FAQs
Day Early Learning classrooms are focused on guiding growth and development in a child-centered environment. We encourage play while providing robust experiences that foster curiosity, bring out self-expression, build collaboration and flexible thinking skills. We select curricula and tools that support our approach to teaching and learning and are aligned with Indiana’s Early Learning Foundations.
Day Early Learning uses The Creative Curriculum, Project Lead the Way and Getting on Track.
Educators plan classroom experiences that target each child’s learning needs using their understanding of growth and development as well as the curriculum resources.
Below is a sample of what a typical day looks like in our centers. Each child’s daily routine will be posted in their classroom. Infant classrooms follow the individualized schedules of each child.
7:00: Arrival / Choice of Learning Center
7:30: Breakfast
8:00: Morning welcome / Focused Daily Activities
9:30: AM Snack
9:45: Outdoor / Large Muscle Play
10:15: Read Aloud
10:35: Choice of Learning Center / Focused Daily Activities
11:30: Lunch
12:30: Rest Time
2:30: PM Snack
3:00: Outdoor / Large Muscle Play
3:30: Choice of Learning Center
5:00: Transition to home
We hope to create a welcoming environment for you and your family to be engaged in your child’s early learning journey. Our doors are always open. Feel free to visit the center to have lunch with your child or volunteer your time and participate in special programs and activities. As your child’s first and most important teacher, your participation is a valuable addition to your child’s success.
Our children are required to spend at least 60 minutes outside playing each day, 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. If the weather is poor (raining or snowing excessively, below 24 degrees with wind chill or above 90 degrees with heat index) they will have physical activity indoors.
To ensure that each child receives individual attention, and in accordance with Indiana licensing requirements, Day Early Learning’s teacher-to-child ratios are as follows:
| Age | Ratio |
| Infant (0-12 months) | 1 teacher to 4 children, Max of 8 children per class |
| Toddler (1 -2 years) | 1 teacher to 5 children, Max of 10 children per class |
| 3 years | 1 teacher to 10 children, Max of 20 children per class |
| 4 years | 1 teacher to 12 children, Max of 24 children per class |
Consistency is important for young children. Each child will be with the same teacher and peers for the majority of each day. Sometimes classrooms are combined for short periods of time, early in the morning and late in the afternoon but ratio requirements are maintained.
At Day Early Learning each team member is carefully chosen and has to meet the following requirements:
Background
Day Early Learning carefully reviews each candidate’s qualifications and background. A national and state criminal history as well as a child protection services background check is completed on each potential staff member.
Training, Education and Experience
Day Early Learning classroom team members have specialized training in child development. All center team members participate in learning opportunities to grow their practice and deepen their skills. Each individual receives ongoing support toward achieving their professional goals. A minimum of 20 hours of training is required annually.
Team members are trained in Universal Precautions, First-Aid and CPR and must keep up with regular re-certifications.
Day Early Learning centers use a positive approach that helps children navigate peer interactions and their own emotion regulation. Physical punishment of any type is prohibited. Educators support children with words and actions to equip them with skills necessary to generate solutions and resolve conflicts. Day Early Learning team members use redirection, make environmental changes, model apprioriate behavior and offer one-to-one support that helps a child develop skills they need to successfully engage in the classroom.
Should a child experience the continual need for behavior support, Day Early Learning calls upon the child’s family to assist. The School Leader will schedule a family conference and create a plan to best support the child’s development.
Day Early Learning strives to maintain a safe environment for all children and team members.
The potty training schedule is determined by each child’s developmental level, and generally is introduced in the 2-year-old room. Teachers work with parents to establish a plan for consistency in training at school and at home.
Yes! We serve a nutritious breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack each day. Our balanced meals are designed to include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while limiting the amount of sugars and processed foods. Our menus are approved by a certified nutritionist and meet the Gold Standard from the United States Department of Agriculture for Child Nutrition Programs. Additionally, our culinary staff are Serv-Safe certified to ensure food safety.
If your child has specific dietary needs or restrictions, we will work with you to create a healthy meal plan for your child. Please provide the center director with a signed note from your physician (for health-related dietary restrictions) or a note from you (for religious dietary restrictions) so that appropriate arrangements may be made to accommodate your child.
Both licensing and the Federal Food Program require our children to be served meals and snacks that are prepared in our kitchen or catered by a licensed vendor. Day Early Learning cannot serve sack lunches or food items brought in by parents.
If you wish to bring in special snacks or treats on your child’s birthday, you may do so as long as the food is purchased from a store. Products containing nuts are not permitted.
At Day Early Learning, we support both breastfed and formula-fed babies. We follow you and your physician’s wishes when it comes to your baby’s individual nutrition needs. We provide infant formula and baby food and encourage breastfeeding moms to come in to nurse as often as they wish or provide pumped breast milk.
If your child has any of the following symptoms, you will need to wait 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided, without the aid of medication, before returning to the center:
- A fever above 101 degrees taken orally, 102 degrees taken rectally or 100 degrees taken axillary (armpit)
- Diarrhea, vomiting or rash of unknown origin
- Cold or other illness causing breathing difficulties or other symptoms that prevent the child from participating comfortably in activities
- Positive reaction to tuberculin skin test
- Ringworm
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Your regular weekly fee is due even if your child is absent due to illness or other cause.
Please make it a routine to arrive on time every day. To get the full benefit of Day Early Learning’s program, children should arrive by 9:00 a.m. If you are going to be late or absent, you must notify the center by 9:30 a.m. Your regular weekly fee is due even if your child is absent due to illness, other cause or if a holiday falls that week.
Families can take two weeks of vacation time at 50% of cost each year. To qualify, you must have attended a center for at least three months, leave must consist of five consecutive business days, and you must give advance notice to the center.
Indiana State Board of Health regulations require Day Early Learning to keep up-to-date immunization records on all children enrolled. Please help Day Early Learning stay in compliance by supplying these records after every well-child visit.
Day Early Learning strives to serve our working families. All Day Early Learning centers are closed in observance of the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- President’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day (except IU Health Day Early Learning)
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day and Friday After
- Christmas Day
*Our Day Early Learning State Government, Federal Building, Fort Harrison and Eastern Star Church, Patty Jischke and Purdue University centers observe additional holidays.
As an essential service to working parents, Day Early Learning centers will generally not close for severe weather. In the event of an emergency closing, the center administrator will attempt to contact all parents via phone and email. The most up-to-date closing information can be found on the Day Early Learning social media pages.
We do not refund for emergency closings. If there is a issue with one of our facilities and we must close, we will help place your child in another Day Early Learning center, space permitting.
Weekly fees are due the Friday before each school week. A late charge will be applied if the fee isn’t paid by end of day on Tuesday of the week being covered.