GREENSBORO, N.C. — As parents, teachers, and school districts anxiously await a decision on schools from the state, a daycare is weighing in on what's working for them.
The owner of Cj's Childcare said she's thankful none of the teachers or children have become sick with coronavirus.
Owner Deloris Jackson said the Greensboro childcare center has around 60 kids each day, with about 10-12 kids per classroom.
Jackson said they've had strict guidelines in place since the beginning of the pandemic.
"We don’t let the parents come no farther than the lobby. We’re taking the temperature of the children when they come in. Wash their hands in the lobby before they enter the classrooms," Jackson said.
She said children 12 years and older are required to wear a mask, but some parents send their children in with masks even if they're younger than 12.
Instructor Trina Thorpe said some parents are requiring their toddlers to wear masks, which has proven to be difficult.
"A lot of them say, 'It’s hot! It’s hot!' I said, 'I understand. I have to wear mine. If I can wear mine, you can wear yours. We can wear it together,'" Thorpe said.
Kayla Evans, 12, said it's uncomfortable wearing her mask, but she knows how important it is. "It’s important so none of us catch the virus," she said.
Social distancing has been a challenge as well, Thorpe said. The daycare has yellow footprints throughout the building to indicate how far kids should be standing away from their friends.
"We don’t want this virus to spread throughout the daycare so throughout the day we talk to the children about the virus," said Thorpe.
"We don’t want it in the daycare. We don’t want no children to take it home, no children to bring it in."
Thorpe said throughout the day they'll remind the children to stand on their social distance markers.
"'I need you to get on your feet. Get on your yellow feet!'" Thorpe said.
In addition to social distancing and masks, Jackson said they're constantly cleaning and sanitizing toys throughout the day, and telling the children to wash their hands.
Going back to school is on the mind of not just parents and teachers, but day care center, too.
Jackson said if schools go back to some form of in-person learning, she'll have to figure out how to get kids from the school to her day care as safe as possible.
"How are we gonna handle that keeping them separated on the vans and the buses?" said Jackson, "We might have to make two trips in order to pick up or put another bus out or another van out which means you have to employ another driver because the kids are not going to be able to sit side by side like they normally do."
As far as whether or not she thinks kids can go back to school safely, Jackson said it might not be easy, but it's possible.
"The masks it’s gonna be hard. The kids are still going to touch in school settings, but maybe if they have the face shields they can at least relieve themselves sometimes to cool off," said Jackson.
"In school, it’s gonna be hard to keep the distance. The classrooms might have to be smaller and everybody is going to have to do their fair share but it might work."
She bought the teachers' face shields which have proven to give them a break from the masks when they need it.
Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to make an announcement about the reopening of schools Tuesday afternoon.