Spokane Public Schools is expanding its child care offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has no immediate plans to extend the service beyond children of first responders and essential medical personnel.

“Right now we are trying to do what our governor has asked us to do,” said Jason Lesley, who supervises the Express program at Spokane Public Schools. “We are also trying to keep everyone home – that’s important.”

However, the district hasn’t ruled out widening eligibility after the needs of priority families have been met.

The district began child care late last week at Finch and Lincoln Heights elementary schools. Those building and others can accommodate at least 50 to 100 students, but capacity is limited to 25 at each site because of social-distancing mandates.

“The biggest piece is the shrinking of the capacity of our sites,” Lesley said.

A third site was added on Thursday, but Lesley declined to identify it because according to a statement issued by the district, “They are being used by first responders and essential healthcare workers, and we don’t want other people to think that they can go up to these sites and think their child can participate.”

There is some hope for other families, because demand is leveling out, Lesley said.

The service is comprehensive. Sites are open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and staffers serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

“It’s taking multiple shifts to cover that piece of it, but our staff is doing a phenomenal job,” Lesley said.

The sites serve children from ages 5 through 12, though Lesley said the district may open eligibility to siblings who fall just outside that range.

For families who participate, child care has never looked like this.

Parents are met at the door and aren’t allowed past the front entry, where children’s hands are sanitized.

Children are then divided into two or three groups of no more than 10 each.

Even then it’s impossible to maintain the 6-foot social-distancing standard, Lesley acknowledged.

“We’re doing our best to follow protocols,” he said. “We are also finding creative ways to play traditional games.”

For example, a kickball game might include three or four players instead of the customary 20, and the ball is sanitized before and after use.