Director, assistant director of Discovery Kids program resign

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher’s note: The District 777 Board of Education met in special session at 8 a.m. Monday. Due to early printing deadlines Monday morning at 10 a.m., this story is necessarily brief. A more in-depth story will be published next week.

Whether or  not the Discovery Kids early education programs at Benson Public Schools will be able to remain open after Jan. 6 is in jeopardy.
Closing the program for infants, toddlers and pre-school  children could affect as many as 76 families and 30 businesses with workers who children receive childcare through the school district’s program.
More than 100 children are involved in the Discovery Kids program that cares for kids ranging from infants to school-age kids who need supervision after the regular school day is over. There is a waiting list for infants in the program a year out.
At a special meeting Monday morning, the District 777 Board of Education received the resignations of Discovery Kids Director Carissa McDonald and Assistant Director Amanda Essig.
School board members were also told that there are other staff resignations being submitted and that there is not enough staffing to keep the program going based on current staffing.

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