Health and Safety at Guidepost
A child must feel secure in order to grow and learn, which is why health and safety come first at Guidepost. We are uncompromisingly committed to exceptionally safe, nurturing learning environments for all of our children, parents, and staff.
Exceeding Childcare Standards
Our commitment to safety is vetted from the inside out. Our campuses all comply with state licensing and regulatory bodies and are held to industry-leading operational standards through national and international accrediting agencies.
Staff Qualifications
Our staff are highly trained in safe sleep guidelines, proper food handling, child development, emergency preparedness, and other classroom protocols that uphold a safe learning environment every day.
- All Guidepost employees are background checked and must pass multiple interviews related to qualifications and prior experience. They must also demonstrate a clear love and respect for working with children.
- We extend background checks to applicable outside vendors, ensuring that anyone with regular access to campus is screened.
- Guidepost staff are CPR and First-Aid certified.
- We partner with the internationally accredited teacher-training institute, The Prepared Montessorian, to ensure every Guidepost educator has ongoing access to training and professional development.
Campus Security
Our campuses are secured 24/7 with restricted access and regularly inspected, enclosed outdoor play spaces. Exits and entrances are monitored, and staff work closely with parents and caregivers for drop off and pickup.
- Only parents and approved caregivers can sign children in and out each day using our secured SmartCare system.
- Guides supervise children at all times and are trained to immediately respond to any kind of safety incident.
- All classrooms adhere to required staff-to-children ratios, which vary by location.
- School teams enforce a strict visitor policy, and every approved guest is escorted by a staff member at all times.
- We cover all bases with emergency preparedness including fire drills, severe weather drills, shelter-in-place, evacuation plans, and medical emergency care plans.
Health and Wellness
We value preventative health measures that actively promote healthier school communities, ensuring families can count on Guidepost as a safe, clean, joyful space where children can thrive.
- Our staff perform daily well checks.
- Our Campus Illness Policy utilizes best practices for preventing, containing and minimizing spread of common childhood illnesses.
- We partner with families of children with special health needs to ensure the best, individualized care.
- Staff adhere to state and local guidelines for proper food handling with snacks and meals.
- Our schools are nut-free, and we work with families of children with food allergies to solidify allergy prevention plans.
- Our environments are regularly cleaned, sanitized, inspected, and our staff work with children to ensure proper hand washing and hygiene.
COVID-19 Learnings & Protocols
Guidepost Montessori has been safely and consistently operating its campuses through the COVID-19 pandemic in compliance with the CDC and local health departments. Our COVID response teams have been diligently evaluating the latest evidence and adapting our protocols appropriately. We firmly believe that childcare and education are essential, and we deliver on this need for continuity with both on-campus and in-home options.
Effective July 5, 2021, our campuses have transitioned back to normal Health and Safety protocols, with the exception of some COVID restrictions where local regulations advise. As in-person tours and parent community events resume, unvaccinated individuals are asked to wear face coverings. Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear face coverings on campus.
Connect with your closest Guidepost to find out more!
Giving children the keys to life
Guidepost Montessori enables children to understand the world and choose their place within it.
With over 80 campuses across the US and Asia, and at-home and virtual learning programs serving more than 7,000 families worldwide, Guidepost is the world’s largest Montessori network.
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Do you want to learn more about Montessori? Visit The Prepared Montessorian for flexible online courses, from beginner to expert level.