VALENTINE, Neb. - Parents in the Valentine area will have one less place to take their kids after school in the 2025-26 school year. Valentine Community Schools has decided to discontinue the Valentine After School Club, citing lack of funding and a director.

“Right now we don’t have funding and we don’t have a director,” said Superintendent Mike Halley.

As News Channel Nebraska previously reported, the district didn’t receive the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, which has funded the program. In addition, the program director stepped down.

“If we’re still having the program, we need to find a director, which could be a challenge at this point,” said Halley.

Elementary School Principal Jay Elliott told the board that while more than 80 students were enrolled last year, about 60 participated on an average day. He and other leaders floated the idea of a parent-funded model, suggesting that $10 per student per day could sustain the program if enrollment held steady.

But Elliott expressed doubts. “I think if you have families pay, my guess would be you would have around 25. Then you have to charge more to get to your number. I don’t know that it’s in the cards for our community,” Elliott said.

Board President Kris Larsen echoed the concern, noting that staffing and burnout are also major factors.

“I don’t know if we’d get enough students to cover the cost,” Larsen said. “Then we have the challenge of finding a director. We have great staff to cover it, but I fear we might be burning them out too.”

Halley said the program could potentially be reinstated in the future if funding becomes available.