FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Birthday Fun!

1. What are your Hours of operation?
   We are open from 7am to 6pm and you are welcome to choose a drop off or pick up time within these hours; although we do not allow drop offs between 11am to 2pm as this starts our lunch and nap times.
2. Are meals provided?
   We provide breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. This cost is included in your tuition. All the meals are catered in by Kids Kupboard and are designed to meet the Child and Adult Care Food Program federal requirements for a balanced meal. A menu schedule is provided for you each week on the Parent Information Board in the front office.
3. Do you have scheduled nap times??
   All children from toddler age to 5 years old have one scheduled nap time per day. We provide cots/mats, sheets, and blankets for each child. If your child would like, they are welcome to bring a small blanket and/or stuffy for rest time with their name clearly marked on it. Blankets should be taken home weekly to be washed. Rest time is a requirement of the state regulations, but as long as children do not disturb the other children, they are not required to fall asleep.
   Our Wobbler room is more on demand as we try to accommodate each infant’s individual needs and schedule. Infants take as many naps as they need throughout the day, but as they get older they will transition on to our center rest schedule.
4. Will my child go on field trips outside the facility?
   We do not currently offer any field trips at this time, but we do have community visitors come to give presentations from time to time.
5. Is there an education curriculum?
   We follow a program called Funshine and start our educational journey as young as our Wobbler classroom beginning with simple shapes and colors. The program progressively becomes more detailed as the children get older with advancement to numbers and letters. In our preschool programs, we build on the foundation we’ve laid in our toddler classroom by adding a more advanced curriculum to ready our students to continue their educational journey in kindergarten.
6. Do you offer transportation?  If so, from what schools or locations?
   We do not offer transportation but we do have bussing available for certain schools where a teacher will be there waiting for them to get on and off the bus including Meadow Lakes Elementary and American Charter Academy before and after school as well as Big Lake Elementary and Knik-Goosebay Elementary after school only. We have Special Education bussing available upon request, please talk to the front office for further information.

Environment

1. What activities will be available for my child?
   We believe that children learn best through play however there are parts of the day that activities are teacher-lead, for example, circle time, story time and art time. Each room is set up in age appropriate learning centers that vary as the year progresses. Some examples could include dramatic play including a kitchen area, blocks, and a comfy reading area.
2. Do you have an outdoor playground?
   Each of our classrooms have a playground directly connected to them with age appropriate toys including slides, jungle gyms/climbers, and other outdoor toys. Always send outdoor wear, taking into account Alaska’s unpredictable weather. We go outside daily, unless the weather is too severe (extreme wind, heavy rain, or dust/smoke suspension, etc). Due to ratio requirements, we do not always have enough staff to provide care for those who have requested to stay indoors. If your child is too ill to go outside, then they are too ill to be at the facility.
3. Are there personal cribs for each infant?
   We do have cribs available for each child up to one (1) year of age. Each crib has a laminated placard with the child’s name on it as well as developmental milestones such as if they can roll or not.
4. Are there separate rooms for each age group?
   Yes, we have different classrooms for different age groups:
   Wobblers (0-19months), Toddlers (19-36months), Preschool/Pre K (3-5 years), and School Age (5-12years).
   Placements may vary based on developmental readiness and space available.
5. Do you help with potty training?
   We are very willing to assist your child with the important toilet training milestone. We do ask that when you feel that your child is ready for this big step, you keep us informed of your preferred techniques and that you remain consistent in your efforts. We will be glad to share our tips, tricks, and successes with you. Due to health concerns, we must insist that your child wear suitable undergarments until he/she is completely toilet trained. Again, we do not supply diapers/pull-ups for children.

Communication

1. Can I visit the facility without an appointment?
   Absolutely, we have an open door policy. We welcome current and prospective parents to our center at any time. Please be courteous when you choose to visit as we try not to disrupt lunch or nap times. Please call ahead for the best tour experience.
2. Is there communication about what my child did during the day?
   When you enroll with us, you will be invited to download an app called Procare. This is where you will have direct access to communicate with your child’s teacher or office staff as well as an overview of your child’s day in mostly real time. We do want to remind you that our main goal is to be here for the children, so it is likely that you will see what we call “data dumps” when the teachers have a moment to safely input data as the children are engaged in safe play.

Safety and Illness

1. Is there a safety plan in place in case of an emergency?
   Each room has a layout of the building that shows where you are and how to get out in case of a fire. We practice these drills at least once a month with the children.
2. What is your sick policy?
   Our sick policy is written with the best interest of all children in mind, if your child is sick, please do not send them to the Center. Children who become ill at the Center will be isolated, given adult supervision and comfort, and the parents or emergency contact will be called to come and pick up the child.

Children will be excluded from the program and sent home:

• When a child has a temperature of 100.5 degrees or greater. The child must be fever free, without the aid of medicine, for 24 hours before returning to the Center.
• When a child has an extremely runny nose, constant coughing, sore throat, difficulty breathing, or red and watery eyes.
• When a child is vomiting or has diarrhea.
• When the child has a rash or skin eruptions that look like a contagious disease.

Children must be completely fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of medication before returning to school. A doctor’s note will NOT supersede our 24 hour fever free policy. If a child is sent home with a fever, no matter what time of day, they will need to stay home the following day.

3. What is your policy for handling falls or incidents?
   Staff members may apply simple first aid in class for minor injuries such as cuts, abrasions, bruises and insect bites. If any of these occur and first aid is administered, an Incident Report will be completed in their Procare profile. This report will state the nature of the injury, the cause and the treatment. A hard copy will be printed so that it can be signed by the teacher who completed the report, a member of admin, and the family. This hard copy will be kept on file at the center. If an accident is caused by or involves another child, the other child’s name will not be given out and will not appear on the report. Families will be notified immediately if a child receives any injury other than a minor one.
4. Are immunizations required?
   As a licensed canter in the State of Alaska, we must follow their required immunization schedule. If a parent chooses not to have their child immunized, they must have the immunization release form signed and dated by the child’s physician or public notary.
5. How do you discipline the children?
   When a child “makes a bad choice,” we first try to redirect the child to a different activity. If the child continues the behavior after redirection and distraction, we will have the child sit to take a break. The child may only sit for 1 minute per completed year of their age (for example, a three year old receives 3 minutes).
6. Are there restrictions on who may pick up my child?
   We ask that parents list individuals other than themselves who are able to pick up their child on our registration form. If you know in advance that you are unable to pick up your child and will be sending someone else, we ask that you send a written notification of who will pick up your child and on what day. If an emergency occurs, please call the center to let them know who will be picking up your child. In either case, we do require that they be at least 16 years of age with a valid picture I.D. for the person to pick up your child.

Staff Training and Facility Licensing

1. Are you licensed?
   Yes, Bright Minds is a State of Alaska licensed daycare facility.
2. How long has your facility been providing care?
   We opened our facility in February of 2013.
3. What is the caregiver to child ratio?
   Each age group has a specific ratio we follow that meets State of Alaska regulations for a licensed childcare facility

4. Does your staff have training in early childhood development?
   We follow the State of Alaska requirements of at least 24 hours of early childhood training for each of our teachers each year. If the teacher is working with infants and toddlers, they will be required to maintain a yearly SIDS course.
5. Are teachers trained in first aid and CPR?
   All of our staff are required to maintain their First Aid and CPR training which they must renew every two years.
6. Are background checks completed on staff members?
   The State of Alaska background check policy protects your child by requiring licensed daycare centers, such as Bright Minds Learning Center, to perform a background check through the state on all employees.

Registration and Fees

1. How do I register my child?
   Once you have decided to join our Bright Minds community, you need to complete our online enrollment application, bring a copy of parent I.D.(s), your child’s birth certificate, their shot records, fill out our yellow Emergency card, and submit a registration fee of $100 per child. Parents are encouraged to visit the facility together with their child before enrollment.  Infants will be accepted on a limited, space-available basis to best meet your child’s individual needs. Special needs children will be accepted if we can adequately provide for their care. Please meet with the administrator to discuss the strengths and limitations of your child so we can determine if Bright Minds will be an appropriate facility for your child.
2. I am pregnant. How do I reserve a space for my infant?
   If you are new to our Bright Minds family, call us to inquire about availability for your expected due date. If we have availability for your date, be sure to fill out your child’s online enrollment application and drop off the registration fee. If we do not have any availabilities for your date, you may choose to be placed on a waiting list and called as soon as openings become available. To be confirmed on our waitlist, please be sure to submit your waitlist application with the corresponding fees and applicable documentation.
3. What are your daycare fees?
   Our fees include an annual registration fee of $100 per child and individual tuition for each child. Diapers and baby wipes are to be supplied by the parents. There is a $1 per diaper charge and a $7 per pack if Bright Minds has to provide any diapers or wipes.
   Absences will not be pro-rated for monthly payment agreements.
   NSF checks have a $25.00 fee.

We can provide basic information on available childcare assistance programs and welcome parents receiving assistance. However, parents must be aware that they are responsible for any charges not covered by their assistance program. Parents must also assume the full responsibility for maintaining their current contract.

AFTER HOUR RATES Our rates are valid for a ten-hour schedule. After 10 hours, there is an extra charge of $10 per hour, per child! After closing time there will be a $1 per child, per minute late charge. All charges for times will be based on the clock located in the front reception area only. Late charges will be due when you pick your child up. We understand that certain circumstances may arise which cause a parent to be late. Such circumstances will be taken into consideration when the administrator does billing.

NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING OR ON THE PREMISES.

LEGAL FACTORS
Liability insurance is carried by our facility. We will not deny services on account of “sexual orientation, gender,  physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, race, religion, color, or nation origin.” Any suspected child abuse is required to be reported to: The Office of Children’s Services (OCS), Wasilla, Alaska 99654 ; (907) 357-9797.  Statewide hotline for abuse is 1-800-478-4444. If you have any concerns or complaints, we would appreciate it if you would first speak with the Administrator.  We will do our best to solve any conflict.  You may choose, of course, to report directly to the OCS, which will investigate all complaints. All information regarding a child or his family will be treated confidentially except as required by facility staff to work with the child or by licensing representatives, and child protective services.

To learn more about our Bright Minds Learning Center programs, please visit our Contact Us page, or call (907) 357-2600 TODAY!