Attention Minisink Valley essential health care workers and first responders:

During this extended school closure and pursuant to the Gov. Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.4, school districts are required to establish plans for the care of children of essential health care workers and first responders, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, LPNs and nurse assistants or laboratory personnel.  First responders may include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers and firefighters.

To keep you updated:  Minisink Valley is currently in discussions to partner with the Middletown YMCA to have  onsite childcare on the Minisink Valley campus.  We are hopeful to have the logistics in place for this in the next few days and appreciate your continued patience.

At this time, the expectation is that the Minisink Valley site would be located in the Intermediate School cafeteria area, where the Y’s Club Kid Program takes place while school is in session.

Note: the fee structure would be identical to what the YMCA is charging for identical programs elsewhere. The YMCA’s cost to parents: $250 per child per week for children aged 5 to 12.

In the meantime,  if you have an immediate need, we wanted to make you aware of a Y program currently accepting enrollment and opening on Monday, March 30.  The program’s parameters would be identical to Minisink Valley’s parameters.

•  Location: Liberty Center for Youth at the Liberty Street School, 6 Liberty Street in Middletown
• YMCA’s cost to parents: $250 per child per week for children aged 5 to 12.
• The program will run from 7 a.m.  to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• They will need at least 10 children to run the program.  They will have capacity for 100 children, with 10 children per classroom with two staff.
• Children will be screened upon reporting to the facility by a medical professional on a daily basis.
•   Emphasis will be on social distancing and the classrooms will be sanitized on a daily basis.
•   The program will provide some academic activities, arts and crafts, games and physical education activities.
• Parents will need to provide copies of their work ID badges.

For more information on the Middletown program, contact, Sherri Tironi at stironi@middletownymca.org; or call 649-5288.

We are looking forward to this partnering opportunity with the Y on our Minisink Valley campus and grateful for all they’re doing to help our essential health care workers and first responders.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and support.