More than 100 child care spaces open in Williston after public investment
Little Ones University opens its doors to more children across Chittenden County.
Updated: October 22, 2024 11:55 PM EDT
With the help of public investment from the new child care law, Act 76, more than 100 new child care spaces are now opening in Williston. The University of Little Ones used part of a $125 million investment in Vermont’s child care system to expand capacity, upgrade classrooms and increase child care fees. “My son, Hunter, passed away last year, and before he passed away, he said, “There’s no one else who can do this job like I can, and that’s what he said.” And I think of him with all my heart today. , and I’ve felt him at the center and all the other centers since he passed away,” said Caryl Jacques, owner and director of the preschool. Although we opened just a month later, he believes in my work and believes that every child needs a champion, and that small children’s colleges are full of children’s champions, so we I believe that I am the person who sends people out to work. ” The team at Little Ones University say that high-quality childcare also helps parents become better parents, and that some parents also learn from preschool teachers. They upload pictures of their children’s days and also talk about what their childhood was like. The activities they engage in promote social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development. And it gives us as parents ideas to bring home. It can be very difficult to always know what activities to do with your children, to prepare things, and to find the time to engage them in a way that you know will optimize their development.” , parent and director Emily Smith said. Vermont Department of Health Division of Family and Child Health Program Evaluation One big goal was to make child care convenient and affordable, and in addition to the Williston location, “Let’s Grow Kids” is a statewide initiative that will help families this year. The number of options available has increased significantly. “This has been a crisis for a long time. For the first time in the first, second and third quarters of this year, and for the first time since 2018, the number of child care program openings exceeded the number of closures. The fact that more programs were closing than starting shows how serious the crisis was,” said Allie Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids.
WILLISTON, VT —
With the help of public investment from the new child care law, Act 76, more than 100 new child care spaces are now open in Williston.
The University of Little Ones used part of a $125 million investment in Vermont’s child care system to expand capacity, upgrade classrooms and increase employee compensation.
A kindergarten owner says children deserve this after losing a child herself.
“My son Hunter passed away last year, and before he passed away, he told me that no one else can do this job like I can, and that he believed in me, and he believed in us. “And I truly feel for him today. “Since he passed away, we have felt for him in our center and in all our other centers.” Director Caryl Jacques said. He sent us to work because he believes in my work and every child needs a champion and little kids’ colleges are full of kids’ champions. Because I believe that. ”
The Little Ones University team said high-quality childcare also helps parents become better parents, with some parents saying they also learn from kindergarten teachers.
“They also upload photos from their children’s day and talk about how the activities they engage in promote social, emotional, cognitive and behavioral development. It gives us ideas to take back to our children when they were children. ”We always know what activities to do with our children, we prepare things, and we support their development. It’s very difficult to find time to engage our kids in a way that we know will be optimal,” said parent Emily Smith. Director of Program Evaluation, Division of Family and Child Health, Vermont Department of Health; “So being able to get feedback and ideas from the teachers that we’re working with, and also being able to provide a continuity of experience for the kids, was invaluable.”
Another major goal was to make childcare services convenient and affordable.
In addition to the Williston location, Let’s Grow Kids said it is a statewide effort and the number of options for families has increased significantly this year alone.
“This has been a crisis for a very long time. For the first time in the first, second and third quarters of this year, and for the first time since 2018, the number of child care program openings exceeded the number of closures. “The fact that more programs were closing than starting shows how serious the crisis was,” said Allie Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids.
