KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As school districts in the Kansas City area figure out whether to hold classes in person or virtually, preschools and day cares also must adjust to having school during a pandemic.
"Parents need a place for the children to go and that place needs to also facilitate remote learning," Derrick Madge, spokesperson for the Madgic Day child care facility, said.
That's the predicament Madgic Day finds itself in as as more parents request help for their kids, many of whom will now start the school year remotely.
The facility has beefed up its sanitization stations and are checking the temperatures of every child that comes in.
"Once a child comes in, they go into their classroom," Madgic Day Director Harriette Madge said. "We don’t co-mingle children at all, so if that’s your class that's where they go."
Madgic Day also is looking to hire more staff, including substitute teachers, to assist the kids with virtual learning classes from the various school districts.
"We have to have two teachers up there at all times so the children aren’t behind," Madge said. "Even though it’s virtual, you want them to be on time for their class to create that environment that 'I’m in school, but I’m just in another building.'"
Of course, that comes at an added cost and most child-care providers aren't taxpayer funded.
"We try to do everything that we can to keep down costs on the parents, because we realize they do need to work," Madge said. "But at the same time, I can’t get volunteer teachers to come in."
Substitute teachers are in high demand right now as education officials on both side of the state line prepare for an unprecedented school year.
"We can’t stay in school if we have a shortage of teachers who are sick. We can’t stay in school if we have a shortage of substitutes, we can’t do those things," Marcus Baltzell, director of communications for Kansas National Education Association, said.
Kelly Educational Staffing helps connect schools and day cares with educators.
“We’re certainly always looking for substitutes who want to work four to five days a week," Keith Elliott, who leads Kelly's operations for Kansas and Missouri, said. "The more we can have them out there, the better it is for our school districts and the better it is for our kids."
Anyone interested in working with Madgic Day can call 816-966-1599.
