FOUNTAIN VALLEY : School Officials Apply for State Child-Care Cash

Fountain Valley School District is seeking state Department of Education grants to help pay for before- and after-school care at Isojiro Oka and Urbain H. Plavan elementary schools.

Sue Bohlen, child-care program director, said the grants would help pay for equipment and materials bought this year because of increased enrollment in the extended-day programs.

The Board of Trustees last month gave approval to apply for the resource grants, which are worth $2,500 to each school, Bohlen said. About 50 children attend Plavan’s extended-day program and about 35 students are enrolled in Oka’s program.

The district had received state Department of Education grants totaling $12,000 to open the programs at the two schools during the 1993-94 school year. Bohlen said eight of the district’s schools offer similar programs, started 10 years ago for children in kindergarten through fifth grades.

About 650 children are currently enrolled in the program districtwide. The program, which has more than 50 staff employees, is self-supporting through student tuition and is offered before school, starting at 6:30 a.m., and after school until 6 p.m.

“We provide a safe place for children to be after school and provide caring adults who know how to meet each child’s needs,” she said.

Because of the high number of working parents, Bohlen said the program, which offers activities from cooking and magic clubs to art classes, is still in demand and growing. She said most schools have a waiting list.

Bohlen said the district also wants to offer an after-school sports program next school year for sixth- through eighth-grade students. The district is requesting federal grant money and is looking for a business to help underwrite the $10,000 program, she said.