Chilkat Valley Preschool in Haines is working to change the ages it serves. Once licensing is approved, it will open enrollment to infants. That’s the group that the Haines Early Childhood Task Force has identified as the most underserved. But it will take time and money for the transition to happen.
Haines, like many towns, is dealing with a childcare shortage. So it was a bit of a surprise when enrollment numbers at Chilkat Valley Preschool, or CVP, were down this year.
The nonprofit preschool shut down for the 24/25 school year due to lack of staffing. It reopened this year with a new lead teacher. Dacotah Russell is the president of the board of directors.
“We hired a lead teacher and gave her a liveable wage, which is great,” she said. “But when our enrollment was as low as it was, it was really hard to honor that wage and still be operating.”
Russell thinks the students they were expecting instead found spots at the free preschools at Klukwan School and the Head Start program.
So, the Chilkat Valley preschool decided to change its structure.
“Listening to the community about the needs for child care and that age and that timeframe, we have made the decision at CVP to change our licensing,” said Executive Director Tammy Iund. “We’ve already put the request in with licensing to now operate from birth to seven years old, rather than age three to seven.”
Iund said the hours will also change to accommodate working families, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. But she warned parents not to expect immediate changes.
“The pivot in the age changes will not happen for summer, because that’s not enough time for licensing, where our goal is to have that start in the fall,” Iund said. “So for this summer, that will stay with being a preschool age.”
Russell said the changes in the license mean an immediate upfront cost. They have to have the necessary equipment in place before the license is approved.
“We’re planning to take four infants, that’s anywhere between zero and two, which means we need four cribs, four high chairs, four of everything,” she said.
Russell said that along with applying for grants, the board has done a lot of fundraising to try and raise money for operating and equipment costs.
“We sent letters to pretty much any big business we could think of in town, and we got support that way,” she said. “We have done also, five, six, fundraisers, like pretty much one a month. We did a paint and sip, we did soup night, we did the concessions at the play, we did a dinner at the Legion. Pretty much anything we could think of, just to make it through the year.”
The preschool asked the Haines Borough Assembly for $10,000 at the May 14 meeting for startup costs related to the new license. This budget cycle, the Assembly did not set aside any money for nonprofits. But an assembly member made a private donation, from the dais.
“If you will withdraw this request for assembly action, I will write you a check for $10,000 tomorrow,” said Assembly member Mark Smith. “Mark Hamilton Smith, M.D., U.S. Army, retired.”
Chilkat Valley Preschool received that check the next day. They said they are very grateful for the gift, and recognize that their current business model is not working.
“My hope would be that by making this pivot and this shift for what the community is saying that they need, that we’re able to meet our needs with enrollment and tuition, that would be the ultimate goal,” Iund said.
The preschool’s summer program serves ages three to seven and is currently accepting enrollment.
