Who licenses us, and how we look after the yard and the trail

License

Adults to children

• 1:101 adult to 10 children

  3-year-olds

  Group size: 20

• 1:101 adult to 10 children

  4-year-olds

  Group size: 20

Staff checks and training

• Background checks
• CPR and first aid
• Mandated reporter training
• Food handler training

Safety routines

• Outdoor time

  Children are outdoors every morning for a long stretch, and again in the afternoon on school days. The length depends on the temperature, the wind and the ground, and teachers decide before the morning begins.

• Dressing for the weather

  Teachers check every child's layers at the door before going out, and a basket of spare mittens, hats, socks and rain pants waits by the coat room.

• Headcounts and walks

  Two adults go out with every group. We count heads when we leave, at each stop and when we come back, and our walks stay on the path above the shore, away from the water's edge.

• The yard

  The yard is fenced, and a teacher walks it before children go out to check the ground and the play structures. Mud, snow and puddles are part of the day; ice and standing water are not.

• Sun and water

  On warm days children play in the shade, wear hats and drink water through the morning. Families put sunscreen on at home, and we reapply it with your written permission.

• Arrival and pickup

  A teacher greets every child at the door. At pickup a child goes only with the people on your list, and we ask to see ID until we know you.

• When a child is ill

  A child with a fever or a contagious illness stays home. If a child becomes ill at school, we call you right away and a teacher stays close until you arrive.

• Allergies and snacks

  Tell us about allergies at the tour, and we ask for the details privately once you enroll. We ask families not to send nuts.