January 24, 2010- Since I last blogged many wonderful things have been happening both at The Nursery and at home. Yesterday we had a very successful open house. Many families visited and were able to see the center and visit with our staff. We had two winners of $25 gift cards to Toys R Us. The toddlers who visited participated in some fun crafts and experienced what it is like to play in the rooms. We had some families enroll their children during the open house.  The center is filling up and it looks like our infant room will be full by June. Due to this, soon we will only be able to accept pre-enrollment forms for a place on our waiting list. Spaces will become available as children move into the toddler room or family situations change requiring the children to leave The Nursery.  It is now important to plan ahead for your child care to assure a good chance of getting a space at The Nursery.  The toddler room is also filling up and right now we have only a few spaces still available. A few toddler spaces will open up in September when some of our toddlers “move up” to preschool. 

On January 31st, I will join OLSS to kick off Catholic Schools Week. The school will be hosting an open house and book fair and The Nursery will have a table and display.

With all the new children joining The Nursery we have also had some new staff join us. These new Caregivers are wonderful, loving people who bring so much joy and energy to the classrooms. Each one demonstrates the qualities that are so important to making The Nursery a great place for children and their families as well as ensuring that our philosophy of using only best practices is fulfilled. I am lucky enough to be able to spend time in each room and I am so impressed with all the fabulous interactions, activities and care I see occuring throughout each and every day.

We are busy planning some exciting events and programs for our families and children. On March 2, The Nursery will be participating in the NEA’s Read Across America Day; NEA's national reading celebration takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books. The Nursery will join this event by hosting a pajama pizza party for our children and their families. We will all gather after the center closes in our pajamas, enjoy some pizza and listen as a staff member reads two Dr. Seuss books aloud. 

Within the next few weeks we will be starting a classroom ambassador program. Each of our two rooms will have two volunteer parents who will be a contact for other parents, help organize birthday and holiday recognitions for our staff, help to keep families informed of center news and events, etc. These parents are a continuation of our strong belief in partnering with parents.  

On a personal note, I was very blessed to have a wonderful Christmas with my entire family. I am excited to announce that I am going to be blessed with a third grandchild this July.  Emily and Will are excitedly awaiting the arrival of their new sibling. This is doubly exciting due to the fact that they have just recently moved back into the area and are now less than ten minutes from my home.  Gamma now gets to babysit each weekend. My younger son who was married this summer has also just moved into a new home and have adopted a new puppy named Herbie.

December 23, 2009

It’s been awhile since my last blog. Things have been so busy and fun at The Nursery that there has not been enough time to sit and write my thoughts.  We have increased our enrollment by almost 100% since my last blog and more children will be starting next month.  We have brought on more caregivers to  make sure that we provide the best care possible for all of our children. We work hard on keeping our ratios under the state mandated ratios.  The new caregivers that have joined us are excellent,  most have a background in Early Childhood including both experience and education.  These new caregivers, along with the wonderful caregivers that have been with us since the beginning, are delightful to work with.  They are hard workers who exemplify the work ethic needed to care for precious little children.  Each one goes the extra mile to make sure that the children are happy, safe and well cared for. I am proud to work with these great people.

We are now quickly approaching Christmas and New Years and the whole center is a flurry of activity. The children are making presents for their families, decorations for our tree, art for the center  walls. They are listening to and singing all types of carols and reading books about Hanukah and Christmas.  I just participated in a parade marched to the song The Twelve  Days of Christmas-sung by the toddler room staff.  The toddlers played the instruments. These are the types of wonderful things we get to do at The Nursery everyday! Yesterday it was a “dance party” in the infant room complete with lots of laughter from both children and adults., and an active rendition of jingle bells complete with jingle bells!

Tomorrow we will all break for a couple of days to spend Christmas with our own families. I am blessed to be spending it with my two sons and their wives, my two grandchildren and my sister and her husband who are visiting from Florida. My granddaughter is three this year  and my grandson is two, so the childlike wonder of Christmas is back in my home!

May this be a blessed Christmas for all who are reading this and your families as well.

October 1, 2009

Autumn is here, it’s time for colorful trees, apple cider and pumpkin carving. We are very busy here at The Nursery with new children starting each week. The children who have been here for awhile are settling into routines and having so much fun learning and playing. They are creating art masterpieces, learning songs and fingerplays, playing outdoors and practicing manners.  We even had a fire drill.

The work on the facility and grounds is continuing to move forward. The interior is complete with just a few little tasks to be completed on weekends. Our playground is almost done, the equipment is all set up and the children get to use it for the first time today!!! We needed to order more wood chips to complete the entire area and install the remaining section of fencing. We are also awaiting a truckload of dirt for the landscaping of the front lawn including planting of some shrubbery and grass.

Two weeks ago we had a lovely ceremony which included a blessing of the building and official ribbon cutting by Monsignor Emery. The South Orange Village President attended along with families, parishioners, staff and people from the community. The ceremony was followed by a reception and open house. We were excited to enroll some families during the open house. I have posted some pictures on the website from the day’s events. There is also more information in our Newsletter.

As the cold air and the feel of autumn begin to descend on us, The Nursery staff has so much planned for this season of changes. Stay tuned!

September 8, 2009

Our first day was fabulous. The children all seemed to have a fun day and most did not want to go home! The toddlers explored all the centers in the classroom and spent time outside playing with a parachute. In the infant room there was great fun including  "diving" into the nest, climbing on the nursery gym and playing with all the new toys. All of the children at The Nursery played so hard that they took nice naps. I loved going in and out of the classrooms being greeted each time by the children's (and Caregivers) happy faces.

 I am so happy with our Caregivers, each one exemplified the qualities needed to be a successful caregiver. Their warmth and understanding was very obvious as they helped the children adjust to a new environment. These first few days are a time when we all get used to new routines, get to know each other and learn all about our new program.

Our parents were excited to be able to watch their children on the webcams and even called to help the caregivers understand their children. See our Forms, Calendars and Newsletter page to read our very first newsletter which was sent home today.

I was sad when the first day was over and look forward to so many more happy and fun days ahead!

September 4, 2009 

I am so thrilled to be able to write this blog. Today we received a Certificate of Occupancy from South Orange allowing us to finally open. The last two weeks have been very difficult waiting for the C/O. We were under the impression that it would only take a day or two but it took over a week, delaying our opening date and causing our enrolled families to scramble for care. I must thank all of those who were left in a tough situation,  your understanding and patience were greatly appreciated. I am sure that the care and love your children will receive will be well worth the wait.

The shelves are full of toys, the cupboards are full of supplies and the staff is chomping at the bit to begin caring for the children, all we need now is the pitter patter of little feet. On Wednesday I was in my office all alone when the elementary school opened, I sat at my desk enjoying listening to the sounds of children outside. I was wishing that the sounds were also coming from inside The Nursery. With all of the work completed and all the workers gone, the building really felt empty this week.  It was calling for the children to come and play.

Everything is painted, dusted, polished, replumbed, rewired and ready to go. We have new walkways, new furnishings, new appliances, new windows but we have retained the warmth of the old convent. Many people have visited The Nursery and I must admit the area that seems to be a favorite is the toddler bathroom with our toddler sized toilets and sinks. Everyone also comments on how lovely the infant room is and how bright and cheery the toddler room is. The children that have spent time visiting at the center don’t want to leave, the environment truly welcomes them.

So as I close this blog on a very exciting day I want to invite everyone to come and see our beautiful center,  meet our staff and learn more about our program.

July 19, 2009 

Although there are still things that need to be completed and installed, when I walk around the Nursery it looks more like a child care and less like a construction site.  Paint cans, tools and workers are being replaced with cribs, high charries and tables. Dusty, unfinished floors are now shiney.  Now it is not difficult to picture little ones spending happy days here.

In my last blog I was looking forward to having the floors refinished, thinking it would be completed over the long holiday weekend. Well the floors needed a lot more work than anyone expected. They went from unfinished to very splotchy to an awful red stain and finally to the nice natural polyurethane finish they are now. The floor in the infant room had to be sanded three separate times! The finished look is worth the extra work.

The most exciting progress has been the delivery of the furniture and equipment. Three large truck deliveries of over 50 boxes filled the toddler room from wall to wall. I am busily unpacking all the furniture and setting up the rooms. The infant room is almost complete except for assembling the cribs and the nursery gym. It looks great!  I am going to wait to unwrap the toys and put them out just before the first open house on August 3rd. I want to keep them nice and fresh.

This week the final stage of the sprinkler installation will take place. A large pipe is being brought into the building from the street. As soon as this is completed we can repair the entire front yard and also begin installing the new walkways into The Nursery.  Other projects to be completed in the net two weeks include the installation of the toddler toilets and sinks, the delivery and installation of all the appliances, the assembly of the remaining furniture, the completion of the ramp to the rear door and a few other odds and ends.  

On a personal note, my family has an exciting event occurring next week. My youngest son, Christopher, is getting married on Friday July 31st. Due to all the festivities, I will not be at The Nursery on Thursday the 30th or Friday the 31st.  I will return on Monday August 3rd just in time for our open house week.

July 3, 2009-Happy Independence Day

As we head into the Independence Day holiday weekend, I am thrilled with all of the progress at The Nursery. Most of the painting is completed and the rooms look fabulous. Our toddler room is a combination of vibrant blues with the accent of the natural woodwork.  The entrance, lobby, hallways, kitchen, handicap accessible bathroom and laundry are all a warm and inviting creamy yellow. We have installed cabinets and counters in the large kitchen.  All of the woodwork has been sanded down and varnished to restore the original charm of the old Convent.  Over the holiday weekend the floors in the front half of the building are going to be sanded and varnished.

The orders have all been placed for the furnishing and equipment for the center.  Many of the items have begun arriving. It is so exciting to open a box that has just been delivered and discover what is inside. There are toys, arts and crafts items, cribs, cots, rugs and so much more arriving every day.  It is like opening birthday presents each time a box is delivered.  I can’t wait to set up the rooms.  The large pieces of furniture will be arriving the week of July 15th. 

I have hired a few staff members and I am continuing to interview candidates.  There are so many great candidates that I am sure we will have no trouble securing a responsible, loving faculty.  I am creating our orientation process which each new caregiver will participate in. The orientation will include training in all areas of infant-toddler child care utilizing ITERS and NAEYC standards. I have just completed 12 hours of workshops in health and safety through Program for Parents. I will incorporate all of this into our orientation.  Our staff will also be required to take CPR and first aid as well as the Protecting God’s Children child abuse awareness training required by the Church. The Nursery and its staff will use only the highest standards and best practices in the industry.

I am excited about how fast our enrollment is picking up.  Families are not waiting until the open houses to secure a spot. I already have quite a few pre-enrollments with deposits.  We are offering the money back guarantee on all fees up until our last open house in the beginning of August. I hope we don’t have to disappoint anyone who waits too long to sign up and ends up on a waiting list.  I have families visiting daily to see The Nursery, even in its unfinished state.

I am leaving now for a long holiday weekend and will return to the office on Tuesday July 7th.  If you haven’t called and scheduled a tour already, give me a call on Tuesday.June 5, 2009Exciting and busy are the words that come to mind to start this blog. The child care center is really beginning to take shape.

On June 2nd the final resolution for the day care was accepted by the Village of South Orange. The renovations are moving forward quickly and I am able to cross more and more items off the to-do list.  

• The fixtures (toilet and sink) have been replaced in our adult bathroom.
• Most of the remaining plumbing has been roughed out and will be ready for the first inspection very soon.
• Our security system for the exterior doors is installed and operating.
• The webcams are installed and working. It is so exciting to log on my computer at home and see people working hard at The Nursery even on the weekend.
• The hallways, front foyer, staff lounge and entryway have all been painted and look so fresh and new.
• The sprinklers are being installed-a very noisy renovation which is why I am writing this from home.
• Our new phone system has been designed and will be installed on June 9.
• Equipment orders for the child care rooms are being finalized and some items have already been ordered.
• The fence across the front of the building is being installed as I write this Blog.
• The rain has hindered some of the outside work such as trimming the trees and removing bushes and painting the exterior trim.

I have spoken with many interested families from Seton Hall and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and look forward to showing The Nursery to new families. We will be advertising the child care center to the public later this month.  As I see the renovations beginning to be complete I look forward to having open houses to show The Nursery at Our Lady of Sorrows to all who are interested. 

Progress is the word I will use to end this bog.

May 20, 2009

Early in May we received our Change of Usage Permit from the Village of South Orange allowing us to use the old convent as a child care center.  Now we are beginning the renovations in the old convent.  We will be using only the first floor for the daycare. This area will consist of the toddler room, the infant room, the parent lounge, the staff lounge, the kitchen and my office.  Renovations to my office are basically complete and I have lovely furniture and all the office machines needed to conduct business.  The parent lounge/ child sick room is also complete and awaiting delivery of furniture.  Our new phone system should be put into place within the next two weeks, until then all phone calls are being forwarded to a cell phone.

I am so excited to see the flurry of activity occurring in the Nursery every day that I am there.  We have electricians, plumbers, security/webcam specialists, painters, carpenters all working.  There are times when the noise level gets a bit high when someone needs to jackhammer through a wall or the floor.  But after the noise, I get called in to see a new toilet, sink or light fixture.

We have begun advertising beginning with the Seton Hall community and our own Parish community.  Inquiries are pouring in.  I enjoy speaking with parents and helping them make their child care decisions.

As I choose equipment, furnishings and toys I know that our commitment to quality will be very evident in our environments.  I am creating rooms that will be warm and inviting for the children and their families as well as developmentally appropriate, with areas designed to meet the needs of the children throughout the day.

In the infant room, the old chapel of the convent, I am planning a separate crib area, a separate changing area, a floor and tummy time zone, a quiet reading area, an active area including a nursery gym. There will be a feeding area with small individual high chairs as well as little tables and chairs for the older infants. There will be a small food prep room adjacent to the feeding area.  We are also creating a lactation room for nursing mothers and their babies to have a private place for nursing.

The toddler room, the old living-dining room and sun porch, will have an art area, a cozy book nook, and a great nursery gym.  They will have an area to build with blocks, play with cars and trucks and learn through the use of manipulatives.  The toddlers will have a housekeeping/dramatic play center with high quality wood kitchen pieces.  The toddler room is being designed to be an environment where the children can succeed in being independent and learn self help skills.  Both environments are going to be warm and inviting with many homey touches.

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