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Council to Consider Plan for a New Day-Care Center : Thousand Oaks: The facility, to be situated next to Conejo Elementary School, would be operated jointly by the city and the district.

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Working to address a shortage of child-care facilities in the central part of Thousand Oaks, the City Council today will debate a plan calling for a new after-school center run in partnership with the school district.

The proposed center, which would be located next to Conejo Elementary School, is one of several ideas the council is expected to consider during its regular meeting tonight.

The council may also solicit the help of private companies to build a full-service day-care facility for children whose parents live or work near Thousand Oaks Boulevard between Wilbur Road and Westlake Boulevard.

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“There’s been a lot of studying, looking into what is needed, but no action,” said council member Jaime Zukowski. “What we’re doing is getting things moving so we can have a day-care facility as soon as possible.”

Even before a 1993 city-commissioned survey documented the need for child-care facilities in the central part of Thousand Oaks, parents have been urging the council to facilitate child care in that part of town.

“I think for a long time the council didn’t realize how bad the situation was,” said Geri Fineroff, a longtime child-care advocate in the city.

“I think that for an area in which we pride ourselves on being family oriented, it is sad that parents have had to take their kids outside of the city for care,” she said.

The September, 1993, survey, city officials said, offered proof that the city--and the central district in particular--was underserved by day-care providers.

According to the report, no facilities existed in central Thousand Oaks, where about 2,100 children were in need of child care. And, it estimated that only 2,256 spaces existed citywide for the more than 10,000 children that needed care.

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“The lack of care is a real problem for (parents) here,” Zukowski said. “And I think we all are aware that when kids are left unattended is when the seeds are planted for bigger problems.”

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After a series of meetings between city officials, parents and school officials, Conejo Valley School District Supt. Jerry Gross sent the city a plan for the two entities to work together.

That proposal calls for the city to purchase a large portable building to be placed on property next to Conejo Elementary School and to subsidize expenses for 20 students.

School district officials said they requested city subsidies because an earlier attempt to start up an after-school program at Conejo Elementary School failed because parents couldn’t afford it.

The new program would cost parents about $200 a month, said Sarah Hart, an assistant superintendent for the Conejo Valley Unified School District.

“I think the program would work well if there was some sort of scholarship available to the parents who need it,” Hart said. “But we’re just not in the position to offer anything.”

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In exchange for the city’s support, Gross’ letter said the school district would agree to pay rent for use of the building, create and run a before- and after-school program and purchase all the materials and equipment necessary to operate it.

Zukowski said she believes a joint project with the school district would receive the support of most city residents.

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