Dear Parents and Caregivers,
We hope that you and your families are doing well and keeping safe during this time. We are writing to provide an update in relation to the ongoing operations and staff of Matthew John Early Learning Centre.
As of now, we are unsure when the Ontario government and Ministry of Education will allow daycares to reopen, and what that would look like in terms of operations. Rest assured, Jola and the staff will follow guidance and protocols provided by the Ministry of Education and public health officials with a view to ensure the safety of the staff, children and families after the Centre is able to reopen.
Over the past two months, new financial assistance programs have rolled out to various business and non-profit organizations. Through a subsidy program offered through the federal government, we are able to keep our staff employed during this time. In light of this assistance, we are able to credit your fees for the 12 days you paid for in March that the centre was not open. This credit will be applied to your fees once the centre is reopened.
We understand that the prolonged nature of the closure of the Centre may have forced some families to make new childcare arrangements. Considering this, we would also like to remind of the Centre’s Withdrawal Policy, which requires two calendar months of notice for withdrawal of your child or children from the Matthew John Early Learning Centre program. This means, for example, that in order to withdraw a child effective August 1, the parent will need to provide written notice of withdrawal by June 1. Notice of withdrawal should be provided to Jola.
While the Centre is closed, our teachers have been reaching out to you through the HiMama App, providing songs, stories and activities for your children to enjoy. If you would like to respond to the teachers, feel free to do so by replying to the email. Your response is private and will only reach your child(ren)’s teachers. Our teachers have tried to be creative in ways they can stay connected with your children – any feedback you can offer to them will be very much appreciated.
The Board will continue to monitor and update parents and caregivers when further information is provided by the Ministry and public health officials. If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to Jola. Stay well!
Sincerely,
MJELC Board of Directors
135 First Avenue,
Toronto, ON M4M 1W9
416-466-8001
matthewjohnearlylearning.ca