Daycare Center Case for Support 10.5.12

BUCKINGHAM BROWNE & NICHOLS SCHOOL FACULTY/STAFF DAYCARE CENTER CASE FOR SUPPORT Background At the beginning of the Opening Minds Campaign, BB&N set out to become competitive with other independent schools in Greater Boston in terms of faculty support and quality of life.

Sustaining this position remains one of the School’s top financial priorities as we move forward beyond the Campaign.

With the retirement of a number of BB&N’s senior faculty over the past several years, it is imperative that we continue to attract top-notch new faculty and welcome them into our community. As we do so, the percent of younger faculty in our community has also increased significantly. For a number of these faculty−many of whom live at great distance from BB&N due to the high cost of living in the Cambridge/Boston area−access to convenient and affordable daycare that operates during hours compatible with the daily and academic year of our faculty has become a crucial factor in their decision to accept a position at BB&N, or to return to their teaching or administrative position after having a child.

In a 2009 survey of BB&N employees, 86 percent of the 81 faculty and staff who responded felt that it was important that BB&N provide a daycare option. This included both those who stated that they would be likely to use such an option in the next five years, as well as those who did not have personal use for such a facility but believed it to be an important option for their colleagues. Based on the strong sentiments expressed in this survey and in subsequent meetings with faculty and staff over the past several years, a Daycare Center for BB&N faculty and staff has emerged as the highest priority for capital projects at BB&N at this time.

Rationale Providing a high quality onsite daycare facility for our faculty and staff would send a very strong message to faculty and staff that we value their talents and contributions to our community. It also has very practical implications for the families of our employees and strategic implications for our School. Many of our teachers, especially those on the Lower School campus, have young families. Juggling childcare, their job, family, and household responsibilities can be daunting.

Layer in a commute of any length and you get frazzled people. Many of our teachers want and need to work and many have mentioned that childcare not only would make a difference to the quality of their daily life but would also influence any decision they might be tempted to make to work closer to home.

For BB&N, a Daycare Center is also a strategic issue. We believe it will make a difference (and be a differentiator) in the recruitment and retention of faculty. We also believe that reducing

stress in the lives of our teachers has a positive impact on their work with their students, and increases teachers’ availability for meetings with students, families, and their colleagues due to the convenient location and hours.

Current Plans Our current plans are to renovate space on the ground floor of our 46 Belmont Street campus to create a Daycare Center that could accommodate up to 36 infants and toddlers depending on the space configuration selected, with priority for spaces given to BB&N faculty and staff. The Center would be operated as a cooperative, with operational decisions (including costs, hiring of staff, hours of operation, and programming) made by a board comprised of parents of enrolled children.

Under the current plans, the Co-op would hold the operating license for the Center and would sub-lease the space from the school. It is anticipated that the cost of running the Center would be fully covered by the fees charged to enrolled families.

At present, there are several possible options being considered for space configurations ranging from 2,700 to 3,200 square feet of interior space depending on the option selected. Options for use of the space range from a more compartmentalized approach with discrete rooms for different age groups, to a more flexible approach in which spaces are more open and expansive, although the final plan may well be a combination of these approaches. Considerations include making the most efficient and cost-effective use of the space while accommodating the differing needs of these age groups.

In addition to the interior spaces, the plans include an outdoor activity area most likely on the southwest side of the building immediately outside the daycare space. Two options that are being considered are an at-grade playground space with a surrounding fence, or a sunken courtyard playground space providing a separate accessible entrance.

Fundraising Strategy and Timeline We anticipate the total cost of the project will be approximately $900,000 which would include the cost of construction and build out of the space at 46 Belmont Street. Based on Board policy for capital projects, the total cost must be raised and half the amount received in payments in order for construction to start. We estimate a six- to nine-month construction schedule, and also know that faculty and staff need to be able to anticipate the likelihood of onsite care by early 2013 in order to make decisions about their daycare options and employment contracts for the 2013-14 academic year.

Thus, in order to have the Center ready for operation by Fall 2013, we seek to secure $500,000 in cash and commitments by June 2012 to give us the confidence to formally begin the planning process, with the remaining funds committed by January 2013. Also, depending on the final design selected, there are likely to be several opportunities for naming specific areas within the Center. These could include the Infant Room, Toddler/Pre-K Room(s), Common Play Area, and Playground. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the gift levels needed for these naming opportunities with interested donors.

BUCKINGHAM BROWNE & NICHOLS SCHOOL FACULTY/STAFF DAYCARE CENTER KEY FACTS Background and Rationale:  As we continue to implement the Opening Minds Campaign objective to support our faculty, including increased compensation and quality of life benefits, the Board of Trustees has endorsed the creation of an onsite Daycare Center for faculty and staff as the highest capital priority at this time. 

Providing high quality onsite daycare sends the very strong message to faculty and staff that we value their talents and contributions to our community. It is also a strategic issue for the School, as we believe it would be a critical differentiator in the recruitment and retention of faculty.

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Such a facility would greatly reduce stress in the lives of our teachers−many of whom travel great distances to work at BB&N−which would have a positive impact on their work with students. With their children close by and cared for during hours compatible with their daily and academic year schedules, teachers would be more available for meetings with students, families, and their colleagues.

Current Plans:  A faculty/staff committee has been working for several years to assess the feasibility and optimal operating model for such a facility as well as interest and potential use, and has confirmed there is strong support for onsite daycare among faculty and staff across all three campuses. 

The Center would be created in renovated space on the ground floor of BB&N’s 46 Belmont Street campus and would accommodate up to 36 infants and toddlers depending on the space configuration selected. The plans also include an outdoor activity area most likely on the southwest side of the building immediately outside the daycare space.

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Priority for spaces would be given to BB&N faculty and staff as an employee benefit. The Center would be operated as a cooperative, with operational decisions (including costs, hours, hiring, and programming) made by a board comprised of parents of enrolled children.

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Under the current plans, the Co-op would hold the operating license for the Center and would sub-lease the space from the school. It is anticipated that the cost of running the Center would be fully covered by the fees charged to enrolled families.

Financial Costs/Fundraising Goal:  The fundraising goal for the project is $900,000 which would cover the cost of construction and build out of the space at 46 Belmont Street. Based on Board policy for capital projects, the total cost must be raised and half the amount received in payments in order for construction to start. 

In order to have the Center ready for operation by Fall 2013, we seek to secure $500,000 in cash and commitments by June 2012 to give us the confidence to formally begin the planning process, with the remaining funds committed by January 2013.

April 2012