Step 1 – Schedule a School Tour

Enrolling and/or reserving a future space for your child is simple. Schedule a time for you and your child to visit us in our center. We will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to meet us and learn more about what we have to offer. This time spent gives all involved an opportunity to get to know one another and to make sure that all personalities mix well. This is important and helps to ensure that all parties are comfortable with their surroundings and expectations.

Step 2 – Pay Registration Fee

Once you decide to enroll your child, you’ll have to pay $35 non-refundable registration fee.

Step 3 – Complete Registration Packet

After School Tour, the registration process may begin. There are various forms to be completed and others to be read. Once they are read, completed, signed, and the deposit has been paid, your child’s space has been reserved and the final step is to decide on a start date.

1. What are the hours of operation?
Kids Express is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 6:30pm, but you can find the hours of operation on the webpage. The hours of operation could be extended dependant upon community needs.

2. How do you monitor who has building access?
Kids Express has numerous safety procedures in place to protect children. There are doube doors in the front of Kids Express; the first door will be unlocked to insure families can escape the elements of outdoors, however the other door that goes directly into our facility will remain locked during business hours. There is a doorbell that can be rang to notify us of anyone that has arrived to our building. At this point someone from our facility wearing a Kids Express name tag will greet you at the door with the tablet to check in your child to our playground app and add any imprtant information needed for the day. At this point they will then escort your child to the age approprate room.

If you have notified us that a friend or family member will be picking up your child, we will verify their identity before they are allowed access to the building for pick-up (IE ID and unique code word)

3. What is the playground app?

Playground offers a variety of features to fit the diverse needs of Kids Express:

⦁ Multiple check-in/check-out & attendance tracking methods, including carline, check-in kiosk, and more
⦁ COVID health screenings and attestations
⦁ Parent invoicing, payments, and online bill payments
⦁ Health, attendance, and COVID reports (licensing approved in all 50 states)
⦁ Classroom and family timelines for activity, photo, and video sharing
⦁ In-app messaging
⦁ Announcements

4. Are there cameras at Kids Express?
Yes Kids Express is equipped with cameras. Cameras are specifically for the school Directors to use in monitoring the classrooms and for training purposes. For the protection of the children, there is no streaming video on our website or our mobile app for parents.

5. Do I need to bring food for my child?
Each of our schools provides an opportunity for a healthy breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack for your child as part of your tuition and fees. Our menus are created using USDA guidelines and we cook foods that are taste-tested and kid-approved!

6. Can I provide my own food?
For the safety of all our children, we do not allow parents to provide their own food. We provide food services for all children in our care. Menu exceptions are allowed for children with documented religious or medical reasons. If a special diet is required, you may speak to the Director about supplying the necessary food.

7. What is the ratio in my child’s classroom?
The ratio in each classroom is dependent on the state requirements. Kids Express adheres to all guidelines and state standards. In states with a Quality Rated program, our schools may have even lower teacher to student ratios.

8. How do you discipline a child in daycare?
* No cruel, harsh, or unusual punishment is allowed.
* Discipline shall not include profanity, negative remarks about a child or his family, or other verbal abuse.

* Discipline shall not be used to humiliate, shame or frighten a child.
* Discipline shall not include spanking, hitting, striking, biting or pinching.
*A simple time out will be given:

Experts say that time outs are not harmful. For time outs to be a success, they should be as short as possible. One guideline is 1 minute per year of the child’s age. Some experts say the maximum should be just 3 minutes. Some times this helps and some times it does not. Sometimes young children may display challenging behavior, such as tantrums or not following directions when they are upset about something or don’t know how to express their feelings. Caregivers and teachers play an important role in helping children learn how to cope with and manage their big emotions and impulses, and express themselves in positive ways. This is when we will use Redirection. Redirecting behavior is one strategy to use to stop a challenging behavior from escalating. While it may take some time and patience to redirect behavior effectively, it’s a valuable skill for all caregivers and educators to have.

9. What is redirecting behavior?
Redirecting behavior is a technique that involves changing the focus of a child’s attention from an undesirable behavior to a more positive one. It interrupts and redirects a child’s challenging behavior and attempts to calm them down and avoid further conflict. With redirecting, the caregiver is still in control, but the child feels like they are too. This helps the child feel more secure, making them less likely to continue the negative behavior. Redirecting behavior can be used when the child is engaging in a behavior that is:
i. Inappropriate
ii. Harmful
iii. Disruptive
iv. Unsafe
v. Destructive

Some ways to redirect a child’s behavior:
1. Give them a choice. Giving children a choice gives them a sense of value and also helps build their confidence
2. Ignore the behavior
3. Use a distraction
4. Redirect their energy
5. Give them a hug (with their permission)
6. Set clear expectations
7. Use positive reinforcement
8. Avoid power struggles

Medication
We do not administer medication here at Kids Express. We ask that if there is an antibiotic that is to be administered during the day to the child that the parent schedule a time during their lunch to come and give the child their dose.

10. Who will be caring for my child all day?
The staff atKids Express LLC consists of teachers, administrators, retired bus drivers, and cooks that are passionate about early childhood education. Every employee has submitted a complete set of his or her fingerprints to the Nebraska State Patrol. The Nebraska State Patrol transmited a copy of the child care staff member’s fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record information checkbackground checks before starting employment. ALL teachers and staff are CPR and First Aid Certified. We are a family owned/operated business and we exude commitment and unified leadership, stability, trust and authenticity, flexibility and versatility. Here at Kids Express we are collaborating with people we trust and care about. This creates a very nurturing environment, and it gives all family members more self-confidence. The work environment is be more relaxed.