Pittsburgh Nesties
Dear Community,

Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.

If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.

Thank you.

Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.

Preschool snow delay policy?

If your kid is just in preschool and not daycare, what's their policy on school delays?

The place where Lanna goes is both a preschool and a daycare, so if there's a 2 hr delay (for the district) they cancel preschool for the day to accommodate the school age kids who have to be dropped off. Last year there weren't many delays, but she has missed quite a few days this month and we get no kind of refund on the cancelled classes. I'm certain that the parents who require those extra hours of daycare in the mornings are paying for them, so it seems like they ought to be able to refund something to the preschool parents, right? Just curious if this is the norm or if our school is the only one who's making out this winter :)

Re: Preschool snow delay policy?

  • Ours is a daycare/preschool center, but in the 2+ years we've been going there, there has only been 1 delay (and it was really, really bad out)  But they make their own calls, so they're not following a school district or anything in terms of if they delay or cancel. 

    My MIL works in a preschool (that's just a preschool); they only run morning hours for class and follow the local school districts calls for cancels and delays, so if there is a 2 hour delay, they just cancel the whole day BUT they make up those days. 

    The Blog - Parenting: Uncensored


    imageimage

    Jake - 1.15.08
    Liam - 5.17.11
  • Interesting. Yes, ours follows the district schedule, so they've had several delays due to cold this month and then the one today due to I'm not sure what :)
  • Ours is a Preschool and kindergarten (no daycare).  In the event of a 2 hour delay, all half day classes are cancelled.  DD is in a half day class and as far as I know I'm not getting refunded.  She only goes Tuesdays/Thursdays so we've only had on cancelled day so far.  I'll have to check the policy paper they gave me at the beginning of the year. 
     
  • Ours is a preschool only. They follow the school district's schedule. They delay one hour (10 am start time) if the school district has a delay. No refunds or make-ups for missed days/hours.

    I think they should write in some make-up days into the schedule to use as needed (especially since they have a loooong Easter break), but oh well. 

    "Never go with a hippie to a second location." ~ Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock
  • imageegpitt22:

    Ours is a daycare/preschool center, but in the 2+ years we've been going there, there has only been 1 delay (and it was really, really bad out)  But they make their own calls, so they're not following a school district or anything in terms of if they delay or cancel. 

    My MIL works in a preschool (that's just a preschool); they only run morning hours for class and follow the local school districts calls for cancels and delays, so if there is a 2 hour delay, they just cancel the whole day BUT they make up those days. 

    we're similar and the reason they don't delay or cancel (maybe 1X in 7 years) is b/c its privately run by the Sisters and they live in the building so there's never an issue with getting the roads cleared or the  building open.  Plus there is an assisted living center on campus so they need the roads clear for emergency vehicles.  Rarely is a teacher not there on a snowy day.

    I can't imagine sending to a preschool that runs by the district schedule esp. if you aren't bussing them.  The point of delays is so the kids don't stand outside in the cold (which is not your issue) or to allow the roads to clear for the buses.  But if the great majority of commuters are getting to work (like all of us), their employees should get there too. I don't get the point of a delay for privately run daycare or preschools that are not attached to a school.  They are businesses like any other.   Your local mom and pop doesn't have a 2 hr delay when its cold, right? Especially like today when it was just slush and never dropped down to below freezing.  And then no refund - yea that sucks. 

    Stepping off soapbox!

    photo 332252f4-f278-4d48-99f9-c275d87c3339.jpg
    How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)







  • Right. I mean their employees are there, but so are some of the elementary kids who go there when there's a delay. So, their rationale is that if the preschool kids come it makes the student to teacher ratio too high. Which I get, but then they really ought to refund us for those days b/c not only are they keeping our money when our kids aren't going for the morning, they're also making more money from the elementary kids who are coming for those extra couple of hours in the morning. Seems a bit unethical, right?
  • Oh, and our district also had an inservice day earlier in the month and the policy is the same for those. So we've paid for over a week of preschool classes this month that she didn't receive and the center has made extra money on those days off the elementary parents. The more I think about it the more it really bugs me! I think I'll be shopping around when the time comes for Wes to go!
  • We do daycare/preschool, although I can't ever remember the center being closed or delayed as a result of weather, for the reasons that Sheila mentioned.  (although I confess to wishing it would be sometimes!) 

    I would ask them for further clarification on the weather policy.  Perhaps the school age kids already have the arrangement that they can attend for school/delays closings, so they would take precedence over the pre-school program due to teacher ratios.  They might have a better explanation of the policy if you ask them.

  • Our daycare/preschool has only been closed or delayed if roads are very bad and the city or county is asking people to stay home. Like February 2010 for snowmageddon. In theory, they follow PPS cancellations, but only if it makes sense for driving and not bussing. We didn't get reimbursed for the days they were closed for snowmageddon, but we pay by the month.

    In your situation, I would be annoyed to be losing out in preschool that you are paying for because the local district is delayed. I guess it us nice that the daycare offers that service, but it shouldn't be at the detriment of others.  

    Heather Margaret --- Feb '07 and Todd Eldon --- April '09

    image
  • imageMeghan&Rich:
    Perhaps the school age kids already have the arrangement that they can attend for school/delays closings, so they would take precedence over the pre-school program due to teacher ratios.  They might have a better explanation of the policy if you ask them.

    That's exactly why they do it, and like Amy said, that's nice and all but the preschool parents shouldn't be punished because they provide this service. It causes no issue for me to keep her home when there's a delay, it's just that I don't see why the center should get our money plus the extra money they get from the school kids who are there KWIM?

  • imageMandyMilller:
    Oh, and our district also had an inservice day earlier in the month and the policy is the same for those. So we've paid for over a week of preschool classes this month that she didn't receive and the center has made extra money on those days off the elementary parents. The more I think about it the more it really bugs me! I think I'll be shopping around when the time comes for Wes to go!

    wait they have an inservice day and still charge you?  Ours doesn't give refunds for anything anymore (vacation, sick, etc..) but when they close the center for inservice they don't charge us.  Makes no sense.   I would definitely ask them about it - chance are you are not the only parent that is annoyed. 

    photo 332252f4-f278-4d48-99f9-c275d87c3339.jpg
    How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)







  • imagebride2003:

    imageMandyMilller:
    Oh, and our district also had an inservice day earlier in the month and the policy is the same for those. So we've paid for over a week of preschool classes this month that she didn't receive and the center has made extra money on those days off the elementary parents. The more I think about it the more it really bugs me! I think I'll be shopping around when the time comes for Wes to go!

    wait they have an inservice day and still charge you?  Ours doesn't give refunds for anything anymore (vacation, sick, etc..) but when they close the center for inservice they don't charge us.  Makes no sense.   I would definitely ask them about it - chance are you are not the only parent that is annoyed. 

    Yes, they charge us plus they get the extra income from the school aged kids who are there that day that normally aren't.

  • imageMeghan&Rich:

    We do daycare/preschool, although I can't ever remember the center being closed or delayed as a result of weather, for the reasons that Sheila mentioned.  (although I confess to wishing it would be sometimes!) 

    Ditto. I think ours was delayed once because they were having heating issues.

     
  • imageMandyMilller:
    imagebride2003:

    imageMandyMilller:
    Oh, and our district also had an inservice day earlier in the month and the policy is the same for those. So we've paid for over a week of preschool classes this month that she didn't receive and the center has made extra money on those days off the elementary parents. The more I think about it the more it really bugs me! I think I'll be shopping around when the time comes for Wes to go!

    wait they have an inservice day and still charge you?  Ours doesn't give refunds for anything anymore (vacation, sick, etc..) but when they close the center for inservice they don't charge us.  Makes no sense.   I would definitely ask them about it - chance are you are not the only parent that is annoyed. 

    Yes, they charge us plus they get the extra income from the school aged kids who are there that day that normally aren't.

    I would definitely ask them about it.  Maybe there is a good reason, maybe there isn't - but I'd check for more clarification.  (and if enough parent's speak up, then maybe the would consider reimbursing for these types of missed days.)

  • imageMandyMilller:

    imageMeghan&Rich:
    Perhaps the school age kids already have the arrangement that they can attend for school/delays closings, so they would take precedence over the pre-school program due to teacher ratios.  They might have a better explanation of the policy if you ask them.

    That's exactly why they do it, and like Amy said, that's nice and all but the preschool parents shouldn't be punished because they provide this service. It causes no issue for me to keep her home when there's a delay, it's just that I don't see why the center should get our money plus the extra money they get from the school kids who are there KWIM?

    yeah that seems unfair that school age kids seem to get precedence over preschoolers.

    honestly schools very rarely close or delay around where I live so I don't know what ours does but I would imagine we would have a similar issue but I cannot imagine kicking anyone out.

    ours is daycare with preschool and there are no just preschoolers. So it's a little different. But since we are a half day kindergarten district they kind of shove those kids in with the 4 year old room/preschool room unless the ratio is off then they go out to the school age area. It works ok right now because there aren't many kindergarteners who still use our daycare and they are staggered. But if there was a school closing and all preschoolers were there with all kindergarteners and school age kids there would be too many! I think they'd probably just grab the assistant director and make her work a room. But in all the years we've been there this is the only year it would be an issue and like I said its such a rarity anyways.

    Id be annoyed in your situation though and would at least discuss with the director. 

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
  • They're in the process of switching owners, so it may be a good time to flag it. Since it seems like what they're doing is not the norm, the new owner may want to reconsider the policy if she wants to keep her program competitive!
  • It's not really unfair that school aged kids take precedence over preschoolers, though.  You can't leave your 5 or 6 year old home alone to catch the bus if there's a delay.  Some employers don't care what your home situation is, you can't be late/take the day off.  So what do you do?  It's good that daycares offer this kind of care on a "just in case" basis.  I mean, it sucks that you have to pay for days that you don't attend.  (But such is the way of paying for school...I pay if my kid isn't there - whether it's by my choice, or a holiday or a closing).   And this month was kind of an anomaly in that there usually aren't this many closings/delays in such a short period of time.   I guess I just don't think that this daycare is doing anything wrong - it is stated in their policies that this is how it works.  And I'm glad these services are available for those of us who work and have to send our kids to elementary school because it is a whole new animal from just dropping off/picking up at a daycare.   

  • I agree, Amber, I totally think it's a great service to provide! I just don't see why they can't refund the preschoolers for the cancelled classes. It's not like the daycare would lose money because theoretically they'd be getting the income from the extra hours the school kids are there. I know that when you pay for school you don't get refunded for inservice days, but the way I see it the school also isn't double billing the way ours is b/c nobody is there on those days.
  • Adam goes to a Catholic School for preschool.  They so far have delayed along with" All their districts"  we have gotten automated phonecalls saying that "we will be having a 2 hr delay. All our districts are having delays"

    Today they didn't call until this morning, but I did google before that and it was on KDKA.

    They still go a short day. instead of 8:30-11 they got 10-11:30

    Married, September 23, 2006

     Lilypie - (mSKC)

    Lilypie - (uxBQ) 
     
  • We just switched Faith to Penn Pals on paintertown road! And the policy there is if there is a school delay, she gets a preschool school delay! So it works out for us a little better, she will get used to half day school delays next year ?? but I used to hate how the old school ran similar to yours does and no refunds... I shopped around due an "incident" that was unnecessary that happened at her old school(seton hill Irwin!) don't sent Wes there! If you'd like the details feel free to message me, I don't want All the trash on here
    Kristen&Randy Married:6/30/2007 Had Faith 6/17/2008 Robbie 10/12/2011 image photos by Oh What Love Photography and Design imageDaisypath Anniversary tickers Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards