Menlo Park Afterschool Childcare Schools & Kids, posted by still concerned, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Feb 3, 2008 at 2:56 pm
If you are planning on registering you incoming kinder this week in one of the Menlo Park School District elementary schools you should know ahead of time that there are NO ON SITE after-school care options available in our District.
Furthermore, the Menlo Park City after-school program is currently full and presently has a wait list of 68 children (school age)/ 171 (preschool).
Menlo Park appears to be the school district on the Peninsula not offering on-site after school care alternatives. PA, EPA, LA, LL, PV etc. all have (had) on-site care for years.
If you are concerned or even curious about this issue, please come to the Menlo Park School Board Meeting Feb 5th at 7pm to hear discussion of the topic with presentations made to the Board by Ken Ranella (Superintendent) and follow up presentation/commentary by concerned parents.
The Superintendents' presentation is available for review online: Web Link
Posted by flood park mom, a resident of the Menlo Park: Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/Flood Park Triangle neighborhood, on Feb 4, 2008 at 10:57 am
This issue has been ongoing for years. It would be nice to put it to rest and get MP up to speed with our neighboring communities.Seems the perfect time with so many changes being implmented
Posted by kinder care now, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Feb 4, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Apparently the district received state funding of $1 million for the TERC (Teacher Education/Research Center) bldg. at Encinal. Maybe someone should contact Assemblyman Ira Ruskin's or Senator Simitian's office and ask about childcare mandates in Menlo Park District facilities that utilize state funding?
And, rather than provide space for after school care in that new bldg., they are "giving" 1000 sq. ft. of space to the Menlo Atheron Education Foundation rent free. The foundation could just as easily find "free rent" space at McCandless office center on Middlefield, like other foundations, or at one of the many Matteson Investment facilities. I'm sure a plaque on the Encinal library, "naming rights" for the magnaminous benefactor/landlord and other reciprocal benefits could be worked out by a creative board.
Posted by Try Cubes & Crayons, a resident of the Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park neighborhood, on Feb 5, 2008 at 10:33 am
Cubes and Crayons is a new childcare/office space business in downtown Menlo. They're on Crane Street and just opened last month. The PA Weekly just did a story on them, talking about their flexibility, affordability and sense of community. I'm not sure of the age range of kids they have, but call and ask if they have something for kindergarten and/or above.
Posted by Encinal Kindergarten 2008 mom, a resident of the Menlo Park: Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/Flood Park Triangle neighborhood, on Feb 5, 2008 at 4:29 pm
My son will be starting Kindergarten in Sept 2008 at
Encinal and we desperately need after school care. I was surprised to hear that there wasn't something already in place. What do working parents do in this area?
Posted by kinder 2010, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Feb 7, 2008 at 10:27 am
This issue is also very important to us. Our daughter will be entering Kindergarten in 2010 and have considered moving to another school district just because of this after-school care problem.
But we love Menlo Park and desperately want to stay, so will do whatever it takes to support this!
Posted by involved parent, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Feb 7, 2008 at 6:35 pm
For those of you interested in getting involved in the effort to bring on-site childcare to our District please join the Google Group "MPASC" for history and updates on this important issue.
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