FAQs

What should a parent consider when searching for child care?

According to families in our program: * Have a back up plan in place for when your child falls ill and cannot attend the program. * Even for a young child, consider how the school will meet their future needs as they grow and learn.

How long is the waitlist?

If you choose to place your child on our waitlist, we will do our best to meet your needs. Please understand there may be a wait for a specific age due to capacity limits. Although we can try to give an estimate, we cannot always know when an opening may come available as this is oftentimes determined by students transitioning out or within our program.

What are your days and hours of operation?

Our school is open Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm (restricted hours due to COVID-19)

No children should arrive prior to 7am; cut-off for arrival is 9:30am

What is your ill policy?

It is our goal to keep our students and our teachers well; therefore we ask that ill children not attend school. If your child presenting any signs of illness, we ask you to plan to keep them home for one full day in order for them to fully recover. Once they are fully symptom free with no medicinal assistance then they can return to school. If a child suddenly becomes ill at school we will contact you right away. Your child will need to be isolated from the other children and we ask that you pick them up as soon as you possibly can. Children who are isolated will be under one-on-one supervision. Mildly ill fee applies: First hour is free / $5.00 for every additional hour Children will be excluded from care for the following aliments: •Fever of 100 degrees or higher •Diarrhea •Vomiting •A cough that produces mucus or causes a rattle like sound in their chest •A rash that has not been cleared by a Doctor (will require a note indicating such) •Head-lice (We are a NIT FREE school) •Impetigo •Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (blister free to return) •Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps (will require a clearance letter from Health Department) •Pink Eye / Conjunctivitis (must be free of discharge and redness to return) •Mouth Sores •Molluscum (must be fully covered) •Pertussis •Scabies •Fatigue/Lethargic that prevents a child from full participation

Are you a licensed facility?

Milestones Learning Center is actively licensed by Florida State's Department of Children and Families. Our license number is C20LE0136. The school seeks to uphold all of the requirements set by this agency. If you have questions regarding our licensing status or how we implement our policies please contact us.

Can you explain the difference between full-time and part-time care?

Full time care is any child who attends more than 3 days a week. Part time care is for a child who will attend 3 or less days a week and must complete a calendar by the 1st of each month as to the days they will attend. Part time spaces are limited and not available in VPK classes. If you wish to go from full time to part time you may need to place your name on a waitlist for a space to come available.

How is VPK different than Pre-K?

VPK is a state funded program for children who are 4yrs old the year prior to their entry into kindergarten.

VPK is a state-funded program designed for first time students; the four-year-old who has never been in a school setting and needs to learn how to socialize prior to heading to kindergarten. It benefits part-time students who have parents working with them at home 2-3 hours a day to prepare them for kindergarten.

Milestones Learning Center is well established in the field of early education and the children in our care generally start at infancy and develop social skills, language and problem-solving skills at the appropriate ages or earlier. Milestones has always exceeded the standards set for four-year-olds by Florida’s Department of Education.

Compared to the state VPK, our program is more user friendly. This means we have no strict attendance requirement - family vacations and sick days can be taken as needed. We have no restrictions on days in which educational instruction can occur. Teachers can teach every day. There is no need for a later lunch hour for students (as meals are not to be a part of the VPK hours), and there is a wider variety of assessment tools used to ensure our students are on track and ready for kindergarten socially, emotionally, and academically. Our curriculum and approach to learning remains the same. We believe learning should be hands-on and fun with extended time given to discover and explore. Lastly, our teachers continue to be the most experienced in their field, our class sizes remain smaller than VPK recommendations with just 10 students in our classes, and our students continue to be in the top of their class as they enter kindergarten. We are proud of our Pre-K students!

What is your vaccination policy?

Our school requires that all children have all immunizations and current health examinations in order to enroll and be issued a start date for care.

Each child must have on file a current Florida immunization record (Form 680) and a Florida physical record (Form 3040) on file at our school. Parents are required to ensure their child’s forms remain current. No children are allowed to attend school if either form expires.

Per DCF, if a child’s form(s) expire, the child will not be allowed admittance into care until the records are updated by their physician.

Do you have a dress code for students?

We welcome children to dress themselves and be free spirits in their expression but we do require that all clothing fit properly, not too big or too small. That the language and images on the clothing be respectful and that all children wear tennis shoes or have a shoe with a closed toe and strap around their ankle. Children are not permitted to wear crocs or flip flops to school for their own personal safety. We can not allow them to climb on our outdoor equipment if they are wearing these types of shoes.

Who can I contact with further questions?

Call us at 239-301-2962 or email info@milestones-estero.com

Do I need to supply formula/milk for my infant?

We gladly provide Enfamil Gentlease Formula to our infants with the understanding that in order to do so we must meet all food serve preparation requirements set by licensing; and in order to do so we must also provide the bottle. If your child is nipple sensitive or requires a specific bottle design you will need to provide your own formula and bottles. Parents providing their own breastmilk or formula are asked to prepare their bottles at home and bring them to school daily. Bottles and bottle caps that come from home must have the child’s first and last name clearly labeled. If breastmilk is being provided, the bottles are to also be labeled as such.

Do I need to supply breakfast, lunch, or snacks for my child?

No. All students are provided breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack each day as part of our program at no additional charge. Our meals include a variety of fresh fruits, proteins, vegetables and grains as well as milk at both breakfast and lunch. For infants, we will help in the introduction to foods. As parents offer foods at home we can also do so at school. We have a menu of food items that can be made available to infants based on age.

At no point should foods from home, other than breastmilk or formula, be brought into the school. Note: If a special diet is required for a child by a physician, a copy of the physician’s order, a copy of the diet, and a sample meal plan for the special diet must be provided to the school.

For what age children do you provide care?

We meet the needs of children as young as 8 weeks old though 5 years old (pre-kindergarten) with year-round care.

Where are you located?

Milestones Learning Center is located at 19850 Breckenridge Drive, Estero, FL 33928. We are located just north of Estero Parkway on the West side of US 41, in the Gulf Professional Center which is across the street from Walmart and Aldi. We are the last building on the left in front of the Breckenridge Gated Community.

What is the difference between a babysitter and a child care business?

According to DCF, "A child care business is not a babysitting service. Families who are looking for quality child care typically desire more than a person to watch their children during working hours. Child care providers offer nurturing, safe, and healthy environments that promote education and growth for children, and that requires knowledge, skills, and abilities only trained professionals have."

When should I stop swaddling my infant?

Experts recommend to start at 2 months. Childcare centers, including MLC, do not swaddle so plan to ween your infant off swaddling at least 2-4 weeks prior to starting care.

My child is breast fed. When should I introduce a bottle?

If you plan to have your child in a childcare program you should always have someone offering your breastmilk in bottle form at least 1-2 times a day. This might mean you (mom) will have to leave the room or your little one will only want you to feed them. Babies who consume breastmilk but have been introduced a bottle regularly for several weeks prior to starting care have little issue eating at school.

How will I know if my child is meeting the recommended development milestones for their age?

We complete Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs), a nationally recognized assessment tool, on all children with parent permission. The results will give parents a guideline as to how their child is doing and what areas may need strengthening or a discussion with a medical professional.

My child is a picky eater. Can I bring my own food to school for him/her?

Unfortunately, no. We offer breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks to all children. There is usually something offered at each meal opportunity a child will be interested in eating. We have to be very conscious of children enrolled in our program with severe allergies therefore we can not risk items coming from home that could expose another child to harm. We ask that no foods from home come into the school. If your child eats in the car on the way to school, please plan for them to finish that food item in the car prior to entering school and upon entry to immediately go to the bathroom to wash their hands before heading to class.

What is your hurricane/severe weather policy?

Our school follows the guidelines set by the Lee County EOC. Should they determine the road conditions are not safe for travel and that travel should be limited if possible either due to high winds, possible flooding in areas, or other severe storm conditions, our school will close. We will hold the same policy if they close early or mid-day; and if this were to occur, we ask that all children be picked up within the hour of our phone/email notification. Watch the news for Lee County school closings as we will close/reopen when they do. ​ Parents can learn of our school status in the following manners: 1. School Voicemail. We will place a “special message” on the voicemail system updating as events change as to the school being open or closed 2. Email. We will do our best to email all our families our status. Please make sure you provide us with an email you check regularly and that you check your “junk” email as we will be sending out a large group message 3. Social Media. Please make sure you find our Facebook Page and select “follow” this will give you updates to all school events and storm information 4. Signage. We will do our best to post signs on our school door if travel to the school is safe ​​ We will re-open when travel is again deemed to be safe and the school has been inspected to ensure it is fully operational.