THRALL — The cost of running a day care for Thrall Independent School District teachers and staff may end up putting the project into a permanent timeout, officials said.
During a workshop after the regular school board meeting Wednesday, district Business Manager Blake Schneider noted Thrall ISD could lose $40,000 to $50,000 annually on the program.
Both Schneider and Director of Programs Jolena Pokorny during a year of preparation visited two similar-sized school districts to learn about their child care facilities and discovered both took a financial hit.
“(One district) had an operating loss at $54,000,” Schneider said.
Thrall ISD’s preschool program for children 2 years old was planned to open in August. To cover any financial shortages, the money would have to be drawn from the school district’s general fund, Schneider added.
Earlier in the school year, Pokorny sent out a survey to teachers and staff who responded they would be interested in enrolling their children or would consider adding more kids to their families if the school offered a child care program.
Thrall ISD already has six 2-year-olds signed up for the program, but it does not have the licensing to accept infants.
“The licensing for babies is a much more in-depth process,” Pokorny said at a March 25 school board meeting.
Employees’ children who are 3 already can attend prekindergarten.
Though not free, the proposed Thrall preschool for 2-year-olds would offer a discounted rate to teachers and staff, officials said.
Such a facility helps retain employees, supporters said.
Not every school board member is onboard with the idea.
“You’re giving benefits to some that others don’t qualify for.”
— Wesley West, Thrall ISD board
“You’re giving benefits to some that others don’t qualify for,” said trustee Wesley West.
He said allocating money from the general fund to support the preschool could have adverse financial impacts on other teachers and create “a morale issue.”
Superintendent Tommy Hooker asked trustees to think about the preschool issue and possibly make a decision at the next school board meeting.
That session is 6:30 p.m. May 19 at 601 S. Bounds St.
“We need to know so we can communicate to our staff if we don’t do it,” Hooker said.
