(ABC 6 News) – For the first time in a decade, there is no waitlist for Rochester Public Schools’ school-age child care program (SACC.)

With school start times changing next year, RPS Community Education has been preparing for more kids needing childcare. Now, they say they’ve figured out the logistics and cleared out the waiting list at the same time.

There are thousands of kids in Rochester Public Schools and with hundreds of them needing child care, that requires a lot of workers.

“COVID, we had a lot less hiring and I think we’re starting to come out of that and hiring more. For example, for summer, I just got done hiring 90 staff for the summer,” said Nate Schriever, youth manager with Rochester Public Schools Community Education.

In order to make that happen, RPS Community Education raised care prices. Creating competitive pay and attracting workers. Which allows more kids to be taken care of.

“If I can get more kids in the program, hopefully, it will help lessen the burden at some of the in-home child cares and other child cares around the city.”

It’s not just other child cares seeing a benefit. More staff in the building is helping some of the SACC veterans. Even if it’s kids home from college for the summer.

“Things are running really smooth. We got staff at the end here, we got staff stationed outside
when they’re getting their hand washed. Head outside, I mean there’s no place for them to act up or anything,” said Paramon Vin, a teacher with SACC for the last 32 years.

Helping with tasks and helping create those special bonds and memories.

“A family that the first time they’re trying out, so they come in for two hours, they’re just like really nervous. They’re like ‘Keep my number. If he’s not having fun let me know.” Then they didn’t get any phone call and at the end of the night, it’s like ‘I want to come back here again.’ So they’re having fun, so much fun.'”

That fun keeps things looking up.

“It will be nice to hopefully get in the school year, and take that momentum and have more staff come work here for us,” Schriever added.

Community Ed says it’s already starting to work on staffing for the next school year.