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Franklin Lifelong Learning outlines toddler childcare, wrap‑around care and expanded kindergarten placements
Summary
At its March 24 meeting the Franklin School Committee heard Lifelong Learning director Patricia Gay describe program expansions including a staff‑first toddler childcare program (registration opens April 6), new wrap‑around preschool care hours at Pond Street, and a separate Solutions kindergarten to free K–2 seats for younger grades.
Patricia Gay, director of Lifelong Learning for Franklin Public Schools, told the School Committee on March 24 that the district’s Lifelong Learning program will expand next year to include an on‑site toddler childcare pilot, separate Solutions kindergarten sections and new wrap‑around preschool care at Pond Street.
Gay said the toddler program’s registration will open April 6, with tours beginning the same week. The initial offering will follow EEC best practices: a nine‑student start with a 9:2 student‑to‑staff ratio and two lead teacher positions posted; if district staff cannot fill openings, the program will open to town employees beginning May 1. "Registration for the program will begin on April 6," Gay said.
The Lifelong Learning unit, Gay said, is self‑sustaining through tuition and uses a revolving fund model that requires program revenues to be reinvested in program operations. School administrators clarified that revenues stay within the Lifelong Learning “bucket” and cannot be shifted to general operating lines. Gay described existing program scale as hundreds of offerings across music, summer programs and community courses and said Lifelong Learning recorded about 2,195 individuals served; she referenced a figure of 1,254 for students/adults but did not provide a detailed public breakdown.
The kindergarten shift aims to free classroom space for younger grades. Gay reported 265 students already placed for next year in the Solutions program (145 at Lincoln and 120 at Washington) and said the current waitlists are 16 at Lincoln and 10 at Washington. Committee members asked staff to provide further grade‑by‑grade details on demand and placement timing.
On wrap‑around care for preschoolers at Pond Street, Gay described the schedule as an early morning opening (7:00 a.m.), transition to preschool at about 9:10–9:15 a.m., and extended care until 5:30 p.m. to support working families. Superintendent/administration emphasized the program is intended to support staff recruitment and retention by offering continuity for employees who need childcare during the workday.
Committee members and staff acknowledged hiring pressures for program staff and discussed competitive wages, recruitment strategies and the importance of program culture. Several members suggested Lifelong Learning explore certification or accreditation pathways for arts and music offerings to add value for students. Gay said the district is actively interviewing candidates and will continue outreach.
Gay also noted the district is pursuing innovation lab work tied to a separate grant process and thanked Rep. Jeff Roy for securing a $150,000 earmark for a middle‑school library/STEM redesign; the amount for an additional referenced education innovation grant was not specified during the meeting.
Next steps: Lifelong Learning will post job descriptions, open registration on April 6 for the toddler program, run tours for interested families that week, and return with more detailed enrollment and staffing updates as hiring progresses.
