Family Support | KidsCo Online

KidsCo Educational Equity & Enrichment Hub

Students in grades K-5 who are eligible for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS)
Students without adult supervision options and/or in need of internet access
Families local to Sequoyah ES and willing to commit to attending every day as a part of the Program Participant Agreement

Where is it located?

Located at 2 sites: Sequoyah Elementary & Damascus Public Library
Hours: Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 5:30PM
Class Size: 13 children with 2 staff members

What will this program include?

Staff will supervise and provide support for distance learning
Engaging activities when children are not in class
Meals and snacks will be provided
Safe environment for children to learn and grow

When you are ready to apply, please go click the button with your child’s school to begin the application process. This program is supported by generous grants from The Children’s Opportunity Fund and families do not need to submit any application fees or up-front costs.

Overview

Ages Kindergarten – 5th Grade

2 Locations:

Sequoyah ES (17301 Bowie Mill Rd, Derwood, MD 20855)

Damascus Public Library (9701 Main St, Damascus, MD 20872)

KidsCo is excited to be operating an Educational Equity & Enrichment Hub program, with enhanced health, safety, and cleaning measures, to provide care for children and provide distance learning support. The idea behind these “Hubs” is that children will be dropped-off at KidsCo in the mornings so parents are able to have care for their children during the school day. KidsCo will take care of all distance learning, homework, snack, outside time, and clubs.

Sequoyah ES Application

Damascus Application

Required Forms & Paperwork

In order for your child to attend the Educational Equity and Enrichment Hub, we must have the following forms on file:

Educational Equity and Enrichment Hub Application (Completed online)

Emergency Card

(Must be turned in before your child begins in our program)

Health Inventory

(Must be turned in before your child begins in our program)

Please Note: We are required by the State of Maryland to have these forms on file. If we do not receive these forms within a week of starting, your child may not be able to attend.

Immunization Form

Medication Authorization Form

(Must be turned in if your child may need to take any prescription medication(s) while in our care)

Daily Programming

The day will be built around supporting distance learning and providing children with the social emotional connections that have always been the foundation of KidsCo’s programs. Based on each child’s distance learning schedule, our KidsCo staff will make sure that devices are connected, children are logged in on time to class, they remain engaged with their teachers, and they have access to the resources that they need to complete assignments. Outside of distance learning times, the children will remain in their cohort groups for time outside, crafts, games, and all of the other activities that your kids have come to love at KidsCo (modified to allow for physical distancing and other healthy practices).

Children will eat in their group’s space and will be provided lunch by Montgomery County Public Schools Food Program and snack by KidsCo.

Sample Schedule

8:30am – 9:00am	Arrival, carpet game, getting ready for the school day
9:00am – 11:45am	MCPS Virtual Learning Support
11:45am – 12:00pm	Break, Cleaning & Sanitizing
12:00pm – 1:00pm	Lunch & Recess
1:00pm – 3:00pm	MCPS Virtual Learning Support
3:00pm – 3:15pm	Break, Snack, Cleaning, & Sanitizing
3:15pm – 5:00pm	Activity Time (Art, STEM, Fitness, and Outdoor Play)
5:00pm – 5:30pm	Dismissal, Cleaning, & Sanitizing

Groups & Covid-19 Safety

How will groups be organized?

We are operating with a limited capacity due to CDC guidelines and modified licensing requirements. Groups will be a maximum of 15 people with most groups having 13 kids and two KidsCo staff. That said, there may be times when there is only one staff member with the group, similarly to how a teacher would typically be alone in a class, and we will ensure that those staff members receive support on those days. Our groups will all be functioning as independent cohorts, without mixing with other groups. To help minimize exposure across groups, we will be working with families to group household members and carpool groups together.

Beyond cohorts, how are we working to keep everyone safe?

Based in CDC guidelines and industry best practices, some of the key measures that will be in place include:

Pre-screening of children and staff – All children and staff will be required to complete KidsCo pre-screening process that includes documentation of body temperature and monitoring for symptoms for the 14 day period leading up to the start of the school year. This same process will need to be completed if a child or staff misses more than five consecutive days of KidsCo at any point during the upcoming school year.
Daily screening of children and staff – Prior to entering KidsCo, body temperature and symptoms screening will be completed, along with verifying that the child or staff member has not had close contact with anyone that may be positive for COVID-19.
Shared spaces and equipment – We will be purchasing additional equipment so that each cohort has a set unique to the group to minimize sharing. All shared spaces and resources will be limited to one group at a time and throughly cleaned and disinfected between groups.
Enhanced cleaning – We will be supplementing our normal daily cleaning with more frequent cleaning and disinfection of high touch surfaces and frequently used spaces.
Limited access – Only KidsCo children and staff will be allowed inside the buildings to minimize exposure.
Outside time – Plenty of fresh air has always been a big part of the KidsCo program and this will continue to be the case this Fall.
Face coverings – All children and staff will be required to wear a mask at all times when indoors and whenever physical distancing is not possible outdoors.

What to Bring

As we are unable to have children use shared supplies, please ensure your child arrives with the following items clearly labeled with their first and last name:

A Face Mask and a Backup Face Mask: Everyone is required to wear masks while indoors. Please send your child with a mask and a backup mask in their backpack.
Fully-Charged Chromebook and Power Cord: Most of the chromebooks, and power cords, are identical so labeling them is a must!
School Workbooks and Notebooks: Schools have given workbooks to children for them to use during Distance Learning. Please make sure your child brings their workbooks!
Over-Ear Headphones with Microphones: Please send your child with their own set of over-ear headphones that have a microphone. Please do not send earbuds or wireless/bluetooth headphones as they tend to get lost, broken, or have connectivity issues.
Items from your school’s supply list: These vary from school-to-school, so please send your child with their required supplies. We will certainly have a few extras to use as needed, but please send your child with the items that the school has requested.
Weather-Appropriate Clothing: Rain or shine, we’ll be outside! Once the kids are done with their classes, we’re getting them away from the screen and moving.

Please label everything with your child’s first and last name

Arrival and Departure

Arrival Procedures for the First Day

A KidsCo representative will be outside to greet you, collect your pre-screening form and health forms, ask you to take your child’s temperature (Please bring a thermometer with you!), and confirm that your child has a face mask, their chromebook, and school supplies. After completing our daily check-in procedure, we will assist your child in getting into the building.

Arrival and Departure Procedures for Every Day

A KidsCo representative will be outside to greet you, ask you to take your child’s temperature (Please bring a thermometer with you!), and confirm that your child has a face mask, their chromebook, and school supplies. After completing our daily check-in procedure, we will assist your child in getting into the building.

When picking up in the afternoon, please stay in your car and a KidsCo staff member will bring your child to you.

Visitor Policy

Although we have been able to have an “open door” policy in years past, this year we will not be permitting visitors. It is simply not safe for us to have anyone on the property whom we do not have medical forms for.

To limit potential exposure to COVID-19, the only individuals permitted in the building will be the KidsCo staff members and children.

If you are arriving late, or picking up early, please call your staff member from your car and they will come out and greet you.

Meals & Snacks

All children in the Educational Equity and Enrichment Hub will receive meals and snacks from the program. Families do not need to send any food or snacks with their children. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by the Montgomery County Public Schools Food Services. Snacks will be provided by KidsCo.