School board passes free child care initiative for employees
By Jazmine Knight
Free child care is on the way for St. Joseph School District employees.
District employees will have free before- and after-school child care after the school board approved a child care initiative in partnership with the YMCA at Monday’s board meeting.
The YMCA is offering to cover the costs of 50 children. The district will match the YMCA by also covering 50 slots at $40 per week per child using its health care trust.
Robert Sigrist, assistant superintendent of business and operations, said this initiative aims to increase teacher recruitment and retention.
“If you have a child (in) before- or after- child care, that’s one expense that next year, as a staff member, you (won’t) have to worry about,” Sigrist said.
He said he believes this will make SJSD more competitive compared to other districts.
“I don’t think this is a benefit that a lot of districts are offering up,” he said. “Child care is a struggle and a challenge for parents in many, many instances. So again, this is hopefully just a benefit that will set us apart.”
The before- and after-school care extends to all employees including custodians, teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals and more. Based on a previously conducted survey, the district already projects 66 children to be enrolled in before- and after-school care, and will increase the number of free slots in the future if more are needed.
“It’s probably one of the things that everybody in St. Joe likes. It’s free,” Sigrist said. “We really are trying hard to find different ways to help our staff out financially. We’d love to be able to do more things for them.”
This district also approved motions for a renewal of the children’s trust fund and to hire a full-time Medicaid clerk. Additionally, the district selected a construction company for the new addition at Hosea Elementary beginning in August.
