CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Places for child care are limited as teacher strike looms

Daily Oklahoman - 3/27/2018

March 27--Several Oklahoma City metro-area child care centers are preparing to see in increase in children in the event of a teacher strike in Oklahoma next week.

Demands from the Oklahoma Education Association, coupled with threats of a teacher strike, could affect nearly 500,000 students in 172 school districts across the state. Oklahoma City area child care facilities are seeking to provide parents who are unable to take care of their kids during what would normally be school time, however, space and ages are limited at most of these facilities.

"We are going to be open," Norman KinderCare employee B Craig said. "We do accept drop-ins with a registration fee if parents call in."

The drop-ins at the Norman KinderCare, 1205 W Boyd, are age restricted, and there are limited spots available.

"The drop-ins are for school-agers only," Craig said. "We can take up to 40 in that room."

Additional school-age children at the Norman KinderCare will have the benefit of going through an appropriately aged educational curriculum during their time at the facility. They will be working independently and in a structured manner, Craig said.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County are preparing for additional children, according to the organization's President and CEO Jane Sutter.

"We are all about the kids," Sutter said. "We want them to have safe positive places to be, we want them to keep their minds active and we don't want them to lose opportunities because of a walkout."

Unlike child care businesses, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County operate with minimal membership costs and rely heavily on donations. Sutter said those wishing to assist in the case of a strike can do so financially, as well as visit their website to sign up to volunteer.

At the Goddard School, 17440 N Western, in Oklahoma City, parents are encouraged to call if they have school-age children, but the space is also limited.

"We've sent an email to our parents already," Goddard School Director of Education Tara Kuykendall said. "We would be opening our doors and we have some availability. If they aren't enrolled already, they can call and inquire about getting a spot."

Other programs, such as My Small Wonders, 733 Village Parkway, in Edmond, are prepared to care for some additional children, but are limiting those to current clients and siblings.

"We're going to be open for our school-agers who are already enrolled here, and for siblings (of students) who are enrolled," My Small Wonders Assistant Director Laura Kettner said.

Even with an increase in demand for responsible services to care for kids, some child care centers don't have the capacity to bring in more students.

"We will be operating with our regular school-age children, but we may not have extra room," LifeSpring Learning Center Director Erica Brewer said.

Brewer said the school-age students who receive before school, or after school care are going to push the program to capacity in the event of a strike.

She said LifeSpring is past the point of hoping the issue will be resolved before a strike occurs.

"Nope, we are just planning for it," Brewer said. "We are expecting it."

The strike could cause an increased demand for the child care spots, but workers such as Craig are prepared for business-as-usual otherwise.

"Our regular students they are going to come as planned, we don't have any teachers walking out," Craig said. "We'll be here."

___

(c)2018 The Oklahoman

Visit The Oklahoman at www.newsok.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.