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Wayne Community College, Goldsboro, NC 27533-8002 March 4, 1998
"Celebrating 40 years of quality education"
Preschool to open mid-March
Sherry Cranberry, (1) instructor in the Early Childhood
Development program, and student-volunteer Terese
Eiser, an Early Childhood major, unpack puzzles and
other materials children will enjoy.
PHOTO: JAMES ARTIS
By P. MICHELLE MIDKIFF
At about mid-
March, the WCC
Preschool will be ready
for operation,
according to Sherry
Cranberry, instructor
and adviser in the
Early Childhood
Development Program.
Lisa Dunn, an ECU
graduate with a
bachelor's degree in
Child Development and
Family Relations, will
direct the preschool,
joint effort between
WCC and Wayne Memorial
Hospital (WMH).
The preschool, a
dark green modular unit
located at 3 00 Cox
Blvd., provides child
care services for
staff, faculty, and
students of WCC as well
as for employees at
WMH, which owns the
building that WCC
leases.
WMH will provide
laundry and maintenance
services for the
preschool.
In exchange, WMH has
been granted a
percentage of the child
care slots.
In the summer of
1997 WCC Board of
Trustees approved the
preschool.
The plan has been
actively pursued
through the efforts of
Cranberry, who attended
a conference last April
with the National
Coalition for Campus
Children Centers.
Cranberry has been
attending pre-licensing
workshops, preparing
extensive research
required for opening
the facility, ordering
supplies, and acquiring
necessary state
a inspections.
She has been
involved in an ongoing
search for staff,
consisting of a
director and 3 full
time positions for lead
teacher.
Applicants be at
least 21 years old;
have an associate's
degree, preferably in
Early Childhood
Education or at least
12 semester hours in a
related field; and meet
current NC
requirements.
The preschool has an
AA license from the
state, according to
Cranberry.
The AA status sets
WCC preschool aside
from most child care
facilities in the area,
providing a lower
child-to-caregiver
ratio, additional
square footage, and a
mandate for parent
involvement.
The child care
facility will provide
quality care for a
weekly cost of $80,
which covers lunch and
2 snacks, Cranberry
said.
This price is close
to the cost of child
care offered at Pitt
Community College and
near the market rate
for the area AA
licensed centers.
Market rate relates
to the average fees in
centers receiving
subsidies from social
services.
The goal of the
preschool, according to
Cranberry, is to serve
as a model for the
community and provide a
lab site for WCC
Early Childhood
Development students
who will serve
internships at the
preschool.
The preschool will
have 3 groups based on
age; a 2 year old, 3
year old, and 4-5 year
old group.
The preschool has
received fewer than 10
applications for the 32
child care slots
available.
Yvonne Goodman, WCC
Financial Aid
coordinator, said that
child care monies are
available.
Applications for aid
are taken in the
Financial Aid Office.
Goodman said funds
are available to assist
students who wish to
remain in school to
achieve their
educational goals.
Terese Biser assists Granbeny with playground equipment at the preschool site.
PHOTO: MEGAN NICHOLS
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