With the current economy and the rise in tuition due to cuts to the state’s budget, it is much harder for the students of Pierce.
Thankfully, Pierce offer support with its Child Development Center (CDC) to students and faculty who have children.
“Many of the parents are students at the center so the CDC was begun as a student service with the mission being to provide a child development center for the student parents,” said League Teacher Diana Deutsch.
If the center isn’t full upon enrollment, then it is open to the community as well.
Director of the CDC Phyllis Schneider said the center is a helping hand to the Pierce parents who have kids.
“The Pierce College Child Development Center is here to serve the children of Pierce students but also the community,” said Schneider. “We have children from the community that also attend the center, so there is a variety of opportunity here.”
A typical day for kids who attend the center starts first with arrival time. Then, every morning includes a group time with music, an outside time when they’re out on the playground, an inside time which is teacher based learning that meets a variety of curriculum goals. Then they finish their mornings with story time.
This is a state-funded program, which means that this center is offered to these children free of charge or for a very minimal charge.
It is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The reason why we’re done at 4 p.m. is because our hours were designed to match the class schedule at Pierce,” said Schneider. “Many of the classes end at 4 p.m. that’s why center does as well.”
Not only have the budget cuts affected the number of classes offered at Pierce, but it’s also affected the CDC as well.
“Some of the funding has been cut, thats why we’re no longer open till 7 p.m.,” said Schneider. “In fact, this year some families are having to give us a small monthly tuition fee which never used to be the case.”
The center has provided hundreds of Pierce student parents a chance to further their education like child development major Jennifer Rauterkus.
“The CDC has helped me to continue my education,” said Rauterkus. “Without the preschool here I wouldn’t be able to continue going to Pierce.”
