Kearney R‑I presents Early Education Center and Kids Club program evaluations; enrollment, rates and staffing highlighted

Kearney R‑I School District staff reported program details for the district-run Early Education Center and the Kids Club before‑and‑after‑school program during the board meeting.

The district’s Early Education Center currently serves 59 children of district employees from birth through age 6, operates 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., and employs 11 full‑time staff and one part‑time staff member, Principal Amy Baugh said. Tuition ranges cited by Baugh were $638 to $757 per month; she said the average hourly cost to employees equates to $3.73 per hour for care. Classroom capacities described in the presentation were: infant room capacity 10 (two additional spots to be added in February), one‑year room capacity 10, two‑year room capacity 11, three‑year room capacity 12 and four‑year (pre‑K) capacity 16.

Baugh told the board the program did not meet a prior goal to reduce its fund balance deficit by 2 percent but that district leaders have taken steps—including tuition increases and staffing “rightsizing”—that they expect will improve the program’s fiscal position over the next year.

On goals for program quality, Baugh said the center set an internal staff satisfaction goal (3.5 out of 4) across four areas and plans to add a parent satisfaction goal. She also noted ongoing efforts to improve staff professional development, especially in behavior management.

Board members also heard an overview of the Kids Club program, which provides before‑and‑after‑school care for K‑5 students and summer programs. The board was told last year’s enrollment figures were about 255 students during the regular school year (numbers fluctuate), 28 students in the Summer School all‑day offering, 65 in a summer program described in the packet as "Bridal only," and 80 in the Summer Expedition four‑week program. The program operates at multiple elementary sites with experienced site coordinators and offers activities, a junior leadership program for sixth and seventh graders and a "grow your own" staffing pathway, according to the presentation.

Staff said program priorities include increasing professional development for staff, adopting financial‑management software to support billing and operations, and improving behavior‑management training for site staff.

District leaders invited questions; no formal action was taken on either program during the meeting.

The Early Education Center presentation and the Kids Club overview were delivered to the board as informational items to inform budgeting, staffing and program planning for the upcoming year.