Amidst all the holiday art projects and class parties, you need to take some time to prepare your childcare center for the end of the year. As a business owner, you are responsible for more than your basic income tax preparation. Several areas are requiring your attention right about now.

Let's dive in.

While parents have always been partners in their children’s education, this year has required working together with educators more than ever before. Children who face online learning still need plenty of engagement from the adults around them to receive the full value of school lessons.

The pandemic hit hard and fast, but as a small business owner and expert childcare provider, you need to lead through this crisis. While the world didn’t quite tilt on its axis, everyone is still scrambling to get their feet back under them.

Leading your childcare center through a crisis isn’t easy, but running a business and taking care of children isn’t easy either. You’ve got this. 

Here are some tips and tools to help you along on your leadership journey.

COVID-19 has caused widespread closures of many businesses, including childcare, summer camps, and afterschool care. Communicating with families is crucial for maintaining relationships and ensuring everyone is receiving accurate information about hours of operation, length of the closure, and how they can receive future communications. 

Federal funding is a major resource for afterschool programs in the United States. One of the most extensive programs, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) initiative, has been under fire in recent years by an administration intent on cutting educational funding programs. 

While federal funding isn’t the only resource for afterschool grants, it has the broadest impact. Many communities rely on it, especially in financially disadvantaged areas. Both rural and urban youth populations need a safe place to be in the afterschool hours. Research shows these programs decrease crime in the area as well as improve student achievement.

The Christmas holidays aren't the only thing to think about this time of year if you are a business owner. It's also time to close the business books and get ready for the New Year. Most of what you need to do is financial in nature.

Did you know that Millennials are now the largest generation on Earth? There are 80 million in the U.S. alone. Not only that, but 82% of new parents are Millennials. This fact is vital to your marketing plans because this generation is unique in so many ways. 

Obtaining and retaining grant funding for an afterschool program requires accurate record-keeping, both for the grant proposal and for proof of program performance. Using paper-based records requires dedicating staff hours to creating and maintaining the records and finding data errors. With so many files, it's easy to lose documentation, especially in the large space you'll need to store everything. 

Qualification and compliance with the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant provisions requires accurate, ongoing record keeping. Manually tracking enrollment, attendance, and classes is an administrative task that can take time better given to improving your afterschool program.

EZReports integrated with EZChildTrack childcare management software automates almost every task required for monitoring and reporting on your program to maintain your grant eligibility with your state education agency (SEA).

To paraphrase - no school is an island. Your school cannot exist in a vacuum and connecting with families and the community should be part of your DNA. You should understand community needs because you rely on families to send you their children and adolescents to become educated members of society.

With today’s technology, there are nearly limitless opportunities to engage with everyone around you. The neighborhood school has often served as a resource in the community. Let everyone in to see what you need and what you can do for them.