The shortage of childcare available in Keota could change come June 1st.

Keota Schools Superintendent Jim Heinrich says they’re pushing to start a summer childcare program that would operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at Keota Elementary School. He says they’re looking to fill a vital need in the district, “It impacts us with kids that open enroll out. I talked to a couple of people last week to a couple of families who never came to school here, but they live in our district. And I asked why, because we might be starting this (summer program) and they said ‘Our daycare is in this town or our daycare is in that town and the bus stops there so it’s been convenient. Plus I work in this town or I work here, so that’s where we’ve always gone.’ So, yes, it’s a priority, we need to have something that’s consistent and available for parents.”

Heinrich says they’re waiting for results from a community survey to determine whether the program will serve kids ages four or five up through 6th grader, which will also determine their staffing needs. In the meantime, they’re working on a program handbook and registration fees. He says they would also add before and after school programs to coincide with the start of the next school year.

Heinrich says the city approached them in February to take on the project. The city continues to look for daycare options to serve parents with children ages six months to three years old. Last August, the city’s efforts to build a $600,000 daycare facility hit a snag when bids for the project came in too high and the proposed construction contract was rejected by city council.