Tuesday, September 28, 2010
For Markia Moses, the distress of losing what she considers a quality daycare center through the closure of Point Park University's Children's School is only trumped by her inability to find another suitable facility Downtown.
She laments the fact that the school was extremely helpful in helping her son who was born prematurely, stating "the teachers helped him so much with his vocabulary [and] his social skills, […], so I just really think it's a bummer that they're closing it."
Moses spoke for many parents of children caught in the middle of Point Park's growth and its abandonment of programs, like the Children's School, that are being closed down to allow the university to use space and focus on its educational programs and rapid growth. The Children's School, instituted in the 1960s, has already stopped accepting new students and will permanently close the program next June.
Dating back to the founding of the university itself, the Children's School remains one of only three accredited early childhood education programs located Downtown. The school also has a rating of three out of four stars given by the Keystone STARS program.
The school is located on the third and fourth floors of Thayer Hall and offers programs for children from infants to preschoolers. Since the announcement of its closure, the school has ended a few of its programs. This past summer, the school ended its summer camp program for children ages six through 12 and also ended their kindergarten program.
Marketing and Communications Director Mary Ellen Solomon says the school is expected to "phase out operations" by June 30, 2011. In preparation for the close, the university is offering the service of transition coordinators to help parents find other childcare programs Downtown. The staff of the Children's School also has the option of using the provided transition coordinators to find new places of employment.
Markia Moses of Greentree City said she has been looking for new programs "on my own, but I will take them up on their offer" to find a new daycare program for her son who is currently enrolled in the school's early preschool program.
Parents that currently have children enrolled plan to find a new program located Downtown.
"I will find something Downtown for the convenience," said Lindsey Buckner, 26, of Pittsburgh. "I haven't looked yet. I'm [probably] going to […] wait a month or two before they actually close."
Buckner currently has a daughter enrolled in the older toddlers program at the school and also believes that her child is part of an excellent program.
Jennifer and Al of Pittsburgh, who requested their last name be withheld, believe that Point Park's children's program is the best in the city and are disappointed to see it close.
"We believe it to be one of the best, or the best childcare center Downtown and definitely one of the better centers in Pittsburgh," Jennifer said. "We've been extremely happy here. The quality of the childcare is excellent, the staff is excellent [and] the work-study students are dedicated. We're very disappointed with the university's decision."
Al had his older daughter enrolled in the past and suggested to Jennifer that they enroll their younger children in the school. The couple currently has two children enrolled in the Children's School, one in preschool and another in the toddler program.
"A lot of the staff that's here now was here when my older daughter went to the school and she's now fifteen, and they're still here" Al said. "That speaks a lot for the quality of the program because people stayed…. it's dedication, and their philosophy here is unmatched by any place else in the city."
The family also believes that the decision is a poor one, not only the for staff of the children's school, but for the student workers as well.
"It's a disservice to the students because I understand they can use it as work study and [possibly] get credit for classes and where else can you get the experience of working with children this age for their education purposes," Al said.
He adds that the university says the students can go off campus to get the same experience, but coming from a former student's view point, he says "it just seems much more difficult to have to go off campus when it's right in house."
"Everybody, in my opinion, seems to lose by this decision," Al said. No student workers or regular staff members were available for interviews, but parents agree that it is not fair to any parties concerned that the school is closing.
