Pasadena : Child-Care Program Saved

A school-sponsored child-care program that faced closure will continue, thanks to $47,500 from the city and two agencies that stepped in to run it.

Pasadena’s Board of Education last week approved a proposal to allow the Pasadena Day Nursery and Altadena Christian Children’s Center to provide child care before and after school at five school sites. At a separate meeting, the Pasadena City Council reversed its decision not to fund the program and instead approved up to $47,500 for tuition assistance for families who live in Pasadena.

City and school district officials were left searching for help when the Pasadena YWCA told them last month it would discontinue administering the child-care program Aug. 31 because of high costs. The $238,000 program was funded by fees and a city contribution and was operated by the YWCA.

The old program at Don Benito, Webster, Jefferson, Longfellow, Altadena and San Rafael elementary schools and the YWCA center served 200 students, 74 of whom were at least partially subsidized, officials say.

The new program will continue at three of the old sites and two new ones. Altadena Christian Children’s Center will continue child care at Altadena Elementary, while Pasadena Day Nursery will continue the program at Jefferson, Longfellow and start programs at Hamilton and Madison elementary schools.