Anchor Bay describes shrinking SAC wait list as staffing, licensing constraints persist

Anchor Bay School District staff said Sept. 24 that its six School-Age Child Care (SAC) sites are close to capacity at several schools, but district leaders expect to reduce the current wait list by hiring one additional staff member pending fingerprint licensing.

Assistant Superintendent Todd Rathbun told the board the district’s six SAC sites are licensed for a combined 579 children per day, but site-level licensure, restroom capacity and an 18-to-1 caregiver-to-student ratio can mean some sites are effectively full even where a commons area could hold more children.

Rathbun said Ashley, Great Oaks and Noldred are full and that Lighthouse, Lottie and Middle School North still have additional slots. He said the district has a wait list of roughly 35 students but that eight of those are sixth graders (a grade the district typically did not serve in SAC), leaving “about 27 students that are K through 5.” He added: “With a couple more hires, we should be able to accommodate that group.”

Staffing, schedules and compensation

District presenters said the unusual SAC schedule — morning coverage beginning at about 6 a.m., then reopening after school at roughly 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. — makes it hard to recruit staff. District leaders said they have encouraged existing employees (paraprofessionals, food-service staff and others) to add SAC shifts and have agreed to pay overtime to cover staffing gaps. They also said compensation changes earlier this year improved recruitment.

Board members asked whether other district employees had been prohibited from taking extra SAC hours. Rathbun and other managers noted collective-bargaining agreements (AFSCME and the SAC bargaining unit) can add complexity but said the district is encouraging employees to pick up SAC shifts where possible and that the administration will resolve any specific denials.

Licensing limitations and space

Board members pressed on why a building such as Middle School North could not expand enrollment despite available commons seating. Rathbun explained that state SAC licensing and restroom proximity set per-site maxima; “if we add a second staffer that would allow 36 kids at a time (18 to 1),” but some site licenses cap the total at 54 children because of bathroom and spatial rules.

Rathbun said the biggest remaining barrier to eliminating the wait list is completing one more staff hire; SAC also must complete its fingerprint-based licensing check. He described recent progress compared with last year’s wait list of about 70 and said the district had hired three additional SAC staff this year (two replacements and one new hire).

No board vote was required. District leaders said they will continue recruiting and may reassign students between sites with parental permission and transportation adjustments, and they will return to the board with additional staffing and enrollment updates if needed.