Safety remains top priority for The J
As Kansas entered phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccination roll-out plan, Machaela Whelan, director of The J’s Child Development Center (CDC), worked with the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment to register qualifying employees for COVID-19 vaccinations. As of mid-March, the majority of the CDC’s and The J’s after-school program’s approximately 75 teachers and staff had received vaccinations.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, The J has placed a priority on the safety and wellbeing of its members, participants and staff. As vaccinations become available as part of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s vaccination plan, The J is strongly encouraging all staff to get vaccinated when they are able to do so.
“We are thrilled to have our teachers and childcare staff begin to get vaccinated,” said Jim Sluyter, CEO and president of The J. “As part of our continued commitment to serving families in a safe and responsible manner during the pandemic, vaccinations for our staff are incredibly important.”
The J’s CDC remained open during the stay-at-home order last spring and offered critical-need childcare.
“Childcare was and continues to be essential for families, and the Child Development Center remained committed to making sure every child and family had a safe place to go throughout the pandemic. We were able to modify cleaning procedures, classroom arrangements and teacher schedules to provide a continuity of care that our children deserved,” said Whelan. “As we start to emerge from this pandemic, we continue to make decisions that are in the best interest of all of our families because their safety and their children are our top priority.”
“I am so thankful the CDC stayed open during critical times,” said Shannon Riordan, a parent of a child enrolled in the CDC. “We appreciate the teachers and are grateful they could get the vaccine so the CDC could continue to operate safely. It’s a step in the right direction for the staff and the children.”
The CDC and the after-school program’s staff are equally excited about the opportunity to get the vaccine. Many are thankful not to worry as much about potential exposures or in contracting the virus.
“As I sit here after getting my vaccine, I feel blessed. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be the best version of myself I can be so that I can give my best to my kids at the CDC — they are worth it,” said Shikisha Smith, CDC teacher. “The best way to repair our world is to take care of ourselves so that we may serve others. That’s my idea of tikkun olam.”
The CDC offers families with children ages 12 months through 5 years of age with full- and part-time care and is enrolling now for spots for August. The after-school program for ages kindergarten through fifth grade also is enrolling now for the 2021-2022 school year. With an emphasis on Jewish values, The J’s programs are open to children of all faiths and cultures. For more information, to schedule a visit or to enroll, visit www.TheJKC.org.
