How do I get on the wait list?
The Wait List is best for families who have back up child care available (family, friends or sitters in town) if their hoped for start date is not available and can start a few weeks to several months later than their initial need. This is especially true in our baby room since we must remain flexible for babies that are born early or late, changing their start date.
To be placed on the Wait List for a spot the following is required:
- Completion of the CKIS Waitlist and…
- Payment of a $75.00 non-refundable Wait List Fee. A Quickbooks link will be emailed to you to pay the fee after receipt of your Waitlist Form.
Placement in the classroom from the wait list occurs when a vacancy matching your needs opens up within 90 days of your desired start date. We will keep track of changes to our current schedules and will contact you via email and phone to offer you the opening and an exact start date.
Please be aware that our priorities in offering a position considers several factors, including: children of employees of Cultured Kids, families enrolling multiple children, current CK families needing a schedule change, seniority of waitlist deposits received, etc.
Can I come observe a classroom?
Enrolled families are encouraged to visit anytime, as our doors are always open for them.
We always warmly welcome families who are interested in joining our program.
If you’re considering enrollment and would like to learn more, we’d be happy to schedule a visit for you. Please call us at 608-805-6361 or email us at contact@culturedkids.com to set up a time that works best.
We look forward to meeting you and sharing more about Cultured Kids!
Will you take state, county, city, or University child care assistance payments?
We participate in the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program as well as other specialized payment programs administered by Dane County.
We participate in the Child Care Tuition Assistance Program a.k.a. CCTAP on UW-Madison’s Campus.
Our identification numbers for this program are as follows:
- Dept. of Children & Families State License #1015015
- WI Shares FIS Provider numbers are: Cultured Kids-West E234141 & Cultured Kids-Vilas E311158
- CCTAP vendor #588314
Are you a PTA safe, Nut “Safe”, Nut Free, or Egg “Safe” or Egg Free?
We take food allergies very seriously and make every effort to ensure the safety of children in our classrooms. Our cooking staff is trained and informed about known allergens, and we regularly adjust our menus to remove items that could pose a risk, including (but not limited to) peanuts.
That said, we cannot guarantee that our centers are entirely free of allergens. Families of children with allergies to nuts, eggs, dairy, or other substances are encouraged to communicate these needs clearly during enrollment. Accommodations and precautions are made on a case-by-case basis, in close partnership with families.
Many children with allergies have attended our centers safely, and we are committed to working together with families to support each child’s well-being.
Do you offer any child care before 7:00 a.m. or after 5:30 p.m.?
We are not licensed to care for children before or after these times. Further, our tuition rates are for a maximum of 10 hours of care.
Are you closed for any teacher work days?
Yes. Cultured Kids will close for the Thursday and Friday before Labor Day for collective teacher training and space renovation.
Can I pay online?
Yes. We use the exclusive Nemborn software, which allows families to make payments, track their payment history, and communicate directly with teachers through our own Cultured Kids App. In addition, we are members of the QuickBooks Payment System, which enables ACH payments directly from checking accounts. All invoices are managed electronically, making it easy not only to pay tuition but also to monitor and stay current with payments.
Are you closed for holidays?
Standard service will not be provided on: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Thursday & Friday before Labor Day (Teacher Work Days), Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and day After Thanksgiving (aka Black Friday), and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, we will be closed the previous Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we will be closed the Monday following. We wont be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve when the holiday falls during the work week.
Do you provide breakfast and/or lunch?
VILAS / Central Location
All organic meals and snacks are included in the cost of tuition. Families do not need to provide any food.
WEST Location
We provide healthy organic morning and afternoon snacks, along with organic milk. After infancy, lunch is offered à la carte.
Families are also asked to send a bottle or sippy cup for water each day to help keep children hydrated, which is especially important during the summer months.
Do you have an enrollment fee?
Yes. Our one-time enrollment fee is $75 per child.
Do you charge if my child is absent for vacation, holidays, or illness?
Yes we do. Our tuition is billed every two weeks in advance of child care. To guarantee a steady job for our teaching staff our tuition stays the same even when a child misses school for illness, vacation, holidays, or visiting relatives. It is probably more accurate to think of your child care payments as a subscription to a reliable service that is paid at an average flat rate and not as an hour for hour or day to day specific fee.
Do families earn any vacation credit for attending all year?
Yes.
1 week of credit is earned after 12 months of consecutive attendance
2 weeks are earned after 30 months of consecutive attendance.
New siblings receive the same amount of vacation as the first child. Families go on vacation and still retain their spots without paying while they are gone.
*Taking a break for summer or a month off around Christmas/New Year’s starts the clock over again.
*The child must not be on the premises during a vacation week. They must actually be absent for that time.
Can my child’s summer schedule change temporarily?
Mostly, No. There is only enroll and unenroll. There is no “change.”
Will my child still understand me when I talk to them?
Absolutely! 🙂
Children are incredibly adaptable and will be able to retain and expand their English and Spanish simultaneously.
When will my child speak or learn English?
Your child will continue to expand their English vocabulary from peers and home every day. Because English is the first language for most of our CKers, the kids will regularly use this language with each other until they learn new phrases to share in Spanish. This is our teacher’s responsibility. With their teachers, the children are required and guided to use new Spanish vocabulary until it becomes natural and easier. This happens faster, the younger and more frequently they attend. Children will continue to absorb most of their English from everyday exposure to it at the store, church, library, and playgroups, but mostly from home. Our staff will only speak Spanish to your child unless there is a special emergency requiring English. When your child doesn’t understand something their teacher will rephrase, use visual aids, and/or show the child what they mean, all the while speaking to them in Spanish or any other target languages we are supporting at the time.