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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20181101.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 Minutes Friday, November 1, 2018, 11:30 – 1:30 In attendance: Chad Schmit, Stefan Reveal, Rebecca Pascal, Kristen Tullar, Shirley Ritter, and Nancy Nichols DESIRED OUTCOMES: • Approved minutes from previous meeting – Minutes were approved MPU. • Aspen Mountain Tots – Dawn Ryan, Owner and Director of Aspen Mountain Tots came to provide the Kids First Advisory Board with an update on her program. Aspen Mountain Tots is now closing 15 minutes earlier, they added 11 days that they will be closed to their yearly calendar, Alex is Director qualified, and they will be increasing tuition in January from $75 to $80 per day. These changes have had a positive change on the program and staff. She was asked about her financial wellbeing and replied that it is a worry, however, she thinks that the tuition increase will ease the financial stress. • Aspen Mountain Tots request of additional funding for Professional Development Dawn requested additional funding to cover the expense of college classes for a new teacher, and reimbursement for Alex to take the McCormick Director Certification classes (not for credit). ✓ Rebecca moved to approve the additional Professional Development funding in the amount of $2,475.00 be awarded to Aspen Mountain Tots. Chad seconded, MPU • The Little Red Schoolhouse toddler funding Shirley reviewed the agreement that the Kids First Advisory Board made with Little Red Schoolhouse in March 2018 that required the toddler teachers to be enrolled in ECE 111 or EQIT, and for Bridgette to have 20 hours of coaching from Kids First, also in EQIT. These requirements were to be met in order for Little Red Schoolhouse to receive their 4th quarter Kids First toddler funding. At this time the coaching hours have been successfully completed, one teacher is reported to be currently taking ECE 111 and a new teacher started after the ECE 111 and EQIT had already begun. Shirley will follow up and verify that the one teacher is attending the ECE 111 class, and it was agreed that the new teacher will be required to enroll in the January EQIT class. ✓ Kristen moved that Kids First will verify that the one teacher is participating in ECE 111 and that the new teacher be required to enroll in EQIT in January. If these two requirements are met, then the 4th quarter funding can be paid to Little Red Schoolhouse, Rebecca seconded, MPU. There was additional discussion around the financials that Little Red Schoolhouse presented to Kids First. To make sure that Kids First and Little Red Schoolhouse has a true understanding of their budget, profit and loss; Shirley will follow up with the director, meet with the new bookkeeper, and set up a meeting with Little Red Schoolhouse board members. Shirley will request a copy of the last 3 or 4 months of bank statements for review. • Playgroup - Shirley has been in touch with Kadi the director of Playgroup. Currently their preschool classroom enrollment is about 40%. Kadi is planning on moving children up and she has new families starting in December and January. At this time the Kids First Advisory Board agreed that Kadi was aware of the situation and was working towards increasing her enrollment. • Wait list information – Stefan requested that Kids First try to consolidate the current wait list from all the programs so that we have a more quantitative knowledge of need based on program wait lists. Shirley agreed to ask directors for this information. • Review and revise the requirements to participate in Kids First programs – There was a short discussion about childcare programs who choose not to participate in sharing of information and other Kids First programming. The Kids First Advisory Board agreed that a review or development of a general agreement between all programs and Kids First may need be necessary before programs receive benefits or funds from Kids First. This will be reviewed further, and Shirley will check with The City of Aspen Attorney for additional guidance. Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board Thursday, December 6 NEW YEAR Friday, January 11 Friday, February 1 Friday, March 1 Friday, April 5 Friday, May 3 Capacity expansion questions based on feasibility work 1. How does Kids First Advisory Board feel about funding a different level of quality? 2. Should Kids First be funding wider or deeper?