Searching for a daycare for your child can be an overwhelming  task for families. From knowing what “bells and whistles” you are looking for, to finding something within your budget or close to your home — how do you choose what matters most when the list of “requirements” is a mile long? Did you know that there are over 40 daycare centers in the Kennesaw area alone? That is 40 different centers you could potentially tour, interview & access for the needs of your child and family. The good news is that there are a few tried and true things parents should consider when selecting a daycare center. How long has the center been in business and what is their reputation? Looking for a center that has been around for several years might seem like a no-brainer, but when it comes to a “shiny & new” building, sometimes longevity takes a back seat. A recent study from USA Today revealed that only 20% of new businesses survive past their first year. Around half of all businesses no longer exist after

Avoiding The Summer Brain Drain: Summer Learning Activities For Your Young Child Summer is just around the corner. Images of sandy beaches, later bedtimes, and walking barefoot in the yard are running through your head. Permission forms, homework assignments, and project deadlines will soon be a thing of the past. Who doesn’t like summer with trips to the pool and nights filled with catching lightening bugs in mason jars? I know I do. A week into summer break, say sometime after Memorial Day, you will read an article, maybe even this one, about the infamous summer brain drain. (Or if you are a planner like me you probably started reading about summer brain drain in say, March.) You may panic with the thought of failing test grades and teacher conferences because your child has forgotten everything they learned over the summer. Sometimes referred to as summer learning loss, the summer brain drain occurs when children take an extended break from academic work making it easier to forget material already learned and harder to retain new information. Summer learning loss is

Join us on March 11th, and get up-close and personal with larger-than-life trucks, public safety equipment, cool cars and specialty vehicles at the annual Touch-A-Truck event in Kennesaw, GA. Meet vehicle owners and operators, and have a blast watching your kids touch, climb on and interact with this awesome exhibition of transportation. Over 40 vehicles will be on display, along with a variety of other children’s activities. Along with the other vehicles, Foundations’ school bus will be on-site and available for your child to explore. Foundations also sets up a tricycle riding path, for toddlers and preschoolers who want to practice their bike riding skills. We also provide wheel-less riders for the little ones that aren’t quite ready for tricycles yet. They love pushing the riders around the course while the bigger kids ride the trikes.     At Foundations School, our bus is used for transporting children to and from Hayes Elementary School to our After School program. Foundations’ ASP program offers many benefits that differ from the traditional ASP setting in other child care centers or after school

You researched all of your options.  You narrowed down your private school choices by location, religious affiliation, emphasis, cost, and those accepting Georgia Special Needs Scholarships (if applicable).  Now it is time to take a deeper look at your school finalists and determine which one(s) are the best match for your family and child. Atlanta Parent recently compiled a list of guidelines to use when completing a private school search for your child. Our recommendations are below. Private School Admissions: Finding The Best Private School For You & Your Child Step #1: Schedule A Tour One of the best ways to get an accurate read on a school is to take a tour. This is where you can determine the atmosphere of the school. Here are some things to look for on your school visit: Is the school warm and nurturing, or more academic and rigorous? What are the facilities like? Modern or old? Is students’ artwork displayed throughout the buildings? What are the physical activity facilities like? The playground? Gym? Are they well equipped? Step #2: Interview Director Of

Did you know that some of the programs you are considering for your child may not be state licensed?  Some might be exempt from licensing for certain reasons, and some might be operating unlawfully.  Either way, when a program is not state licensed, they do not have unannounced inspection visits from state agents to make sure they are in compliance with health and safety rules and regulations.  Unannounced drop-ins are not uncommon, so licensed daycare owners must always be on top of government mandated requirements or risk shutting their doors. Did you know that many “Mother’s Morning Out” programs, and many after school programs, often fall into the unlicensed category?  If they are not licensed, they are not held to basic care standards by the state.  In addition, home daycares can go through the process to be licensed, but some choose to operate unlawfully without going through the process.  Some home daycares have been operating for years before being caught, so be sure to check, since even years of operation is no guarantee that they are complying with state regulations.

Need to find daycare?  Sending your child, especially your young child, to daycare can be a scary and intimidating decision. This decision is even more challenging if it is your first child and you are not familiar with the ins and outs of daycare. The majority of parents send their kids to some form of childcare or daycare, so there are many resources out there for parents2. The good thing is, there are many studies showing the positive benefits of putting your child in high quality childcare3. In fact, there are studies that show positive benefits of putting your child in daycare at an early age. We have outlined some important steps and questions to make the process easier for you. Three Steps To Finding The Best Daycares Near You 1st Step: narrow it down by daycare cost, location, and reputation Start your search by listing all the daycares near you.  Do a google search for “find a daycare near me,” or near your work address, and you will get a map of the closest locations.  This is your master

The Foundations For The Future School in Kennesaw, GA Offers Before And After School Care In Coordination With Hayes Elementary School The Foundations For The Future school located in Kennesaw, Georgia is excited to announce before and after school care for students at Hayes Elementary. This new program allows parents to drop their child off as early as 6:30 AM at the Foundations School and pick their child up as late as 6:30 PM in the evening at Foundations, with transportation being provided by Foundations to and from Hayes. Students are dropped off at Hayes Elementary by 7:25 AM. Students are picked up from Hayes Elementary School at dismissal and brought back to Foundations for an afternoon of snacks and enrichment opportunities such as assisted homework time, outdoor exploration, gym time, indoor rock climbing, arts and crafts, and more.   Inspired by what they saw as a perfect opportunity to bring another affordable, quality, and convenient option for after school care to parents with students at Hayes Elementary, Foundations co-founder Lynn McKinnon stated, “We are excited about this opportunity to

Did you know there are currently 217 childcare centers in Marietta, GA?!  Looking at all the available options can seem overwhelming, and the internet is full of so much information that it’s hard to determine what is important and what isn’t. Parents often find this period of their child’s care and education to be stressful, as the negative and positive consequences of this decision flow through their minds: “If my daughter isn’t exposed to another language at age 3, is she on the path to low academic achievement and inability to compete in a globalized economy?” “Do I ruin my child’s chances of getting into a great public school gifted program or great private school if I don’t send them to the “right” preschool or child care?” These are just a couple of the many questions and worries parents have expressed to me over the years. Choosing The Best Child Care in Marietta, GA For Your Child The good news is that there are some tried and true things parents should consider when selecting a childcare center.  You can quickly

Considering a GA Milestones Test Opt Out? There are many reasons you might be considering opting your child out of the GA Milestones testing.  If you do decide to opt your child out of the GA Milestones Test, there are still some major issues that exist with the testing in GA that you may want to consider for next school year.  The problem is not just the test itself, but everything surrounding the testing system that affects your child’s school experience.  As a private school Head of School, I meet the families who have opted out of the public system all the way, and often their experience with standardized testing is a primary reason for that choice.  But standardized testing isn’t all bad.  Surprised to hear me say that?  There are many issues with it, but there can also be many benefits when it is implemented in a way that benefits the students and teachers.  Read on to find out the top issues with standardized testing, including the GA Milestones Test, and also a look at how it could be

It is that time of year again; the time of year to start looking for summer camp options for your kid. Your reasoning behind searching for summer activities for your child may vary. Some parents work full time and need options to fill the time that school once occupied. Other parents need to save their sanity from a summer of nothing but free time. Regardless, the vast majority of parents realize the importance of keeping their child’s mind active and stimulated during the summer break, and summer camps are a great way to achieve that. The Importance of Summer Activities For Kids The benefits of summer camps are well documented. Students lose an average of 30% of their school year progress in math, reading, and spelling over the summer, making academic based camps like STEM camps an excellent choice for avoiding the summer “brain drain.” Keeping your kids physically and mentally active through participation in summer activities further develops resilience, confidence, leaderships skills, independence, and the health and well-being in your child1.   Day camps such as a sport-specific camp

Comparing Creekstone Academy, Ivy Hall Day School, Kids R Kids West Cobb, and Foundations Child Care & School When looking for daycare in the West Cobb area, there are many centers to choose from. Creekstone Academy, Ivy Hall Day School, Kids R Kids West Cobb, and Foundations Child Care & School are all within about three miles of each other. They mostly provide the same basic services, with similar days and hours of operation, and age groups served. There are differences in the details, but how can you tell which details will impact your child’s experience the most positively? Qualified Teachers What makes a great teacher? Years of experience in the early education field have led me to believe that it is a combination of the right personality type paired with experience and education. When you compare Creekstone Academy, Ivy Hall Day School, Kids R Kids West Cobb, and Foundations Child Care & School, look closely at the teachers. At Foundations, every family that tours is provided a handout with information about each teacher’s education and experience, and how long

The Georgia Department of Education records show that there are 11 private schools in Kennesaw GA, and there are 34 private schools in Marietta GA.  For families looking for private schools in Cobb County, sorting through 45 options can be a daunting task.  The good news is that with so many options, you are sure to find one that is the perfect fit for your family. You can narrow your options down quickly if one or more of the following statements describes what you are looking for: a private school that is not affiliated with a religion (also called non-religious or secular) a private school that has a special emphasis a private school that carries a specific accreditation a private school that accepts Georgia Special Needs Scholarships a private school that provides early care and education for children in preschool Non-religious Schools: Only about 20% of private schools in Georgia do not have a religious affiliation, so if your family prefers religion to be taught at home, you can narrow down your school choices greatly.   Special Emphasis Schools: About

At Foundations for the Future Preschool (Kennesaw), we believe that our teachers are one of our greatest assets. We have an enthusiastic group of educators dedicated to the development and education of young children. These teachers use student interests to develop individualized project work that addresses learning in eight core curriculum areas: social/emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, mathematics, science & technology, and social studies. We would like to recognize the following three preschool teachers for their contribution to our preschool program: Ms. Tiarra (pictured left) has been working with children since 2006, and she obtained an Early Education Technical Certificate at Chattahoochee Technical College in 2013. She has been with Foundations Preschool (Kennesaw) since 2013. Ms. Tiarra knows that children learn best through play so her approach to teaching involves creative approaches, such as singing, to not only help students reach developmental milestones, but also to make them feel nurtured. Ms. Jameela (pictured middle) initially set out on a path to pursue Marine Science, but after two years she realized she really wanted to work with children, in particular those

As the country watches the number of measles cases slowly rise, concerns begin to surface about the safety of children in childcare centers in Georgia.  Georgia, unlike some states, does not make vaccination rates of daycare centers and schools available easily online.  The Georgia Department of Health publishes general information about measles on their website.  The Georgia Department of Health also requires daycare centers and schools to immediately report any cases of measles.  From 2005-2014, there were only five confirmed cases of measles in Georgia.   The Georgia Department of Health is in charge of regulating the requirements for daycare centers and schools, and they audit each childcare center and school each year to ensure compliance.  Georgia requires daycare centers and schools to provide one of two things for each enrolled student: 1) a GA Form 3231 immunization form that is not expired, or 2) a notarized exemption form, which is allowed for religious or medical reasons.   The LA Times news article published February 4th, 2015 titled “Many California Childcare Centers Have Low Vaccination Rates” cites: “Experts say a 92% vaccination

Most of everything that your newborn baby has to learn about in the early months rests within 6 feet of where they are located.  Whether lying on the ground or being held, your baby is interacting with a very small universe.  Finding a daycare for newborns that has an environment that will support growth and learning while keeping them safe and secure is of the utmost importance.  These three questions will cover the areas most critical to your child’s well being: 1 )What is your Teacher to Child Ratio and what is your Group Size? The number of students per teacher and the total number of students within the classroom are of utmost importance for meeting basic needs and to promote developmental learning. Look for a 1:4 Ratio for your Newborn or Toddler:  Rare NAEYC accredited daycares for newborns  follow the lowest ratios for the highest quality (read more about Foundations NAEYC accreditation here).  This gives your newborn baby 50% more quality touch time each hour than a daycare that offers a 1 to 6 ratio (the ratio allowed by

Searching for daycare can be an overwhelming task, with over 100 options for daycare just in the Kennesaw/Marietta area alone. If you tour a few childcare centers, it might begin to feel like they all say the same things.  So, what can you do to find the right for your family?  How can you know if the daycare center is a good one? In order to be licensed as a daycare in Georgia, a daycare center must be licensed by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Bright from the Start, showing that they meet minimum standards for operation.   Families can even review the most recent state reports on each center on the BFTS website.  For families looking for high quality daycare (Kennesaw Marietta area), Foundations for the Future goes above and beyond.  Here are the Top 5 Ways Foundations is More Than Just a Kennesaw Daycare: Two National Accreditations: Foundations meets the most rigorous standards for care and education, achieving national accreditation from both NAEYC and Advanc-Ed.  With outside validators reviewing quality regularly, families have the assurance of

Foundations is proud to be one of the few approved military child care providers in the #Kennesaw #Marietta area! Many military families are eligible for financial subsidies that help pay their child care tuition at Foundations. We find that most military families do not even know about this great program, and it is an incredible benefit to the people that faithfully serve our country. The beginning of the school year is a great time for new families to start. We have very limited spaces in our #infant and young #toddler programs, and we are filling up fast in our early preschool and #preschool classes. Many active duty military families are eligible for up to $1500/month of assistance on their childcare tuition! Army Child Care Assistance Information (copied from http://www.usa.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/military-families/army/ on 6/22/17) “Army Child Care Fee Assistance was created to provide authorized Reserve and Active Duty personnel assistance in locating, selecting, and offsetting the cost of civilian child care when on-base child care is not available or a viable option for the service member and their family. The programs available through Child

What a wonderful start to the first day of school! Everyone jumped right in! Art with Ms. Misha, exploring outside, playing getting to know each other games, setting up a full size outdoor camping tent, and even a math challenge! The first day of school bring back many memories for adults, and we watched as many of those memories were made today for the children at Foundations.  The teachers took extra care to make sure that each student had a memorable day, building on the exciting meet of meeting new friends and seeing old ones, talking about summer vacation adventures, and getting to explore their classrooms.  #firstdayofschool #infants #toddlers #preschool #PreK #elementary #middleschool #FoundationsfortheFuture #Kennesaw

Students of all ages get active every day at Foundations.  From an infant’s first explorations of movement, to our elementary students choosing to learn where it is most comfortable for them (even the floor sometimes!), to all the ages in between where they engage in hands-on projects and dynamic play—movement is a part of the daily learning experience at Foundations.

Dr. Maria, Mrs. Angie, Mrs. Sheila, and Mrs. Lindsay are attending the ITEEA conference in Orlando FL this week. This international STEM education conference has drawn attendees from all over the world, and we are so proud that our teaching team was invited to be presenters at the conference. They are showcasing some of the many STEM projects the students have done at Foundations this year, and the strategies they use to engage students in the learning process. We thank them for their true dedication to educating our students!