Before school care to come to Wareham Elementary

Following an approval at the Tuesday, Dec. 18 Wareham School Committee meeting, Wareham Elementary is in the process of offering assistance to students before school begins. 

Director of Beyond School Time, Bethany Chandler, said that the process began with a poll sent out to parents. Out of 172 families that responded to the survey, 133 needed before school care.

If there was an opportunity for the families to move their children to a Wareham before school program, 75% of poll participants said they would.

"Based on that survey it inclined me to have a meeting with the superintendent," Chandler said. 

The program would begin at 6:30 a.m. and end at 8:30 a.m. and be $13 per student for the two-hour time period. Chandler also pro-rated the hours for children who arrive later than 6:30 a.m.

"So if the child comes in at 7 o'clock, it would be $10.50, and if the child comes in at 7:30 a.m., it would be $7.00," she said.

There would be one coordinator, one paraprofessional and one teacher for the program with one staff member for every 12 students. The students would be divided by grades depending on the amount that enroll in before school care. 

Chandler said there has been interest from the staff to work the program following "think tanks," or research groups.

"I did have seven staff members from Wareham Elementary attend my think tank," she said. "Of course there would be more work including postings, preparing the advertisements and getting out the application."

According to Chandler, the program is cost neutral, meaning the before school care will cost exactly what it generates, resulting in zero financial impact to the district.

With successful bookkeeping, hiring and enrollment, Chandler said parents could expect before school care to begin as early as Monday, Jan. 26.