Updated coronavirus information MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020
On Sunday, March 15, Gov. Baker issued new public health orders under the state’s covid-19 emergency declaration. Effective Tuesday, March 17, all public and private K-12 schools will be closed through April 6. Gov. Baker specifically exempted closure of childcare programs and noted that “EEC will prioritize the maintenance and expansion of childcare capacity serving front-line healthcare workers and first-responders across the state.”
He also restricted public gatherings of people from 250 people to 25, and restaurants may no longer serve patrons on site, but pick-up and take-out meals are still permitted.
Based on these new public health orders, MA StrongStart Professional Development Centers have cancelled all in-person events, including training, through April 6. Large events, such as conferences and professional development days, will be postponed. Beginning immediately, our coaching will also take place by phone or via teleconferencing with Zoom.
Any online training will take place as scheduled. We are working to convert as many of our trainings to online as possible.
This is a fast-moving and fast-changing situation. For the latest updates, you can check this website, the Facebook pages of our Professional Development Centers (linked to below), and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care’s FAQ for ECE providers.
Additional Resources
Most recent message from MA EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy
List of EPA-approved disinfectants for cleaning ECE program areas.
Guidance for ECE providers facing COVID-19-related questions and concerns, including scenarios in which a member of a child’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19, a staff member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and public health departments are reporting sustained community-based transmission of COVID-19.
Friday, March 20 from 2-3:30pm: The FREE webinar “Bracing for COVID-19: What Early Childhood Programs Need to Know and Consider Now” will delve into all aspects of disaster preparedness including policies and procedures, health considerations, and the long-term consequences of possible program closures. Presenters Julie Looper Coats, director of emergency preparedness and response at Child Care Aware of America (CCAA); Jessica Rose-Malm, CCAA senior health policy manager; and ECE business expert Tom Copeland will help you begin planning to handle tuition and subsidies, obligations to staff members, insurance (or lack thereof) and other issues. Register here.