Frequently Asked Questions

+ What are the different educational programs you offer?

Children's Day offers 3 educational programs:

1. We have a one classroom Young Preschool Program for 12 children ages 2 ½ to 3 years of age. This is a year round (12-month) program.

2. Children’s Day has a preschool program for children ages 3 to 4 years old. We can enroll up to 105 children into this program- and those children are divided among 7 classrooms with 15 children in each classroom. The preschool runs during the school year (September through June) and the summer (July and August).

3. We also offer an After School program for children ages 5-7 years old.

+ How many children can be enrolled in your school?

1. Children’s Day can enroll a total of 117 children during the school year.

+ What are your hours of operation?

1. Children’s Day is open year-round from 7am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday; although hours will vary depending on the program your child is attending.

2. The young preschool program is open to children of working parents from 7am to 5:30pm.

3. The preschool program’s hours are from 8am to 2:30pm during the school year (September through June).

4. We also offer Wrap Around care (Before and After School) to our preschool children. This covers the hours before and after the preschool program, up to 5:30pm.

5. The Wrap Around program is a full day preschool program (7am to 5:30pm) during public school vacation weeks and during the months of July and August.

+ What are the teacher’s qualifications?

1. In our toddler program, our two co-teachers hold a CDA credential.

2. In our preschool program, all classroom teachers have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, most in Early Childhood Education. At this time, we have 2 teachers with a Master’s Degree in Education. Our assistant teachers all have at least a CDA credential, and/or 2 years of college credits. At this time, we have 3 assistant teachers with Bachelor’s degrees.

+ Does my child have to be toilet-trained?

1. No, children do not have to be toilet-trained to attend our school. If a child starts our school before he/she is toilet-trained, we will work with parents when the child is ready to begin the process.

+ Do you offer transportation?

1. No, we do not offer transportation, but can put you in touch with several small bus companies that some of our parents use for transportation services.

+ What is NECPA and Grow NJ Kids?

1. Determining high quality in preschool is a challenging process. Several national and one state accredited system exist to determine quality and encourage preschools to excel beyond the minimum standards required by state licensing boards.

2. NECPA is the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation program that recognizes excellence in preschool programs throughout the United States. Children’s Day has been awarded this accreditation since 2012.

3. Grow NJ Kids is New Jersey’s rating and improvements system to assess preschool programs and communicate the school’s level of quality to the public. They use a one to five Star Rating System to identify the school’s level of quality. Children’s Day was recently rated as a 4-Star Program.

+ What are the steps for me to enroll my child?

1. If you are interested in enrolling your child, you will first need to fill out a Wait List/Interest In Enrollment Form.

2. For our young preschool program, we actively enroll children in the Spring, with an intended start date of July 1st.

3. For our preschool program, we also enroll children in the spring, with a start date of July 1st for those who want to attend our summer program, or a September start date for those only enrolling in the school year program.

4. Once the initial application is submitted and all required documents are handed in, your child is placed on our waiting list.

5. Children are called off the waiting list during the spring in the order the applications are received. We are able to offer some children priority status, including those who are already 4 years old, those with special needs, or families who qualify for Head Start.

+ What documents are required for my child to be placed on the waiting list?

1. Families need to provide proof of address, proof of family size, and proof of income. Proof of income determines if a family will have priority status on the wait list; and it is part of the eligibility process for children entering our toddler program.

2. For a list of the documents needed, Click Here.

+ Do we have to be Passaic residents to attend?

1. For our young preschool program, students do not have to be Passaic residents.

2. For our preschool program, students must be residents of Passaic.

+ When should I submit the wait list application for my child?

1. We accept applications year round. If our school is full at the time you are bringing in your application, your child will be placed on our waiting list. Many children wait over a year to be able to be enrolled in our school.

2. We highly recommend you submit the Wait List application as soon as you decide you’d like your child to attend our school

3. Children in our toddler program must be 2 ½ years old by September 30th. Children in our preschool program must be 3 by October 31st, or they will have to wait until the next school year to be enrolled in our program.

+ What are the health and vaccination requirements for my child?

Before your child can start in our school, the following documentation is required: a medical and dental examination.

Additionally, a record of immunization that meets NJ State Requirements for your child’s age is required, and will be verified by the nurse before your child’s first day.

+ Do you have a nurse on staff?

Yes, we have a part time Nurse on staff during the week.

+ Do you provide lunch? What if my child has special dietary needs?

Yes, we provide all children with free breakfast, lunch, and two snacks daily.

We have a kitchen on site, with two fabulous cooks who make all of the food we serve fresh on the premises. They work very closely with our consulting nutritionist to develop healthy and delicious meals for the children.

We are always willing to work with you and your child’s physician when your child has dietary limitations due to allergies or religious restrictions. Parents would make an appointment with our nutritionist and/or nurse. They will work with our kitchen staff to modify meals and snacks so that they meet your child’s dietary allergies and/or restrictions.

+ What are home visits and do I have to have one?

Home visits are an important part of our program; its purpose is to assist parents in the use of the home as the child’s primary learning environment.

Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. Your child’s family worker and teacher will meet with you in your home 1 time per year. Home visits take about 30 minutes.

+ Do the children play outside every day?

Yes, fresh air and the opportunity to run and play is an important part of your child’s development. The children will play outside every day- even during the winter and summer months. During colder and warmer weather, the length of time children spend outside will be shortened.

+ Do the children nap every day? What happens if my child does not sleep?

Rest, or Nap Time is part of the daily routine at Children’s Day. Every child has his/her own labeled cot, sheet and blanket. Rest time occurs each day after lunch. While most children sleep during rest time, those who do not sleep are provided with quiet activities that they can use on their cots.