Frequently Asked Questions

What is your sick child policy?

If your child has a fever (100.4 or higher), cough, diarrhea, and/or vomit, they can return to school only when they are:

1. symptom-free (specifically no fever, cough, diarrhea, vomit) and
2. for at least 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication) and with
3. a negative viral COVID test OR a doctor’s note.

We follow the Los Angeles Department of Public Health recommendations and requirements for confirmed COVID cases and confirmed close contacts.

If we decide to take a month off, do I still pay tuition?

Yes. Our tuition contracts are based on annual tuition. For the convenience of our families, we accept the tuition in monthly payments. Tuition for the year is due, regardless of your child’s attendance.

Do you offer a sibling discount?

No, we do not offer sibling discounts.

Do you guarantee sibling enrollment?

Sibling enrollment is not guaranteed at any GP Campus due to priority enrollment consideration groups as outlined by Santa Monica Human Services Grant and Santa Monica College operator agreement.

When are your school closures?

In addition to holidays, we close 4 weeks per year for our staff to synchronize their vacations which ultimately promotes continuity of care for the children. These weeks are generally:

• 2 weeks Winter Break
• 1 week Spring Break
• 1 week Summer Break

We also close 6-days per year for our teacher's professional development.

What is the educational background of your teachers?

Teachers at Growing Place meet or exceed NAEYC requirements, with a strong preference for a BA degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development or a BA in related field and 12 ECE units. In addition, our teachers and assistants generally have two years of experience working with young children and families. We also require all of our teachers to complete the Reggio Approach to Teaching course at the college level.

Additonally, all of our staff are certified in Pediatric CPR and First Aid. Each campus has a disaster plan in place and we practice fire and earthquake drills monthly so all are familiar with the process, where to go, and their roles.

What are your teacher-to-child ratios?

We following NAEYC recommended staff-to-child ratios. For Infants (birth-15 months) we practice a 1:4 ratio. For Toddler/Two (12-36 months) we practice a 1:6 ratio. For Preschool (30 months-5 years) we practice 1:10 ratio.

Do you do any fundraising?

Our Annual Investment Campaign in the fall relies on 100% parent and community participation to “close the gap” between tuition revenue and our operating expenses.

How do you help children transition into your program?

We gradually introduce new children to the program so that each child becomes comfortable at school while building trusting relationships with his/her teachers and environment. We require parents to spend the time necessary in the first three days with their child to help with the transition to school. This often requires arranging in advance to take time off of work to support your child’s transition. During these three days, we ask parents to participate in different parts of our day. We may also suggest play-dates with a peer so that children can bridge a relationship from home to school. Each family has an intake meeting with their child’s teacher, and a detailed transition calendar, authentic to the child, is created.

How do parents receive information?

Parents receive information in several ways:

• Parent-Teacher conferences twice a year to discuss each child’s progress and create goals together
• Weekly campus newsletter to keep parents informed with school notices, events, and children development articles
• Weekly posts on our parent portal with documentation containing photos and descriptions of daily acitivites
• Curriculum Dialogues hosted by classroom teachers
• Coffee and Conversations with Campus Directors and Executive Director

Does your school celebrate holidays?

At Growing Place we have thoughtfully chosen to retain our typical program curriculum rather than incorporate activities planned around holidays — the idea is to provide a predictable and calming environment during a time when children can easily be over-stimulated and anxious. Therefore, we do not have school-wide celebrations around holidays.

How do you work with challenging behaviors?

Children need limits in order to feel secure about themselves and their environment. Our approach to discipline is to see it as an opportunity for problem solving. When children have a dispute, we use “talking chairs”, a technique where children learn to solve their own problems with support from an adult. Teachers are actively engaged with children, listening to them, modeling appropriate skills, and helping them to see the alternatives and consequences to their behavior. Corporal punishment, isolation and harsh words are not part of our philosophy.