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By MaryHelen Swanson
Editors note: The special board meeting is actually scheduled for 6 p.m., not 6:30 p.m. as noted in the Jan. 30 print edition of the Post Review. That change has been made for the online edition of this column.
Julie Thom is a soft-spoken young woman who coordinates the activities at the Family Center for the Rush City school district.
When she reports to the school board, usually each month at the regular meeting, she is filled with pride and excitement at the successes of the many events that have taken place, most of which are fund-raisers to help assure the continuance of programming at the center.
She’ll report on the large number of plastic ducks that floated lazily down Rush Creek in the annual Lucky Duck race fund-raiser out back of the Grant House.
She’ll report on a pretty quilt donated for the Silent Auction. She notes how many parents, and sometimes grandparents, have supported their little ones by attending special activities.
Last fall, she even, with a certain amount of intestinal fortitude, reported on the reorganization of staff to help in the face of decreasing funding for the center.
She is an even-tempered lady, at least I’ve never heard the decimals raise in her voice and I can’t fathom that she ever has to.
Right now, she faces a dilemma that could change the focus of early childhood education in the school district, at least the physical aspects of it.
And that is location.
With the ever decreasing funding from the state for early childhood education, it has come to this. “The Family Center can no longer financially support itself,” she noted earlier this month in a letter to area families, “as it has been able to do for the past 15 years.”
The school board may have to close the doors at the Family Center at the Kinger’s Mall, and find another place to conduct the business of preparing the youngest of students for a lifetime of learning.
Thom is clear, in her letter, that the district will continue offering early childhood programs, the question could come down to where? And who knows, maybe some day it will come down to program changes, too, if funding continues to lag.
While there are a few drawbacks to the current location, such as little people “traffic” during start of the day “rush hour,” I think most families would agree that the Mall location is a really great place for these classes.
I’ve witnessed drop off times and for the most part, it is easy and convenient for families. And early morning shoppers are so used to the delivery of the young ones that they have become accustomed to the mom or dad drop off system.
Are there other locations that might work? Certainly. It is possible the school board could find room at the elementary school, or at the old high school building, now used as city hall and recreational purposes. Perhaps, as Thom noted, there would be a church in the town that would open its doors to the program.
The school board is extremely proud of its early childhood program and administration has worked with Thom to find the best solution for staffing that will fit within current budget restraints.
This is serious business. Serious enough to require a special board meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7 at the high school. The discussion will be on the future of early childhood education, probably even more so than just the location. Without adequate funding, the classes may also be in a fragile situation.
Julie has encouraged families who make use of the Family Center to write to the school board members and attend that Feb. 7 meeting. She has encouraged them to let them know how much the program is appreciated and offer any ideas on how to solve the funding deficit.
I implore you to do the same, if you value the opportunities that the current Family Center offers. Let’s work together on this problem, it’s for the kids, the youngest ones at that.
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