Who’s minding the kids?

Employers offer childcare options during strike

LIHU’E — As of yesterday, this was still the plan for some seniors at Kaua’i High School: Finish up regular studies May 31, graduate June 1 and jet off to Disneyland June 5.

But they were hanging and shaking their heads yesterday at Kukui Grove Center while adults nearby considered the possibility of a prolonged strike by the state’s public teachers.

The California trip is paid for already, the neighborhood center reserved for the graduation party.

Some of the Kaua’i High students were told by their teachers that the strike could last four to six weeks. And the Hawai’i Parent Teacher Student Association had earlier cautioned members that a long strike is possible, even while conventional wisdom around Kaua’i held that the strike-imposed four-day weekend would be enough time to iron out differences.

But one scenario is that a prolonged strike may force teachers, out of economic necessity, to cross picket lines and report to work, prompting school officials to call parents and let them know that their child’s teacher is back in class and ready to resume educating students.

Several parents at Kukui Grove yesterday said if they received such calls, they would send their children back to school.

While there were mixed feelings on the mall, the mood was jovial inside Paradise Fun at the mall, where almost 25 children were preparing to go on a walking excursion. They’re part of the day program instituted for the strike, according to Paradise owner Derek Yoder.

Paradise Fun is one of a few businesses that is not a school yet is licensed by the state to offer full-time child care, he explained.

And it’s much more than an indoor playground and playrooms, as the students yesterday and today were being put through their paces in math, writing and social studies. Director Donna Morrison is a certified teacher, and some of the aides are taking early childhood education classes at Kaua’i Community College.

Licensed to accommodate 50 young ones, there were 40 yesterday at Paradise Fun, with a staffing ratio of one employee for every 10 children, Yoder said. All of the employees have gone through background checks, been fingerprinted and taken blood tests per state regulations for child-care providers, he said. All have first-aid certification, as well.

Gearing up for additional children due to the strike comes naturally for the facility, which regularly hosts spring break, summer, waiver-day and other holiday and no-school-day activities, Yoder continued.

Some slots may still be available in the program, which operates from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Morrison has more information at 241-7050.

The Paradise Fun option is one of two being given to employees at the Hyatt Regency Kaua’i Resort & Spa, according to Hyatt general manager Jerry Gibson.

At the Kaua’i Marriott Resort & Beach Club, employees can care for children of other associates on their days off, or share babysitters where possible, said manager Doug Chang.

From about 11 days ago, the Marriott began encouraging its associates (employees), especially those within the same departments, to being networking with each other to provide care for children of other associates on their regular days off.

“We had no issues today (day one of the strike) on the property as far as call-offs or anything, and yet we did not have to provide any childcare services. It was really just the pairing and preparation of associate-to-associate that worked very well for us,” Chang said. “It was a lot of proactiveness on our part, and the associates’ part — they really took the lead in this — of helping each other out.”

Marriott also offers a resource line which has specific information about finding backup childcare as a result of the school strike, Chang said.

Gibson said the Hyatt offered two alternatives to employee-parents: Paradise Fun, which costs $20 a day plus lunch, and the Kaua’i Children’s Discovery Museum, which is $16 a day for museum members and $20 for others.

With a fair number of single parents working at the Hyatt, some had to make use of the paid daycare, he said, “because they’re single parents who have no alternatives if they have to work.”

“That’s the two alternatives that we have, so it’s a very difficult situation for our employees. We hope that (the strike is) resolved pretty shortly,” said Gibson.

At the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, a childcare center established for preschool children has been opened up to older children of both military and civilian employees at the base, said base spokeswoman Vida Mossman.

It is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and on the first day of the strike, between 17 and 30 children were there, Mossman said.

Lots of striking teachers, including husband-and-wife combinations, also have children in the public-school system who need care while the teachers walk picket lines.

At one school, those who, because of temporary (pregnancies) or permanent physical conditions can’t walk the picket line, are asked to watch their colleagues’ children while also being called upon to make food and perform other duties in support of those on the lines.

Tom Perry, UniServ director for the Kaua’i branch of the Hawai’i State Teachers Association, is a teacher, as is his wife. Their children yesterday helped prepare posters, ribbons and other strike paraphernalia. A son hung out at the skateboard park with friends, while others stayed home, he said.

Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).