Is there a waiting list? How long is it?
There is almost always a wait list. Its length as it relates to you depends on many factors. Generally speaking, the sooner you can get on the list, the better.
How does one go about getting on the waiting list or scheduling a tour?
Contact our Program Director at our main number, option 2. Because of the volume of tour requests we receive, we generally conduct tours on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. Contact the Program Director to arrange a tour.
What are Boulder Day Nursery's fees?
As a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide high quality care to families with limited resources, we have a sliding scale fee structure that makes care available to all income levels. At a certain income level, families pay our full cost of care. The cost at all levels depends on the desired schedule and age of the child. Please contact the Program Director for more info re. fees.
What do the fees cover? Are there other fees I need to worry about?
The monthly tuition covers everything. Meals, diapers, supplies, etc. Occasionally, there are field trips or special projects that we request supplemental funds from parents, but those requests are limited.
Is Boulder Day Nursery accredited?
Yes. Boulder Day Nursery's programs are accredited by the NAEYC.
What are your adult to child ratios?
Typical ratios are 1:3 for infants, 1:4 for toddlers, and 1:6 for preshoolers. For comparison, the State of Colorado allows ratios as high as 1:5 for infants, 1:7 for toddlers and 1:12 for preschoolers.
What are the teacher's qualifications and retention rates?
Most of our teachers have Bachelor or Masters degrees in a field related to early childhood. Those who don't are working on them, or have extensive practical experience in early childhood. The average retention rate is right around five years.
What are Boulder Day Nursery's hours of operation?
Weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.. The center is open year-round with the exception of five federal holidays and some time around the holidays season at the end of the year. The center may also be closed occasionally for in-service training days (usually three or four days each year).
Are meals provided?
Yes. There is a full-time cook that prepares two morning meals/snacks, lunch and an afternoon snack.
Can you accommodate children with special needs?
Yes. The environments at Boulder Day Nursery are capable of including children with both emotional/behavioral issues, as well as developmental concerns. We assess each child on an individual basis to determine their suitability for our programs.
What about diversity?
Boulder Day Nursery strives for diversity in all aspects of its operations and aims to provide culturally sensitive programming that responds to varied ethnic, cultural and social traditions. During the last two years, roughly one-third of enrolled children were from a racial background other than Caucasian. Socio-economically speaking, our families come from a variety of backgrounds that encompass low, moderate and non-low income.
Do you have a language policy or position on bi-lingual instruction?
Boulder Day Nursery provides instruction and services primarily in English, although we have a limited ability (i.e., not necessarily at all hours of the day in all classrooms at the same time) to communicate with monolingual Spanish speaking parents and children. Having said that, we acknowledge the value and importance of different cultures and languages, and make every effort to incorporate the culture of our students in our day to day activities. By building on students' cultural strengths, we hope to make Boulder Day Nursery a comfortable place for immigrant and/or culturally diverse families who may not have been comfortable with or used the "traditional" system of care in Boulder County in the past.
