Holton B.O.E. considers daycare program

   At an agenda-filled meeting here Monday evening, the Holton school board tackled several school topics, including the possibility of having the school district provide a daycare center for young children of teachers and other district staff members. The board also announced several upcoming dates set in the district for crisis-active shooter training.

   Randy Fox, principal at Holton Elementary School for three years, has announced that he is retiring after the current school term. Fox has had a 32-year career in education and began his career as a third-grade teacher at Winfield in 1991. The Holton school board accepted Fox’s letter of resignation at its meeting.

   The board, at its meeting, gave its approval for the district to send out a letter to district certified and classified staff to gauge interest in having the district sponsor a daycare center for kids up to four years old, which would operate during regular school hours.

   A district-operated daycare center is being viewed as part of an overview incentive package for district teachers and district workers to attract new employees and retain current ones. Some available space at Holton Elementary School has been identified as a possible location for such a daycare center, it was reported.

   Karla Tanking, district curriculum director, visited with the board about the daycare center idea and indicated the district might possibly consider providing such a service for teachers and other school staff at a per child daily or weekly rate below what is generally charged at privately-owned daycares.

On Nov. 14, for three hours, elementary school staff met with representatives from the Kansas Highway Patrol about crisis-active shooter training while middle school and high school staff met with Jackson County Sheriff Deputy Joe Romans on the same topic, it was reported.

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