2008 Woodie Awards
Center seeks to expand further
PCC provides care for children and looks to add infant program.
Isaac Esparza
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: News
As the second anniversary of the Child Development Center (CDC) at the PCC was celebrated on Sep. 25, site supervisor Stacey Smith looked to the future. "We are hoping to open an infant program by January 2009," Smith said.
Currently, the CDC is available to all LBCC students and staff, as well as community residents, who have children in need of childcare between the ages of two and five.
Children are cared for at the center from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Childcare and teaching go hand in hand at the center. "Here at the CDC we believe in learning through play. We do academics in a different way," Smith said. From the ABC's to sign language, children are geared to have fun while learning.
With this focus, Smith hopes the new infant center will go off without a hitch, "Here at the center we're all about the process and not about the end result," she said. Making sure everything goes according to plan, the program is slowly moving toward the 2009 opening.
The infant care program will include two rooms accommodating about six to eight babies of four months to 23 months old. "From caregivers speaking really softly to young children, story time, and calming music," Smith said, "The program is one of the calmest and serene parts of the center."
Besides the various activities for the babies, the curriculum is mainly routine. "More important than the activities are just meeting their basic needs," Smith said, "Making sure that they are getting cuddled, and they're getting their diapers changed and getting fed."
Welcoming the babies to the center is a tedious task because new staff, security measures and licensing agreements are being introduced as well. The infant program will open up positions for current and new staff members who would be interested in taking part in the program.
When the rooms are ready to be opened, all applying staff must have knowledge and training in infant care, along with safety and security measures. "There is an emergency exit in the infant rooms, so in case of an evacuation the procedure would be placing all the infants in one crib together and wheeling them out using the ramps available to make it easier," Smith explained. In addition to this course of action, security measures include allowing access only to visitors that come in from the front office, no entry from the outside, and no display of a CDC logo to disguise attention form unwelcomed guests.
About five to eight staff members will be hired for the program the ratio being one staff member to three babies, better than state required. Parents can visit the center at any time to observe the staff interacting with their children.
The only setback in the 2009 opening is the licensing authorization from the Community Care Licensing through the Department of Social Services. In order for the center to gain the licensing, the rooms must be fully equipped with the correct furniture and supplies required by the state. The final walk-through of the rooms must be ready to take in the infants.
"We are definitely on the right track, and they were definitely impressed by our rooms," Smith said.
Eager to get started with the program Smith hopes for the best and is eager for an 2009 opening. "All hoping, just knock on wood."
Currently, the CDC is available to all LBCC students and staff, as well as community residents, who have children in need of childcare between the ages of two and five.
Children are cared for at the center from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Childcare and teaching go hand in hand at the center. "Here at the CDC we believe in learning through play. We do academics in a different way," Smith said. From the ABC's to sign language, children are geared to have fun while learning.
With this focus, Smith hopes the new infant center will go off without a hitch, "Here at the center we're all about the process and not about the end result," she said. Making sure everything goes according to plan, the program is slowly moving toward the 2009 opening.
The infant care program will include two rooms accommodating about six to eight babies of four months to 23 months old. "From caregivers speaking really softly to young children, story time, and calming music," Smith said, "The program is one of the calmest and serene parts of the center."
Besides the various activities for the babies, the curriculum is mainly routine. "More important than the activities are just meeting their basic needs," Smith said, "Making sure that they are getting cuddled, and they're getting their diapers changed and getting fed."
Welcoming the babies to the center is a tedious task because new staff, security measures and licensing agreements are being introduced as well. The infant program will open up positions for current and new staff members who would be interested in taking part in the program.
When the rooms are ready to be opened, all applying staff must have knowledge and training in infant care, along with safety and security measures. "There is an emergency exit in the infant rooms, so in case of an evacuation the procedure would be placing all the infants in one crib together and wheeling them out using the ramps available to make it easier," Smith explained. In addition to this course of action, security measures include allowing access only to visitors that come in from the front office, no entry from the outside, and no display of a CDC logo to disguise attention form unwelcomed guests.
About five to eight staff members will be hired for the program the ratio being one staff member to three babies, better than state required. Parents can visit the center at any time to observe the staff interacting with their children.
The only setback in the 2009 opening is the licensing authorization from the Community Care Licensing through the Department of Social Services. In order for the center to gain the licensing, the rooms must be fully equipped with the correct furniture and supplies required by the state. The final walk-through of the rooms must be ready to take in the infants.
"We are definitely on the right track, and they were definitely impressed by our rooms," Smith said.
Eager to get started with the program Smith hopes for the best and is eager for an 2009 opening. "All hoping, just knock on wood."
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