SFPS to look into care for workers’ children

Hybrid model creates need for about 200 district employees

The Santa Fe school board on Thursday directed Superintendent Veronica García to develop a policy regarding emergency child care for school district employees that would last through the end of 2020.

García said about 200 of the district’s employees are in need of child care as Santa Fe Public Schools prepare to begin the hybrid model of its campus reentry plan in October. The hybrid model will combine online classes with in-person learning.

García said her staff is exploring possibilities, including providing services at a designated area or helping district employees get their child care paid through a state subsidy.

School board President Kate Noble said the pandemic is exacerbating the struggle to balance work and family.

“People are having to forgo earning because they are caring for their kids,” Noble said. “It’s increasing stress in families and it’s kinda surreal that we’re figuring out child care while schools are closed.”

The school board also discussed internet access and bandwidth issues as students continue to learn remotely.

Board Secretary Rudy Garcia said he heard from some parents that certain hot spots offered by

cellular providers are not as effective as they should be and asked if school buses that provide the signals could be moved to those areas to help students connect to the internet.

Tom Ryan, the district’s chief information and strategy officer, said discussions are ongoing with the city of Santa Fe to create outdoor hot spots that would not require a bus to create a signal.

He added that the district is working with internet providers to provide access at mobile home parks, as well as creating outdoor access points.

“We are looking at every possible option to get our families and kids connected,” Ryan said.

He added, the district purchased an additional 100 hot spot devices, and it intends to give several of them to families with more than one student to help expand bandwidth capabilities.

García said the district is juggling a lot of issues when it comes to providing internet access to all families.

“It is a case-by-base basis, and not one solution fits everybody’s needs,” García said. “We’re trying to tailor the situation to every home.”