Placer-Nevada Counties - The End of an Era... 4-H ACCP Closing

The End of an Era... 4-H ACCP Closing

4-H ACCP Closing

RECENT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

SB 638, the bill that will change the original Prop 49 legislation and allow for the release of ASES applications, will be heard in the Assembly on August 9th. With the passage of SB 638, the California Department of Education expects to release the Request for Applications by the beginning of September. There will be an approximate 6-8 week turnaround time before grants are awarded. This means that schools that apply and are awarded grants could have programs up and running by January. Please see www.bayareapartnership.org/legislative.htm for more details.

WHAT 4-H AFTERSCHOOL IS DOING

4-H Afterschool continues to work with districts during this transition. We are working with Commuity Care Licensing as well as the California Department of Education-Child Development Division for those districts that are working on getting a program in place for the beginning of the school year. The Pleasant Ridge Union School District partnered with Bear River Rec and Parks Department and will be providing afterschool care beginning on the first day of school at the Alta Sierra, Cottage Hill and Pleasant Ridge sites. Many 4-H staff will be employed by BRRPD, and the materials, supplies and furniture in the 4-H ACCP rooms are all being donated to the programs. The Grass Valley School District is working with 4-H ACCP and the State to be able to provide subsidized child care at the Hennessy and Scotten sites. Again, all materials at both sites will be donated to the programs in order to faciliate a smooth start to a new program. Other districts in Nevada and Placer counties may also be working with us during this transition time. We will keep you posted if more programs are in place prior to the beginning of the school year.

The End of an Era

It is with great sadness that we report that the Board of Directors of the 4-H Afterschool Child Care Programs voted on May 22^nd to close all 16 of the child care programs in Placer and Nevada counties. The upcoming Proposition 49 funding to make access to after school programs available to more families in California is due to be enacted with the new budget year. The Board of Directors supports this funding (for new ASES programs) and is working with the local schools and districts as this transition becomes a reality.

This was not an easy decision for the Board to make as the 4-H Afterschool Child Care Programs have been serving the families in Placer and Nevada counties for more than 20 years. The Board remains dedicated to working with children, families, schools and districts to ensure that quality child care services are available.

Programs will be closing at the end of the school year and at the end of our Summer Day Camp programs, depending on the site.

Plans for the Transition

The 4-H ACCP Program Administrator has been working with school superintendents and principals to determine how we may provide assistance during this transition. Because schools will be required to provide matching funds (not necessarily dollars), our program is prepared to donate supplies in the rooms (including furniture, art supplies, manipulatives, games, etc.) to a participating school starting a new program. We have many resources available to share with programs that are starting up. Some of our staff have already expressed an interest in working for these new programs. All of these possibilities will help to ensure as seamless a transition as possible and continue to provide quality care for the children in these programs.

ACCP Closing - Parent Letters

Site Closure Dates:

Placer County

The last day of the regular school year (June 2006): Alta-Dutch Flat and Newcastle

The last day of Summer Day Camp (August 18, 2006): Colfax, Carlin C.

Coppin, First Street, Loomis, Penryn and Placer Hills

Nevada County

The last day of the regular school year (June 2006): Alta Sierra, Cottage Hill, Scotten and Williams Ranch

The last day of Summer Day Camp (August 18, 2006): Hennessy, Oak Tree, Pleasant Ridge and Ready Springs

The following websites are updated with news about the implementation of

Proposition 49 and ASES:

Link to Proposition 49 Program Description: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ba/as/pgmdescription.asp

Link to California School-Age Consortium: http://www.calsac.org

Link to Child Development Policy Institute: http://www.cdpi.net

NEW LINKS WITH UPDATED INFORMATION: