Childcare Committee

Cornell Childcare Services Sub-Committee Meeting
Day Hall B16 Conference Room
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
10:00 — 11:30 p.m.
MINUTES

Voting members present: Amy O’Donnell, Brenda Marston*, KC Rose, Yael Levitte, Laurie Miller, Stephen Morgan, Marya L. Besharov

Non-voting members and guests present: Michelle Artibee, Linda Croll Howell

Unable to attend: Mark Jasinski, Cresten Mansfeldt, Sue Dale-Hall

I. 4/20/10 and 5/18/10 minutes approved.

II. Update from Linda about things at the CCCC

Partly due to trying to meet requirements for accreditation by National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC<http://www.naeyc.org/>, staff are under a lot of stress and dong lots of extra (paid) work, including work at home, up to 50 hrs/week. NAEYC accreditation requires doing portfolios for each student, and staff weren’t doing this all along, so they are have current and retrospective work to do. The evidence due to the NAEYC on 9/30. BH will put extra staff in each wing through this time. Considered putting it off a year, but going ahead with extra staff. Teachers feel rushed, without time for planning. They’ve added 1 extra resource teacher who covers shifts for teachers; parents and kids can get to know them. These are paid out of operating budget.

BH has been bringing in NAEYC experts to do education and training. BH is paying for that. Laurie: been involved in accreditation processes before and teachers haven’t expressed so much concern or had to work so much extra. Steve: same feedback from faculty members re: IC3 and others.

Now letting teachers bring their kids for back up care. Teachers happy about this.

Teachers still concerned about administration.

Linda has done first look at parent survey. Improvements across the board, though not big changes in admin. 70% have seen improvement in last few months.

More engaged with Cornell community, more field trips. In fall will work with student activity groups, calligraphy, etc. Music program going well. Have substitute who’s an art specialist.

Have partnership with TC3, and looking to bring in interns for over 200 hours/semester. Contacting IC too, and continuing with CU.

Fairly fully staffed now. Infant wing, 16 below capacity. Biggest wait list is with toddlers. Keeping teachers full time.

UPK training going on too.

Ad hoc faculty committee is meeting and making progress. We asked if we could get minutes or notes of meetings with HR, at least non-confidential portions.

Brief discussion of the president’s response to our UA resolution about the Center

No updates on other issues.