OXFORD— As of June 1, Oxford School Aged Child Care & Preschool Center has become the new owner of Club Rowe, the before and after school program at Rowe Elementary School.

According to Tracey Cox, administrator at Oxford SACC, the center has taken over Club Rowe to help keep it sustainable and running.

“We want to make sure that it stays existent,” said Cox. “We think that before and after school [programs] are here for families in the community.”

After many changes in Club Rowe over the past year involving the loss of staff and several board members serving on multiple boards, the program struggled financially. Cox said that the Club Rowe board felt it would be best to merge with a similar program in the area.

All staff will stay the same at Club Rowe, despite the change. The three staff members will continue working with children, while additional staff will help oversee the program and finances. Club Rowe’s hours will increase by a half hour every weekday in the afternoons, and Cox said that more enriching activities will be available, including field trips.

Club Rowe fits in perfectly with the Oxford SACC’s desire to help families with children of all ages. Since 1997, Oxford SACC has existed as a preschool that prepares children, ages three to five, for kindergarten. It has a before and after school program, which started 18 years ago, along with two programs for preschoolers, and an upcoming toddler program that will begin Sept. 1.

Nine employees currently work at Oxford SACC, and two more will be hired for the toddler program.

“We work with the kindergarten teacher and the school to make sure that our kids are ready,” said Cox.

Cox describes Oxford SACC as being similar to a Head Start program, and coordinates with it by sharing teaching techniques.

“Lots of exciting things happening,” said Cox.

With the Oxford SACC motto “Reliable, Flexible & Affordable,” they plan to hold true to having a preschool program that fulfills that motto.

“Childcare is a huge expense for families,” said Cox.

Although Oxford SACC doesn’t have an income-based childcare program, it keeps costs as low as possible.

Oxford SACC caps their rate per hour at 40 hours. Cox said that if children are in the Club Rowe or Oxford SACC programs full-time, the maximum cost is $118 each week, and added that most childcare and preschool programs charge a higher rate per hour. Discounts are given to families who have more than one child at Oxford SACC “because we know it’s a huge expense,” Cox said.

Apart from the programs, Oxford SACC provides every child with food throughout the day at no additional charge. Oxford SACC has one of the three Kids Cafes in the state. Kids Cafe is under the umbrella of Feeding America, which aims to give nutritious meals to children in low-income communities in and out of school childcare programs.

“We have been able to use the Good Shepherd Food Bank to get healthy foods for our kids,” said Cox, adding that the same meals will now be provided to Club Rowe.

According to Cox, although Oxford SACC now owns Club Rowe, they will continue at their separate locations. Oxford SACC is located in the annex building at Oxford Elementary School. It will use the entire annex building for the preschool once the toddler program begins this fall. Club Rowe is located in the Guy E. Rowe elementary school, located on Main Street in Norway.

Cox said that within the next five years, Oxford SACC hopes to open up a program in Norway for toddlers.