Fillmore Commercial Real Estate has been working with a number of applicants for New York City School Charters. In that vein, we have realized that there is an opportunity for well-established child care agencies utilizing either Universal Pre-K or Head Start programs to be located on-site at new charter school locations.
In the current environment, the charter school system allows private individuals to go through a rigorous examination process to apply for a license to operate a New York City public school as a charter school. The legislature has lifted the cap in New York City allowing for additional charter schools to be licensed within the five boroughs. Currently there are approximately thirty applications pending for the Brooklyn area.
If and when these charters are granted, they will be opening new elementary and secondary schools within various school districts throughout the borough.
These schools need facilities within which to operate and Fillmore Commercial Real Estate is assisting these applicants in locating structures suitable for housing public schools. In many instances landlords are building out new structures, either from the ground up or through extensive internal rehabilitation. These construction efforts result in a state-of-the-art, modern facility.
Since these new facilities will house kindergarten grades to fifth or eighth grades, the sites must meet all the requirements and criteria necessary for Universal Pre-K and Head Start programs.
Certain of our charter applicants have inquired about the possibility of housing Universal Pre-K or Head Start programs within their buildings. This, in our estimation, is a “win-win” situation. There is a great deal of flexibility at this time in the space that will be made available to the Universal Pre-K or Head Start programs and while we are in this planning stage, it is the perfect time to agree on the size of the space needed.
Additionally, the rent will be reasonable inasmuch as it is subsumed in a larger rental for the entire facility. Additionally, other parts of the facility will be made available for use by the sub-tenant such as cafeteria, gymnasium, music rooms, computer labs, etc.
If you are an established child care agency interested in this type of arrangement, I would request that you contact me.
James F. Clarke, Corp. VP/Division Manager
Fillmore Commercial Real Estate
2990 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel. 718-907-1127
Fax 718-368-3721
Monday, November 10, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Blog For October 27th, 2008
For the last few blogs entries I have highlighted some of the new or crucial features of the reenacted Article 47 New York City Child Care Regulations for child care center programs.
Typically most child care programs are so burdened with day to day administrative tasks it is almost impossible to find an extra moment to read new materials. However it is crucial that you have this information. These are ongoing operational procedures that you won’t be able to correct when it’s time for program review. And, as always, not strictly adhering to regulations in the operation of your center exposes you to greater liability if there is an accident or mistake.
Section 47.31 of the regulations describes a child care center’s responsibility in regards to medication administration. It states that: “A child care center is required to establish a written policy as to whether it will or will not administer medication to children and incorporate that policy in the center’s health care plan”. It further states that “if a center chooses to administer medications to children it shall designate a health care consultant of record, who shall be a health care provider as defined in this Article. The permittee (child care program) shall confer with the health care consultant and shall obtain approval of the consultant for the portion of the health care plan regarding policies and procedures related to the administration of medications”.
Section 47.31 is a couple of pages of information regarding the administration of medication to children, but I strongly urge you to read the entire section. The regulations can be found on the DOHMH website www.nyc.gov/dohmh
In plain English, the regulation is advising centers that if you choose to administer medication to children upon the request of their parents, you must engage a health care consultant who is recognized by DOHMH. This consultant will help you to develop a medication administration plan that will meet the approval of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The plan must include staff that has MAT (Medication Administration Training) certification in order to administer medication.
Of course centers have a right to choose not to administer medication. If you make that decision it should be clearly stated in your operational policies and procedures. However working parents often find themselves facing circumstances where they need the child care center’s help and support in administering a daily or hourly medication. If, after careful consideration of the pros and cons of medication administration you decide yes, CCR&R programs in NYC have both approved consultants and MAT trainers. They will be able to expertly guide you through the entire process. One such program, Child Development Support Corporation CCR&R can be reached at 718-398-6738 or www.cdscnyc.org
Typically most child care programs are so burdened with day to day administrative tasks it is almost impossible to find an extra moment to read new materials. However it is crucial that you have this information. These are ongoing operational procedures that you won’t be able to correct when it’s time for program review. And, as always, not strictly adhering to regulations in the operation of your center exposes you to greater liability if there is an accident or mistake.
Section 47.31 of the regulations describes a child care center’s responsibility in regards to medication administration. It states that: “A child care center is required to establish a written policy as to whether it will or will not administer medication to children and incorporate that policy in the center’s health care plan”. It further states that “if a center chooses to administer medications to children it shall designate a health care consultant of record, who shall be a health care provider as defined in this Article. The permittee (child care program) shall confer with the health care consultant and shall obtain approval of the consultant for the portion of the health care plan regarding policies and procedures related to the administration of medications”.
Section 47.31 is a couple of pages of information regarding the administration of medication to children, but I strongly urge you to read the entire section. The regulations can be found on the DOHMH website www.nyc.gov/dohmh
In plain English, the regulation is advising centers that if you choose to administer medication to children upon the request of their parents, you must engage a health care consultant who is recognized by DOHMH. This consultant will help you to develop a medication administration plan that will meet the approval of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The plan must include staff that has MAT (Medication Administration Training) certification in order to administer medication.
Of course centers have a right to choose not to administer medication. If you make that decision it should be clearly stated in your operational policies and procedures. However working parents often find themselves facing circumstances where they need the child care center’s help and support in administering a daily or hourly medication. If, after careful consideration of the pros and cons of medication administration you decide yes, CCR&R programs in NYC have both approved consultants and MAT trainers. They will be able to expertly guide you through the entire process. One such program, Child Development Support Corporation CCR&R can be reached at 718-398-6738 or www.cdscnyc.org
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
CCBCNY Blog for October 14, 2008
Section 47.11 of Article 47 is a new requirement that requires child care centers to submit a written safety plan. According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene the written safety plan is intended to serve as the standard operating policies and procedures for the safe operation of a child care service. Every child care center must submit a safety plan and have it approved by DOHMH before a permit will be issued.
The plan should explain how the requirements of Article 47 are to be implanted with respect to:
The plan should explain how the requirements of Article 47 are to be implanted with respect to:
- Medical supervision and health of children
- Medication Administration
- Facility Operation
- Maintenance
- Fire Safety
- Specific Activity Safety
- Staff Training
- Parent/Child Orientation
- Proper Supervision
The DOHMH says that an initial plan must be reviewed and approved for all new permit applicants and the plan must be updated as necessary when permits are renewed. As you can see from the topics, the health and safety of the children is the main focus. While at first blush these requirements sound stringent, I’m sure that they will prove very helpful to you in the day to day operation of your business. Every business should have a written operating plan that describes their process for getting things done.
We probably all remember playing the game “telephone “ when we were children. The objective of the game was to demonstrate that we each hear and interpret things differently; so that invariably the original message is completely different at the other end of the line. Because information that is shared verbally might be misunderstood, written policies and instructions will ensure that each parent and staff receive the very same basic information or message in order to avoid confusion.
DOHMH has a specific format for writing your safety plan so you should ask your education consultant for the format before writing the plan.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Blog for 9-27-08
The new Article 47, NYC Regulations for Child Care services, that went into effect on September 1,2008 has significantly expanded the training requirements for child care center staff. According to guidance from DOHMH, Section 47.37 is modeled on the child care staff training requirements of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).
Initial and ongoing in-service training of child care center staff is now the responsibility of the Educational Director in each center. Through my contacts at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, I have learned that certain trainers will have to be approved by DOHMH and/or certified by the state. So when hiring a training consultant you should seek the advice of your DOHMH Education Consultant to make sure that the trainer’s credentials meet qualifications.
Minimum training in child abuse and maltreatment recognition and prevention is required for all staff. Teaching staff is required to receive training in infection control and reporting infectious diseases.
In addition to child abuse and maltreatment prevention, Infant/Toddler and Night Care service staff is required to complete sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and “shaken baby” identification and prevention training.
In addition to child abuse and maltreatment prevention , Assistant Teachers shall receive 15 hours of training every 24 months in various subjects related to child health and safety and early childhood development.
The Educational Director shall develop a training curriculum based on the assessment of the professional development needs of individual assistant teachers. The curriculum should include, but is not limited to the following topics:
a) preventing, recognizing signs of, and reporting injuries, infectious diseases, other illnesses and medical conditions, b) first aid and CPR, c) Lead poisoning prevention, d) Physical activities, scheduling and conducting guided and structured physical activity, e) Asthma prevention and management, f)Setting up and maintaining staff and child health records including immunizations, g) Growth and child development, (i) Early intervention, (ii) Early childhood education curriculum development and appropriate activity planning, (iii) Appropriate supervision of children, (iv) Meeting the needs of children with physical or emotional challenges, (v) Behavior management and discipline, (vi) Meeting nutritional needs of young children, (vii) Parent, staff, and volunteer communication and orientation: roles and responsibility, (viii)The selection of appropriate and classroom arrangement, (ix) Safety and security procedures for fire safety, emergency evacuation, playgrounds, trips and transportation.
The DOHMH and OCFS have begun a train the trainer initiative that will greatly expand the number of trainers available to do this work.
Become a premium member of www.ccbcny.com and we will keep you informed about training resources. For comprehensive information about the new child care regulations go to
www.nyc.gov/html/doh
Initial and ongoing in-service training of child care center staff is now the responsibility of the Educational Director in each center. Through my contacts at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, I have learned that certain trainers will have to be approved by DOHMH and/or certified by the state. So when hiring a training consultant you should seek the advice of your DOHMH Education Consultant to make sure that the trainer’s credentials meet qualifications.
Minimum training in child abuse and maltreatment recognition and prevention is required for all staff. Teaching staff is required to receive training in infection control and reporting infectious diseases.
In addition to child abuse and maltreatment prevention, Infant/Toddler and Night Care service staff is required to complete sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and “shaken baby” identification and prevention training.
In addition to child abuse and maltreatment prevention , Assistant Teachers shall receive 15 hours of training every 24 months in various subjects related to child health and safety and early childhood development.
The Educational Director shall develop a training curriculum based on the assessment of the professional development needs of individual assistant teachers. The curriculum should include, but is not limited to the following topics:
a) preventing, recognizing signs of, and reporting injuries, infectious diseases, other illnesses and medical conditions, b) first aid and CPR, c) Lead poisoning prevention, d) Physical activities, scheduling and conducting guided and structured physical activity, e) Asthma prevention and management, f)Setting up and maintaining staff and child health records including immunizations, g) Growth and child development, (i) Early intervention, (ii) Early childhood education curriculum development and appropriate activity planning, (iii) Appropriate supervision of children, (iv) Meeting the needs of children with physical or emotional challenges, (v) Behavior management and discipline, (vi) Meeting nutritional needs of young children, (vii) Parent, staff, and volunteer communication and orientation: roles and responsibility, (viii)The selection of appropriate and classroom arrangement, (ix) Safety and security procedures for fire safety, emergency evacuation, playgrounds, trips and transportation.
The DOHMH and OCFS have begun a train the trainer initiative that will greatly expand the number of trainers available to do this work.
Become a premium member of www.ccbcny.com and we will keep you informed about training resources. For comprehensive information about the new child care regulations go to
www.nyc.gov/html/doh
Monday, September 1, 2008
Group Child Care Regulations in NYC
Effective today, September 1, 2008 the recently reenacted Article 47 of the New York City Health Code will guide the regulation and operation of group child care programs in New York City. The changes in the code reflect an update on how the various modalities of child care services are delivered in NYC and several changes in the process for program operators to obtain or re-new their license or operating permit.
It is important for every child care business owner to thoroughly know and understand the regulations for operating a safe and quality child care business. Throughout September and October we will use this blog to discuss the highlights of changes to the DOHMH child care regulations.
Child Care services are, and should be, highly regulated. Pre-school age children in group settings without their parents are totally dependent upon the preparation, planning and best judgment of their care givers. Over time regulators have used experience, observation, anecdotal information, and sadly, the results of tragedies to determine staffing ratios and operating procedures that will best protect young children when things are going as planned, as well as when something out of the ordinary happens. According to 47:23 of the regulations, the minimum ratio of staff to children and group size is as follows:
For children under 12 months old the adult/child ratio is one adult for every 4 children (1:4) or (1:3) with no more than 8 children per group; For children 12 to 24 months , the adult/child ratio is one adult to five children (1:5) with the group size limited to 10 children. The ratio for children 2 years to under 3 years is one adult to every 6 children (1:6) with the group size limited to 12 children. The adult/child ratio for children 3 years old to under 4 is 1adult to every 10 children (1:10) with the group size limited to 15 children. For children 4 years to under 5, the adult/child ratio is one adult for every 12 children, with group size limited to 20 children. And finally for children 5 years old to under 6 years old the adult/child ratio is one adult to every 15 children (1:15) with the group size limited to 25 children.
Basically there was no change in the regulations for staff/child ratios and group size except in the case of children under 12 months of age. When the staff/child ratio in 1:4 the program must demonstrate that it has enough staff on the premises to bring the ratio to 1:3 in case of an emergency.
Of course there are other considerations that affect the number of children allowed in a group and the maximum group size. You will be guided through these issues by the DOHMH consultant assigned to your program.
The staffing ratio and group size allows for each child to be observed and receive individualized attention and nurturing throughout the day. It also increases the likelihood that in an emergency staff will be able to move all of the children to safety. The required staffing in the classroom at all times, plus a well rehearsed emergency plan for evacuation and/or crisis management is the responsible way to go. Over enrollment of children is a risk that none of us should be willing to take. Not only does it jeopardize your liability, it puts lives at greater risk should something un-thinkable happen.
The staffing ratio and group size allows for each child to be observed and receive individualized attention and nurturing throughout the day. It also increases the likelihood that in an emergency staff will be able to move all of the children to safety. The required staffing in the classroom at all times, plus a well rehearsed emergency plan for evacuation and/or crisis management is the responsible way to go. Over enrollment of children is a risk that none of us should be willing to take. Not only does it jeopardize your liability, it puts lives at greater risk should something un-thinkable happen.
To get much more information and commentary about the reenacted Article 47 child care regulations…. become a premium member of the CCBCNY.com website.
You may also go directly to the DOHMH website at www.nyc.gov/dohmh.com
You may also go directly to the DOHMH website at www.nyc.gov/dohmh.com
Monday, August 25, 2008
BLOG FOR 8/25/08
Everywhere I go these days people are talking about the economy. Over the past year the cost of everything has increased and it has become very hard for people at every economic level to make ends meet. As I listen to experts it seems that our current situation is unique because so many things have gone wrong at once. Price inflation is at an all time high, not seen since the 1970’s. Nationally, almost half a million jobs have been lost so far just this year and several banks have been closed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). We all know from the unrelenting news coverage that hundreds of thousands of home owners are caught in the sub-prime mortgage crisis and are facing foreclosure on their homes. Millions of other homeowners are watching the value of their homes slide downward.
Recently, Governor David Patterson warned that New York State is facing a 6 billion dollar budget shortfall in the state budget. He is calling for a 7% cut in State spending for this year on top of the 3.35% reduction already included in the 2008-09 budget. I don’t know whether most of us are paying attention, but we should be. Such cuts will be devastating to the quality of life in our State and in our City. Government funded programs are already looking at cuts in their contracts that range from changes in their services delivery to actually closing their doors.
Of course, the New York State legislature will weigh in on this issue and so far, it appears that the leaders of the Senate and Assembly are reluctant to embrace such stark cuts and may be more inclined to promote tax increases.
We should remember that we are already facing a 2% budget cut in New York City spending. Additional federal cuts are projected for the federal fiscal year beginning October 1, 2008.
The current budget submitted by the Bush Administration is recommending up to a 30% cut in the social services block grant aid to New York State.
As Governor Patterson rendered his dire warnings about the NYS budget he also said that this downturn in the economy is shaping up to possibly be the worst recession since the great depression of 1929. Let’s hope that he’s wrong. Most of us have not faced such economic devastation in our lifetimes. But forewarned should allow us to be forearmed. We all need to pay very close attention to what’s happening with our economy and handle our planning and our finances accordingly.
Recently, Governor David Patterson warned that New York State is facing a 6 billion dollar budget shortfall in the state budget. He is calling for a 7% cut in State spending for this year on top of the 3.35% reduction already included in the 2008-09 budget. I don’t know whether most of us are paying attention, but we should be. Such cuts will be devastating to the quality of life in our State and in our City. Government funded programs are already looking at cuts in their contracts that range from changes in their services delivery to actually closing their doors.
Of course, the New York State legislature will weigh in on this issue and so far, it appears that the leaders of the Senate and Assembly are reluctant to embrace such stark cuts and may be more inclined to promote tax increases.
We should remember that we are already facing a 2% budget cut in New York City spending. Additional federal cuts are projected for the federal fiscal year beginning October 1, 2008.
The current budget submitted by the Bush Administration is recommending up to a 30% cut in the social services block grant aid to New York State.
As Governor Patterson rendered his dire warnings about the NYS budget he also said that this downturn in the economy is shaping up to possibly be the worst recession since the great depression of 1929. Let’s hope that he’s wrong. Most of us have not faced such economic devastation in our lifetimes. But forewarned should allow us to be forearmed. We all need to pay very close attention to what’s happening with our economy and handle our planning and our finances accordingly.
Monday, July 28, 2008
BLOG FOR 7-28-08
For the last several years we have experienced the phenomenon of businesses or even individuals “Branding “ themselves, their products, businesses or services. It also seems that there are various views of exactly what it means to brand something.
The late James Davis, then NYC Councilman for the 35th Council District in Brooklyn, once told me that his goal was to have such high name recognition that seeing his name in print, without pictures, would conjure up, in the minds of the public, an image of himself and all of his good works in the city council.
He used as illustration the Nike brand. When we see the Nike name or even just the symbol most of us immediately think about top quality sneakers and sports wear worn by the best athletes in the world. Many of us desire to emulate that image.
In my mind, what we have labeled branding , is essentially talking about our reputation. Although we might decide to have a memorable letterhead or logo or give out trinkets with our names embossed on them, we actually create our brand by the quality of service that we provide daily.
If we provide poor, un- reliable services, or bad attitude, the logo and trinkets will only serve to remind people to avoid using our service. Similarly, if we project self confidence, an open and caring demeanor, demonstrate love and concern for each child, provide dependable quality service, with a glad to serve you attitude, our business will stand out in the crowd and grow almost effortlessly, by word of mouth. If you are consistently providing services in these ways, call it what you may, you will have branded your child care business.
The late James Davis, then NYC Councilman for the 35th Council District in Brooklyn, once told me that his goal was to have such high name recognition that seeing his name in print, without pictures, would conjure up, in the minds of the public, an image of himself and all of his good works in the city council.
He used as illustration the Nike brand. When we see the Nike name or even just the symbol most of us immediately think about top quality sneakers and sports wear worn by the best athletes in the world. Many of us desire to emulate that image.
In my mind, what we have labeled branding , is essentially talking about our reputation. Although we might decide to have a memorable letterhead or logo or give out trinkets with our names embossed on them, we actually create our brand by the quality of service that we provide daily.
If we provide poor, un- reliable services, or bad attitude, the logo and trinkets will only serve to remind people to avoid using our service. Similarly, if we project self confidence, an open and caring demeanor, demonstrate love and concern for each child, provide dependable quality service, with a glad to serve you attitude, our business will stand out in the crowd and grow almost effortlessly, by word of mouth. If you are consistently providing services in these ways, call it what you may, you will have branded your child care business.
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