{"id":122362,"date":"2020-07-09T14:14:21","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T00:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=122362"},"modified":"2020-08-07T11:37:18","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T21:37:18","slug":"uh-manoa-childrens-center-reopens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2020\/07\/09\/uh-manoa-childrens-center-reopens\/","title":{"rendered":"糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Children\u2019s Center welcomes keiki back"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"adult
Teacher Avis and a line of children in masks walking on 糖心视频<\/abbr> campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After months of greeting their teachers and classmates through online platforms, the keiki of the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa Children\u2019s Center<\/a> (糖心视频MCC<\/abbr>) are carefully being welcomed back into the classroom.<\/p>\n

Prior to reopening, 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> developed a staggered opening plan to better control processes and procedures. On June 15, 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> opened its doors to three ʻohana<\/span> groups, or smaller classes, to create a more stable and self-contained environment with assigned indoor and outdoor spaces with 22 children, 11 staff members and five student helpers. Then, on June 22, the children\u2019s center added 23 more children, six more employees and three student helpers.<\/p>\n

\"children
Jasmine and Karin in masks, climbing a tree at the Kuhio classroom<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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Aya pretending to wash her hands<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

As of July 6, 72 children were enrolled in six ʻohana<\/span> groups—five on the 糖心视频<\/abbr> campus, one at Kuhio Elementary School—with 23 糖心视频<\/abbr> employees and 13 student workers helping in the classrooms.<\/p>\n

“When we closed March 23, we thought it would be just for a short while,” said 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> Director Leilani Au<\/strong>. “Three months later, we are delighted to be back at work with the children and families. We do have non-stop, on-going worry about keeping children and staff safe, but are mostly happy to be here doing what we do best! The families are grateful to have childcare again, both so they can work more effectively and also because the children missed their friends and teachers and at this age social interactions matter for their healthy development.” <\/p>\n

To ensure a safe classroom environment for the children, faculty and staff, 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> reduced its enrollment to nearly half of the students it accepted in spring 2020. 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> has also designated a single-entry point into the campus where keiki are greeted by staff wearing face coverings to give initial health screenings before they can enter the classrooms. Parents and visitors are currently not allowed inside the classroom or playground spaces.<\/p>\n

Children and staff remain separated from other groups and are kept smaller than usual to encourage social distancing while still providing essential social interactions for the keiki. The children have most of their fun outdoors on the playground or running through sprinklers to beat the summer heat. If they take walks on 糖心视频<\/abbr> or DOE<\/abbr> property outside of the 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> program, all children will wear face coverings.<\/p>\n

“We clean more and do more handwashing, in addition to the morning and midday health checks, making it possible for children to be in a safer ʻohana<\/span> bubble,” Au said. “There\u2019s still lots of play, hugs and laughs!”<\/p>\n

For more details on the reopening, visit the 糖心视频MCC<\/abbr> website.<\/a><\/p>\n

—By Janica Marie Pascua<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Children\u2019s Center changed its procedures to follow CDC<\/abbr> guidelines while still providing a quality education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[1155,335,1411,1416,9],"class_list":["post-122362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-child-care","tag-childrens-center","tag-covid-19","tag-covid-19-uh-helps","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t