HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20230919.Regular
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting
Tuesday September 19th, 2023, 11:15AM-12:45PM
Yellow Brick lower-level training room and Zoom
In attendance: Nancy Nichols, Megan Monaghan, Logan Hood, Chad Schmit, Mimi Hauenstein,
Natalie Eudaly, Sara Lowe, Stefan Reveal
Guest – Dawn Ryan
Meeting Minutes from August 15th, 2023, were approved. Mimi motioned; Chad seconded. Kids
First Advisor Board meeting minutes approved.
Director Conversation
• Aspen Mountain Tots – Dawn Ryan
Dawn Ryan the director of Aspen Mountain Tots joined the meeting to share information
about her program and to talk about how the Kids First programs benefit her program, staff,
and families.
City Council Update:
• Board Member Interview
Chad Schmit completed his interview with Aspen City Council. Thank you, Chad, for your
commitment to the Kids First mission and goals. We look forward to your continued
participation and support within the Kids First Advisory Board.
• Feedback from 2024 Compass & Budget ADT presentation
A brief introduction was provided at the previous meeting regarding the intended Compass
Plan and Budget Overview, further details will be discussed after the 10/17 City Council
Work Session where it will be presented.
Updates:
• Aspen Sprouts/Tiny Pines Funding & Support
Christina has had conversations with licensing and owner. No guarantee was provided
that two classrooms can be used instead of one. The building has enough square footage
to accommodate 16 two and a half to five-year-old students and is tentatively opening in
November. Aspen Sprouts/Tiny Pines has a Pitkin County grant to assist with additional
set up such as additional exits, adding a sprinkler system, rebuild on kitchenette, re-
painting, fence heightening to comply with licensing, etc. Kids First will also assist with
some of these expenses.
• New Staff
Kids First has hired an Administrative Specialist (Natalie Eudaly) and Program
Coordinator (Kristy Grau) to assist with day-to-day tasks and free up time for
management. Welcome to the team!
• Incentive Program Revisions
VIP coaching goals have points for VIP grant. Fall goals have been rolled out to directors
and programs.
• Kids First Advisory Board Tour of Schools (In place of regular KFAB Meeting October
17th)
Tentative Agenda:
8:30 - Yellow Brick visit the 3 childcare programs in the Yellow Brick Building
9:30- Quick portable breakfast and take a van to Tiny Pines AABC
10:30- Visit Growing Years School in Basalt
11:45- Visit The Cottage ASD
Back to Aspen lunch at YB
• Kids First In-Service
This year’s In-Service event will be held at The Limelight hotel on Thursday October 26th;
this event is expected to have 100+ caregivers attending and is intended to educate on
inclusive classrooms as well as mental well-being.
• Back to School Event
Flyers have been posted around the Yellow Brick Building for our first of many parent
workshops with Emily Supino. Emily is the Kids First Early Childhood Mental Health
Consultant; she will be working with parents to educate on the importance of daily
routines/schedules. The workshop will be held on September 27th at 9:30AM in the
Yellow Brick conference room.
• Website Rollout
Kids First new website will roll out with a Pizza party on the October 20th at 5:30PM at
the Pitkin County Library.
• Yellow Brick Construction Projects
The east end stairs have been completed, west end stairs have been demolished and
ready to begin construction. Half of the flooring has also been completed; maintenance
is taking extra caution to ensure the safety of the children.
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting will be on the Third Tuesday of the month
from 11:15am until 12:45pm unless otherwise noted
October 17 – Tuesday Tour of Schools 8:30am
November 21 – Tuesday skip due to holiday
December 12th – Tuesday (1 week early due to holidays)