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Siloam Springs School District outlines plan to open Panther Daycare at Allen Elementary
Summary
District staff reported progress toward an on-site daycare for employees, saying Allen Elementary meets licensing and sprinkler requirements; licensing visit scheduled and enrollment rollout pending official capacity determination.
The Siloam Springs School District presented detailed steps this month to open “Panther Daycare,” a childcare program for district employees that officials plan to locate at Allen Elementary school next year.
District staff member Christina Brown told the board the project began in October and moved from research and site visits to full-time development in January. Brown said the district completed pre-licensing training, met the Office of Early Childhood curriculum requirements, selected ProCare as its childcare management software, and obtained zoning approval earlier the day of the meeting.
Brown said the district selected Allen Elementary because the facility met Arkansas minimum state licensing requirements for classroom square footage and already has a sprinkler system. She said the licensing specialist is scheduled to visit the site in about two weeks to determine the final licensed capacity; the health inspector and fire inspection have also been scheduled or completed. Once the license is issued, Brown said the district would begin face-to-face enrollment for employees, hire and train staff, and open the program.
Brown said the district also formed a curriculum committee to review state-approved infant and toddler curricula, completed director orientation trainings and Better Beginnings requirements, and acquired furniture donated by a closing provider. She said much of the purchased equipment (circuit blocks, Legos, etc.) and furnishings will be re-used in the district’s STEAM and classroom programming.
Superintendent Patrick and board members thanked Brown and staff for the work and said a survey and enrollment letter to employees would go out once the licensing specialist confirms capacity. The district stated it will determine staffing needs only after the licensing inspection sets the number of children the facility may serve; if demand exceeds capacity, board members said the district plans a fair lottery and wait-list process.
Brown and the board reiterated that pricing is still being finalized; Brown said the goal is an affordable rate but did not state a fee. She confirmed the program will be fee-for-service, and that employee discounts are anticipated but not yet finalized.
Next steps the board heard: the licensing specialist’s site visit, final license issuance, public enrollment rollout to district employees, staff hiring/training, and opening of Panther Daycare pending those approvals.
