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Hundreds of new students began their academic careers at Central Connecticut State University (Central) this fall, but a few dozen of them will have to wait a few years to pick a major.
Instead, the newest members of the Central family will start their educational journeys at the new Central Drop-in Child Care Center in Carroll Hall, now serving 3- to 12-year-old children of Central students.
Students and supporters of all ages celebrated the grand opening of the Drop-in Child Care Center on Sept. 23. Children from the center kicked off the event with a drum performance led by master teaching artist Bob Bloom. On-hand to offer remarks were Connecticut Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) Beth Bye, Central President Zulma Toro, interim Provost Kimberly Kostelis, center Director Kelly McCarthy, and student-parent Vanessa Portillo.
Several more state and local leaders attended the event to offer best wishes and support, including State Representative education Gary Turco ’16; Deb Flis and Deb Watson of OEC; Joann Ryan, the chair of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents; former regent and former Central interim president Merle Harris ’64, ’73; and CSCU Chief of Staff Alice Pritchard.
The program closed with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, group tours of the center, and a coffee and dessert reception.
Years in the making
On-campus child care has been a longtime goal for Central’s faculty and staff. Support for it has been building since early 2000, and in 2008, the Committee for the Concerns of Women formally recommended that Central promote family-friendly policies and culture. Chief among their policy recommendations was to offer on-campus child-care to student-parents. Since her arrival at Central in 2017, President Toro has supported their recommendations and similar policies.
“It is a great undertaking for any person to pursue an academic degree. It takes time, energy, and resources that aren’t always available in abundance. That’s why over the last few years, my team has updated and expanded our support services to address the needs of today’s students,” Toro says. “We want to ease some of the burdens we know many of our students face. With this grand opening, we added another vital service for a particularly vulnerable group of students.”
The center’s teaching team, led by McCarthy, has developed high-quality, developmentally appropriate educational and enrichment experiences through social and emotional learning, differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive teaching. The curriculum aligns with the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards and Connecticut Preschool Curriculum Framework.
“Children have a natural desire to learn,” McCarthy says. “Our highly trained teachers intentionally provide an atmosphere that is rich and warm with materials and opportunities for children to communicate, socialize, work, play, and negotiate with others.”
The center also will provide new experiential learning opportunities to Central students who are enrolled in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education programs. The center has hired 12 student assistants so far, and student assistants will remain a vital part of the center’s staff going forward.
How it works
When Central students register their child with the center, they can make reservations for child care or enrichment programs as needed—whether it’s for a few weeks or the entire semester. Advance reservations are encouraged.
Several grants are funding the center’s operation, which enables the University to offer free child care services at no cost to student-parents. If space allows, child care services might become available to faculty and staff for a small fee.
The Drop-in Child Care Center received funding from the federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, which supports low-income college students by providing campus-based child care services. A grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority provided funding for indoor furnishings and learning materials.
Additional funding comes from the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), which selected the Drop-in Center as a College Lab School. The initiative, launched by OEC in February 2022, sends funding to child care programs on campuses designed to support teacher preparation and child development study.
The Central Drop-in Child Care Center is licensed by OEC and is working toward its accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
As funding and resources became available, planning for the new center began in November 2021. Less than a year later, the center opened its doors on Aug. 29, the first day of the Fall 2022 semester. It is located at Carroll Hall, which offers parents convenient proximity to a dedicated parking lot at Willard DiLoreto Hall and its accompanying, new parking garage across the street.
“Access to child care can determine whether a student is able to pursue higher education at all. Studies also show that student-parents face many obstacles to completing college, including the cost of child care, and they are less likely to complete school than students without children,” Toro noted. “At Central, we are sending a clear message to student-parents: You and your child are welcome here.”
— Marisa Nadolny