scheduling staff

[Jennie]

New at scheduling, would appreciate ideas that have worked for you. Scenario: center hours 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., have 18 two year olds in one class with a 1-9 ratio, will have 1 teacher with CDA, others will be teacher assistants/aides, all staff work 6 or 8 hour shifts, only need to have 1 to open and 1 to close since other staff members would be on site as well (in other classrooms). I am looking at all other aspects of the day's staff schedule only for the two year old class.Please answer A.S.A.P.!! Thanks!

[Sheryl]

I would put your certified teacher for the majority of the classroom day, like 9-5. That way they could be there for the more structured routine of the day. Let your assistants cover the opening and closing routines.

I've liked when we had a float in the building to help deliver and assist with lunch, rubbing backs, giving breaks, etc.

[Leigh]

At the center where I work, we do rotating shifts. Evryone works a shift for two weeks and then we rotate. We are open from 6-6 and right now we have 5 people in our room. Our shifts right now are opener 5:45-2:45, next person 6:15-3:15, next person 7:30-4:30, next person 8:30-5:30, and closer 9:00-6:00. I also work with two year olds, but our ratio is 1:7,, and I thought that was a handful. LOL!!! You might have to adjust this since your ratio is different, but I hope this helps somewhat. Oh yeah, we also have a floater in the building that is there in case a staff member doesn't show up or we just need an extra pair of hands. Good Luck!:)

[donna]

I know I am very lucky because my center has a 1:6 in our 2year old class. Our teachers actually work four 10 hour days either from 6:30a-5p, 7:30a-6P, or 8:30a-7p. This allows them to be available for parents both in the morning and at pick-up time. They love having a day off in the week, too. We use parttime to help cover the lunch and nap times. Our lunches are taken after the kids are asleep and are sometimes covered by asst director or by the pt teachers.

[kathleen]

I have never worked in a daycare, but have great respect for those of you who do...it is a difficult (but hopefully, rewarding) job that requires a lot of patience, which I do not have.

However, I have a 6 year old son who has been in daycare since he was 6 months old. My two cents (if it is worth that) is that I like to be able to talk to my son's teacher either in the morning or the afternoon...he has had some teachers who worked part-time (didn't have to come in until after I had already dropped my son off and then left before I picked him up, so I never got the chance to see her). The idea of some teachers working 4 10-hour days sounds neat -- the parents can see their child's teacher in the morning and afternoon -- as long as that is not too much on the teacher. I guess what I am saying is that as a parent, I would like to have some regular contact with my child's teacher. Hope I am not butting in!?!?!?