Another transfer?! But this time it was MUCH different!!!!

I came to know about the UNI Child Development Center in July of 2004. I was a Head Start parent at that time with my two girls, Lauryn and Kaytlyn in childcare while I was working and going to school. My girls had been transferred to three childcare centers in a years time and the one they were currently attending was shutting down at the end of July. Head Start transferred my oldest to one preschool and my youngest to UNI CDC. Lauryn was 18 months at that time. Kaytlyn was 3. I had not heard of the CDC at all but I was soon

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amazed at what the teachers were doing with Lauryn! My child was cooking, building, writing (in her form of writing - which was encouraged!!!), naming colors and shapes, singing and dancing and getting daily walks around campus no matter the weather!! I was ecstatic about the care she was receiving and how the lead teachers treated us like family and respected us as parents and our child's first teacher. It was finally nice to be heard by our child's teachers and even more by a director! I loved the UNI CDC so much, I worked hard to get Kaytlyn transferred over as soon as possible because I was not happy with her current preschool placement. 7 months later, Kaytlyn had her first day at the UNI CDC in the 3-5 room. Kaytlyn absolutely loved it and after her her first week, during a weekend dinner I asked Kaytlyn how she liked her new school and her words were: "I love it, it's like no school I have ever been to, Mom!" That is written in her baby book! Lauryn and Kaytlyn both loved going to the CDC. They couldn't wait to go and they didn't want me to come and get them early either! They would actually get mad if I showed up off schedule to pick them up!

Dramatic Play

In 2006, I became pregnant with our third child and had a rare condition caused by the pregnancy with my hands in which after having our baby boy, Jaxyn I couldn't hardly do anything. My hands were to the point of paralysis and had no feelings in them. I couldn't even hold my own baby! I couldn't be alone with my children due to not being able to help them with their activities of daily living, let alone do my own. Jaxyn's lead teachers Danielle Schmitt and Gwen Dayton were great with helping me out. If one of them couldn't help me get Jaxyn inside they made sure that someone was there to help me. Director, Candice York would always ask how I was doing and offer to help with Jaxyn and my girls anytime I needed her - I know her offer was genuine but I also knew how busy she was and thought it was really great of someone like her to even offer! There were times that Candice came out to my van to pick up Jaxyn to help bring him inside because I couldn't lift him or his carseat. These three, amongst the other staff were so helpful and a blessing to me at that time. Since this time, my hands have gained back 85% use and strength.

In August, 2007 I took a full time job with UNI and transferred into my current job at the UNI CDC as Family Support Services Specialist and absolutely love my job. I not only get to work with great families there but also a great team of teachers and a director who cares about her staff and very much about the care and safety of the children we serve!

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Having all three of my children at the CDC has been a blessing in itself! I have always known that they are safe and amongst others who love them as much as I do! Being a parent at the CDC, makes you feel like you have an extended family that you can call on for anything! For instance, in the flood of 2008, as a family we lost 75% of our belongings and my daughter, Kaytlyn(7 at the time lost everything). The UNI CDC staff and families came together and brought us clothing, food, and money to help out in this time of need. Director, Candice York opened her home to our family of 5 - I did hesitate to take her up on that but didn't know where else we would go at the time! Everything that came together was brought together by this family - our UNI CDC family - and we were so blessed to be a part of it!!! Since the flood, the UNI CDC staff and other families have been there through my divorce and difficult issues I have had to face regarding that and helping my children deal with divorce as well. Our UNI CDC family has been a tremendous gift to my family and me! I don't know what I would do without this great system of support!!

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The UNI CDC is not only a place that I work, but a place that I value, have learned a great deal from, and feel that this place is a unique and amazing learning opportunity for all children birth to 5 as well as having a wonderful after school and evening program!! The UNI CDC has a long waiting list and serves many families - including faculty, staff, students, and community children. We need to maintain all 6 classrooms plus the school age program and evening program. The point of our mission is not to lower the numbers we serve but to increase the numbers. We want to grow, not be squashed into 4 rooms like the original layout of the CDC when my children first came here! The UNI CDC has so much potential and serves so many diverse families. It makes it's self known without having to try! Everyone who knows about our center, knows how great it is - all you have to do to know this is to see how long the waiting list is and know that we do not advertise like the other centers in our area! The UNI CDC is the be all, end all in the aspect of quality of care, the quality and education of our teachers and staff, the quality and magnitude that we strive in everything that we do!!

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Please do not take any part of the UNI CDC away, it will only cause stress, disgruntlement, frustration, anger, loss of jobs for teachers and student staff, loss of diversity, and loss of funding for many, many families!