Schools will offer childcare to staff

By Sandy James
Review Staff Writer

Published: June 12, 2008

A school sponsored child care center is on the horizon this fall for teachers, staff and students of Orange County Public Schools.
The new center is expected to fill part of the void left by the closing of the popular-but money losing-Child Garden day care center.
The new center will cater only to children of school employees or students. Other participants in the Child Garden program will have to look elsewhere for services.
At last week’s regular school board meeting, school superintendent Dr. William Crawford said, “If we’re going to do this, the board needs to make a motion and approval tonight, so that we can begin.”
Crawford said the citizens needed to know, one way or another, whether the school’s child care facility would become a reality.
Head Start director Rebecca Phillips shared information on employee surveys and plans for opening an employer-sponsored childcare center at the complex.  Board members requested the information at a previous meeting.
So far, 18 staff members have indicated they will utilize the program and additional staff members are interested.
Phillips said infants make up the highest number of uncertainties in incoming clients.
The next steps will be receiving board of supervisors approval, registering children, submitting USDA applications, advertising, interviewing and hiring staff, developing handbooks and policies and making the transition.
The estimated start-up cost of the childcare center is $30,000. A line item, in that amount, has been developed to start the program. Recovery of these funds is expected from income as soon as the program opens.
Crawford said the school board expects the program to be self-sufficient by the end of the year.
The school board voted unanimously to support the employer-sponsored childcare center at the Taylor Education Administration Complex.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors discussed turning over Child Garden equipment and supplies to the new program, but could not determine the value of the equipment and did not vote to turn over the assets.
However, the board agreed that the school board could notify staff of the center’s opening later this summer.
The new child care center is scheduled to open August 1. Child Garden employees have been informed and encouraged to apply for positions at the new center.
Crawford said the school board is investigating the feasibility of developing a child care career and technical education program to prepare students for a career in childcare or a pre-kindergarten services career.