In the Spotlight: Campus Kids

March 5, 2007

In October, Campus Kids will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Miami’s Hamilton  campus.  In three to five years, children who attended Campus Kids in 1997 could be returning to campus…as college students.

At Campus Kids, learning is lots of fun.

One of only a handful of childcare centers in Butler County to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Campus Kids serves children 18 months to 6 years old whose parents attend Miami University Hamilton as students, or who are employed as faculty or staff.

Jacki Leader, director of Campus Kids since 1998, says, “We’re always trying to increase initiatives in order to reduce child care fees while maintaining a quality education. There are scholarships available to our student parents that offer a reduction in childcare fees.  We’ve received four grants this year including one from the Department of Education for $77,000.”

Focus on family

Leader explains, “Campus Kids is all about families.  We form a partnership with parents and have a very open door policy.  There are observation rooms where parents can come at any time to watch their child.  We also offer volunteer opportunities, including hours in the summer.  Parents are required to complete one hour of service per month at the child care center but we encourage them to become as involved with their child’s education as possible.”

“On occasion, we have a family in crisis; sometimes we can help and other times we can’t.  If there is a family struggle, we can call Pete Haverkos (Learning Assistance) or Chris Klefeker (Advising) who provide extra support for parents.  We’ve had parents who have told us they only graduated because of the extra support, and because child care was available for their kids.”

Hands on

“Campus Kids has a very creative curriculum,” Leader says, “We take the cognitive approach where children learn by exploring, touching, feeling, and interacting.  We work on developing all areas, not just specific ones.  It is a safe environment where kids are allowed to make mistakes.  Young children occasionally spill milk or knock the paint over and we want them to know that it’s OK.  We know accidents happen.  We know they’re still learning; still growing.”

Dedicated staff and teachers

Over the years, Campus Kids has become one of the largest employers on Miami Hamilton’s campus, and currently has 13 student employees as well as several non-paid student teachers. Traci Anderson is Leader’s Lead Toddler teacher, and Ann Jones is the Lead Preschool teacher.  It’s a staff that Leader is proud of and parents tend to agree.

Campus Kids daycare registration dates are: April 1 for Fall semester and December 1 for Spring semester.  Registration forms are available at Campus Kids in Schwarm Hall, or online at www.ham.muohio.edu/campuskids.