Community Turns Out to Celebrate Newly Renovated, Expanded Children's Center at Cloud County Community College
Cloud County Community College celebrated the completion of their renovation and expansion to the campus Children's Learning Center on Wednesday, September 28th with a ribbon cutting and open house.
The project included installation of a new sprinkler and fire alarm system, renovating, and expanding the current space by adding a new preschool room, a staff break room, a nursing mother’s room, a bathroom, and a laundry room. The kitchen was updated with new equipment, and the center received new cabinets, flooring, paint, and lighting throughout. The outside also received a facelift, with new playground equipment, fencing, turf, and shade structures.
Michelle Charbonneau, Director of the Children's Center, is overjoyed with the results of the newly renovated space.
The $642,000 project would not have been possible without several grants from area organizations. The Cloud County Community College Foundation received $120,000 from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, $20,000 from the Community Foundation for Cloud County, $400,000 from the CCCC Foundation, and $132,000 from Child Care Aware Sustainability grants.
Cloud County Community College's Children's Center first opened in November 1986 to support the needs of faculty, staff, student and community families to provide daycare services on campus. The Children's Center is licensed and approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to fully meet this growing need in the community.
Last fall, the college announced plans to expand the Children's Center to meet the demand for childcare in the local community. The prior capacity at the Children's Center allowed for up to 23 children. The renovation allows the college to increase the capacity up to 40 children.
With the expansion, Charbonneau tells KNCK News they are searching for additional teachers to accommodate more children in the state-of-the-art facility.
Applications may be acquired by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (785) 243-1435. The applicant review process will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.