Green Meadow resumes limited childcare after Sinlaku damage

Green Meadow School resumed daycare services yesterday, April 22, albeit under limited capacity, as recovery continues from damage caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

“We will be resuming daycare services tomorrow but under limited capacity,” said school president Glenn Songcuan.

The reopening comes after clearance from regulators following a rapid assessment of childcare facilities across the island.

“We are permitted through CCLP and CCDF along with other childcare centers,” Songcuan said, referring to the Child Care Licensing Program and the Child Care Development Fund.

“CCLP, Childcare Licensing Program issues out the licenses for center-based daycare. CCDF, Childcare Development Fund office is the daycare subsidy office—similar to food stamp but for childcare. Families who receive CCDF can use it in daycare that has been certified by the CCDF office.”

Songcuan said officials from both agencies conducted inspections in the aftermath of the storm.

“The directors of CCDF and CCLP conducted a rapid assessment yesterday for multiple daycare centers and permitted us to reopen under modified services considering the current state of emergency,” he said, noting that the move also aims to support families of first responders in need of immediate childcare.

Despite the partial reopening, full school operations remain on hold.

“School we are still pending because we can't accommodate the full student body without power or running water,” Songcuan said, adding that all three campuses were affected to varying degrees.

“There is extensive damage to our Chalan Kiya campus. Relatively minimal damage to Kanoa, and almost no damage to Gualo Rai.”

At one campus, the destruction was severe.

“The main building’s roof has been torn off completely. The infant/toddlers room has also a blown-out ceiling causing flooding in the room. Two extension rooms also lost their roof destroying the materials inside,” Songcuan said.

Other facilities sustained water intrusion and structural damage.

“Thankfully our main building roof stayed intact but several windows were blown open forcing water and wind into the second floor. Several rooms were flooded and ceiling partially destroyed. Our worst damage is our students’ computer lab, the window frame was completely pulled out. Several rooms in the first floor also were flooded including our preschool rooms and daycare rooms.”

He added that “a few panels of our entrance canopy were torn off” and “about a dozen solar panels” were also removed by the storm.

Cleanup is ongoing across all sites.

“Our employees who were available assisted today in general clean up and will continue tomorrow,” Songcuan said.

While daycare services are set to resume in a limited capacity, Songcuan said the broader reopening for students remains uncertain.

“We haven't announced yet to our families but our reopening is TBD,” he said.