Henryetta school board members are looking at a new program for grade school students.
Called Henryetta After School Program (HASP), it would take the place of the STAIRS program that had been a part of the school for some ten years.
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Monday night Federal Programs administrator Rick Enis explained HASP would start after classes end each day until 5:45.
The program would not be free. Under a proposal by Enis, parents would be paying $125 monthly or $1,125 for the nine months.
He gave board members a comparison with two other child care facilities in town. One charges the equivalent of $954 for a nine-month period while the other was $1,590.
Enis said he was trying to make the program self-sufficient.
A needs survey was sent to parents at the end of school in May asking them what would be a reasonable amount they would be willing to pay. "We got different answers," he said. The low was $2.50 a week and the high was $120 with an average of $100.
He pointed out the program would not be certified immediately with Department of Human Services. "We will try to do 15 hours then get to the next level where DHS can certify it. That would hold the price down with DHS picking up part of the cost.
Board member Jeannie Duncan expressed her desire to keep the cost as low as possible.
Board members took issue with the $125 amount expressing a desire to charge $100.
Enis said parents would be charged at the first day of each month. That fee could be mailed in or paid at the board office. "It must be paid in full by the eighth of each month." Enis explained at that time an invoice would be mailed or emailed to the parents with a $25 late fee added to it. If payment was not made by the 15th of each month, a child would be removed from the program.
There would also be a penalty of $1 per minute if a child is picked up late from the time the program is over each evening. Enis said there have been cases where teachers and aides have waited nearly an hour for parents to show up.
The fees are based on 20 days of school each month but Enis did not have a provision for holidays including Thanksgiving or Christmas.
That caused some questions by the board members looking at prorated fees.
The board members present, Duncan, James Williams and Brandi Brown, decided to table any action pending further investigation into prices and scheduling.