MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — With a cold snap approaching, child care centers are facing a decision whether to stay open or temporarily close.
This decision will impact a lot of families in our community—and faculty and staff from local school districts.
“As soon as we are aware that either there's inclement weather, meaning, like the rain, the sleep, the ice, things coming, we try and let that information go out as fast as we can,” Midway High School principal Alison Smith said. “My largest concern is when daycares close.”
Even when schools are open, if a local daycare closes… it can create more issues for teachers.
“I have a hundred and seventy teachers on staff, and when a daycare closes and they've got to go pick up two kids or you know, their husband has to go to work and they've got to go, you know, vice versa,” Smith said. “You know it's a strain on the family, and that's usually when things really start to just kind of shut down.”
Texas A&M cancelled classes on Tuesday.
“Schools close then kids aren't going to school, our employees also have children, some of our students also have children, so if we know they won't have childcare for them,” Texas A&M finance and administration Shawn Kelley said.
While it isn't the only factor the school looks into—it certainly plays a part.
“We factor in all of those things childcare, roads being unsafe, other facilities being closed down, all of that has to go into play,” Kelley said.
Centers like Kids ‘R’ Kids Woodway and Kidz Learning Center in Robinson—rely on school districts to make the call.
Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy Statement:
We follow Midway ISD inclement weather parodical. So, if they decide to close due to ice then we will do the same.
25 News was told on Sunday that both Becky Gates Children's Center and Charlotte Sharp Children's Center will be closed on Tuesday due to inclement weather.
Status of Central Texas child care centers:
Open:
Kids ‘R’ Kids Woodway
Kidz Learning Center
Central Faith
Closed:
Becky Gates Children’s Center
Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center
