Frequently asked questions

Thank you for considering Child Central Station, LLC for your before and after school child care needs! We are very excited to announce our expansion to offer a before and after school program at Sandy Knoll Elementary School (2019) and Superior Hills Elementary School (2020). We know how important having a quality and convenient option for childcare is, and we are excited to be collaborating with the Marquette Area Public Schools to provide this program to you at your child's elementary school!

When does the program start?

9/5/2023 (The first day of school) will be our first day of operation for the 2023-24school year.

What hours does the program operate?

The before school program runs from 6:30 am - 9 am. The after school program runs from 3:45 pm - 6:00 pm.

Where will the program take place?

The before and after school programs will be at Sandy Knoll Elementary School and Superior Hills Elementary School. We are licensed to use multiple rooms at each school including the gym and cafeteria.

Will the program operate when there is a snow day?

No. The program only operates for the school year, and only when school is in session and starts at its normal time. The program will not run any day that is a snow day. When there is a late start, the before school program will not be in session, but the after school program will run as scheduled.

Will there be care available for half days?

If school is dismissed early due to weather, there will be no half day or after school program. However, if there is enough interest in a half day program, a half day program will be scheduled. The scheduled half days for the 2023-24 school year are: . (There will not be a half day offered on the last day of school.)

Will there be any food service?

An afternoon snack will be served in accordance with the USDA Food Program, you will not be charged extra for this snack. Children will have the opportunity to participate in the school’s breakfast program, you will be billed by the school for breakfast.

Do you provide transportation?

No. We do not provide any transportation. It is the parent’s responsibility to transport a child to and from our program. This means that parents (or an appointed adult) MUST accompany the child to the doors to sign their child in and out. Under no circumstances may children enter or leave our program without a parent or authorized adult.

How much does it cost?

(note that these rates are only reflective of the Before & After School Program at Sandy Knoll Elementary School & Superior Hills Elementary School)

A non-refundable enrollment fee of $$$$/family will be charged annually and is due upon receipt of the enrollment package.

Before and After School Program 2023 - 24

Full Time- Full Week $99

Single Session $11

Half Days $25

Less than 1 hr per session $8

Drop in Care Single Session $$

Summer Program (2023):

Full Week $180/week

Single Day $40/day

Half Day $20/day

(Drop In Care subject to an additional $5/day or session.)

Do you offer any discounts?

Yes, the rate for full time is discounted as reflected in the rate options above. We do not offer a sibling discount.

Do you accept child care assistance payments?

Yes, we accept childcare assistance from the State of Michigan Department of Human Services. If you are eligible for a form of assistance, we will do our best to be able to accept those payments. We also accept Tribal Assistance.

Our home based program accepts Military Child Care Assistance. We are happy to attempt to be certified to accept any type of assistance you may qualify for, just let us know and we can go from there!

When are payments due?

All scheduled care is prepaid, and payments are due every Friday. (Schedules are due weekly on Wednesdays).

What forms of payment do you accept?

Cash, Check, ACH, Credit/Debit Cards. All clients must have a back up payment of a credit card or bank account on file. Payments are due on Friday by 6 pm. If you choose to pay with cash or check you must do so prior to 6 pm on Friday. All accounts will be paid with your autopayment option after 6 pm each Friday.

Is care refundable?

All scheduled care is non-refundable. We base our budget and our staffing on the schedule you supply. If you need to cancel your schedule after the Wednesday schedule deadline, no refund will be issued. However, if we need to cancel care for any reason (snow day, school cancellation, …..) your payment will be credited to the next week of care.

Do you provide care for children with special needs?

Our program works to meet the individual needs of each child. This means that we are careful observers and gather information to best support each child as they grow and develop. It also means that we encourage open, honest, and frequent communication with parents.

Part of supporting each child is recognizing when a child may need additional services outside our scope of expertise. We recognize that this can be a difficult subject and work to effectively communicate our concerns and welcome dialogue with families. We do our very best to support children of varying abilities. Reasonable accommodations will be made to include all eligible students. Our programs are staffed to provide a safe and caring learning environment for all children.

Our programs are licensed childcare centers, thus we do not fall under the the school required Individual Education Plans. If it is determined that a child requires additional attention beyond state regulations, we may not be able to accommodate their needs, and it will be the parent’s responsibility to provide the extra adult support at their own expense or find alternative care.

How do I schedule my child?

All scheduling is done through myprocare.com If you have trouble scheduling, please call/text/email PRIOR to the scheduling deadline for assistance.

Do you take the children outside?

If the weather permits, children will go outside daily. The program director will make the decision whether children will stay indoors or play outdoors on any given day. It is the parent and child’s responsibility to provide the proper clothing for both indoor and outdoor play. Whenever possible, our afternoon program will be held outside.

Who will be working with my child(ren)?

The owner of Child Central Station, LLC is Amy Ahola. She is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in Psychology and a M.S. in Training, Development and Human Performance Improvement. Amy has been a licensed child care provider since 2005. Prior to that time she also worked at a child care center and a K-12 school. Amy is very passionate about providing child centered, authentic play experiences for young children. She was recognized as one of Microsoft’s 365 Heroes in Education in 2013, and by the Terri Lynne Lokoff National Child Care Teacher’s Awards in 2017. She has also spent a great deal of time speaking at conferences and training other educators about the power of play.

Our program director is Jenni Feighner. Jenni is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management. She joined our team in October of 2020, and has been serving as our Site Supervisor and Program Director. You will primarily find her at our Superior Hills location.

The current program staff can be found on the staff page. All staff members are required to undergo a physical examination by a doctor and obtain a test for Tuberculosis. Additionally, staff members will be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal background check prior to working with children. Caregivers will be required to obtain a minimum of 16 hours of professional development annually, including certifications in First Aid, CPR, and Blood Borne Pathogens. Many of the staff members are NMU students aspiring to work with young people when they graduate. The goal is to provide high quality, consistent care and learning experiences for your child.

Staff to Child Ratio Policy- The current staff to child ratio policy according to state licensing is 1:18. In most situations, you will find that we strive for a smaller ratio.

What will the program look like? What kinds of activities will you provide?

Like our name says, “Child Central.” I believe in the power of authentic play and that “the child is the curriculum.” (Bev Bos). Our program will be based on the needs and interests of the children in our care. We will have a wide range of activities and options to meet the needs of varying developmental stages. We will spend time indoors and out.

Do you provide sunscreen? Insect repellent?

No. We do not. However, we do encourage parents/guardians to supply it for their children. All sunscreens, insect repellents, lotions/creams,.... Are treated like medications and require written authorization for use and safe storage practices. (They need to be turned in to staff for storage)

Do you require face masks due to COVID-19 ?

Facemasks are encouraged while indoors. Our policy for wearing masks changes with the current level of community spread of Covid-19 and the instance of cases within our program. If we identify close contacts for a case, all children and staff will be required to mask for 10 days. We will require masks at any point in time that the local health department and/or our licensing agency encourages us to do so.

We ask that all persons who have been diagnosed with covid-19 or are considered to be a close contact to mask according to the CDC guidelines.

All children, family members and staff are welcome to wear masks more frequently than listed above if they so choose. However masks are highly discouraged at meal times and during physically active times.