FAQs
Answers to most commonly asked questions.
Is your daycare center licensed by the state?
Yes, Our Children’s Academy is a NJ State Licensed childcare center. At Our Children’s Academy, we follow all policies and regulations mandated by the New Jersey Department of Family Services.
What experience do the staff members caring for my child have? What training does the staff member caring for my child have?
Our Children’s Academy prides itself on hiring experienced staff members, many of whom who also hold degrees in the field of education. This combination will provide your child with not only a caring teacher but a well-equipped teacher. All staff members are mandated to be CPR/FIRST AID trained.
What class will my child be assigned to, and are assignments made by age or by developmental level?
While our youngest babies start in the infant room, older children will be assigned based on a combination of age and the developmental stage at the time of entry. This is done by speaking with the parents and sharing as much information as possible before placement is made. Children move up to next classes based on the same carefully-considered criteria. We look for a balance where a child will be in a situation challenging enough to help them learn and develop to next steps, but when they show themselves to be clearly comfortable and ready to do so. Learn more about our class levels here.
Can I tour Our Children’s Academy?
Appointments are welcome and encouraged for prospective parents. We are flexible and do our best to accommodate a tour appointment at your convenience.
Do the children get outdoor play time?
Yes, weather permitting and with parent approval, the children are taken outside to enjoy the gated play yard located at the back of our building.
What are your hours?
Our Children’s Academy operates from 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m. (Monday – Friday).
Are there options in how many days a week I bring my child in, and what hours?
We provide care for 5 days a week from 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m., and can mix and match times and days, for a consistent schedule, to meet your needs. The registration packet that you will receive when you tour or come to enroll your child illustrates the ways in which we can do this.
Do I need to provide food for my child?
For our infant and baby rooms, parents bring whatever formula, breast milk, and/or solid foods are needed for a day. For the older classrooms, starting at 18 months, Our Children’s Academy provides a healthy and varied breakfast, lunch, and two snacks for the children.
Is there a nap schedule in the classroom?
For our infant and baby rooms, parents are encouraged to share their home schedules with our caretakers. For the older babies and older children, we find that a group schedule works best, and that children tend to sleep better when all at the same time. In all classrooms, the lights are dimmed and calm music is playing at scheduled times.
What if I want to come in to chat with directors or view my child on the video monitor?
We have an open office at Our Children’s Academy, where parents are free to come in at any time 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m. without an appointment to view their child on the video screen and/or ask about their progress. Appointments can be made with directors or teachers for further discussion, and we now offer parent/teacher conferences throughout the year, as well.
Is your school a peanut free facility?
Yes, we do not allow any kind of food containing any nuts or peanuts at Our Children’s Academy. We encourage parents to communicate with our teachers and staff about their child’s particular food needs so we can work together for health and safety.
What is your holiday schedule?
We are open most of the year and closed on the following holidays:
New Year's Eve - New Year’s Day - Martin Luther King - Presidents Day - Good Friday - Memorial Day - Independence Day - Labor Day - Columbus Day - Veterans Day - Thanksgiving Day - Day after Thanksgiving - Christmas Day - Day after Christmas
What is your snow and emergency-closing policy?
We make every effort to stay open when possible, and generally follow the openings/closings/delays of the town of Edgewater’s school system. In case of emergency closings, parents will be notified as soon as possible.
How many children do you serve, and what are their ages?
We serve 136 children from various backgrounds and from many different nationalities. Children can be enrolled as early as 6 weeks and up to 5 years of age. We also offer a comprehensive pre-school program that prepares children for Kindergarten.
What happens if I need to bring my child early or pick him up late?
Our broad operating hours allow parents to drop off their children as early as 8:00a.m. and pick-up as late as 6:00p.m. from Monday through Friday. We have no coverage outside of that time frame.
Do you ever take children on outings off-site?
During the summer months, we offer local field trips to children’s museums, parks, and other outdoor activities. Parent volunteers are always welcome to participate.
How many providers actively care for the infants in care?
We strive to go above and beyond state requirements of 4:1, and we will staff our infant room at a 3:1 ratio whenever possible.
What is the training of the center director and staff in early childhood development, first aid, infant CPR and choking?
All staff members, including office personnel, are certified in Infant CPR and First Aid. The director organizes staff training and development sessions throughout the year in order to keep teachers up-to-date on the latest teaching trends. We follow the NJ State Requirement of at least 20 development hours per head teacher and 10 hours for Assistants per year.
How is the center kept clean?
Teachers and Assistants are responsible for cleaning and sanitizing the classrooms throughout the day, particularly after meals and snacks. We then have a professional cleaning crew that deep cleans each and every classroom 5 days per week during afterhours.
How often are fire drills held?
Fire drills are held at least once a month.