The Pelham School District is starting to gather the information needed to provide a childcare program for healthcare workers and other first responders, as mandated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order closing schools.

Pelham Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Champ requested Friday night essential healthcare workers and first responders with children ages five through 12 complete an online survey by March 21. “(T)his service may be provided through a private child care center in the area, a neighboring public school site or a Pelham school,” Champ wrote in her daily Covid-19 email update. It will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The deadline for school districts to provide a plan for childcare programs to Westchester County was Thursday at 5 p.m.

The plan submitted then by Pelham was the reason for confusion over whether Siwanoy and Hutchinson schools would house the service. A Westchester County press release on Thursday listed both schools along with those from 27 other school districts. However, later that day, school district spokesperson Alex Wolff said the district had not activated Hutch and Siwanoy, and they were “not currently available for childcare.”

On Friday, Wolff and a Westchester County spokeswoman confirmed Siwanoy and Hutch had been in the district’s originally submitted plan.

“The locations listed in the county press release were submitted as potential sites based on need,” said Wolff in answer to emailed questions. “Once we identify if/how large of a need there is, we can make final decisions as to which buildings make the most sense.”

It’s not clear why the district didn’t simply say on Thursday the two Pelham schools were placeholders in the original plan sent to the county, avoiding some confusion.

“We realize that there was quick turnaround time and each program may have modifications,” said Cathryn Cioffe, director of communications for Westchester County.

Once the district knows the need, Wolff said, “We can decide which of our buildings to use, if we need multiple buildings, or if it makes sense to partner with nearby districts and/or other childcare organizations.” He declined to identify which school districts Pelham is talking to.

“The Pelham public schools (are) absolutely committed to meeting the needs of our community’s first responders, healthcare workers,” he said. “They are on the front lines of this crisis, and we are ready and willing to help.”

County Executive George Latimer agrees. “This is an important thing we as a county can do to help support these brave men and women who are the front lines of fighting the Covid-19 outbreak,” said Latimer in the Thursday news release. “I want them to be able to focus on their work and know that their children are well taken care of.  It’s often said ‘it takes a village’—today that village is a whole county, and we are here to support and care for one another during this difficult and stressful time.”

Parents dropping off children at the buildings in the program must provide proof of employment. County residents and healthcare workers and first responders who work in Westchester but live elsewhere can use the service.

“The children that participate will be separated into groups of 10 to 12 children; social distancing will be practiced,” said the county release. “Each child will have their temperature taken when they are dropped off, and no children with any flu-like symptoms may attend. Each room will have an aid and/or teacher present as well as a nurse.”