Gaithersburg daycare uses a little ingenuity to remain open during coronavirus crisis

The governor's order in March came like a shockwave.

All daycare centers -- except those serving essential workers -- must close in order to fight the coronavirus.

An order that left many parents reeling. What to do now?

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Well, at one daycare center in Gaithersburg, The Goddard School, they've been able to use technology to not only stay open but continue to keep the entire staff employed.

It was just two days after Governor Larry Hogan's order that the staff at the school won approval from the state to reopen in order to care for children of essential workers.

After a deep cleaning, 25 students were welcomed back in.

But what to do about the other 225? That's where a little ingenuity kicked in and the staff came up with a plan for distance learning.

"So 90 percent of our kids and families are at home and so we thought it was really important to stay connected to them and keep them involved in our programming", said Sarah Roebuck, Director of Education. "Most of these parents are trying to work from home while having their very small children with them as well".

Within a few days, the staff had a plan to use every tool on the internet.

"So we developed a distance learning program", said Roebuck. "Where they were getting five lessons a day on Youtube including a morning meeting, a lesson on math and science".

A godsend for mothers like Amy Heinrichs.

"It just gives you a whole new sense of gratitude and appreciation especially with them still coming in to create little to-go bags so we can do things with them at home it's just a little extra care and the videos are such great educational tools that my son is really thriving from," she told FOX 5.

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But for the 45 teachers who are used to having their little ones right in front of them eager to learn their ABC's the teaching now had to be done in front of a camera.

For Earth Day fun the staff came up with the idea for a "Trashion" show -- on Facebook with all the kids tuning in. The staff taking everyday trash and turning it into clothing.

And with the virus still not beaten into submission, there is still cleaning to be done. Every day, toys, books, tables and chairs are all wiped down.

Mariana Crumley, a Vet and essential worker, says she wouldn't know what to do without the school.

"Very thankful," she said. "It was very difficult in the in between time when they were closed and they had to close down and we had to scramble".

And in the category of what will they think of next? the school will soon have a virtual field trip.

To offset the cost for essential workers the state has agreed to pay the school 250 dollars a week for every student they are caring for.