Vigo school board reviewing latchkey programs
May 24—For the last six years, the Vigo County YMCA has been the latchkey provider for the Vigo County School Corp., providing before- and after-school child care.
While it has had the contract, it also worked collaboratively with other nonprofits — the Terre Haute Children's Museum, CASY and Camp Navigate — and subcontracted services at some of the schools.
When the school district recently conducted a request for proposal process for latchkey services, the Y once again submitted a proposal.
Last week, the Y was told it would again have the contract.
But Monday afternoon, Ryan Penrod, CEO of YMCA of the Wabash Valley, was told that would not be the case and that there was going to be a change.
He also was told there may have been some confusion with regard to the request-for-proposal process, he said.
He attended Monday's Vigo County School Board meeting.
"I believe the YMCA's RFP proposal met all the requirements," he told the board. "It's really disheartening to the YMCA to know that we were notified last week that it would be awarded to us, and today at the ninth hour" to be told differently.
The Y's proposal also included language for continuing collaboration with other nonprofits.
Also submitting proposals this year were the Terre Haute Children's Museum to continue to serve the Deming Early Learning Center; a proposal from CASY to continue to serve four schools; and a joint proposal from the Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club and Camp Navigate to obtain the latchkey contract.
The Boys and Girls Club/Camp Navigate proposal also included provisions to subcontract with other youth-serving organizations.
At the meeting, Jayne Virostko, interim director of student services, recommended rejection of all proposals "due to concerns brought to our attention regarding clarification of the RFP and its process."
The district is working to develop a short term solution that will be presented to the board in June, she said.
Board member Stacy Killion asked, "Do you have an idea of what we are looking at moving forward? We have some amazing community partnerships. ... I do not want to see that end," she said.
Interim Superintendent Tom Balitewicz told the board the district is looking at "a multitude of options. We want to be inclusive with those that are interested in providing those services, and I think the Family Y in the past has done that. We want to look at continuing to do something like that."
The district will look at a short-term solution for the upcoming school year, with a new RFP process likely conducted at a later time, he said.
Board president Amy Lore said the board has been fielding a lot of questions.
"It's been a little overwhelming and has caused us to go back and look and read stuff. It generated a lot more questions than answers," Lore said."I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to be thorough and also deeply respecting and full of gratitude to our community partners that participated in this."
Lore added, "It's not our intention at all to cause a problem or hiccup in that. But it is our intention to execute due diligence," Lore said.
The district serves around 700 students in the before- and after-school latchkey program, Virostko said. The program is important and "we do want it to be correct and keep those community partnerships alive and well."
In other matters Monday, the board approves revisions to school calendars for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Among the revisions, the board approved a request to reserve April 8, 2024 as an asynchronous elearning day for the district.
At about 3 p.m. that day, Terre Haute will be one of the cities in the path of a total solar eclipse; it's expected the county will have many visitors, and several events are planned for local families and visitors.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue
