School Board statement on child care
OFFICIAL from Haddonfield School District on May 1, 2020
Haddonfield School District Selects AlphaBEST Education to Deliver Before- and After-School Child Care
After careful consideration, the Haddonfield School District (HSD) voted to end its contract for before- and after-school care with Haddonfield Child Care, a local non-profit organization that has served our community for many years. The community, building leaders, administration, and Board of Education (BOE) are very grateful for their service to our children and greatly appreciate the contribution they have made to the Haddonfield community. As difficult as the decision to change providers is, we must consider multiple factors when making an informed decision, especially during such unprecedented times, such as efficiency of offering, quality and consistency of programming across the district, and the ability to meet the unique needs of all students. The BOE and administration have held ongoing discussions with HCC for several months since the Request for Proposals began.
After a thorough search process, including reviews of proposals, in-person interviews, reference checks, and careful deliberation by a committee of ten members, the District has chosen to award the contract to AlphaBEST Education. AlphaBEST has received exemplary reviews from other contracted districts. They have a well-designed curriculum developed to give students the opportunity for enrichment, with no additional cost to families, as well as the flexibility to enjoy downtime in a safe, relaxed environment.
AlphaBEST’s staff training program is extensive and ensures consistency in programs designed to meet the individual needs of our children. Additionally, they offer the same affordable rates our families are accustomed to while guaranteeing the district a minimum of $55,000 for the use of facilities. In the past, the district has not received any funding for the use of facilities for the child care program. Along with providing better programming at equal or lower cost to families using child care, taxpayers greatly benefit from the expertise and the cost-sharing contract of a national organization that runs child care programs for schools across the nation, including New Jersey. Further, we are pleased that AlphaBEST is committed to hiring staff from our current child care program, HCC, to help make the transition for our children seamless. AlphaBEST, HSD and the BOE are all dedicated to maintaining the strong community connections Haddonfield values while ensuring fiscal responsibility and quality of services.
“We are excited to be working with the Haddonfield community and families,” said Judy Nee, CEO of AlphaBEST. “We also know how difficult change can be, and we are committed to working closely with the school district and community to make this a smooth transition. Our New Jersey locations are some of our most successful sites, according to our families – a tribute to the level of expectation and support our dedicated local teams receive. We will be surveying Haddonfield families soon to learn more about needs, ideas and suggestions.”
Like all changes, the transition to the new before and after-care program will be an adjustment, but we are hopeful and confident that this change will enrich the lives of our students and benefit our families.
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