ASNIC cruise: fun times and great music
See Page 14 The Student Newspaper of North Idaho College
Thursday, Oct. 10, 1996
Volume 73, Number 2
Growing pains plague Children's Center Parents face two-year wait for campus' child care services by Ken neth L Ha r r ison St11ti1wl Reporter
T
he Children·~ Center mny soon expand 10 accommodate the growing number o f ~1uden1s wi1h chi ldren. but the center' s growth muy be ~1un1cd by the Ont Pcrccnl lni1imi ve. Expansion ,~ th e No . I pri ori1y o f 1hc NIC Foundu1ion. in cooperolion with the bo:ird of 1ru~1cc~ and ASN IC. according 10 Curo! Lindsny. Children's Center director. and Steve Schenk. dean of College Rela llons :md Devclopmcnl. " \Ve are really cxci1cd and q ui1e proud lhc bo:ml is taking it ~criously.'' Lind\ay sai d. "The s1udc nts should be plca~ed n~ wc11:· "The expnn~io n o f 1hc Childre n's Ccn1er is in 1he organizational phase of deve lopment. and the project will continue un1il elec1ion results of the One Perccn1 lnitiniive nre pos1ed in November," Schenk s aid . Sue Thilo, a board of trustees representative, said. "Because money for building 1he cen1er is primari ly received through privo1e donations, grants and requests, it is conceivable the center could be expanded even if 1he One Pe rcent Initiative passes." Schenk said, "This is true. however. the One Perce nt lni1ia1ivc will affect whc1hcr or not college expenditures can afford to pay staff, managcmen1 and the cost of operating 1he facility." Enrollment at the center has been abou1 40 families. but only 30 children are allowed in the center at one time. About 125 families are on the waiting lis1, and it is anticipa ted that there will
be 150 families by 1he end of 1hc semester. Families on 1hc wailing lis1 c:m expect 10 wail one-and-a-half to two years. but rnany fami lies arc not wi lling to wait. according to Li ndsay. TI1ese ligurc~ do 1101 rc n ec1 infants or 1odd lcrl> (c hildre n under 2 I /2 yen rs old) o r children over lhe age of 5. A pnren1 said. " I didn ·1 even 1ry to gel on lhe w11i1ing list las1 year. The list wa~ 100 long. Thi~ year I wa~ de~pcra1c and 1ried 10 ge1 on it. but I' ve had 1c, find ano1her place 10 take 111 y chi ldrt'n." Karen J ohnson hu ~ a daughter. Shelby. who has been in the center for three semcs1e rs. "h's wonderful. I wouldn ' t wan1111y dauglucr anywhere else," she s:.u d. "I' vc tried three differcn1 place~. :ind my daughter and I didn ' 1 like 1hem. They need 10 make ii bigger. l1 's II two-yeur college and a 1wo-year wail 10 gel o child into the cente r." The Children's Center is used for co llege cducn1ion. Students prac1ice behavioral guidance and implement curri culum. An average of 150 s1uden1s use the center as an obscrva1iona l learning tool and as a selling for practicum experiences each semes ter. Psychology students use the center to study child developmen1 and speech students teach the children how to communicate effectively. Students involved in nursing will slnrt visiting the cen1er this fall. To fullill 1hc needs of families, 1he expanded cen ter s uggests ii would need a multi-purpose room for napping and
See Growing Pains; Page 3
photo by Noppadol Paothong Young Art1st- Selena Saenz ponders crayon techniques at the Children's Center. The popular day-care facility has a two-year waiting list.
NEWS
A /E
SPORTS
Fort Sherman Officers' Quarters remodel is in progress.
Local artists are featured in Union Gallery exhibit.
Men's and women's cross country teams are ranked in Top 10.
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