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University Dedicates Little Huskies Child Development Center Oct 4.
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Oct. 4, 2007--Michigan Technological University celebrated its new Little Huskies Child Development Center at a dedication ceremony Thursday, Oct. 4.
The 4,400-square-foot center, located on MacInnes Drive between the Student Development Complex and the U.J. Noblet Building, opened its doors Aug. 14. It is operated by professional childcare provider Gretchen Preston, who has nine Gretchen’s House childcare centers in southern Michigan.
Becky Christianson, project manager for the vice president for administration and a member of the Michigan Tech Childcare Board, sees the center as a dream come true. "It's been a need for more than three decades," she said. "And now, we have a wonderful staff, a fantastic director and great commitment from the administration, particularly University President Glenn Mroz and the Board of Control."
"A lot of people have kept the faith," Mroz said at the dedication, crediting the many individuals and organizations that have backed the center over the years. Board of Control members, particularly David Brule and Mike Henricksen, have even been involved in its development; they asked that the facility have in-floor heating.
"That's important when you're little and the heat is all up there," Mroz said.
The demand for quality, affordable childcare has never been greater, Christianson added, as baby-boomer faculty and staff begin to retire and are replaced by younger employees. "We have a campus population that is changing, and we need to consider the needs of families with young children," she said. "In addition, this fits in with our strategic goal of attracting and retaining the best faculty, staff and students."
Mroz agreed. "The center promotes the work-life balance that's important to us all," he said.
The eight teachers all have college degrees in early childhood development or a related field. The center can accommodate eight infants, 16 toddlers ages 1–3 and 24 preschool students ages 3-5. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks.
The center features child-sized furniture, playgrounds and an in-house kitchen. The program is based on the High/Scope Curriculum, which emphasizes active, participatory learning. Its philosophy is as follows: "The LHCDC exists to encourage and support each child to grow and develop in a caring and nurturing environment."
While the children of Michigan Tech faculty, students and staff are given preference, children from the community are also welcome to enroll on a space-available basis.
For more information, visit http://www.mtu.edu/childcare/ . For more on the High/Scope Curriculum, see www.highscope.org.
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