At Squiggle Room Early Learning Center, we pride ourselves on having staff who are dedicated to the children and families that we serve.  We do not discriminate based on gender, race, religion, or country of origin.  Teachers must have a heart for teaching, a love of care-giving, and a passion for our work. Our staff values art and creativity, providing our unique approach to learning.  Each of our staff members is required to have a DHS background check before spending time in the classroom, as well as a negative TB test. Any individual registered on the public sex offender registry (PSOR) is prohibited from having contact with any child in care.

Medication shall be administered only by the director or assistant director after parents or guardians have filled out a medication form.  Medications must be brought in its original container and will be administered in accordance with the written instructions on the container, or in accordance with a doctor’s note or prescription.  Topical ointments and creams, such as sunscreen, chapstick, or lotion are included in this policy, except that teachers may administer ointments.  A detailed individual log will be kept of all medications administered.  Medications will be kept in a locked cabinet in the director’s office.  If refrigeration is required, the medication will be kept in a container in the kitchen refrigerator.  Medications requiring refrigeration need to be taken home and returned daily.  

All of our staff members are CPR and first aid certified.

Parents will be notified immediately if a child is required to be removed from the program due to illness or injury.  Children with a temperature of 100 degrees or more will be required to be picked up by a parent, guardian, or by someone approved on the child’s emergency card.  Administrators or care-givers will also fill out an illness or incident report with a detailed description of the occurrence.  If a child is sent home due to illness, they will be allowed to return once they are fever/symptom-free for 24 hours.  Illnesses for which children will be sent home include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, suspected pink eye, respiratory distress, or an injury requiring medical intervention.  <<MORE>>

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Infants who aren’t yet developmentally ready for our table food menu must provide their own formula or breast milk as well as infant food. We follow all LARA guidelines for handling of infant food and formula/breast milk.  Bottles and food must be labeled with the child’s name, date, and date intended for use.  Breast Milk must also be labeled with the time/date it was expressed.

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Infants who aren’t yet developmentally ready for our table food menu must provide their own formula or breast milk as well as infant food. We follow all LARA guidelines for handling of infant food and formula/breast milk.  Bottles and food must be labeled with the child’s name, date and date intended for use.  Breast Milk must also be labeled with the time/date it was expressed.

The Reggio Emilia approach and High Scope Curriculum both advocate for the creativity and self-expression of children. By approaching children’s behavior with sensitivity and empathy, we can discover the root cause for many problems in the classroom.  We will strive to recognize the developmentally appropriate behaviors your child is displaying and react in kind. For example, if an infant or toddler is biting, we might try to give them a toy to chew on or something to eat, thus treating the root cause of the behavior rather than punishment. Teachers will use redirection for children expressing themselves through aggressive or unwanted behavior.  Teachers should also be modeling appropriate behavior to children through everyday activities and responses to problems.  <<MORE>>

In case of evacuation, lead teachers will gather their cell phone, attendance log, as well as their classroom’s “emergency backpack”, which contains a copy of every child’s emergency card, first aid kit, bottles of water, flashlight, small radio, and snacks.  

Assistant teachers will count children to ensure everyone is being evacuated. All staff and children will congregate in the parking lot across the street on Oakbrook.  Once all staff and students are accounted for the director will send a group text notifying families of the emergency and plans for pick-up or relocation.

In the instance that we will need to shelter in place classroom doors will be locked, window coverings will be drawn and children and staff must hide in their classroom where they are invisible from the outside.  Lead teachers will have the “emergency backpack” with them to meet children’s needs during the emergency.  The director will send a group text to families notifying them of the emergency and plans for pick-up or relocation if necessary.

Immediately upon discovery of any kind of fire, or hearing the fire alarm, lead teachers will gather their classroom’s “emergency backpack”.  The assistant teacher will be responsible for counting children and getting them out the door in line with the assigned exit.  Each classroom has a map near their main entry door detailing were to exit the building.

The Director will assist the Young Infant teachers, and the Assistant Director will assist the Older Infant teachers.  In both of these classrooms, infants will be evacuated in cribs, four babies to a crib, and wheeled out of their assigned exit.  

Staff and children will meet near the front of the parking by the school sign. 

Upon learning of a tornado watch in the area, the Director will immediately turn on the radio to a local weather station and will monitor weather conditions until the weather watch is canceled or until the facility is closed and all children have been picked up. 

If a tornado warning is issued, Lead and Assistant teachers will immediately take children, attendance records, a cell phone, the emergency backpack to the kitchen, and surrounding inside walls.

Lead teachers will instruct the children where to sit and take roll using the attendance records.  Assistant teachers will keep children comforted and will provide activities to children to help them remain quiet and occupied until the warning is lifted.

The director will send a group text to families notifying them of the emergency and plans for pick-up or relocation if necessary. 

In case of SERIOUS accident, illness or injury the emergency will be reported as necessary.  If emergency medical personnel are not necessary, administrators and teachers/caregivers will administer appropriate first aid. 

If emergency medical personnel are necessary, care-givers or administrators will stay with the injured/ill child to make them feel safe and secure, while administering any life saving first aid that may be necessary until medical professionals take over. (Cpr, tourniquet, etc.) A report will be completed and filed with licensing.

In the event of an intruder or active shooter, the Director will call 911 and report the emergency. Teachers will be notified by the Assistant Director traveling to each classroom door and saying the code word.  Once teachers and caregivers are aware of the emergency they will be responsible for locking their classroom door and closing all window coverings.  Staff and children must hide in their classrooms where they aren’t visible from windows or doors.  Lead teachers will locate attendance records, a cell phone, and an emergency backpack.  <<MORE>>

Should a winter storm occur or be predicted while children are present, the director will determine if the facility can stay open or if it must close. If the facility must close, parents will be called to inform them that children need to be picked up and/or call parents of children scheduled to arrive to inform them not to come.  If the winter storm is predicted or occurs before hours of operation that day, the director will decide and notify families if the center shall close.

Infant and toddler teachers will have on demand snacks available in their emergency bags, as well as diapers and wipes in order to maintain basic care. Infants will always be transported in evacuation cribs, 4 babies to a crib. There will be bottles as well as water in each backpack to insure infant hydration. 

At admission, each child with special needs or chronic medical conditions will have a write up of necessary Accommodations in an event of an emergency. These needs will be met and understood by each caregiver in their classroom. If the child needs special medical equipment, it will be in the emergency backpack. If the child needs special transport help, it will be written in their individual emergency plan. 

At the Squiggle Room Early Learning Center, we believe children must have proper health and well-rounded nutrition in order to grow and thrive.  We offer breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack during our program in accordance with the USDA’s requirements. These meals have an emphasis on health and nutrition while letting children explore different tastes and textures.  

We are a tree-nut and peanut-free facility to accommodate children with severe or life-threatening allergies.  We will also work with families to accommodate the needs of children with other food allergies and needs.

Children will be offered Vitamin D Whole Milk in our infant and toddler classrooms at mealtimes, and 2% Milk for preschool and up at mealtimes, as well as water throughout the day.  <<MORE>>

At the Squiggle Room Early Learning Center, we strongly oppose any forms of abuse. We realize that each word and action in the presence of a child affects whom they grow to become. 

We expect employees to act in compliance with the rules governing child care centers and their providers. 

All staff in our program are mandated, reporters.

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The EPA suggests using integrated pest management for childcare settings. This is an environmentally and human sensitive approach to pest management. This involves understanding what brings pests into the building and doing our part to keep them out. We do this by maintaining a clean environment that is unfriendly to pests and treating the root cause. 

As hard as we may try to avoid pests by keeping a clean environment, we will occasionally need to treat our environment by hiring a pest control company.  We will notify families at least two days prior to treatment so that other care can be planned if needed.

At Squiggle Room, all of our meals are grounded in the science of food to give children the most nutritious start possible. Meals are 100% organic finger foods, plant based and free of the big allergens. Our meals are crafted to suit babies’ and toddlers’ developmental milestones, and over 70% of meals are savory forward. All meals are made fresh every day. Research shows that the more flavors and textures we introduce in the first two years of your little one’s life, the more likely they are to become adventurous eaters later on. We’re here to help babies and toddlers foster a lifelong positive relationship with food, cultivate healthy eating patterns and create a willingness to try new things.  <<MORE>>

A healthy learning environment is vital for growth and development. As we work together to combat COVID-19 and other illnesses, we're taking a variety of precautionary measures to keep your child healthy. Please see our full list of precautionary measures here.