The UCCS Family Development Center has been managing limited space and a post-pandemic workforce shortage.
The FDC is an early childhood education center and an auxiliary unit of UCCS. Because it’s part of UCCS, the center offers various privileges, such as primary placement for children, to students, staff and faculty members. According to Director of the FDC Season Doebler, children of students are admitted first, followed by staff, faculty members, alumni and then the rest of the Colorado Springs community.
Due to a reduction in the childcare workforce post-COVID-19 and limited space, Doebler said the FDC can only admit 100 children during school years and 130 during summers. She said the FDC has a strong reputation for their attentiveness and care, so there is a high placement demand, leading to a consistent waitlist.
Their workforce is comprised of professional staff and 11 teachers in addition to four UCCS student employees who are in each classroom, according to their website. Classrooms are separated into four separate programs: early childhood, transition from toddler to preschooler, preschool and their summer program, which is for children ages 6-10.
Director of Inclusive Culture Development Sloan Gonzales enrolled both of her children at the FDC. As a faculty member, Gonzales was prioritized, and her children were placed in part-time care quickly. In the wake of the pandemic, they were able to transition to full-time care. Her younger child was admitted quickly because siblings of already-admitted students and members of the UCCS community receive priority.
Families from outside UCCS are also allowed to enroll their children. Doebler said this is to create strong bonds between the university and city communities. Children are never kicked out of the program, so spots become available when people move away, leave UCCS or graduate. Spots can also open as kids age into older age classes and out of the program.
According to Doebler, students are charged approximately 10% less than everyone else. Also, every four years Doebler writes a four-year federal grant that helps pay for student childcare. Through this grant, students can receive additional discounts on top of the automatic 10%. These discounts can range from 25-90%, and depend on the student’s financial eligibility, course load and academic progress at UCCS.
When reflecting on her children’s time at UCCS, Gonzales said, “I would just love to reiterate the phenomenal work that those teachers are doing in those spaces, particularly in the way they cultivate and develop their students.”
Students can find more information about the FDC and join the waitlist on the FDC website.
Photo courtesy of the UCCS Photography Database.