THE INFORMER PAGE 5

MAY 27, 1992

College Daycare: Getting an early start on College Life

The children at the Capilano College Day Care Centre have
just had their naps and are getting ready to go outside and play.

“You need a jacket, Tom. It’s cold,” says Janet MacDonald
to an energetic four-year-old. As she helps him with a zipper, he
smiles appreciatively.

“Can I work while we talk?” she asks a visitor, while she
helps another child.

Janet and her co-workers at the Day Care Centre have little
time to stop and talk with adults, because they are so busy with
the children.

The staff often get help from Early Childhood Education
students who do their practicums at the centre. Also, Music
Therapy and Psychology students use the Day Care for
observations and work with children.

You can often see the children when Day Care staff take
them on excursions around the College. “New people on campus
say ‘aren’t these children starting college awfully early?’” Janet
quips.

The centre takes in two children at 29 months of age. The
rest are three- to five-year-olds. These are split into a young
group and and older group.

“We don’t keep the children in large groups,” says Janet.
“We like to offer individualized attention.”

That attention includes integrating children who have
‘special needs, from mild developmental problems to severe
handicaps.

Out of the centre’s 25 spaces, three are designated for
special needs. The rest are for children of staff, faculty, students
and the community. Priority in placement is given to students
with children, but each request for space is dealt with
individually.

“We really try to meet the needs of faculty and staff,” Janet
says. Still, spaces at the centre are in high demand.

“T have parents on the campus who phone me when they
know they are pregnant, and they put in an application with a
blank (child’s) name.”

She looks out into the yard, where children are playing.
Some are riding tricycles, some are climbing on playground
equipment, and some are running, skipping and singing. They
enjoy. the playground’s natural setting within the College woods.

The playground equipment is rugged enough for boisterous
youngsters, but could be improved. Randi Duke, Resource
Development Officer, is working hard to get a grant for new
equipment. Randi is also investigating whether the centre will
receive any of the $17 million the B.C. Ministry of Women’s
Equality has just allotted for day care. The funding was recently
announced by the Minister, Penny Priddy, in time to celebrate
Day Care Month.

Also to mark May as Day Care Month, the Day Care Centre
is hosting an Open House. It will be held Thursday, May 28,
from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The College community is invited to
attend.

From Left: Lauren, daughter of university transfer student Andrea
Heyer; Danielle, daughter of Elin Cummings (Registrar’s Office);
Celine, daughter of John Brooks (ARC).

People

Nancy Farley is no longer Chair of the Capilano College Board.
After her appointment to the board ran out this spring, Advanded
Education Minister Tom Perry acknowledged her service and
contributions to the College. He appointed Deborah Jacobs,
Director of Education for the Squamish Nation, to fill the
vacancy. For the time being, Vice-Chair Graham Crockart will
act as chairperson.

Alan Smith, Director of Planning, was guest speaker at the
North Vancouver Rotary, April 10. He spoke on Capilano
College and the North Shore.

Jon Jessiman, Dean, Student and Instructional Services,
recently delivered six books in Vietnamese to the College
Library. Five of the books are written by Vietnamese women,
and the sixth tells of the struggle of women in Vietnam since the
early part of the century. He received the books from the
Director of the Women’s Revolutionary Museum in Ho Chi
Minh City during a visit in March, when he was looking into
using some of their space for Women’s Studies courses. Jon was
also presented with a small medal and made an honorary
member of the Women’s Revolution. He had spoken in favor of
women’s rights in an assembly in Ho Chi Minh City last year.

John Pass, Coordinator of ABE at Sechelt, is this year's
recipient of the Dorothy Livesay poetry prize for his collection
The Hour's Acropolis. The $1,500 award is part of the 1992 B.C.
Book Prizes. Congratulations, John!

Maria West, former Commercial Music program student, won a
one-year contract to perform as Diamond Lil in the production
show Lucky Nugget Saloon at Frontierland in Euro-Disney. She
will be singing five shows a day in English and French.