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Please select one of the following topics:
Education
Enrichment
Staff
Accreditation
Medication Administration
About Education
Q. What is the difference between a daycare center and a preschool program?
A. The terms daycare, child care, preschool and kindergarten readiness are freely interchanged, and can be confusing.
By definition, a licensed day care center provides child care services for more than 3 hours per day, and is regulated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Unfortunately, that definition does little to help parents understand if a program provides an educational program and/or will prepare their child for kindergarten.
A high-quality child care and preschool program will provide your family with consistent, reliable child care and will employ qualified staff to implement a structured curriculum in a spotless, secure facility. You can evaluate an educational program by asking to see lesson plans, observing classroom activities, and interviewing program staff. Please refer to our Choosing Child Care section for additional information on evaluating your child care choice.
Q. Is the Doodle Bugs! program structured, and does it offer flexibility and play time?
A. Doodle Bugs! understands that each child learns and develops at his own unique pace, and has designed our program to meet those unique needs. Our professionally designed, structured curriculum provides our teachers with the means to lead your children in purposeful, high-interest learning experiences... but is inherently flexible. Teachers adapt specific materials, activities and schedules in response to the children’s changing needs and interests.
For example, our curriculum (which is play-based) may be focused on the winter season. You’ll find “snow” sculptures in the sensory bin, weather experiments at the sensory table, and Internet searches for hibernating animals at the computer center. Based on the children’s interactions with these theme-related items, the teacher will implement additional winter stories and “w” games for building literacy skills, a snowball counting contest for emerging math skills, a marshmallow taste-test to enhance language development, and animal relay races for the growing physical abilities. It may look like “play time” at first glance, but with a careful balance of small group activity and large group interaction, our classroom provides the ideal learning environment for the diverse group of little learners.
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About Enrichment
Q. I’ve noticed that dance, martial arts, and other enrichment programs are being offered in other local child care programs. What’s different about Doodle Bugs! enrichment programs?
A. Our enrichment programs – which debuted in September 2001, after two full years of research and planning – have proven to be extremely beneficial to the children enrolled at our centers. In fact, these programs are so successful that our competitors also have begun to implement enrichment programming. We’re flattered that other centers have recognized our commitment to excellence, and are proud to have our groundbreaking programs serve as a model for others!
Doodle Bugs! unique curriculum integrates traditional teaching methods with state-of-the-art technology and enrichment activities, such as Tae Kwon Do, Spanish classes, computer instruction, and Doodle Dance. Our computer instruction program remains decidedly unique – only Doodle Bugs! centers provide a separate, state-of-the-art computer lab, and a highly qualified Computer Instructor!
Q. Is computer use appropriate for preschoolers?
A. Absolutely – research shows that preschoolers (3, 4, and 5 year olds) benefit from the integration of technology into a high-quality, language-based curriculum.
Doodle Bugs! agrees children learn best when they are exposed to a variety of high-interest learning materials, and have many opportunities to be challenged and to succeed. We therefore providing every child with the materials and support to understand basic computer operations, become comfortable with independent computer use, and begin to embrace technology as a learning tool. Our qualified instructors guide the children though lessons using the Internet, scanners, digital cameras, and printers. They also introduce the children to carefully selected software, which the children can also explore in their classroom learning center.
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About Our Staff
Q. My child’s care and education are my top priorities. How does Doodle Bugs! insure that staff members are well-qualified as caregivers and as teachers?
A. Doodle Bugs! understands that our company’s success depends on your family’s happiness – and that your happiness depends on an outstanding staff. Our hiring process is therefore best described as “intense!”
- Step 1 – Prior to being hired:
Applicants are carefully screened by our Director of Human Resources, and potential candidates are interviewed at least twice. The center director also observes each candidate in a classroom setting, to evaluate her interactions with the children. Potential employees histories’ are then carefully checked, including fingerprinting, criminal background investigations, medical examinations, and detailed reference checks.
- Step 2 – Once a job offer has been made:
New employees participate in a Center Introduction Appointment, a lengthy, one-on-one orientation with the center director, detailing company policies and allowing the director to become better acquainted with her new staff member. The staff member then visits our corporate Training Center to participate in our formal New Hire Orientation sessions; instructors present up-to-date information on state regulations, company procedures, and classroom management. New staff members are also required to participate in CPR certification.
- Step 3 – Ongoing, throughout employment period:
Employee performance is monitored daily by the on-site center managers (Director and Director Assistant), and the Director of Education visits weekly to assist with hands-on training efforts. Formal written evaluations are also completed three times per year. Employees are required to participate in a minimum of 30 hours of in-service training in every two year period, which includes regular attendance at Continuing Education sessions at our corporate Training Center. Employees are also required to maintain CPR certification, and to participate in individualized training opportunities, such as Medication Administration Training, and First Aid certification.
It is also important to note that Doodle Bugs! employees receive outstanding management support, promotion opportunities, and higher than average wages and benefits. As a result, employees are motivated to provide high quality care and education, and to build their careers with our growing company.
Q. Staff-turnover seems to be a problem in the child care industry. Is employee retention a problem at Doodle Bugs! centers?
A. We’re thrilled to report that our employee turnover rate is nearly fifty percent less than the industry standard. Quite simply, Doodle Bugs! is a great place to work, so we recruit and retain fantastic employees who are building their careers as early childhood professionals. In fact, 95% of our management team (center directors, director assistants, and center assistants) is made up of employees who “worked their way up” from assistant teacher positions, to teaching positions, to their current administrative roles!
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About Accreditation
Q. What does it mean when a program is accredited?
A. Generally speaking, an accredited program is one that voluntary works with a national agency to meet certain nationally recognized early childhood standards. The program participates in a self-study period, then invites an external validator to observe and determine if the agreed upon standards have been met. Many accredited programs in Western New York achieve their accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
The fact that a center is accredited isn’t reason enough to enroll your child into the program. Parents should visit numerous centers and compare quality before making a decision. Parents may also review regulatory compliance records of any center by contacting the NYS Office of Children & Family Services.
Q. Is Doodle Bugs! nationally accredited?
A. Doodle Bugs! is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCES). Our administration’s in-depth research of various accreditation options revealed that MSCES philosophy is most closely aligned with the Doodle Bugs! learning approach.
While we obviously respect and uphold the nationally recognized developmental standards espoused by NAEYC (see question above), we’re also committed to continuous improvement. That commitment challenges us to introduce new technologies and educational programs; these teaching methods are supported by MSCES, but do not necessarily fall within NAEYC parameters.
MSCES has provided nationally recognized accreditation to elementary schools since 1978, and launched an innovative Early Age Accreditation project in 2004. Doodle Bugs! was invited to participate in this pilot project, and is thrilled to be an integral part of the collaborative effort to set high-quality standards for early childhood programs.
Like the NAEYC accreditation process, MSCES accreditation involves a self-study period and a validation visit; it also focuses on curriculum standards and business practices. The MSCES pilot project also involves groundbreaking new initiatives, designed to provide a necessary link between early childhood and elementary education. As part of the pilot project, Doodle Bugs! will have a unique opportunity to work with the MSCES Early Age Accreditation team to develop these nationally recognized standards.
More information about MSCES is available at www.ces-msa.org.
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About Medication
Q. Does Doodle Bugs! administer medication?
A. Yes. New York State regulations regarding the administration of medication have changed. Specifically, child care programs that opt to administer any medication to children must designate certain staff members to administer the medications, obtain specialized training for those staff members, and comply with extensive regulations put forth by the Office of Child and Family Services.
Doodle Bugs! has elected to continue administering necessary medication, and has a trained staff member onsite to administer medications (over-the-counter and prescription) as needed. In order for Doodle Bugs! to administer any medication to your child, you and your child’s physician must complete, sign, and return the State-Issued Medication Consent Form, along with the appropriate packaging and instructions, as listed in the center policies.
Please note that, for your convenience, you may opt to visit the center and administer the medication yourself, in which case no such written consent is required.
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