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Kids First Advisory Board Meeting
Tuesday January 16th 2024, 11:15AM-12:45PM
Yellow Brick lower-level training room and Zoom
In attendance: Nancy Nichols, Megan Monaghan, Logan Hood, Mimi Hauenstein, Natalie Eudaly, Sara
Lowe, Stefan Reveal, Katherine Coleman, Jessica Garrow, and Sue Way
Guest: Jenn Ooten
Approves Minutes from 12/19/23 Logan Motfoned, Sue Second, KFAB Approved
Determine Plan of Action for KFAB in 2024 using SWOT Analysis: The Board agrees that Kids First has
done a lot of great work over the past year (Tiny Pines opening, Little Steps moving into CMC, Ajax Cubs
moving into the empty space at the Yellow Brick, etc.). Kids First Advisory board also agreed that Kids First
should be moving back to basic metrics, similar to some of the surveys and data collectfon. Stefan and the
rest of the board discussed some current programs that feel important and successful. The programs that
were discussed include the rent subsidizing program. This substantfally helps current program’s functfon
and that should contfnue to be a support that’s provided . Kids First Advisory Board would like to contfnue
encouraging early childhood educators to get the best and most possible educatfon for their positfon . The
board will also contfnue to encourage teachers to obtain higher educatfon to start a pipeline of future
directors.
Moving forward, the board discussed a few changes that could push the programs in a new and better
directfon. In 2023 programs experienced a decrease in enrollment of children, this could be for several
reasons: birth rate, populatfon change in Aspen, utflizatfon of childcare outside of the programs, etc. Kids
First will work with community partners to obtain data on birth rate so that an accurate number of
children in need of childcare can be captured. Community complacency is also something preventfng
higher enrollment numbers; whether it’s because the community isn’t aware of the resources they have
access to (such as UPK), having different resources after COVID, or simply not having any pre-k children in
need of care. A plan to raise community awareness about these resources will be put into place soon
along with awareness to the fact that children that enroll in an early childhood educatfon program are
better prepared for kindergarten across the board.
2024 Compass Goals: The 2024 Compass Goals are set to piggyback off the SWOT Analysis that the board
created. There are 3 new goals within the 6 goals:
• Sustain existfng and new programs to support and inform capacity needs for families in the community
(Increasing capacity goal). Kids First will be having a staff retreat in February to develop these goals.
• Strengthen Early Childhood Workforce Recruitment and Retentfon.
• Ensure Kids First City of Aspen Resources have maximum positfve impact. (Introductfon of online
platiorm for financial aid)
• Strengthen the Kids First organizatfon and team.
• Develop and Implement Kids First Departmental Customer Service Plan
2
• Determine community childcare needs over tfme (Finding the support/tool to measure this by
communicatfng with community and childcare providers)
Discussion-UPK: Does the Kids First Advisory Board want to ask programs to partfcipate in the State of
Colorado UPK program as a requirement to receive Kids First funding? The board agrees that this year, the
board will contfnue to monitor UPK’s success and heavily suggest programs partfcipatfon as moving
forward acceptfng UPK may be a requirement.
Approved Motion: Logan motioned to waive the UPK requirement for the tfme being with the understanding that
this requirement will be re-evaluated, UPK partfcipatfon is heavily suggested, and moving forward UPK partfcipatfon
may be required upon monitoring the success of the program. Katherine seconds, KFAB Approved.
A Look into Our Community: Logan shared that the community recently raised sixteen thousand dollars for families
that are struggling with cancer by hostfng a talent show. The board agrees that this heartwarming story is a great
example of the compassionate community we’re lucky enough to be a part of!
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting
from 11:15am until 12:45pm unless otherwise noted
January 16th – Tuesday 11:15-1:15
April 16th – Tuesday 11:15- 1:15
July 16th – Tuesday 11:15- 12:45
October 15th - Tuesday 11:15- 12:45