The Discovery Kidzone preschool and daycare center next to Boulder Elementary School remains closed as CEO Rachel Supalla and representatives of the non-profit corporation Southwest Montana Youth Partners determine the next steps.
What it boils down to, Supalla said, is getting more children enrolled and hiring more staff. As far as the children are concerned, Supalla said interest is already increasing.
“We’ve been getting more inquiries, and even enrolled a family this week,” she said. “We are hoping that fall will be promising.”
Discovery Kidzone and SWMYP had hoped that parents would start their kids in the new day care at the start of summer — when working moms and dads often hit a post-school care crunch. But Supalla said it’s not uncommon for Discovery Kidzone to see more students enroll in August. She has schools in Montana City, Clancy, Helena and East Helena, and she’s seen up to 30 children enroll at one school alone during the month of August before.
It’s critical, she said, for more children to enroll, as she said Discovery Kidzone relies on enrollment to fund the operation.
“I think some people have been making the assumption that we’re [grant] funded, but that’s not the case,” she said.
As for staffing, Supalla said it surprises her that it’s been such a challenge to hire the necessary four employees to oversee up to 12 children (four infants and up to eight two to five year-olds). Ultimately, Supalla said DKZ’s Boulder location can hold up to 32 children (16 two to five year-olds, 12 one-year-olds and four infants). Supalla would need up to eight staff members to make this a reality, which is still her hope. It’s also an excellent opportunity for people in the area looking to embark on a new career, she said.
“Starting wages are more than $4 per hour over minimum wage,” Supalla said, “plus we have a bonus program, medical program, mental health services, a retirement match and a discount if they enroll their children in the program. I know that was an incentive for me when I got started in this business.”
Furthermore, Supalla said these positions offer a livable wage, college scholarships and opportunities for advancement, jobs she said aren’t easy to find in the community of Boulder. Currently, she needs to fill three positions, including a director.
“It’s a Catch-22,” added SMYP President Drew Dawson. “You need staff in order to recruit, and you need kids in order to get the staff.”
Dawson said it is SMYP’s role to work in a complimentary fashion with Discovery Kidzone and get more children and staff on board.
SMYP, Dawson said, was formed out of a need to bring child care to the Jefferson County area. That mission has broadened, Dawson said, to expand youth services to Boulder, Jefferson County and Southwestern Montana, and be a model for future child care endeavors. SMYP was instrumental in bringing the day carebuilding to Boulder. The organization also created a Request for Proposal for a child care provider. Supalla was the winner of this RFP. Discovery Kidzone is required to pay $5 per year to SMYP for the use of the building. Discovery Kidzone is not funded through SMYP or other grant funds.
Now that Discovery Kidzone is in place, Dawson said SMYP’s role is to promote Discovery Kidzone in the community and improve services for youth in Jefferson County. What this consists of currently is educating the public on the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program. According to SMYP representative and Jefferson Local Development Corporation child care coordinator Rochelle Hesford – as of July 1, as a result of Governor Greg Gianforte signing House Bill 648 into law – there are new guidelines for the scholarship program. A family of three that makes $45,991 or less qualifies for benefits. And those who don’t qualify for Best Beginnings are likely eligible for Gap Child Care Scholarship funding, a program that works for many who don’t qualify for Best Beginnings. Those who are eligible can get up to $2,500 a year in support. In addition, Supalla said the first 12 children enrolled get 20% off their tuition.
“You should always look to see if you qualify,” Hesford said. “It’s really important that you at least take the extra step to look into it. You never know until you try.”
To qualify for the gap scholarship Hesford said a family must first apply for Best Beginnings. Best Beginnings and the Gap scholarship both work to put a cap on the amount a family pays for child care per month. Co-pays can be as substantial as $900.
“With Best Beginnings, maybe the cost for sending children to a licensed child care facility is not as prohibitive as what people think,” Dawson said. “There are a lot of avenues that support these families financially. It’s not beyond their reach.”
Supalla said she encourages interested parents to look into their eligibility status, as what is offered at Discovery Kidzone is beyond a typical licensed child care facility. Hesford agrees.
“Kids that don’t get high quality education start school behind,” she said. “That’s why it is so important to us to offer this here in Boulder and why we are working so hard to offer equal access for all families.”
Supalla said she looks forward to serving the families of Boulder. She also looks forward to having another open house to visit with more families and discuss tuition options and Best Beginnings options.
“I believe that as the community of Boulder grows we will be able to serve the people in a big way,” Supalla said. “We just have to take baby steps and follow the lead of the community.”
For more information, go to www.discoverykidzone.com. For more information on scholarship eligibility, contact Rochelle Hesford at (406) 225-3164.
