Next fall, The Children’s School of Cabrini College will drop the day care component of its program along with the accreditation from the department of welfare. The school will remain open for three and four year-old preschool and for kindergarten once the department of education accredits it.
Kindergarten will be offered full day and four year-old preschool will possibly be offered full day. “When we go to the department of education, we have to have an approved curriculum to be accredited,” Dr. Dawn Middleton, chair of the education department, said. According to Middleton, some parents are asking for a full-day four year-old preschool. “If we get enough enrollment, we will,” she said.
According to Middleton, The Children’s School started around 20 years ago as a laboratory for the education department. Ten years ago, the school expounded into the daycare component which will soon be lifted due to the abrupt resignation of the director of the school. “It was the recommendation of the education faculty to take the school back to its roots and that is what we’re doing,” Middleton said.
Currently, work study students, students in field experience, internships and student teaching use The Children’s School as a laboratory to grow in the field of education. “Education majors do different things with the kids. That will probably increase,” Middleton said. “When we revise the curriculum, that will probably include more of the students.”
“As a school, we welcome Cabrini students and are glad when they visit,” Allie Hart, kindergarten teacher at The Children’s School, said. “Right now, students from gym class come over and teach gym once a week.” Hart said that her kids enjoy working on projects with Cabrini students and she looks forward to having more come to the school next year.
“I’m really excited about the possibilities with the changes,” Middleton said.
