Photo left: The NHCTC Early Childhood Staff are eager to welcome infants, toddlers and preschoolers to their new facility beginning September 5. The new facility is located at 15 Twitchell Lane and is open to students as well as members of the community. Ready for the start of the new school year are (l-r) Pat Finnigan-Allen, Early Childhood Education Professor; Melissa Rines, Sue L'Heureux, Amber Brown, Director Susan Blais, Lisa Simonds, Jennifer Stewart, and Jessica Roy.
The New Hampshire Community College's new child care facility held an open house for new students and parents complete with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. From play houses, to an art center, to an indoor garden, kids will have a great time learning! Children who attended the event had a ball playing drums or reading a book.
The facility will be home to infants, toddlers, and preschool children of NHCTC students as well as children from the community. Previously housed in the College's main building, the new center is located across the street at 15 Twitchell Lane. Along with the change of address, the program also announced they will be open year round, and will be combining both licensed program groups - ages 3 months to 12 years - under one roof. The scheduled changes will allow for an increase in the number of children accepted in to the program. "We are very excited for the first time to have the facility open year round. This will be a great change for the students as well as the community," said College President Kathy Eneguess.
Photo right: Brice St. Cyr couldn't wait to dive into the large selection of books at the new CCSNH-Berlin Child Care facility. Located at 15 Twitchell Lane, the facility is slated to open September 5. An open house and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on August 30.
The building was originally designed by local architect Tim Sappington and built by Larry Richards in the 1980s. After being vacant for years, the College acquired the property. NHCTC maintenance staff has extensively renovated, including painting the walls, installing windows, changing the bathrooms to include child-size facilities, and clearing and fencing-in the outdoor space. "Generous donations from area businesses that are helping with the cost of renovations will ultimately benefit children and families using the Center. Many thanks to Round Table Farm and Greenhouse, Shaw's Supermarket, Berlin IGA, Aubuchon Hardware/Glidden Paints, especially Eric and Rob at ICI Paints, Arnold Drouin, Northwoods Rafting, Serge Leveille, and a huge note of thanks to staff and faculty at NHCTC for your ongoing support" said Child Care Program Director Susan Blais. The new building promises to be a safe place where children are protected and easily supervised by trained early childhood educators, all credentialed through NH's Early Childhood Professional Development System.
Photo left: There was lots to see and do at the new CCSNH-Berlin Child Care facility open house August 30. Connor Welch was eager to entertain the crowd by playing the drum.
In keeping with the superior service provided by the NHCTC Child Care Program, children will enjoy hours of dramatic play, sand and water activities, art areas, reading corners, resting areas, indoor garden and science, a block area, and a family room where children and parents enter the program each day to transition to school.
The Child Care Program is a model for other child care centers, something which Blais said will only be improved upon with the new facility. "This move creates a wonderful opportunity for us to build on our quest to provide high quality child care and to train qualified teachers of young children. Our goal is to help meet the child care needs of this community and I invite parents to call or visit," said Blais.
The program, which has been accredited the past 13 years, will be going through the accreditation process again in the new building, and is licensed through NH Bureau of Child Care Licensing. The College's child care center is open to the entire community. Families interested in the program are urged to call Susan Blais at 603-752-5550.
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