2008 Woodie Awards
Child care a problem at both Poulsbo, Shelton
Jon Miller
Issue date:
11/21/07
Section:
Campus
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Despite the expansion
of the Child Development
and Family Center on
the Olympic College
Bremerton campus, some
concerns have been raised
about how to best serve the
student population, especially
on the Shelton and
Poulsbo campuses.
"My general concern
about childcare is it plays
a very important role in
facilitating an opportunity
for education for people
who otherwise would be
restricted from getting
their education," said
Doug Sayan, chairman of
the Board of Trustees. He
added that it's the school's
responsibility to make
every opportunity for people
who want to be to be
able to go to school.
That is much easier said
than done.
As Dr. Rick MacLennan,
vice president of student
services, pointed out, providing
childcare is expensive
and can become
impractical to fund on
smaller campuses.
"The challenge is how
do you get the right level
of support and service
to students who aren't at
the place where a majority
of those services are
offered," MacLennan said.
"Childcare is one of those
services."
The Peste Center on
the Shelton campus was
closed down for related
reasoning. In a meeting a
few years ago, MacLennan
along with CDFC director
Rhodes Lockwood and
leaders of the Associated
Students of OC for that
year decided that continuing
to fund childcare on
the Shelton campus was
just not practical.
At that time, about four
students were utilizing the
facility that was designed
for 18 children. It was costing
$80,000 or more to
keep the center open and
each year the program was
going into the red causing
student activities fees to
make up the difference.
A major part of the cost
is paying licensed childcare
professionals and
their assistants, which are
required in order to have
an accredited child development
program.
Sayan said that there are
many potential students in
of the Child Development
and Family Center on
the Olympic College
Bremerton campus, some
concerns have been raised
about how to best serve the
student population, especially
on the Shelton and
Poulsbo campuses.
"My general concern
about childcare is it plays
a very important role in
facilitating an opportunity
for education for people
who otherwise would be
restricted from getting
their education," said
Doug Sayan, chairman of
the Board of Trustees. He
added that it's the school's
responsibility to make
every opportunity for people
who want to be to be
able to go to school.
That is much easier said
than done.
As Dr. Rick MacLennan,
vice president of student
services, pointed out, providing
childcare is expensive
and can become
impractical to fund on
smaller campuses.
"The challenge is how
do you get the right level
of support and service
to students who aren't at
the place where a majority
of those services are
offered," MacLennan said.
"Childcare is one of those
services."
The Peste Center on
the Shelton campus was
closed down for related
reasoning. In a meeting a
few years ago, MacLennan
along with CDFC director
Rhodes Lockwood and
leaders of the Associated
Students of OC for that
year decided that continuing
to fund childcare on
the Shelton campus was
just not practical.
At that time, about four
students were utilizing the
facility that was designed
for 18 children. It was costing
$80,000 or more to
keep the center open and
each year the program was
going into the red causing
student activities fees to
make up the difference.
A major part of the cost
is paying licensed childcare
professionals and
their assistants, which are
required in order to have
an accredited child development
program.
Sayan said that there are
many potential students in
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