Frequently Asked Questions

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You can email lisa@techtimetoday.org or call 434-446-5958 and someone will set up a tour and guide you through the paperwork of enrollment and subsidy application process. For enrollment, you will need your child's immunization records, a physical health form from your doctor within the last 12 months, and a copy of your child's birth certificate. You will also have to sign some authorization forms to allow your child to be given over the counter and prescribed medication, to be under video camera supervision and other necessary permission forms. 

1. General Guidelines

• Parents/guardians must notify the daycare immediately if their child is diagnosed with a contagious illness or exhibits symptoms of illness while at home.
• The daycare reserves the right to refuse entry to any child who appears to be seriously ill or contagious upon arrival.

2. Symptoms Requiring Exclusion
Children exhibiting the following symptoms should not attend daycare and will be sent home if symptoms develop during the day:

• Fever: A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
• Vomiting: Any episodes of vomiting within the past 24 hours.
• Diarrhea: Two or more episodes of loose stools within the past 24 hours.
• Severe Coughing: If the child has difficulty breathing or has a barking cough.
• Unexplained Rash: Any unidentified rash, especially if accompanied by a fever.
• Eye Discharge: Thick mucus or pus from the eyes, which may indicate conjunctivitis (pink eye).
• Sore Throat: Especially if accompanied by swollen glands or fever.
• Runny Nose: If the discharge is green or yellow and the child is unable to manage it.
• Lethargy: Unusual fatigue or irritability that prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities.

3. Notification and Pickup

• If a child becomes ill while at the daycare, the staff will immediately notify the parent/guardian.
• The parent/guardian must arrange for the child to be picked up within one hour of notification.

4. Return to Daycare

• Children may return to daycare when they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication or have a doctor’s note stating that they are no longer contagious and are fit to return.

5. Medication Administration

• Medication will only be administered if it is accompanied by a signed Medication Authorization Form from the parent/guardian.
• Prescription medications must be in the original container, labeled with the child's name, dosage, and administration times.
• Over-the-counter medications will only be given if they are age-appropriate and necessary for the child to comfortably attend daycare.

6. Contagious Illnesses

• In the event of a contagious illness (e.g., chickenpox, flu, hand-foot-and-mouth disease), parents/guardians will be notified of potential exposure.

There are a few factors when calculating tuition. Have you applied for the VA Daycare Subsidy? That is a big help in tuition assistance. 

Dear Halifax County:

During the summer, I worked on a project that I felt would be of tremendous value to our community. I’m proud to announce a new Childcare Center called Nourish & Flourish Playcare located in Cluster Springs, Virginia at 1011 Cluster Springs Road. We are in the south wing of the TJM Community Center (yes, it’s the old Cluster Springs Elementary School – a lot of memories for a lot of Halifax Countians!). 

Nourish & Flourish is a Virginia licensed center and a Virginia Subsidy Vendor. We nurture infants and children up to pre-school age. We are open Monday – Friday 6 AM to 6 PM. We plan on expanding those times/days and services next year. Our staff is trained in many areas including safety and are certified in CPR/First Aid and Medication Management to name a couple. By having MAT (Medication Administration Training) they can recognize and treat minor health issues such as allergies or non-contagious conditions. If your doctor prescribes medicated diaper ointment, we can administer it. If your child needs to keep an EpiPen around, we can do that and administer it if needed. We understand that parents need to be able to work without worrying about having to pick up their child from daycare for minor things. Contagion is our focus when deciding to take children out of care. 

Our environment was created with safety first and education as a priority. We have security cameras in every classroom and entrances, we have an interactive whiteboard for learning – after all it’s called “pre-school” for a reason! We include music, arts, reading, and many areas of learning to give your child a well-rounded and diverse experience. We have a glorious outdoor area that has been set up for many activities, both fun and learning. The outdoor area includes a raised bed for learning about horticulture, hummingbird and bird feeders to learn about nature and age-appropriate equipment plus more. 

We will also maintain their education in areas like hygiene with dental care daily, appropriate hand washing, and we will even teach potty training! Keeping a strong line of communication with parents is essential to the success of these tasks. Parents receive a daily report of their child’s day. We also serve only nutritious food and snacks. Nothing processed here!

Because we are licensed by the state of Virginia, we follow a stiff regiment of safety protocols and have policies and procedures on many things to ensure your child’s safety. The Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Social Services work in tandem to make sure we have a safe environment for children. 

To enroll you can email lisa@techtimetoday.org or called 434-446-5958. You will have to fill out an application and have your child’s immunization records, last physical from the doctor and a birth certificate. There will be a few authorizations to sign as well (to use over the counter medication, prescribed medication, consent to video cameras for security purposes only). 

Nourish & Flourish is also a Virginia Childcare Subsidy Vendor. Halifax County now has two Childcare Centers that are vendors (and take infants). Most people don’t know about this subsidy or understand how it works. First, I recommend going to Childcare VA for the guidelines (for example, a family of 4’s household threshold income is $8,080 per month). The Subsidy is set up to help people with employment so not only can families who work qualify, but parents who are struggling to get jobs can qualify. Also, if you are in school or training to get a job, you can qualify for the subsidy as well. It will pay up to 100% and is usually good for 12 months before renewing. Next, I would advise going to commonhelp.virginia.gov to apply or you can go to the DSS office in the Mary Bethune complex in Halifax and apply in person. During the process you are directed to choose your Childcare Center, and we would be honored to be your choice. You can feel free to call or email to set up a tour. We feel we are more than a daycare and every child deserves high quality care in their formative and ensuing years. 

Thank you,

Lisa Mettler

lisa@techtimetoday.org

434-446-5958