Children Center’s mission statement
 History of the Children’s Center
 Strengths and Weaknesses
 Funding for the Children’s Center
 Nutrition, Food Funding, and Policies
 Comparison between the Children’s
Center and Creative Learning
 Our involvement and observations













1. To provide convenient, high quality childcare that will enhance the
development of the whole child.
2. To provide a clean, safe environment in which young children can grow and
learn.
3. To enhance developmental growth through the use of an age appropriate
and challenging curriculum.
4. To promote self-esteem through encouraging self-discipline and self-help skills.
5. To set patterns for positive attitudes toward all new learning experiences.
6. To provide opportunities such as some walking field trips and special guests to
enhance the child’s awareness of his/her community.
7. To encourage positive group participation through the development of social
skills.
8. To provide outdoor experiences for creative play and development.
9. To provide a variety of nutritional meals and snacks each day.
10. To provide capable, loving educators and caregivers with professional
training in Child Development.
11. To offer activities that involve parent participation.
12. To offer daily avenues of communication between parent and teacher.
The Children’s Center has been in
operation for 21 years
 Originally, the Center was much smaller
and was started for the sole purpose of
giving the hospital employees a safe,
reliable daycare center for their children
 The Center has since expanded to hold
99 children, has 11 rooms, and operates
five days a week from 6:15 am-5:30 pm
(6 pm for CRMC employees)

Strengths
 Close proximity to hospital
 80% of hospital employee’s children are
able to attend
 Available to children 6 weeks-5 years of
age
Weaknesses:
 Waiting list
 Portion control
The Children’s Center is licensed by the
Department of Human Services and is a
3 star facility.
 The Center does not receive
reimbursements from the state or federal
government due to the assistance that
CRMC gives the center.
 Funding for the Children’s Center is
derived from the childcare fees and
allotted hospital budget

An Infant Program serving children ages 6
weeks to 1 year.
 A Toddler Program serving children 12
months to 36 months.
 A Pre-School Program serving children 3 to
5 years.








The Children’s Center orders their food through
the FND department of the hospital who orders it
through IWC and Robert Orr Sysco
They make weekly orders and receive their
orders on Thursday of every week
Lunch items are catered by the hospital and
delivered everyday at 10:30 am
Breakfast and Snack items are kept at the center
(canned fruit, 4-6 oz juice boxes, crackers, and
paper ware)
Raw vegetables and fruits that are in season are
used as well
Family style dining is used
Food allergies are catered to and these meals
are separated from the other meals.
Served to children between the ages of
2 ½ to 5 years old; younger children have
pre-portioned meals served to them
 The family style service is loosely
regulated with no real portion control
 Servings are eyeballed as to what is
appropriate
 Additional servings are granted
regardless of the child’s size
 No foods are forced, only encouraged

















Mar 2011: $2973.97
Feb 2011: $481.80
Jan 2010: $1708.40
Dec 2010: $1846.32
Nov 2010: $1081.96
Oct 2010: $1369.85
Sep 2010: $1541.88
Aug 2010: $1243.84
July 2010: $1685.63
June 2010: $2200.84
May 2010: $2625.22
Apr 2010: $2037.93
Mar 2010: $1778.26
Feb 2010: $1103.51
Jan 2010: $2021.92
Average for the past 15 months: $1713.42







The director’s qualifications or experience,
education, and training
The education, training, and previous work
experience of teaching staff
Developmental learning
Parent and family involvement
Ratios and group sizes
The center’s pay and benefit plans for staff
Program assessment (on-site observation)
Children’s Center
 No reimbursements
 Family style service
 Hot lunches catered
Creative Learning
 Receives
reimbursements
 All foods & drinks
portioned
 All foods cooked
and prepared onsite
Menu items are comparable
but not portion sizes
We planned a teaching session to teach
children about vegetables with the idea
that if they can identify healthy foods then
they are more likely to choose those foods
 We took coloring sheets & props and
actively involved the children in telling us
what they knew about vegetables
 The children were eager to tell us
everything they knew and let us know that
they eat their vegetables everyday
