Media Contact:
Felicia Horton
(773) 821-4976
f-horton@csu.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CSU Receives License To Open Temporary Child Care Center
CHICAGO - OCTOBER 28, 2008 – Chicago State University officials announced today that the CSU Learning Center (formerly the Child Care Center) located at 8751 South Greenwood Avenue is now open. The Learning Center is a quality care facility for preschool and school age children (including head start). Enrollment is now open for full day and half-day programs. Subsidized childcare and private tuition payments are accepted.
Chicago State University's New Learning Center is a participant in the Illinois Child Care Food Program. Children are served hot balanced lunches that are in compliance with state requirements. In addition, the center provides mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.
Since opening in 1981, the philosophy of the CSU center is to provide an environment in which social, physical, intellectual and emotional growth are encouraged through a creative curriculum. Funded by the City of Chicago Children & Youth Services and Chicago Public Schools, the CSU Learning Center plays an integral role in helping children from the Greater Roseland community and CSU’s students. Because of its unique relationship to the university, young children are exposed to many of the same cultural, educational and technological benefits enjoyed by CSU students.
“Chicago State University is a leader in providing high quality child care services for students,” said Dr. Rosalyn Y. Brown, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. “The New Learning Center enables students to attain their educational goals while balancing their family life and ensuring a safe educational environment for their children.”
The City of Chicago Children & Youth Services provides CSU’s Head Start and Child Development program to families who are eligible for Head Start on a sliding scale, based on the client’s income. Chicago State University serves as the fiscal agent that allows money from the City of Chicago to flow through to about eleven private child care centers in the Greater Roseland Community through CSU’s Developing Community Child Care Network and the Developing Community Private Providers/Head Start Collaborations. The Head Start collaboration is offered through the City of Chicago's Department of Human Services at no cost to qualified families.
“Having multiple funding sources gives the CSU Learning Center a variety of resources and connections to the early childhood community,” said Deborah Parker, Director, CSU Child Care Center Program.
Since 1984, Deborah Parker has coordinated, supervised and directed the child care program and taught child development at Chicago State University, Olive Harvey City College, Daley City College, Kennedy King City College and Truman City College. Her field expertise and guidance has shaped the center into the quality care program it is to date.
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ABOUT CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Chicago State University was founded as a teacher training school in Blue Island, Illinois on September 2, 1867. Today, the university is a fully accredited public, urban institution located on 161-picturesque acres in a residential community on Chicago’s Southside. CSU is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor of Illinois. The university’s five colleges—Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Pharmacy—offer 36 undergraduate and 25 graduate and professional degree-granting programs. CSU also offers an interdisciplinary Honors College for students in all areas of study and has a Division of Continuing Education and Non-Traditional Programs that offers extension courses, distance learning and not-for-credit programs to the entire Chicago community.