child care center

GCC's Child Care Center is open to community, too, not just students, staff and faculty

By Billie Owens
Apr 11, 2018, 2:25pm

Submitted photos and press release:

Did you know Genesee Community College offers a complete child care center for students, staff, faculty AND THE COMMUNITY?

You don't have to be a student at GCC for your child to attend the College's state-of-the-art Child Care Center! Operated by the Genesee Community College Association, the Child Care Center features extensive developmental resources for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old.

The Child Care Center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday -- including over the summer according to GCC's academic calendar. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are included in the tuition rates.

All of the food provided to the children is regulated through CACFP (Child Adult Care Food Program), which is a food program that adheres to all nutritional standards and values recommended for young, developing children. The Center also has safe sleeping equipment and spaces for a comforting naptime for the little ones!

The trained and dedicated staff at the Child Care Center provides age appropriate activities such as kindergarten readiness lessons, fine and gross motor activities, and socialization. In addition to the center's outdoor playground which provides great exercise and fresh air all summer long, the facilities available at the College's Batavia Campus provide creative and active programming, such as visiting the library, going to the theater to see a show, running in the gym, playing in the clock tower quad and enjoying the physical therapy obstacle course.

For convenience, the College provides designated drop-off and pick-up parking spots right up front by the Stuart Steiner Theatre entrance.

In addition, all teachers are CPR, First Aid and AED trained. All of the lead teachers hold degrees in education and all staff complete at least 30 hours of training every two years to guarantee that they stay up to date on early childhood best practices.

"We take great pride in offering our children the best care and developmentally appropriate education," Staci Williams, director of the Child Care Center said. "We strive to immerse the children into the College environment and allow them to enjoy and appreciate these beautiful facilities that surround us as much as possible.

"From letting the children ride tricycles in the gym on a snowy day, to getting them outside to the playground in the summer-our children really benefit from GCC, like so many other students and staff."

Registration for the GCCA Child Care Center is simple, the application is available online here and can be mailed or dropped off to the Child Care Center at GCC's Batavia Campus located at One College Road in Batavia.

Child Care Center rates are based on the number of days the child attends and the age of the child. The U.S. Department of Education and SUNY awards grant funds for child care tuition subsidies for income eligible GCC students.

Please contact the Child Care Office if you would like specific pricing. GCC makes it easy to make child care tuition payments with an online payment center -- no more having to remember your checkbook!

For more information, contact Child Care Center Director Staci Williams at (585) 345-6833 or via email: slwilliams@genesee.edu

College's lead Toddler Room teacher earns prestigious national credential

By Billie Owens
Apr 15, 2011, 2:33pm

Barbara Pangrazio, the lead teacher for the Toddler Room at the Genesee Community College Association (GCCA) Child Care Center, has been awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential in recognition of outstanding work with young children.

While all child care center's staff are trained and supervised, the CDA Credential is a particularly prestigious award. It was given by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C., an organization that represents the early childhood education profession.

CDA is one of the few national initiatives to improve early childhood education and care by evaluating and recognizing the skills of individual care givers, like Pangrazio, who provide exceptional care. The first credential was awarded more than 30 years ago, and now 49 states plus the District of Columbia include CDA in their childcare licensing regulations.

"Barbie is valuable asset to our center," said Staci Williams, director of GCCA Child Care Center. "I'm extremely proud of her hard work and her new credentials. Barbie, along with the rest of our staff, strongly believes in developing the skills that foster quality service and care for our children."

The GCCA Child Care Center offers complete childcare services for infants 6-weeks old to preschool-aged children. The fully renovated center has extensive developmental resources and introduces educational programs each day. Nutritious breakfasts, lunches and snacks are also provided along with safe, sleeping facilities for restful naptimes.

As part of the CDA assessment process, every candidate for the CDA Credential is observed working with young children or families by an early childhood professional. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to work with families to develop children's physical and intellectual capabilities in a safe and healthy learning environment.

The Child Care Center is open to the public during fall, spring and summer semesters in tandem with the college's academic schedule. Priority availability is granted to the children of the students, staff and faculty.

For further information on CDA, contact the Council for Professional Recognition at 2460 16th St., NW, Washington DC 20009-3547, or call the council at (800) 424-4310.

Subscribe to child care center