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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20230503.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 Meeting Minutes Wednesday May 3rd 11:15am-12:45pm Yellow Brick lower-level training room and Zoom In attendance: Stefan Reveal, Katherine Coleman, Chad Schmit, Michaela Idhammar-Ketpura, Nancy Nichols, Megan Monaghan • Approves Minutes from April 5th, 2023: Chad motioned, Katherine second, KFAB approved. Desired Outcomes: No votes or outcomes. Discussion Items: • Review Council updates Megan shared information and an overview of the April 24th City Council presentation that covered the current work being done by Kids First staff in support of the City Council childcare capacity goal. The discussion included some of the City Council comments and a general summary of the grants and capacity work efforts. During this discussion Kids First Advisory Board asked about some of the capacity efforts throughout the valley including Stotts Mills (Basalt) and The Hub (Willits). There was also discussion about Confluence Early Childhood Coalition (regional tax efforts) and the Basalt Coalition and Town of Basalt. There was a request from Kids First Advisory Board for Kids First staff to have additional discussions and to express the Kids First supports for talks with Stotts Mills owner about an extended lease and efforts to make this space more feasible for long term childcare. • Discuss waitlist data and information. Megan shared the document and presentation that was prepared for Aspen City Council by Stacey Petty from RMECC (Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council). This discussion included conversation about the continued need for childcare and the limited capacity in Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley. There was a request from Kids First Advisory Board to ass information to this topic around the available spaces by age group rather than one number representing the total spaces. The clarification would offer information about the needs for space and available space by age group. • Discuss School security measures. Nancy reviewed the security efforts and requirement of childcare programs. An emergency plan is on file and was updated for the Yellow Brick building and its tenants. The Red Brick building staff will be working with Kids First staff to develop a mutual emergency plan as well. Specific information about the Yellow Bricks security system, updates and drill schedule was also discussed. There was further discussion about the efforts with Pitkin County Sheriff and Aspen Police for all the childcare programs to be included in any alerts or direction for “secure the perimeter and lock down “directives by those departments. • Plans for mental health consultant. Megan shared the Kids First plans to begin a contractual agreement with Mental Health consultant Emily Supino. Emily will begin work on a limited basis this summer and increase services to childcare program in the fall. The Kids First Advisory Board discussed the concerns for helping individual children and their families. The Kids First Consultant will work with programs and classrooms to address groups dynamic and to assess individual children’s needs within the group. If any child needs additional supports, there are available resources for families and childcare staff. As this contract is completed more details will be shared with the Kids First Advisory Board. • UPK Nancy reviewed some of the information and updates on the UPK state program. UPK will include funding for 4-year-old children to attend a specific number of hours in a childcare program. These hours are based on family needs and risk factors of the child . Children will be awarded 10, 15 or 30 hrs. of paid childcare. When this program rolls out in the fall, Kids First will have to approve the direction of financial aid for these families. Additionally, the Kids First Advisory Board will decide if UPK funding effects any of the current grant programs. • Growing Years Childcare and Roaring Fork School District The RFSD has given Growing Years notice that their lease for the Red Brick space will not be renewed in summer of 2024. The RFSD intends to open a Basalt Early Learning Center that will become part of the RFSD. The hope is that Growing Years School will become part of the new program and that the RFSD will work closely with Growing Years Director and staff to ensure that all the programming, children and staff will become a working part of the new center. Growing Years will investigate other option however finding space for this childcare program in the town of Basalt is very limited and the time frame isn’t enough for relocation to happen. There will be additional discussion and supports offered to Growing Years as they transition. Kids First Mission: Promote the availability of quality, affordable early childhood care & education, and provide access to early childhood information and resources. • Kids First Job opening. Kids First continue to search for candidates for the two open positions at Kids First. • Month of The Young Child. May is The Month of The Young child. Please join us in celebrating the children in our community who attend childcare. A calendar of events is posted. Kids First Advisory Board member were encouraged to join the events. • Future Kids First Advisory Board Meeting Megan asked the Kids First Advisory Board if members would be open to changing the monthly meeting time. The Kids First Advisory Board members agreed to looking at a doodle poll to determine a time when more members can attend. Kids First staff will move forward with some suggested days and time. NEW TIME, DAY, AND DATES FOR KIDS FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board Wednesday – June 7th NEW DAY ---- The Third Tuesday of the month from 11:15 am– 12:45pm July 18 - Tuesday August 15 - Tuesday September 19 - Tuesday October 17 - Tuesday November 21 – Tuesday December 19 - Tuesday (tentative depending on holiday plans)