Communication from POP PReschool

Helping Children Cope with Changes Resulting from COVID-19

 

It’s very important to remember that children look to us as adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Acknowledging some level of concern, without panicking, is an appropriate way to respond to the children in your class.   Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. This is also a tremendous opportunity for adults to model for children: problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through adjusting daily schedules, balancing work and other activities, processing new information from authorities, and connecting and supporting friends and family members in new ways.

        

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May 14, 2020

 

Dear Prince of Peace Preschool Community,

 

I pray this email finds you and your families well. I want to thank those of you who have reached out to offer encouragement and prayers, not only to our staff, but to me. We are navigating challenging times and your thoughtfulness means more than you know. Your support has helped to fuel us on difficult days as we focus on our goal of reopening the preschool and coming back together as a school community.

 

I am overjoyed to be able to share that Prince of Peace Preschool plans to open for summer camp on June 1, 2020! I hear from parents every day about how much their children (and PARENTS lol) miss Prince of Peace Preschool. We all miss you too!! While this is a joyous announcement, I want to assure everyone that we will be taking precautions to open as safely and responsibly as possible. To this end, please find a list of new safety policies including new check-in procedures, enhanced cleaning protocols, classroom ratios and much more. This document has been created using the latest information and recommendations from the CDC and AZDHS. We will be revising it as new information becomes available.

 

Click here to read our COVID-19 Safety Procedures

  

Our reopening will include all POPIT children and children enrolled in week 1 of summer camp. We will be bringing our staff back prior to reopening to prepare our classrooms and campus for our summer camp kick off! While we know summer camp will look a little different this year than in years prior, we are excited to provide your families with the loving and quality experiences you have come to expect from Prince of Peace Preschool

 

Changes to summer camp schedules or enrollment may be made through May 15. On May 16, we will process tuition billing for all those enrolled in summer camp for the month of June. If you know of friends or neighbors who are looking for an amazing experience for their children this summer, please refer them to us.

 

Thank you again for being a valuable part of the Prince of Peace Preschool Community. We look forward to serving you and your children this summer and for years to come.

 

Peace and joy,

 

Nicole Hilden, Preschool Director



April 15, 2020


Dear Prince of Peace Families: 


I pray you and your children and healthy and in good spirits. I wanted to inform you that I have finished meeting with our preschool teaching staff and in that meeting shared some difficult news. Our Prince of Peace leadership team has made the very difficult yet necessary decision to furlough our teaching staff effective tomorrow, April 16, 2020 due to diminished cash flow during the shutdown. This decision was made after exhausting all options and possibilities to retain and pay our incredible teachers for as long as possible. Due to your support and generosity, we were able to pay our staff for a full month after our closure in response to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity and love.


Above all, I ask that you pray for our teachers, school and POP families during this time. We are pursuing all avenues for funding including EIDC loans, a PPP loan and multiple grant options to reopen and bring our staff back as quickly as it is safe and responsible to do so. We have our sights optimistically on a June 1st reopen date and our administrative staff continue to work toward that goal.


I have long said that our TEACHERS are the heart and soul of our school. They make Prince of Peace a beacon of love and warmth in our community. I value every staff member, and I will work to ensure that they are ready to return to doing with they love.


The days ahead will offer more answers to the questions we all have right now. Please know that I will keep in touch with all of you through this and I will send updates as they are available.


For families awaiting refunds for April tuition, please note that we are processing these as we have the funds available and no refunds will be processed until May at the earliest.


Thank you for your continued love and support of Prince of Peace Preschool. I pray for the day when our community is whole again.


Peace, 


Nicole Hilden

Preschool Director


Dear Prince of Peace Preschool Families:
March 27, 2020

We pray you and your family are well and in good spirits during this time of uncertainty created by COVID-19. First off, thank you for your outpouring of care and concern for our preschool. It is during times like this that the Prince of Peace Preschool community truly shines. Like many businesses and families, we are evaluating conditions daily. We know that some of our families have been forced to find childcare elsewhere. We know others are deeply concerned for the future of the preschool and the preschool staff.

While we had hoped to reopen our doors on March 30, this is no longer feasible. Our most important mandate is the health and welfare of our community. We want to do our part to “flatten the curve” so that we get back to normal operations as soon as possible. We do not have a firm date for reopening the preschool at this time although we are hopeful that we can reopen sometime soon. We will continue to seek the advice of the CDC, The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Health Department moving forward. When we reopen, we plan to do so with the energy, enthusiasm and excellence that you have come to expect from Prince of Peace Preschool.

We are now at a critical juncture and we need your help. We have made the decision to continue to pay our preschool staff for as long as we are able during this unforeseen closure. However, because we are a non-profit, we have limited cash flow for an emergency such as this. Many of you have already indicated your desire to donate all or part of your pre-paid tuition to help pay our preschool staff during this time. This means so much to us and our hearts are warmed at your generosity. We invite you to help us determine how much farther we can go. We appreciate your consideration of the uses of your pre-paid tuition in the form below.

If you are able, donations can be made above and beyond your pre-paid tuition. Please visit https://www.popphoenix.org/contact-pop/online-giving to give online or contact me (nicole@popphoenix.org).

For those who choose to donate, your pre-paid tuition donations will be utilized to support our preschool staff. Your gifts are tax-deductible (please check with your tax professional). In short, we will go as far as you take us in our goal to honor and protect our preschool staff. We cannot guarantee our preschool staff will be paid their full salaries or for how long. Your generosity will have a major impact on these questions. Since time is of the essence, please respond by Sunday, March 29.

In addition, we are researching all available options for relief, including the federal stimulus package passed by Congress and hope to have answers soon.

We understand that times are tough for so many families and that you may not be in a position to donate pre-paid tuition payments. Please know that we are praying daily for each of our families during this time. We also invite you to pray for us that we will continue to be a force of good in our community for years to come.

Please remember, that April tuition was charged on March 1, and March tuition was charged on February 1. May tuition will NOT be charged on April 1 as scheduled.

Health and peace,

Nicole Hilden and the Prince of Peace Leadership Team





March 13, 2020

Dear Prince of Peace Preschool parents,


We have heard the questions surrounding whether we will be closing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The short answer is: Not at this time.


While we have heard that some valley schools are closing as a precaution, we have made the decision to stay open, and continue to monitor and respond as necessary. We are in direct contact with state agencies to stay abreast of any developments, and families will be notified via email swiftly with any updates. We are placing the health and safety of our children, families and staff as our highest priority.


Prince of Peace Preschool's COVID-19 Precautionary Procedures:

Our Church and Preschool leadership teams have been in regular contact with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and other state agencies gathering information on the virus, and we are developing contingency plans.


We have been and continue to:

  • Review and reiterate the critical importance of diligent hand washing amongst staff and our children.
  • Wipe down check-in areas and surfaces in preschool office
  • Vigilantly wipe down classroom surface areas and disinfecting toys and classroom materials.
  • Order additional soap, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues and paper towels
  • Provide hand sanitizer in the front office and in each classroom.
  • Exclude for fever of 100.0 or higher. All children and staff with a fever of 100.0 or higher will be sent home and required to remain home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication.
  • Disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door handles, gates, and other hard and metal surfaces throughout the day. In addition, each classroom has been professionally deep cleaned with a microbial deep penetrating disinfectant over Spring Break.

Facts on the COVID-19


The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • People most likely to have a severe case or complications from the virus are people over the age of 60, and those with other medical conditions like heart and lung disease and diabetes
  • The virus spreads in the same ways as the common cold or flu

The best way to prevent the illness is to practice good hygiene measures like:

  • Effective hand washing frequently
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Cover coughs/sneezes with elbows
  • Clean/disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

As we know information about this virus as well as community responses are every changing, please look to your email for any new updates. As always, please contact me directly with any additional questions or concerns. Our top priority is our children, families and staff. We want you to know that we are working diligently to be the most prepared, most compassionate and most effective we can be in this, and any situation.


Blessings always,

Nicole Hilden