First of two parts

The highly anticipated Child Development Center at Sampson Community College is expected to make a huge impact in the community, officials say.

However, all of those plans are on hold because of a decision by the Sampson County Board of Commissioners back in October of 2008 to force an “at least” 12-month delay on construction on the new building.

The decision didn’t just delay the SCC project, it also put the brakes on a new Charles E. Perry Elementary School as well. Ironically, according to a report by the USDA, both projects were on tap to be built before the new Midway and Union high schools.

Making matters worse was that SCC president Dr. Bill Aiken and his staff were still in the “development” process, spending just $41,000 of the allocated $300,000 on planning when the decision was made not to move forward with either project, even the design phase.

Now, it seems, the wait may be longer than anyone had expected — as of Thursday, four out of five county commissioners said both projects (SCC and CEP) may not be built in the near future if doing so involves a tax increase.

Either way, officials at the college and in the community are still holding out for commissioners, as well as the economy, to turn around so plans can continue come this November.

“The SCC Child Development Center will be an added service to the community,” said Aiken. “No other location in the county provides such a concentration of highly trained professionals to meet the needs of young children. Current statistics indicate that there is a shortage of quality child care in the county.”

Aiken is right, there are 76 daycare facilities located throughout the county and over 400 childcare providers providing care for approximately 4,000 children.

“The building will serve two important purposes,” said Susan Baxter, SCC Early Childhood instructor and department chairwoman. “One is that there will be a high quality of trained teachers, and two, it will provide greater quality child care for children ...”

Baxter said the college already has a full program, but they are limited in what they can do because of the space restrictions.

“We serve about 200 students per semester,” she said. “We offer more than 20 classes. We have seen a huge increase in our numbers here with students, but it all has to be done in basically one classroom.”

The students in the program are currently traveling out of the classroom to get experience working with children.

“They have to travel all over the county,” Baxter said. “And what we have to do is go out and visit them at another facility. Right now, they are really not getting the kind of experiences that we would like to see them get. If we had our own building here, we have the children here, the students are getting that hands-on experience that we want them to have, and if they have questions, their instructors are near — everything is right here.”

Aiken agrees.

“An integral part of the students’ experience in early childhood education is interacting with the child,” he said. “The center will allow such interaction. The student will be able to observe firsthand how children progress through various developmental stages, as well as their interaction with other children.

Another advantage for the SCC student is that it helps them fulfill their cooperative experience. Currently, the students must be placed at homes and centers throughout the county. During this experience, students are visited by a faculty member and receive constructive criticism. Having the center on campus will permit the student to complete the co-op experience at the center and alleviate travel by student and faculty member. The child development center will be a unique place for the interaction of students, faculty members, and parents. As we collectively work together, the child will be much better prepared to be ready for kindergarten. In the long run, the child's readiness will ensure better progression throughout their school career. Finally, this interaction with children helps the Sampson Community College student determine if they are truly interested in early childhood education as a career — This exposure will either confirm or deny the students’ chosen vocation.”

A new building would be a benefit to the county, said Victoria Byrd, executive director of the Partnership for Children of Sampson County.

“The (Early Childhoold Development Center) building is vital because it will afford the only true opportunity of space to increase a successful Early Childhood Program for the college while also providing space for the integration of a model child care center ... It is my understanding that this building will bring an integrated child care facility which will serve as a model of the best practice of early care and education. With that facility comes yet another opportunity for the college and the Partnership to join forces and work for the young children in our county by providing the very best education possible to their teachers. The Partnership will directly participate as other needs are identified and resources are leveraged to maximize benefits to the program.”

In the end, the biggest benefit a new building will bring is for the children of Sampson County.

The building is expected to host two infant rooms, two 1-year-old rooms; two 2-year-old rooms; two three-year-old rooms; one pre-school room and two More At Four rooms (with the funding coming from the SmartStart program). Since the latter is being funded by the state, no expenses will be charged to the family. There will also be one private-pay preschool room (for those children who do not qualify for the More At Four program); as well as after-school care for school-aged children and summer care.

Once full capacity is reached, 170 children will be able to receive services from the Early Childhood facility.

Officials say the facility is intended to be a Five Star, NAEYC accredited facility, providing at least 43 jobs to the area. The center design was created collaboratively by the college, the Partnership for Children of Sampson County, Sampson County Head Start, N.C. Cooperative Extension, a Division of Child Development consultants and St. Martin’s Migrant Head Start.

It will, Byrd said, be a facility and a program destined to grow and develop even more over time.

“The college and the Partnership have enjoyed a strong collaborative relationship for nearly a decade, and we expect to continue to strengthen that as we join together in providing a unique, high quality early care and education program to the community,” she said. “Specifically, the Partnership will support the inclusion of the More At Four Pre-K program in the college’s child care center, fiscal support to the TEACH and WAGES programs that assists students currently working in child care facilities while pursuing their education, by making resources available to students working on required projects and through technical assistance.”

And those long-term effects are important.

“As with any quality educational program, the long term effect is in producing balanced, educated and productive citizens,” Byrd said. “Early education is vital to that process. Sampson Community College and the Partnership have committed to support that goal, and I have no doubts that the county citizens will be the beneficiaries of the leadership provided by children who begin in high quality programs such as the one the community college is currently planning.”

Up next: The economic impact a new building is expected to have.

To reach Doug Clark call (910) 592-8137 ext. 139 or send email to sisports@myclintonnc.com.