Parent Updates Portal
Link to parent portal - coming soon!
Weekly Updates
Opening Update - May 13th, 2024
As we continue to work diligently towards bringing our vision to life, we wanted to provide you with an update on our progress.
The last couple of weeks have been trying. One of the main hurdles we've faced recently has been with basement flooding, which required immediate attention and thorough mitigation efforts to ensure the safety and integrity of our facility. We have already mitigated mold in the building and do not want to have to repeat the process! Fortunately we had not yet replaced the sheetrock in the basement, so the damage was minimal.
Additionally, we've encountered some unexpected gaps with the existing fire alarm panel and system that need to be resolved promptly. Safety is our top priority, and we're working closely with professionals to rectify these issues and ensure that all necessary safety measures are in place before we open our doors to your children.
Despite these challenges, progress continues to be made on various fronts. Our outdoor play areas are nearing completion, providing ample space for children to explore, play, and learn in a natural and stimulating environment. Moreover, all new classroom and bathroom walls are now up, sheetrocked, and ready for paint, setting the stage for vibrant and nurturing learning spaces where your children can thrive.
Work is underway to open three classrooms in the near future, allowing us to welcome the first wave of learners into our Montessori community. Our dedicated team is committed to ensuring that these classrooms meet the highest standards of quality and safety, providing a nurturing environment where your children can grow and flourish.
Looking ahead, our focus will be on completing the rest of the building so that we can open the remaining three classrooms as soon as possible. We're grateful for your patience and support as we work tirelessly to bring Gioiosa Montessori to life. Your trust means the world to us, and we're committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience for your children.
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We're here to support you every step of the way and look forward to welcoming your family into ours very soon.
Opening Update - April 17th, 2024
We're delighted to report that progress is well underway, and we're excited about what's been accomplished thus far. We have a tentative fire inspection scheduled for May 1st. After that, we'll have to get our licensing inspection and we'll be ready to go! If all goes well with the fire inspection, we'll go ahead and get our new teachers started for training. We are confident we will open in the first few weeks of May.
Here's a quick rundown of where we stand:
Playground Area: We have installed a fence for two of the play areas. There is a dedicated space for our 1-2 year old kiddos, one for 2+, and we are looking forward to adding a third dedicated specifically to our infants. Each play area is well shaded and/or provides dedicated shade structures. We still need to work on some landscaping but we are getting closer everyday.
Plumbing Nearly Complete: The plumbing work is nearing its conclusion. Our team has been hard at work ensuring that all the necessary infrastructure is in place to support our facilities. From restrooms to kitchen areas, we're making sure everything is up to standard and ready to serve our little ones efficiently. We're especially excited about dedicated toddler bathrooms with toddler sized and installed toilets and sinks. We believe this will be tremendously helpful for potty training!
Interior Framing in Progress: Interior framing work is currently underway. This phase is crucial as it sets the foundation for the layout and structure of our renovated spaces. Watching the framework take shape has been incredibly exciting. While we have been able to envision the bright, welcoming rooms, this work will really help others to see the center taking shape. The rooms in the center will be very large. They have to be in order to accommodate all of the beautiful furniture, learning materials, and toys that Teresa has been purchasing!
Electrical Work Up Next: With plumbing nearing completion and framing well underway, our focus will soon shift to electrical work. We understand the importance of a safe and well-lit environment for our children, which is why we're committed to ensuring that every corner of our center is properly illuminated and equipped with the necessary electrical infrastructure. The building is very old, so some of the systems require a complete overhaul.
While there's still work to be done, we're pleased with the progress we've made thus far. Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure that the renovations stay on track and that every detail is attended to with care; it has been a full family effort! . The last major piece of work to be done is to add external egress to each classroom. The doors will provide the kids with immediate access to the play areas from their classrooms.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your patience and support throughout this process. We know that waiting for renovations to be completed can be challenging, but please rest assured that we're doing everything we can to expedite the process without compromising on quality or safety.
As always, we're here to answer any questions you may have and provide updates as the renovations progress. We can't wait to unveil the newly renovated spaces. Thank you for being part of our daycare family, and here's to exciting times ahead!
Toddler Rooms Progress
Weekly Opening Update - March 5th, 2024
This is more of a monthly update, but it is a significant one! I intended to send it last month but we've been really busy. The biggest, and most disappointing, update is that we are going to struggle to open in March. At our current pace, we are hoping for sometime early in April provided the licensing process and construction progress align appropriately.
New Center Update - Zoning and Renovation Progress
Our special use permit was officially approved February 6th! Even though we've been working on plumbing and electrical estimates for a while (since December!) it's been very slow going. We are still waiting on some details to get permits to begin some of the interior wall construction and the addition of some exterior doors. Otherwise, we have started painting, building furniture, finalizing the demo work, and we are hoping to start plumbing and electrical in the next week or so. We have also started kicking off some of the outdoor work including fencing and general yard cleanup.
Waitlist Update
We will have a full infant room by the end of October based on our waitlist thus far. We still have a lot of space for 2-3, and 3-6 year old children. We are working on a referral program for parents who refer older children to the center. Let us know if you are interested in participating!
Pews
Do you want a pew? They are very pretty and very heavy. Twelve feet long, two feet deep, and 34 inches tall. If you can haul one somewhere, you can have it (or several).
I am going to post a new image carousel with each update with the journey of a room from start to finish. I'm starting with my office because it is pretty complete and I use it almost every day.
Weekly Opening Update - February 2nd, 2024
Waitlist Update
We will have a full infant room by the end of October based on our waitlist thus far. We still have a lot of space for 1-2, 2-3, and 3-6 year old children. We are working on a referral program for parents who refer older children to the center. Let me know if you are interested in participating!
New Center Update - Renovation Progress
We have completed all of the lead mitigation work in the building which required that we remove some of the windows. We have started the process of replacing those. We have also started the rest of the non-safety related demo work and are progressing well. We anticipate having that done early next week so we can start with the renovation work. There are a handful of permitted work items that we have to wait for building permit approval to start including plumbing and electrical changes as well as the addition of some exterior doors to each classroom.
Licensing
Our fire safety plan was approved by the state fire marshal! We have all of our paperwork in for licensing now and are optimistic about getting through that process quickly. Otherwise, our current and hired staff have been working on background checks and fingerprinting as well as completing some training.
Timeline Update - No Material Changes
Our goal is still a March 1st open date, it is still not a hard set date, but we are still pleased with the progress we are making so far.
Weekly Opening Update - January 24th 2024
New Center Update - Initial Application Approved
Our initial application for a Special Use Permit in Roeland Park was approved by the City Planning Committee! We will have a second hearing on February 5th @ 6pm at the Roeland Park City Hall for final approval by the City. The first hearing went really well. Most questions were about parking and potential traffic congestion. Otherwise the neighbors were very supportive and excited to see the building put to use in this capacity. We anticipate more questions in that vein at the next hearing in addition to questions about safety and proposed renovations. If you are interested in previewing the building, the address is 5015 Buena Vista St., Roeland Park, KS 66205.
Licensing
One of the Kansas requirements for childcare centers is a review of the code footprint and fire safety plan for the facility. Ours is currently with the state fire marshal for review and they are optimistic that we will have an approved plan this week as long as our architect can make the requested changes, all of which are minor details. Otherwise, our last major milestone for licensing is obtaining the official Special Use Permit paperwork from the city.
Timeline Update - No Material Changes
This has been a busy week at the building! We will complete any necessary lead and asbestos mitigation and cleaned out the HVAC vents today. By the end of the week we will have completed all cleanup related to mold. We have a plumber in today evaluating the existing plumbing and are hoping to have a plan proposal to meet our requirements this week. Our goal is still a March 1st open date, it is still not a hard set date, but we are pleased with the progress we are making so far.
Weekly Opening Update - January 17th 2024
New Center
We are in the process of renovating a building we are leasing in Roeland Park. We also have a hearing for a Special Use Permit for the building January 23rd @ 6pm at the Roeland Park City Hall. If you are a resident of Roeland Park, please feel free to attend! And if you aren't, I suppose you can still attend
Timelines
After the hearing, it will be a sprint to the finish line. We have a lot of work in progress, but we still have so much to do. Most of what we have done thus far has been for safety purposes. We still have walls to build and take down, plumbing and electrical work to do, and doors to add. Our goal is a March 1st open date but that is not a hard set date yet.
General Information
Initial Enrollment Capacity - Our current plans allow for the following enrollment numbers:
Infants (0-12 months or not walking) - 9 children
Toddlers (walking and 1-2 years) - 20 children
Early Pre-School (2-3 years) - 28 children
Preschool (3-6 years and potty trained) - 24 children
Future Enrollment Capacity - After our first year, we will be able to expand our Preschool enrollment capacity to 48 children and will open an after school program for 36 children.
Teachers - We have hired two teachers, a lead for our infant classroom and a float teacher who will teach music and who specializes in music therapy. If you know any early childhood teachers who would be interested in joining us, please send them our way!
Please reach out if you have any questions at all. We will send out updates every week or two until we open and will provide more details regarding tours, enrollment, and waitlists.