Division of Outreach and Engagement
University of Southern Indiana
Spring 2012 • Issue Two Volume Three
USI Child Care Programs:
Children’s Learning Center, serving children ages two to six Summer camps for school-agers, serving children ages seven to 11 Nestled on the west side of campus off of Clarke Lane, USI’s Children’s Learning Center offers an environment where children can develop their capabilities and interests at their own pace and individual needs. Licensed for up to 77 enrollments, the Center is a constituent of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s Five Star Environmental Recognition Program, accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and a Level 4 on Indiana’s Paths to Quality, the highest level attainable for the state’s Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System. The Children’s Learning Center provides year-round child care to children ages two to six and operates from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Enrollment in the Center is open to USI students, faculty, and staff on a full-day, half-day, and hourly basis to accommodate class and study times. Children from the community are also welcome to enroll when space is available.
The staff at the Children’s Learning Center are the best in the world and I value the role they play in my daughter’s life. Without the Center, I wouldn’t be able to earn my degree or the grades I have received in the courses I have completed. This program really helps me balance my school and home life, and for that I’m extremely grateful.” — Amber Bumpus Parent
During the academic year, half-day preschool is available to children ages three to six from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Tuesday, Thursday; or Monday through Friday. The preschool offers a safe and fun learning environment, for children who do not need full-time care, to develop social skills and helps prepare them for kindergarten.
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The Children’s Learning Center staff includes: Front row, left to right: Alice Murphy-Galbreath, curriculum coordinator and teacher; Karen Fleck, teacher; Cassie Wollrab, teacher; Emily Rettig, teacher; and Ashley Gates, preschool teacher. Back row, left to right: Karen Becker, teacher; Ginger Ramsden, director of the Center for Education Services and Partnerships; Lisa Thompson, teacher; Amanda Wheaton-Collins, manager; Meg Brown, administrative assistant; and Kathy Hayden, summer enrichment camp supervisor. Not pictured: Glenda Lloyd, preschool teacher.
Over the summer, the Center offers Kindergarten Camp to a limited number of children who are either entering or leaving kindergarten. While at camp, children participate in weekly field trips, movie days, swimming, activities at the USI Fitness and Recreation Center, child-directed classroom activities, and more. Kindergarten Camp will take place weekdays this summer from 7 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 29 through Friday, August 3 at USI. All preschool and school-age programs operate under the direction of the USI Center for Education Services and Partnerships. Once children outgrow the Children’s Learning Center and Kindergarten Camp, they can enroll in Summer Enrichment Camp. Open to children ages seven to 11, the camp offers a balance of selfdirected and instructional activities that encourages continued growth. Participants enjoy swimming, games, field trips, and enrichment activities including cooking, art, science, and fitness. The camp will operate weekdays this summer from 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, May 29 through Friday, August 3 at USI. All programs are closed on Monday, May 28 and Wednesday, July 4.
For more information about the Children’s Learning Center or Kindergarten Camp, including enrollment information, visit www.usi.edu/ childcenter or contact Amanda Wheaton-Collins, manager of the Children’s Learning Center, at 812/464-1869 or arwheatonc@usi.edu. For information about the Summer Enrichment Camp, contact Ginger Ramsden, director of the Center for Education Services and Partnerships, at 812/228-5022 or gramsden@usi.edu.
All three of my children have attended the USI Children’s Learning Center over the last 10 years. Each of them has benefited from the Center in different ways—from gaining independence and confidence, to exploring new ways of thinking and learning.”
— Katie Ehlman Parent