Practical Exercises

Actual capacity of Module 1 is currently 3 ratios of toddlers ages 24-36 months for a total of 21 toddlers. The current program (posted) capacity is 30. The original design for this room was 30 preschoolers, and the room opens directly onto the preschool playground. The toddler playground is on the other side of the building. There is a long waiting list for infants and toddlers and a short waiting list for preschoolers. However, you are having trouble with your budget numbers because the large numbers of infants and toddlers you are serving requires extra staffing. What can you do?

Using the scenario information, resources, and CDC floor plan, what is your best course of action?

Actual capacity at the present time in the toddler Module 3 is 4 ratios of pre-toddlers ages 12-24 months, for a total of 20 pre-toddlers. The current program (posted) capacity is 32, and the original design for this room was 32 toddlers when the ratio for all toddlers (including pre-toddlers) was 1:7. However, the ratio for pre-toddlers ages 12-24 months is now 1:5. There is a long waiting list for infants and toddlers. However, you are having trouble with your budget numbers because the large number of infants and toddlers you are serving requires extra staffing.

Using the scenario information, resources, and CDC floor plan, what is your best course of action?

The infant Module 4 has an actual capacity of 4 ratios of infants 6 weeks-12 months of age, for a total of 16 infants. The current program (posted) capacity is 20, and the original design for this room was 20 infants (many years ago when the ratio for infants was 1:5). There is a long waiting list for infants and toddlers. However, you are having trouble with your budget numbers because the large number of infants and toddlers you are serving requires extra staffing. Your center is the only one on the installation, but there is a viable Family Child Care program.

Using the scenario information, resources, and CDC floor plan, what is your best course of action?

Module 5 has an actual capacity of 3 ratios of kindergartners (36) before and after school. The current program (posted) capacity is 30, but this number has been posted since the building was built. There is a definite demand for before and after kindergarten spaces at your installation. You would like to leave this room as is because you are having trouble with your budget numbers since the large number of infants and toddlers you are serving requires extra staffing. This room is a real money-maker for the center.

Using the scenario information, resources, and CDC floor plan, what is your best course of action?

Room 6C was originally part of an hourly-care suite of rooms. This room was designed to serve 2 ratios of preschool children, ages 3-5. At the present time, this room has been converted into a staff training/storage space because it is hard to find space to complete the required training. Preschool hourly care is currently being offered in Room 6B. However, the hourly-care spaces — especially those for toddlers and infants — are filled very quickly, and parents who need last-minute care have trouble getting in.

Using the scenario information, resources, and CDC floor plan, what is your best course of action?