May 16, 2001
TCAPS child care programs receive grant
$60,000 will go towards equipment and supplies
By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
The 800 children enrolled in Traverse City Area Public School child care programs are about to have a lot more to do after school.
The Michigan Department of Education has awarded a $60,000 grant to support the child care programs at eight TCAPS elementary schools. Funds will be used for equipment and supplies to enhance the child care programs at Blair, Cherry Knoll, Glenn Loomis, Interlochen, Oak Park, Norris, Sabin and Traverse Heights Elementary Schools.
"The purpose of the grant is to encourage schools to provide child care for students before and after school," said Special Programs Principal, Pat Lewallen. "We want to be more than just a baby-sitting service, we want there to be an educational aspect to the program."
Each school's program coordinator will come up with a "wish list" of items they would like to see purchased, created with helpful ideas from the students involved in the program.
"I wanted the kids input on what they would like to be able to use," said Blair Elementary program director, Mary Fisher. "I gave them catalogues and let them have at it. They came up with some really cool things, including a climbing wall and rainbow crayons."
Jessica Taylor, program director at Traverse Heights Elementary plans to use most of their share of the grant on sporting equipment. "We don't have any outdoor equipment that latchkey owns, so the kids don't have anything to take outside with them. Our games and crafts are getting old and sparse. I am also getting lots of books, puzzles and neat craft ideas," Taylor said.
Lewallen is also looking forward to placing orders for items on the "wish lists."
"The kids have a lot of great ideas of what they would like to be doing, but sometimes they are held back because of the money issue, this grant should help make that less of an issue," she said.