Here are some answers to the questions that families ask us most often.

Infants: 1 adult per 3 children Toddlers: 1 adult per 3 children Early Preschoolers Program: 1 adult per 6 children Preschool: 1 adult per 10 children Pre-K: 1 adult per 10 children School Age: 1 adult per 15 childern

Our tuition rates vary depending on the program your child is enrolled in. Due to the economy, yearly tuition rates have increased between 3%-10%.

We offer a Siblings Discount of 5% off the oldest child’s tuition and a Military Discount (10% off total tuition). *Only 1 discount can be applied. Tuition is not pro-rated or reduced for holidays, vacations, inclement weather or illness.

You will be provided a supplies list for the specific class your child is in since each individual classroom has different needs.

We utilize a Maryland State-approved creative curriculum and teaching strategies. Children are encouraged to discover, explore, and think in their own unique way through our play-based curriculum. Parents/guardians are able to receive their child’s lesson plans from their teachers through the Brightwheel app.

Our first priority at The Valley School is providing a healthy, safe learning environment for all children. A child will be sent home as soon as possible if any of the following is experienced: an illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities (as determined by the staff); an illness results in a greater need for care than the staff can reasonably provide without compromising the health or safety of other children in the classroom; or a child is experiencing any of the following conditions: • Fever of 100.4 (digital thermometer) or greater, until 24 hours symptom-free without fever-reducing medication • Signs/symptoms of severe illness, including lethargy, uncontrolled coughing, inexplicablen irritability or persistent crying, difficulty breathing, and/or wheezing • Diarrhea (not associated with diet changes or medications) (Two instances) until diarrhea stops for 24 hours or the continued diarrhea is deemed not be infectious by a licensed healthcare professional. • Blood in stools not explainable by dietary change, medication, or hard stools • Vomiting (One instance) the child can return after vomiting has been resolved for 24 hours or until a health care provider determines the cause for vomiting is not contagious and the child is not in danger of dehydration. • Persistent abdominal pain (continues more than 2 hours) or intermittent pain associated with fever or other signs/symptoms of illness • Mouth sores with drooling, unless a health care provider determines the sores are not contagious • Rash until a physician determines that these symptoms do not indicate a communicable disease • Pink eye (conjunctivitis) until after treatment has been initiated for 24 hours • Scabies, until after treatment has been completed • Tuberculosis, until a health care provider states that the child is on appropriate therapy and can attend child care • Impetigo, until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated • Strep throat, until 24 hours after initial antibiotic treatment and cessation of fever • Chickenpox, until all sores have dried and crusted (usually 6 days) • Hand Foot and Mouth sores have dried and crusted and no fever • Pertussis, until 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment has been completed • Mumps, until 9 days after onset of symptoms • Hepatitis A virus, until 1 week after onset of illness • Measles, until 4 days after onset of rash • Rubella, until 6 days after onset of rash • Unspecified respiratory tract illness accompanied by another illness which requires exclusion • Herpes simplex, with uncontrollable drooling • COVID-19 When a child who becomes ill while at The Valley School, Parents/gaurdians will be notified by telephone and/or the Brightwheel App. For this we ask families to make every effort to pick up a sick child as soon as possible. The Valley School reserves the right to make the final determination of exclusion due to illness. Any exceptions to our illness policy will require a written note from a licensed healthcare professional stating that the child is not contagious.

Our regular hours of operation are: Monday-Friday 6:30 am-6:00pm We will make our own decision to close if there is inclement weather as we do not follow the FCPS inclement weather/school calendar closures. Closures will be posted in the Brightwheel app. Below are the days that the center is closed. If the holiday falls on a weekend we will be closed the following day. • New Year’s Day • Good Friday • Memorial Day • Juneteenth • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Day After Thanksgiving • Christmas Day • Two Professional Development days per year (President’s Day and one day in August)