WEST DOVER-Mount Snow officials have reversed their recent decision to reduce their child care program starting in November ["Mount Snow Child Care will shift to 'employee-first' enrollment model,'" News, Oct. 15]. Instead, the reduction in the child care program won't go into effect until June 19, 2026.
The initial proposal was intended to limit the child care program to the children of Mount Snow employees, though community members could be wait-listed for open slots. It would have left 16 families scrambling to find new child care this fall, with limited options in the Deerfield Valley. Parents complained about the timing of Mount Snow's decision, the short notice, the impact on their families, and the impact on the employees of Mount Snow's child care program.
Vail Resorts spokesperson Samara Sausville said the resort's decision to extend their community child care through the rest of the school year came after community consultation. "Leadership at Mount Snow engaged directly with families through in-person conversations, phone calls, and by attending local selectboard meetings," Sausville said. "These thoughtful and meaningful discussions helped the team better understand the concerns and needs of the families."
Sausville said the timing of the extension - June 19 - was intended to coincide with the end of the school year and the beginning of Mount Snow's Summer Outdoor Exploration Camp. "This timing helps bridge the gap for families as they transition into summer plans," she said.
Families who spoke with The Deerfield Valley News expressed relief for the additional time to find alternative care, as well as gratitude that Mount Snow listened and reacted to their concerns.
"I have to say, it felt really good to be heard and to feel like the community could come together and in the most grassroots, meaningful way, to make a change," said parent Rachel Olstein Kaplan. "I'm glad (Mount Snow) realized their decision was making a significant impact on families, and not just the families losing child care, but that it rippled out to so many families."
In a Deerfield Valley News story shortly after Mount Snow's initial announcement, Olstein Kaplan said child care was a significant factor in the valley's economy, and the loss of 16 slots would mean some parents would have to leave their jobs in the valley.
"I always hear discussions like, 'How can we get families to move to the valley?'" she said. "You can't if there's no child care. You can't attract young families. I hear owners of inns or restaurants who say, 'We can't get good staff.' If you don't have child care, you can't attract people to the valley. We love the valley and we want to be here."
Parent Amber Good said she was relieved that Mount Snow decided to extend the program until the end of the school year. "Six weeks was an out-of-touch time frame to expect families to find alternative care, and I'm glad management took the time to listen to families' concerns," she said.
But Good said she and other families are still upset by the process and, ultimately, the loss of a community child care facility in the valley, and that the extension has only postponed the impact on the community. "Many of us still feel that both the families and staff are owed a sincere apology," she said. "As a community, we remain deeply disappointed and frustrated with Vail Resorts."
Olstein Kaplan said that, since her son who is currently in Mount Snow's child care program will be attending kindergarten next year, the recent decision resolves the need for her family. But she says just as Mount Snow has been a vital part of the community over the years, so has their child care program. "Jobs, housing, and education are fundamental to building a thriving community," she said. "If you want to build a young, successful community, you need all three."
Good says the temporary reprieve doesn't address the underlying issue of limited child care options in the Deerfield Valley. She views the provision of child care as part of Mount Snow's compact with the community.
"Mount Snow took something that should have been part of its social responsibility to the community it claims to value, and placed that burden back on us," she said. "Parents are now scrambling to organize and open a new child care center. None of us have experience in early education or running a child care facility. In addition to working full time and raising young children, we're now trying to solve a crisis we didn't create."
Sausville said Mount Snow continues to seek "meaningful ways to support the Deerfield Valley community."
Good says the experience has turned her sour on Vail Resorts. "I had planned for my son to learn to ski at Mount Snow this season, but I've already started looking into lessons at Stratton instead. At this point, I don't know if I could justify spending another dollar at a Vail Resorts property, and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way."
The only way for Vail Resorts to regain her trust, she said, would be a pledge to keep the child care center open to the community.
A version of this story appeared in The Deerfield Valley News, The Commons' sister newspaper.
This News item by Mike Eldred originally appeared in The Deerfield Valley News and was republished in The Commons with permission.