The Child Development Center at Las Positas College closed on March 13 due to COVID-19 and the campus closure. The Center plans to reopen on Sept. 8. However the re-opening is limited to 25 children. Before the shutdown the attendance was about 80 children.
The Child Development Center did offer distance learning opportunities during the shutdown. All the Child Development Center specialists agree that “connecting via Zoom was a great alternative, but they are looking forward to being back in the classroom with children.”
The CDC asked parents how they feel about the center opening. CDC families agree that opening the center is better than Zoom.. One parent stated, ” Alan is back, so happy! He will be there on the 8th.”
Another parent said, “We are happy to come back. We know you put a lot of work into making the center safe. Thank you!”
Another parent said, “We miss our friends and teachers.”
About 10 to 15% of the Center’s clients are LPC staff members, 3 to 5% are LPC students and the rest from the local community. The Center has a 2GENFUND scholarship available to students and offers full and partly subsidized child care to students. A Veteran’s scholarship is also offered for First Time LPC Veteran students.
The shutdown of the Child Development Center not only affected the children but also staff. No classified staff members were laid off, but student assistants, short term and on call staff were laid off during the shutdown.
In order to open on Sept. 8, the Child Development Center had to make some changes. In addition to limiting the number of children to 25, the Center had developed a Health and Safety Plan, which includes limited class sizes, children staying in one class as a social bubble, staying with the same teacher all day and daily health protocols.
Child Development Center Director Angela Lopez encouraged anyone wanting more information to email her at amlopez@laspositascollege.edu.
Alan Lewis is the photo editor of The Express. Follow him @alolewis1.
