FAQ

What are your hours of operation?
6:30am – 6:30pm Monday - Friday

Is your staff trained
Yes, our faculty is required to follow state regulations for training. All of our teachers and personnel are required to be trained in First Aid/CPR, Infectious Disease Control, Injury Prevention, and Child Abuse Awareness. In addition our staff receives training in curriculum, child development, classroom management, age appropriate activities, nutrition, and OSHA regulations to provide a quality learning environment. Our staff is further encouraged to attend professional training conferences to continue to develop their skills and education.

Are field trips offered?
Yes, we transport children who meet the state’s age requirements. These children are given opportunities to see their community and other places of interest year-round. Whether it is the local grocery store, petting zoo, the library, and entertainment places such as roller skating, bowling, or putt-putt golf, we provide fun and learning for the children and guarantee maximum protection for your children attending these trips

Is outdoor time available?
Yes, our school is equipped with age appropriate outside play areas. Children have scheduled times in the morning and afternoon to explore their outside world. As an added safety feature, we have fencing around the outside perimeter of the play areas. The play equipment is state of the art and abides by the Federal regulations on safety equipment and their surrounding fall zones.

Are meals and snacks provided?
Yes, we serve hot meals and nutritional snacks. Our location is equipped with a full service kitchen and staff trained in nutrition, USDA guidelines, and proper portions.

How can I get more information about enrolling my child?
You can use the contact form to provide us with your name, address, and phone number. We will contact you about our center

What is the tuition and how is it paid?
Tuition varies by classroom. Tuition is due at the end of each Friday. A late fee will apply if tuition is not paid according to your Enrollment Agreement. Essential Childcare accepts personal checks, money order,cash and most credit cards.  We are also able to automatically transfer funds from a checking account or credit card.

When I pay my tuition automatically, how secure is my account information?
Very secure – more secure than when you write checks. The checks you write every day have your name, address, phone number, and sometimes your driver’s license number on them. With this information, criminals have all they need to access your account or worse, steal your identity. Automatic payments greatly reduce this potential problem by limiting the amount of information available and who has access to it. Tuition Express also incorporates additional security procedures, utilizing 128 bit encryption.

Does this form of payment give the childcare center access to my account?
Nobody at the childcare center has access to your account. When you sign up for Tuition Express, you only authorize your bank or credit card company to release the exact amount owed to your provider when it is due and payable.

How are payments made?
Payments are withdrawn from your checking/savings account, or charged to your credit card.

How will I know when a payment was made?
Your childcare expenses will be taken out of your account (or charged to a credit card) on a schedule that you and Essential Childcare agree upon. Email notifications will be sent directly to the email addresses you setup in your Tuition Express account, notifying you of charges to your bank account or credit card. These email notifications will also make you aware of NSF (non sufficient fund) items or declined credit card transactions if processed by your account. Additionally, the charges will show up on your monthly statement as “Tuition Express”.

How do I get started?
Simply complete a Parent Authorization Form allowing Essential Childcare to automatically debit your account (or have your credit card charged) for childcare payments. Essential Childcare will setup your account within Tuition ExpressTM based upon your tuition amount and payment processing schedule.