Birmingham day care center closing Aug. 31

KEOSAUQUA ? The Van Buren Community School Board of Directors passed a resolution this week discontinuing its operation of a day care center at the Birmingham Early Childhood Center.

Plans are for the day care to close Aug. 31 to allow families time to find alternative child care services.

The board made the decision based on the recommendation of a subcommittee made up of parents, school board members and city representatives. The committee had been searching for a way to run a self-sustaining day care in the wake of an Iowa Department of Education ruling that the district could not subsidize the day care portion of the Birmingham Early Childhood Center.

The resolution reverses a decision the school board made in March re-affirming its commitment to operate a day care center in Birmingham. The commitment was made before a constituent asked the department of education about the legality of the district using funds intended for prekindergarten through 12th grade for day care.

Stan Whitten, a board member on the day care subcommittee, said it was apparent that it was not possible for the district to run the day care revenue neutral.

?At best, we could get it to a $45,000 loss,? he said. ?We came to the conclusion that why put off the inevitable, give parents advance notice and close the day care.?

For the complete article, see the Friday, July 2, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.