDC Board (early spring)
  • Coordinate Survey of Other Daycares (periodically)
  • Send out Budget Proposal (October)
  • Send out Parent Surveys (November)
  • Schedule and Conduct Open Forums (minimum spring and fall)

 

Secretary

Responsibilities:

  • Draft and Distribute Board Meeting Agendas (bi-weekly)
  • Record and Distribute Minutes of Board Meetings (bi-weekly)
  • Maintain Operating Policies Handbook and Bylaws Maintain Board Calendar Prepare Parent Survey and Consolidate Results (November/December)
  • Participate in Daycare Survey (periodically)

 

Registrar

Responsibilities:

  • Maintain Waiting List (monthly)
  • Maintain Membership List (monthly)
  • Provide Waiting List / Membership Status (monthly)
  • Conduct Membership Renewal Drive (September)
  • Distribute Ballots and Record Roll Call at all General Membership Elections
  • Participate in Daycare Survey (periodically)

 

Member-at-Large (Enrolled)

Responsibilities:

  • Participate in Daycare Survey (periodically)
  • Help with Staff Appreciation Week

 

Member-at-Large (Waiting List)

Responsibilities:

  • Help with Staff Appreciation Week 
  • Participate in Daycare Survey (periodically)
Author: Kelli L Wright

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