Campus Child Center
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
To: Dr. Paula Knudson
Fr: Sue Wrobel, Program Manager
Campus Child Center
Re: Year End Report
Dt: May 26, 2015
The year 2015 marks the 30-year anniversary of Campus Child Center. Served in 1985 with the mission of providing high
quality care and establishing an exceptional learning environment for the children of University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
students and employees, Campus Child Center began doing exactly that. And that focus and mission remains true today.
In 1985, Campus Child Center hired Cindy Selin as its first teacher. Cindy still serves in the same teaching capacity and
will soon mark her 36th year in early childhood education. In the early childhood field, where turnover in staffing is high,
this is a rarity. So even more astounding is the fact that the staff members that were hired as the center’s capacity
grew, are also still in service to our program. Following Cindy is Sue Wrobel at 29 years of service, Dawn Hays at 23
years, Kate Ottow at 22 years, and Angela Dingel and Kim Amundson, each with 18 years of service. In 1993, we
received our first award of national accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children
and have remained accredited through this entity to this day. The standards for accreditation are rigorous. The
teaching staff “stepped up to the plate” so to speak and has never backed down from this commitment to quality. There
is an incredibly strong history of service to children and families in this story and much to be proud of.
Over the course of 30 years, our teachers have cared for, guided, and educated approximately 1,400 children. During
the 2014-15 school year, we served 109 children from 80 families. In 1985, our children explored units of study ranging
from “Apples” to “Oktoberfest” to “Pets.” This year the children explored topics ranging from “Construction” to “It’s a
Mystery” to “The Pond.” Embedded in these units of study were elements of art, music, drama, math, science, literacy,
motor development, social, and emotional development. Our children could be found playing, exploring, manipulating
objects using a variety of senses, creating, using their muscles, working on kindness and cooperation, working toward
skills in independence, leaning on others for help (interdependence), involved in conversations and discussions, and
exploring and appreciating the natural world around them. Thirty years ago we looked to the children to guide us in
curriculum planning, basing its design and implementation on their needs, skills, and interests. We do the same today.
Our children continue to be engaged, curious, and content. They continue to have opportunities to solve problems, to
think critically, to express creatively, and to grow into their own unique selves.
In 1985, we hired our very first student employee to serve as a teacher assistant at the center. He was pursuing a
degree in Business but came with qualifications and skills enabling him to work with young children. He later pursued a
degree in education and can still be found teaching in one of our area elementary schools. Student employees continue
to help our teachers implement our curriculum and build our learning environment. Sixty-five UW-L students served as
teacher assistants this year with the majority majoring in Early Childhood Education and/or Elementary Education.
Several student staff members are from the field of Psychology, working on a Youth/Child Care emphasis. From us these
students receive an opportunity to place what they are learning in their courses on campus into practice in our setting.
From them we receive an element of energy and enthusiasm that our children and families recognize as unique and
essential. We are grateful for their work in our setting.
Over the past 30 years, Campus Child Center has opened its door as a site for field study students. Students from a
variety of programs, including Occupational Therapy, Early Childhood Education, Exercise and Sport Science, Psychology,
Art Education, and Nutrition use our setting to further their knowledge of the growth and development of young
children and/or family-school partnerships. We have established relationships with members of these departments and
appreciate the opportunity to serve their students. During the past year, 2,813 hours of field study were completed in
our setting. These are not the only established relationships we have on campus. Many staff and faculty members on
campus “gave back” to our children this year. We enjoyed learning more from those in Exercise and Sports Science,
Biology, Music Education, Art Education, English as a Second Language, Recreational Sports, University Police, and
Landscape Services (just to name a few).
Thirty years ago, the staff of Campus Child Center made a commitment to establish and maintain strong partnerships
with parents and to work with others in our local early childhood community. Both commitments continue to this day.
The results of our recent program evaluation (please see Appendix A for program evaluation results) indicate a strong
support from our families for the work that is accomplished in our program. Our annual parent meeting provides us the
opportunity to reflect upon our year, to discuss the results of the annual family evaluation, and to set a direction for the
upcoming year (please see Appendix B). Those attending indicated strong support for the program and our staff and
generated the following goals for next year:




Work to help parents and student workers recognize and know each other.
Enhance the use of technology as a tool of communication.
Re-publish one of the past parent education article series.
Complete the doorbell project at the front entry.
Our staff continues to share their expertise and offer their service to our local and regional early childhood community.
Over the course of the past year we have served as guest speakers in early childhood classes here on campus, served on
the leadership team for the Great Rivers Association for the Education of Young Children, helped plan and served as
presenters at Super Saturday (which is a one-day early childhood training session held here in La Crosse), and served on
the Board of Directors for the Parenting Place.
We appreciate the many positives of Campus Child Center, but also acknowledge a few challenges. We continue to
remain at capacity. We now provide more full-time care than in previous years and most of our children arrive early and
stay late. We staff for eleven hours per day – many of those hours with a high child census. In conjunction with
remaining at capacity is the need to adhere to continual program and child assessment and to use this assessment for
continued program growth. This commitment to assessment takes time – time that is hard to carve out of a very busy
care-giving and teaching schedule. In 2013-14 we were fortunate to have an extra float teacher on our staff. We did not
have that extra set of hands during the 2014-15 school-year and it was greatly missed. We remain committed to finding
a staffing pattern that supports our needs throughout the day.
Our building is now almost 18 years old and we are finding that bit by bit, small and large work projects need to be
accomplished. Although many have been completed, such as sink, wall, and door replacement and kitchen appliance
repair and upgrade, several will need completion in the coming years, including roof and storage shed replacement.
We are very pleased and proud to have served our campus community for the past 30 years. The goal of Campus Child
Center has been and continues to be that of creating and maintaining a place for the exceptional care and education of
young children. We are certain that the foundation is established and that goal will continue to be met for the next 30
(and hopefully, many more) years.
Appendix A
1. The center staff maintains an environment that promotes my child's wellbeing.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
41
2
%
95%
5%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
2. I know and understand most of the Center's operating policies.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
25
18
%
58%
42%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
Response
35
7
%
81%
16%
1
2%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
3. The center staff consistently follows program policies.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
4. The center director keeps me informed of upcoming events and deadlines and
of matters important to my child, to me, and to my family.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
38
5
%
88%
12%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
5. Teaching staff keep me informed concerning my child's growth and
development.
#
1
2
3
4
5
6.
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
29
12
%
67%
28%
2
5%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
Response
39
4
%
91%
9%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
My child likes his/her teacher.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
7. The center director listens and responds effectively to my concerns and ideas.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
35
7
%
81%
16%
1
2%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
8. My child is interested in the activities and materials provided at the center.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
37
6
%
86%
14%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
9. My child's curiosity and desire to learn are supported and encouraged by the
staff.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
38
5
%
88%
12%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
10. My child's curiosity and desire to learn are supported and encouraged by the
program curriculum.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
39
4
%
91%
9%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
11. I have a good working partnership with my child's teacher.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
31
11
%
72%
26%
1
2%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
Response
41
2
%
95%
5%
0
0%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
12. The center is a welcoming place for my child.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
13. Center staff members support me in my role as parent.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
32
8
%
74%
19%
3
7%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
14. Center staff members are strong advocates for children and families.
#
1
2
3
4
5
Answer
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Total
Response
31
9
%
72%
21%
3
7%
0
0
43
0%
0%
100%
15. In an effort to help us reflect on our program or practice, please add
comments here for any item to which your response was "disagree" or "strongly
disagree."
Text Response
WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND WILL MISS YOU DEARLY AFTER THIS SEMESTER IS DONE....SNIFFS!
16. Please add any additional comments you may have below.
Text Response
Staff is great, friendly, kind. Thank you for you work.
I absolutely LOVE the center and all of the staff! Both my child and I are so appreciative of all the staff
does to support us both!
I could not be more pleased with the care my child has received. I am very grateful for the outstanding
care the Campus Child Center has provided for my family. It is a blessing to have a place that I know my
child loves being at and I know he is well taken care of while there. Thank you for all that you do!
Angela is an amazing teacher, and my child looks forward to seeing her!
THANKS FOR BEING A PART OF OUR FAMILY. WE WILL REMEMBER WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE FOR US
THREE, FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS :)
Thanks for all the extra work outside normal business hours!
Wonderful job & keep it up!
You all do a wonderful job!!
Keep up the great work! Thank you for providing such a wonderful place for my child to learn and grow
in all areas of development!
I have nothing but praise for the Campus Child Center. The teachers are patient, caring, and disciplined,
the student workers are eager and kind, and all of the children seem quite happy. Well done.
I would still like more daily and/or weekly feedback on how my son is doing: physically, emotionally,
behaviorally, during the day. Most days there is nothing written in the notebook, which would be a fine
resource if it was used more genuinely and wholeheartedly, rather than superficially.
It's hard to find a childcare facility as amazing as this one. Summer childcare has been disappointing
thus far.
Many of the special activities/field trips/events seem to be on Fridays when my child is not on campus.
It would be nice if some of things could be spread out throughout the week.
Thank you!
My child loves the center! We are very thankful for all activities/support at the center.
I understand the toddler room hours are limited to 7:30 to 5:30, and for the most part, it's not a
problem for us- but I have a few comments related to the practice. It effectively limits the hours for an
older child, when the younger one has limited hours. 7:30 makes it difficult to drop off 2 kids and make
it to a 7:45 class on time. The one time my husband had to drop off kids before his 7:45 lab, we called
ahead and you were able to accommodate., which was great! I don't think it's necessary to open the
hours to match the rest of the center, but is it possible to give parents the option to match those hours
if arranged ahead of time, especially if they have older siblings or teach early or late classes? We love all
the student staff that we meet at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, but I know we miss
quite a few that are only there in the middle of the day. Is there someplace that we can see pictures
and names of the student staff? It's nice to know who's working with our kids. It might also be nice to
know which students work in which rooms most often. We would appreciate more e-mail
communication. The daily sheets in toddler room are fine- because we glance at them and toss away.
But the sheets that ask us to do something - bring in shirts, participate in classroom activities, send
some sort of themed food, send in pictures or special items - tend to get lost in the shuffle. I probably
read it at one time, then lost it, then can't remember the details of what and when!?! If I can search email, it might make life a little simpler. Also- would be nice to get student teacher intro's via e-mail.
Usually I lose those sheets, and can't remember names or dates that they are student teaching- and we
don't always see them for drop-off and pick-up hours. So again, I usually saw something about it, but
can't always remember later.
My daughter loves to go school every day.
We LOVE the Campus Child Center!!!! It is such a great feeling to know that my child is safe and being
nurtured. I never feel uneasy dropping her off or asking questions. The staff is wonderful and we feel
blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this environment.
Statistic
Total Responses
Value
18
Appendix B
Annual Meeting Minutes - May 8, 2015
Attending: Chris Stindt, Erin Belby, Liam Moran, Jason Clark, Kate Ottow, and Sue Wrobel.
The meeting began with introductions and a review of the goals established last year:


Add one additional family event to the fall semester schedule. We actually added the additional family event to
the spring semester instead when we hosted our “Soup and Sandwich Supper.” We held a potluck supper in the
fall and the Week of the Young Child events (art show, family breakfast, music show) in the spring. The parents
attending the annual meeting agreed that this is a sufficient number of family events and that one event per
semester suffices as well.
Check into placing a door bell with signage in the front entry for those seeking access into the center. Due to a
number of items that needed fixing or maintenance, this did not get completed this year.
We discussed the results of the annual evaluation. The following comments were made:




The feedback received in the program evaluation indicates a strong satisfaction with the program. The work the
teachers do, including the curriculum that is designed and delivered to the children, is exceptional and
appreciated.
Open and effective communication is essential. The recent swing to more email notices/flyers rather than paper
flyers is working well and parents find that the information is more “searchable” in email form. Several ideas
concerning the use of technology as a communication tool were discussed. Parents feel that the teachers and
director are approachable when questions and/or concerns arise.
There is a desire to get to know the student staff better.
We discussed the series of articles for parents on the social growth and development of young children that was
written and distributed two years ago. Sue reported that although she has done parent education series in the
past, time proved to be a constraint this year. The child center staff is also unsure as to whether the information
series is read, enjoyed, appreciated, and/or used.
Additional topics discussed:



Our parents find the center to be a very welcoming place. They find great support in each other.
It’s nice to see kids on campus!
Consider a “meet and greet” time in January or early February for parents who need summer care to meet
students who wish to provide summer care.
Based on the annual report and the ideas discussed at the annual meeting, the group established the following goals for
next year:




Work to help parents and student workers recognize and know each other.
Enhance the use of technology as a tool of communication. Ideas include: add pages to the website for recent
event flyers, requests by group, recent news, student teacher introductions, and any of the parenting tips
typically supplied by the teachers in paper form.
Publish one of the past parenting series.
Complete the doorbell project at the front entry.
Submitted by Kate Ottow