Before/aftercare providers need a seat at the table

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sent a letter earlier this week and just received this response (form letter) from the Legislative Affairs coordinator for the BOE:

The Board appreciates the critical importance of child care to families throughout Montgomery County, and MCPS is working closely with our local and state health officials around the next steps to reopen these services.

Montgomery County is setting its own reopening timetables separately from the rest of the state in the context of the specific public health conditions in this region. While Governor Hogan instituted Phase 2 in the state, Montgomery County did not initiate that phase of reopening locally for another two weeks. Even as Montgomery County enters Phase 2, there will be concerns specific to child care in school facilities that may differ from child care providers that operate in their own or other spaces. MCPS is developing and implementing summer programming in multiple modalities and working through the multiple operational and health systems that must be in place to allow students to return to school buildings. All of these activities must take place in the context of social distancing that limits the total numbers of people permitted to be in school buildings.

As we continue our work to finalize the health, safety, and operational plans for reopening school facilities, we recognize how important access to child care is for our families and our community. We will continue to provide as much access to facilities as quickly as possible within the context of school system operations and public health constraints that are required by our state and local public health officials. We will provide the community updates as we work through this process.

That last paragraph is interesting. If they recognize how important access to child care is for the community, wouldn't they have reached out to any of these major providers for input, updates, etc.? I mean really...

I came back to this thread to post that I received the above letter, too. Yeah, I agree that recognizing the importance of childcare translates into coordinating with the major providers of it for school-aged kids.

I also am going to contact Elrich again and probably Travis Gayles. It’s not okay to focus on opening restaurants and gyms over schools and childcare facilities, inasmuch as the constraints on the latter are imposed by concerns about community spread. I’m completely obsessed with working out and miss my BC workout so much, but there’s no way it’s more important than kids getting educated and cared for.

Child care should be open. Restaurants, pools, gyms, travel and other activities should have been delayed much longer. Schools should not open back up due to the virus spreading again, people traveling and cannot have any self restraint. I don't want my family getting covid as you HAD to travel, had to eat out and go to the pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sent a letter earlier this week and just received this response (form letter) from the Legislative Affairs coordinator for the BOE:

The Board appreciates the critical importance of child care to families throughout Montgomery County, and MCPS is working closely with our local and state health officials around the next steps to reopen these services.

Montgomery County is setting its own reopening timetables separately from the rest of the state in the context of the specific public health conditions in this region. While Governor Hogan instituted Phase 2 in the state, Montgomery County did not initiate that phase of reopening locally for another two weeks. Even as Montgomery County enters Phase 2, there will be concerns specific to child care in school facilities that may differ from child care providers that operate in their own or other spaces. MCPS is developing and implementing summer programming in multiple modalities and working through the multiple operational and health systems that must be in place to allow students to return to school buildings. All of these activities must take place in the context of social distancing that limits the total numbers of people permitted to be in school buildings.

As we continue our work to finalize the health, safety, and operational plans for reopening school facilities, we recognize how important access to child care is for our families and our community. We will continue to provide as much access to facilities as quickly as possible within the context of school system operations and public health constraints that are required by our state and local public health officials. We will provide the community updates as we work through this process.

That last paragraph is interesting. If they recognize how important access to child care is for the community, wouldn't they have reached out to any of these major providers for input, updates, etc.? I mean really...

I came back to this thread to post that I received the above letter, too. Yeah, I agree that recognizing the importance of childcare translates into coordinating with the major providers of it for school-aged kids.

I also am going to contact Elrich again and probably Travis Gayles. It’s not okay to focus on opening restaurants and gyms over schools and childcare facilities, inasmuch as the constraints on the latter are imposed by concerns about community spread. I’m completely obsessed with working out and miss my BC workout so much, but there’s no way it’s more important than kids getting educated and cared for.

Child care should be open. Restaurants, pools, gyms, travel and other activities should have been delayed much longer. Schools should not open back up due to the virus spreading again, people traveling and cannot have any self restraint. I don't want my family getting covid as you HAD to travel, had to eat out and go to the pool.

I agree that childcare needs to be prioritized over risky indoor activities. I don't think outdoor pools with limited capacity or travel to some areas are in the same category, but whatever. The point is that opening childcare needs to be prioritized via keeping other things (gyms, bars, indoor restaurants) closed and by giving the childcare providers a seat at the table.

[Anonymous]

I am also sending an email!

[Anonymous]

Just saw this from Councilmember Andrew Friedson’s Facebook:

Pleased that we've made progress on the first group of child care providers that can now reopen at MCPS facilities.

Child care is integral to the education and development of children and our County’s economy, but unfortunately providers at MCPS sites have not been allowed to reopen. Last week, we convened all parties along with Councilmember Nancy Navarro's office, and this week 12 MCPS facility-based providers are being permitted to reopen. There are still other sites and providers that we know are waiting, and conversations are ongoing so please stay tuned for announcements from MCPS.

We know parents are doing the near-impossible, juggling work and family demands, so we're pushing for these other sites to open soon. Please refer to the list below to see if your provider is part of this first group that has been given the green light to resume operations:

Reopening: MCPS Child Care Sites and Providers

1. MCCA - Arcola

2. RDCA - Bel Pre

3. Academy - Galway

4. Bright Eyes - Glen Haven

5. Maryland Child Services - Page

6. RDCA - Shriver

7. Kid’s Adventures - Takoma Park (Elementary)

8. MCCA - Weller

9. Kid’s Adventures - Wheaton Woods

10. Kids Co Jr. - Brown Station

11. Bar-T - Thurgood Marshal

12. Bright Eyes - Veirs Mill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this from Councilmember Andrew Friedson’s Facebook:

Pleased that we've made progress on the first group of child care providers that can now reopen at MCPS facilities.

Child care is integral to the education and development of children and our County’s economy, but unfortunately providers at MCPS sites have not been allowed to reopen. Last week, we convened all parties along with Councilmember Nancy Navarro's office, and this week 12 MCPS facility-based providers are being permitted to reopen. There are still other sites and providers that we know are waiting, and conversations are ongoing so please stay tuned for announcements from MCPS.

We know parents are doing the near-impossible, juggling work and family demands, so we're pushing for these other sites to open soon. Please refer to the list below to see if your provider is part of this first group that has been given the green light to resume operations:

Reopening: MCPS Child Care Sites and Providers

1. MCCA - Arcola

2. RDCA - Bel Pre

3. Academy - Galway

4. Bright Eyes - Glen Haven

5. Maryland Child Services - Page

6. RDCA - Shriver

7. Kid’s Adventures - Takoma Park (Elementary)

8. MCCA - Weller

9. Kid’s Adventures - Wheaton Woods

10. Kids Co Jr. - Brown Station

11. Bar-T - Thurgood Marshal

12. Bright Eyes - Veirs Mill

Sounds promising.

Not sure how they picked these?? Ours is NOT on the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this from Councilmember Andrew Friedson’s Facebook:

Pleased that we've made progress on the first group of child care providers that can now reopen at MCPS facilities.

Child care is integral to the education and development of children and our County’s economy, but unfortunately providers at MCPS sites have not been allowed to reopen. Last week, we convened all parties along with Councilmember Nancy Navarro's office, and this week 12 MCPS facility-based providers are being permitted to reopen. There are still other sites and providers that we know are waiting, and conversations are ongoing so please stay tuned for announcements from MCPS.

We know parents are doing the near-impossible, juggling work and family demands, so we're pushing for these other sites to open soon. Please refer to the list below to see if your provider is part of this first group that has been given the green light to resume operations:

Reopening: MCPS Child Care Sites and Providers

1. MCCA - Arcola

2. RDCA - Bel Pre

3. Academy - Galway

4. Bright Eyes - Glen Haven

5. Maryland Child Services - Page

6. RDCA - Shriver

7. Kid’s Adventures - Takoma Park (Elementary)

8. MCCA - Weller

9. Kid’s Adventures - Wheaton Woods

10. Kids Co Jr. - Brown Station

11. Bar-T - Thurgood Marshal

12. Bright Eyes - Veirs Mill

Sounds promising.

Not sure how they picked these?? Ours is NOT on the list.

Maybe ones with large numbers of teachers who use the daycare? Or ones where the location of the daycare in the building limits the extent to which daycare kids will mix with school kids? Maybe FARMS rates play a role (if large numbers of parents can't telework - more likely among low-income families)