By Sara Ballenger

The Los Altos School Board wants to know what you think about before and after-school child care on the district’s seven elementary school campuses, especially at Covington School.

Covington, which has been closed since 1980, is slated to re-open as an elementary school in August, 2002, said Dave McNulty, construction facilities manager for the district.

Covington is being renovated with all of the schools in the district as part of the $94.7 million bond measure passed in 1998, McNulty said.

Covington housed the district offices and five privately owned child-care centers and schools. The centers had to move out of the Covington School buildings by November of last year, so that building renovations could begin, McNulty said.

With no current on-site child care at Covington, the search is on.

The board’s goal is to have a quality child-care program at each of the elementary school campuses that charges a reasonable fee and provides the district with market-rate rental income, according to Randy Kenyon, assistant superintendent of business services.

“The following represents the thinking of the board at this time. It is still a work in progress,” Kenyon said. “After a period of public input, the board will finalize its decisions.”

- The district should not be “in the business” of providing child care.

- We should not monitor quality except to require licensing. If there are problems, we will hear about them and can always choose not to renew a contract.

- District should not govern what providers charge parents.

- Care is to be provided during all the school year (except during holiday break and legal holidays) including staff development, conference and local vacation days. Care during summer is not required.

- Care is to be provided from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- Providers must serve both a.m. and p.m. kindergartners and all students needing care, as long is there is adequate space.

- If a provider is permitted to operate a preschool program, then a city use permit will be required.

- For Covington School, the board suggests the district provide the buildings for a child- care center. For other schools, the board suggests the decision should be handled on a case by case basis.

The board has adopted basic criteria to pre-qualify care providers, which include information about a provider’s experience, program philosophy, staffing and financial history, according to the district.

The board will hold a public review/comment period from now until its Dec.10 meeting, when it will make its final decision. For more information, call the district office at 941-4010.