The Trigg Tots Early Learning Center has long been an integral part of the school district’s campus.
Following two important measures unanimously passed during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, it becomes even more so.
The first: a change in the fee structure. Potty-trained and non-potty-trained children will remain at their respective costs of $115 and $125, while the multi-child discount stays at 10%. However, the registration rate is increasing from the one-time cost of $35 to $100.
Director of Pupil Personnel James Mangels, along with Trigg Tots Program Director Molly Oliver, said the new rate will also cover the purchase of all needed items throughout the year — aside from those personal items kids enjoy like sippy cups, special blankets, pacifiers, changes of clothes and the like.
Oliver offered some clarifications, noting the annual shopping burden would shift to her and her staff, rather than staying on families who are already tasked.
Furthermore, the program has always been offered to any Trigg County Public Schools employees under contract, as well as young student parents. It was expanded to immediate family members of school employees. And now it’s expanding again.
Set to open a third classroom before the 2024-25 school year, Mangels and Oliver confirmed that a recent, and now accepted, grant opportunity will create 10 additional spaces for children from the general public.
At present, five staff members shepherd more than 30 children ages 12 months to 5 years in two classrooms. Mangels assured faculty, their families, and student mothers would get priority, but that any vacancies would then trickle to outside opportunities.
Perhaps one of the largest voids in western Kentucky, and the country, since the COVID-19 pandemic has been affordable and consistent child care — creating a domestic desert. Mangels and Oliver said this move could start to address it.
With these moves, Mangels confirmed Trigg Tots will now remain where it is on the campus, and Oliver also confirmed “Bed Babies” will not be returning anytime soon — if ever — because the “Bed Babies” room has to have a sink with running water, which isn’t the case.
Board member Charlene Sheehan voiced a concern before the discussion turned to admittance ratios.
Officially, Trigg Tots is its own business entity but still serves as an arm of the school.
In other school news:
— Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Matt Boehman gave considerable kudos to Brandon Calhoun and Arthur Williams of the Trigg County Road Department, Joe Nichols of Seven Springs Farms, and the school’s Director of Operations Matt Ladd.
With their combined efforts, the district recently saved a $10,000 shipping fee out of Columbus, Ohio, for brand-new kindergarten through fifth-grade textbooks.
And that’s because locals went to get them and bring them home.
— Board members also agreed to continue seeking the school’s banking needs through FNB Bank for two reasons: locality, and the guaranteed floor and ceiling of interest rates between 2% and 6%.
