Viking_Yearbook_90

Childcare on The Helen Gordon Child Devel– opment Center is a university-oper– ated service that provides a quality educational laboratory preschool/ extended day program for children 2 to 6 years of age. The center pri– marily serves the child-care needs of Portland State University students, although a number of slots are set aside for the children of faculty, staff, and members of the commu– nity. It is conveniently located on campus. Enrollment is ba..~ on the date of 40 application and there is usually a lengthy waiting list of up to 18 months, according to the center's director Margaret Browning. How– ever, parents can get lucky and have a much shorter wait, depending on the child's age and days of the week that child care is required, i.e. MWF, or TTh. Presently there are 107 children enrolled, 96 per day plus part-time. Besides the obvious conveniences of having a preschool/daycare program on campus, the center also offers two other great benefits to the university. It enables students from education, psychology, and related fields to complete course require– ments through observation, prac– ticum, or research activities. Also, faculty members use the center for their own research projects. The center also provides employment opportunities for students, both work study and regular wage, who are enrolled in full-time COlll'SiewcJrk Volunteers also assist the center by donating their services to the pro-