updated August 2021

Jack and Jill Parent Participation Preschool closely follows the Cleaning and Sanitizing Recommendations from BCCDC and Vancouver Coastal Health.

Below is information about our Cleaning and Sanitizing policies where we take the extra precautions during cold and flu season.  Teachers execute these duties before, during and after class time to ensure all surfaces are clean for the next group of children.

The Child Care Licensing Regulation states: 

Environment
13 (1) A licensee must ensure that a healthy and safe environment is provided at all times while children are under the supervision of employees. In order to maintain a healthy and safe environment, programs are responsible for developing a cleaning and sanitizing system. 

– Cleaning is the removal of visible soil (dirt) from a surface.
– Sanitizing is done after cleaning to reduce the number of germs remaining on a surface to a hygienic level. 

It is important to note that a surface cannot be properly sanitized until it has first been thoroughly cleaned 

To Clean:
Remove the visible soiling by wiping up with a clean cloth, wetted with a mixture of warm water and a little household cleaning detergent (Soap), wipe off excess water. 

To Sanitize:
Spray with a mixture of one teaspoon (5ml) household bleach (5% to 6% chlorine) in two cups (1/2 litre) of water. Leave for 2 minutes and then dry with a clean cloth or leave to air dry. This bleach solution should be changed daily in order to maintain effectiveness. 

We use a diluted bleach mixture for cleaning in our classroom.  It is made every morning before class and a usage sign will be posted below the cupboard that contains our cleaning products.

Regular cleaning and disinfection are essential to preventing the transmission of COVID-19 from contaminated objects and surfaces. Child Care settings should be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the BCCDC’s Cleaning and Disinfectants for Child Care Settings which is as follows:

• General cleaning and disinfecting of the centre occurs once a day.

• Frequently-touched surfaces are cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day. These include door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, tables, counters, chairs, shelves, and toys.

• Surfaces that are visibly dirty are cleaned immediately.

• Toys and other items that cannot be easily cleaned (e.g., avoid plush/stuffed toys), have been removed.
• Toys used will be sanitized daily and left out overnight to air dry. Toys put in mouths will be removed immediately and cleaned.

• Garbage containers are emptied daily.

• disposable gloves are worn when cleaning blood or bodily fluids (e.g., runny nose, vomit, stool, urine). Hands are washed before wearing and after removing gloves.

• There is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus is transmitted via textbooks, paper or other paper-based products. As such, there is no need to limit the distribution of books or paper based educational resources to children because of COVID-19.

Hand Hygiene

Rigorous hand washing with plain soap and water is the single most effective way to reduce the spread of illness. Children and staff can pick up germs easily from anything they touch, and can spread those germs to objects, surfaces, food and people. All teachers and student will practice diligent hand hygiene. Staff teach and reinforce these practices amongst children thru out the day, outlined below.

How we perform hand hygiene

• We Wash hands with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds (sing the “ABC’s” or “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”).

Children and Adults should perform hand hygiene:

Hand washing is required at our school, when entering into our building, after playing outside, after toileting, and before and after eating.

Teachers shall perform hand hygiene

When they arrive at the child care centre and before they go home, before and after handling food (raw, cooked or pre- packaged) and feeding children, before and after giving first aid, after changing diapers, after assisting a child to use the toilet, after using the toilet, after contact with bodily fluids (e.g., runny noses, spit, vomit, blood), after cleaning tasks, after removing gloves, after handling garbage, whenever hands are visibly dirty.