(Atlantic) Four community leaders appeared in front of the Atlantic School Board on Wednesday night, with concerns about a letter from the Atlantic School Administration sent to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA.
Dan Haynes, Executive Director of the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, representing the community spoke to the board regarding the letter presented to him giving notice to the YMCA to vacate the ELC “Infant Room” by December 15, 2023.
Haynes says the YMCA’s Board’s reading and understanding of the agreement is that the notice of termination should have been given no less than 120 days before the end of the current school year in order for the termination to be in effect for the 2023-2024 school year. Haynes presented the letter dated April 25, 2023.
The three other speakers included Atlantic Executive Chamber Director Bailey Smith, CADCO Executive Director Jen McEntaffer, and Christine Bateman speaking on behalf of Cass Health CEO, Brett Altman. Smith called Cass County a “Childcare Desert,” and losing that portion of childcare would be a detriment to the local economy.
Atlantic Schools Superintendent Steve Barber says the district’s preschool needs continue to grow.
He said the number of students who have been identified as students with disabilities who are three or will turn three next school year continues to outgrow the district’s current sections, so the need to add another section for the 2023-2024 school year. Barber said a fourth section the district is faced with caused a space issue. He said administrators and preschool teachers looked at potential options for the fourth preschool section, and it was determined all of the district’s preschool sections and students needed to be served at the Early Learning Center. He said halfway through next school year they will be looking at permanently moving into the room currently being used by the Wickman Center.
Barber said in 2013 when that agreement was signed, the needs that they had in the preschool are completely different than the last two years.
