Taking care of our children

 
 
T
he people of Weston County were treated to a special occurrence on Sept. 18 and 19 when Wyoming’s first lady, Jennie Gordon, and members of the Wyoming Education Association visited all three towns in Weston County. Hearing Gordon’s account of her own childhood family story inspired others to share their stories — and it is in hearing these stories where solutions can be brainstormed and found. Lending your voice is important to improve the lives of children and families in need across our state.
A delicious meal was provided at each of the town hall meetings, lending contrast to the topic of poverty and childhood hunger situations, and the many circumstances that contribute to these issues. In some cases, it is not just about providing ample food in the home, but the factors that can mean a difference between raising healthy, happy, well educated children, and poverty, hunger and a stressful home life.
Representatives from several agencies spoke about the resources available to aid rural poverty, and questions were addressed by the panel. One of the hot topics that arose at the meetings was adequate childcare, and how having childcare “when you need it” is critical to working parents. It was noted that childcare for shift workers is very difficult to obtain for parents who must work long hours.
We feel that childcare is directly linked to the strength of Wyoming’s workforce. A business owner attending the town hall, who employs 12 people, suggested that a solution may be to offer training and financial assistance to people who might desire to open a home-based daycare. Newcastle is fortunate to have a children’s center and other day care centers available. However, from the meeting it sounds as if the town of Upton may be more limited in childcare options. 
The News Letter Journal receives newspapers from across the state, and a few towns in Wyoming have a junior kindergarten program in place. One of our staff members began questioning our school district a few years ago about the need for such a program, after her grandson was told he could only attend preschool on certain half days, because the childcare center he attended had to reserve a prescribed number of slots for lower income children. We understand these restrictions ensure the funding the center receives, but this scenario was a challenge for two average working parents who needed full-time childcare and desired a preschool setting so their child would be ready for school. It made us wonder: How many other parents in our state are being told the slots are full, and their child cannot attend preschool on particular days? 
This is a concern not only because parents need their children to be cared for while they are working to provide for them, but also because statistics show that preschool helps a child to be better prepared for school. Every school provides screenings for children before entering kindergarten, and these schools would have data as to how many children are not ready for school. So the question is, what percentage of children in our state are not ready for school?
One could easily dismiss the idea of a statewide junior kindergarten program by saying there is no funding and it would burden some smaller school districts that may not have the space. However, it is our experience that many children in the past attended preschools in the basement of local churches and these programs prepared them well for their school journey. 
Wyoming is an amazing state that always seems to find ways to prioritize and fund education, and we feel this matter is one that should be studied because it could greatly improve the lives of children and working families in need.
Our state elected officials and school districts should look at how many children are being told that for whatever reason (parents income level too high or otherwise) there is no slot for them to attend preschool on a daily basis and also factor in the percentage of children screened who are unprepared to begin school, and consider the creation or support for a statewide junior kindergarten program that would improve the lives of all Wyoming’s preschool age children. This program would go along way in supporting working families, while strengthening Wyoming’s workforce and helping to address poverty, since being able to work and provide for your family is directly linked to having childcare “when you need it”.