HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20200501.RegularKids First Mission: Promote the availability of quality, affordable early childhood care &
education, and provide access to early childhood information and resources.
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting
Friday, May 1, 2020 – 11:30
WebEx meeting
In attendance: Genna Collins, Sue Way, Lisa Flynn, Beth Cashdan, Chad Schmit, Rebecca Pascal, Shirley
Ritter, and Nancy Nichols
DESIRED OUTCOMES:
• Approve minutes from previous meeting; Beth motioned, Chad second, MPU
• Understand planning for childcare recovery
Shirley reviewed the motions that were approved for childcare recovery. They include:
Financial Aid, Rent Support, Enrollment Subsidy, Health, Safety and Cleaning, Infant Capacity, Kids
First Office Space, and the declined request from Honey Tree childcare program
Financial Aid: Application forms are being designed, the plan is to offer payment for half the cost of 2
days per week of childcare, for up to 6 months, as parents are looking for and returning to work.
Rent support: Following the recommendation from the City of Aspen, Kids First will pay 1/3, landlord
pay 1/3, and the childcare program will pay 1/3, for up to 3 months.
Enrollment Subsidy: This will include funding of $10,000 per month, for preschool classrooms during
the time that public health orders limit the group size to 10. The subsidy will pay to allow schools to
have full staff with reduced enrollment in the preschool rooms. Once group size restrictions are lifted,
the classrooms will be able to have full enrollment and the subsidy will no longer be applicable.
Health, safety and cleaning: What kind of help do the schools really need? Kids First may provide
schools with some of the items required by the public health orders. There is also State of Colorado
funding through the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council, of $200 per classroom available to all
licensed programs that open by June. Kids First will be manage these funds for Pitkin County.
Infant Capacity – Infant capacity, collaboration and funding will begin again in the next few months.
Kids First Office – The Kids First Office space will be modified and upgraded as approved for privacy
and proper social distancing.
• 2020 Improvement Grant review and approval:
Kids First Advisory Board agreed on two clarifications around quality improvement Professional
Development funding:
1. Kids First will pay for the Rocky Mtn Early Childhood conference requests. This conference was
cancelled and not refunded to programs.
2. National Conferences will be funded at the same level as local conferences which is up to $500
per person.
Grant approvals:
Aspen Country Day – Approved at the recommended amount with a match for the “other quality
improvement” items, Total $5,830
Aspen Mountain Tots – Approved for professional development and bus passes. Total $1472.00
Aspen School District – Approved for professional development, Learning Environment, and other
except for music and Zumba classes. Total $10,267
Early Learning Center – Approved for professional development, family partnerships, Learning
Environment, bus passes and other quality improvement, with a reduction in other quality
improvements, allowing $1000 towards having 2 rooms painted and $400.00 for rugs. Total $13,912
Growing Years – Approved as requested $7,674
Wildwood – Approved as requested $1,348
Genna moved to approve as discussed and resolved above, Chad seconded, MPU.
Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board
Friday June 5
Friday, July 10
Friday, August 14 (or no meeting)
Friday, September 11
Friday, October 2 – site visits
Friday, November 6