MUSC's child care center ‘round the corner’
by Cindy AbolePublic Relations
The chance to provide quality child care services for MUSC employees and students has moved a step closer to reality thanks to a proposed partnership with a neighborhood church and the guidance and hard work of others.
Within the last few decades, employers have progressively responded to workforce requests to establish family-friendly initiatives that would help men and women achieve a better balance among work and family commitments. Among the primary issues addressed was child care.
For the last several years, a committee of MUSC and MUHA representatives have met and explored the possibilities of coordinating daycare for MUSC employees.
Headed by College of Health Professions Dean Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., the institution’s child care advisory committee has already defined its needs, sought guidance from industry experts and conferred with operators regarding specifications and other details.
Most importantly, the group has identified a willing partner and location that would accommodate the proposed child care services. It is the Church of the Holy Communion located just two blocks from campus at the corner of Ashley Avenue and Cannon Street.
The
education annex of Church of the Holy Communion, corner of Ashley Avenue
and Cannon Street, is the proposed site for the MUSC child care center.
“Finding the Church of the Holy Communion for this project was a mutual blessing in disguise,” said Ripich, who remembers attending previous university functions and receptions at this location. “The church and its pastor, the Rev. Dow Sanderson, see this as a valuable opportunity to fulfill their mission in serving both MUSC and the Cannonborough communities through such a partnership.”
MUSC and the church already share ties with each other. Sanderson is the Episcopal clergy representative for students on campus. In addition, the church parish is used as a classroom and meeting place to teach medical and conversational Spanish to students and other community participants. Also, the church happens to be one of several nearby private businesses that lease parking spaces to MUSC employees and students.
A year ago, Ripich joined MUHA Purchasing Services manager Chad Chadwick, MUHA administrator Betts Ellis and several child care advisory members to meet with Sanderson and church members to discuss the proposal and potential partnership.
Not long afterwards, the group conducted a preliminary walk-through with a representative of the State Fire Marshall's Office to review the facilities and recommend changes. The group agreed to a trial or pilot program beginning with 25 children, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. The group is further exploring what would be required to expand it to as many as 100 children. Qualified children are defined as infants, ages 6 weeks to 12 months; toddlers, ages 12 months to 24 months and preschool, 12 months to 5 years old.
In this partnership, MUSC would be responsible for hiring a qualified child care management firm to staff and operate the facility. The qualified contractor will provide a daily operational plan, coordinate the preschool educational curriculum, organize and enforce safety policies and procedures and offer provisions for feedback and evaluation.
Most importantly, the contractor will pursue accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) within two years of the program’s opening.
The church would provide the facility which includes separate classrooms for infants and toddlers, a kitchen facility, restrooms and auditorium. The church will be responsible for coordinating building upgrades and facilitate changes needed to meet state fire codes, local, state and federal rules, laws and other approvals. Still to be determined is the amount of appropriate play space and who will be responsible to provide and cook meals.
This past January, Ellis and Chadwick concluded their research and findings and drafted a request for proposal (RFP) or call for bids among eligible child care operators interested in conducting the child care operation and management services for MUSC.
“There is a huge percentage of staff, employees and students at MUSC that would find this child care program both helpful and ideal,” said Sanderson. “It would be so much easier for one to walk just a couple of blocks to pick-up or visit their child. It’s a great opportunity for our neighbors at MUSC to know we are here as active members of our community.”
Following the RFP deadline, renovations and upgrades to the facilities will be completed before final inspections and surveys are approved. The proposed timeline is to begin providing child care services by fall 2003.
“Father Sanderson has taken a leadership role in trying to make this happen,” Ripich said. “There’s a vested interest and commitment to helping us. All of us are very impressed with him and the parish in considering this partnership.”
The Catalyst will run information as it becomes available.
MUSC Child Care Center
Proposed site: Church of the Holy Communion, 218 Ashley Avenue.
Proposed hours of operation: Mondays through Fridays, 6:30 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m.
Proposed pilot capacity: 25.
Eligible ages: Infants (6 weeks to 12 months); toddlers (12
months to 24 months); and preschool (12 months to 5 years old).
Tuition rates: To be determined.
Child Care Advisory Committee
Dr. Danielle N. Ripich, chair, College of Health Professions; Betts
Ellis, MUHA Institutional Relations; Chad Chadwick, MUHA Purchasing Services;
Lisa Montgomery, MUHA Finance and Support Services; Hal Currey, College
of Medicine; Dr. Carol Dobos, MUSC Children’s Hospital; John Franklin,
MUHA Support Services; Dr. Lyndon Key, MUSC Children’s Hospital; Chris
Malanuk, MUHA Strategic Planning; John Malmrose, Facilities and Engineering;
Marilyn Schaffner, MUHA Clinical Services; Stuart Smith, MUHA Administration;
Paul Taylor, Internal Audit; David Weatherby, University Procurement; and
Casey Liddy, MUHA Administration.
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