NORWICH – Sound fills the room as children file in, faces red and shiny from the warm summer day.
“Walking feet, please,” says Darlene Alexander, as children greet her excitedly and scurry by.
“You can tell they’ve really been playing out there,” she says, smiling.
Alexander is the director of The Children’s Center, located at One Virginia Lane, in Norwich.
The Children’s Center is managed by Catholic Charities of Chenango County. It currently serves around 36 children, ranging in age from three months to four years, and employs 22 full and part-time staff members.
The center is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and runs a structured pre-school program from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Children are provided breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.
Learning centers, where the children participate in reading, writing, science and art projects, are set up in the four, three and even two-year-old classrooms.
“When I give tours, I have people tell me this is the best kept secret in Norwich,” Alexander said.
Recently, the Children’s Center has seen a drop in enrollment and there are slots in every age group waiting to be filled.
“My phone used to ring incessantly, but lately it not ringing so much,” Alexander said.
The Center has five openings in its infant room, three openings in the room for one year olds, two openings in the room for two year olds, four openings in the room for three year olds and six openings in the room for children who are four. The facility is equipped to take infants as young a six weeks.
Alexander said she thinks the sudden lack of enrollment may have to do with the current state of the economy. With fewer people employed, there is less need for daycare services.
“Normally we have a waiting list,” Alexander said. “But the way the economy hit us ...”
She shakes her head.
Alexander said she also believes the lack of enrollment may have to do with misconceptions about the Center.
“People have an understanding that this is for a certain socio-economic class,” she said.
She said some people think it is only a service for low-income families, while others think it is only for the wealthy. Still others assume the center is just for special needs children.
“But really we’re here for everybody.”
The center receives some funding from Chenango United Way, mainly for a reading and writing program, and grants, including one from the Youth Philanthropy Council which will go to buying computer equipment for the preschoolers.
However, most of the funding for the Center comes from the tuition paid by parents. Lack of enrollment means less tuition money and some tough choices for Alexander.
The Center can no longer afford to offer a sliding scale tuition or scholarships for low-income families. Alexander has also had to lay off two members of her staff, and now may face the possibility of more.
“I would probably have to adjust the amount of people I employ,” she said.
Despite this, Alexander’s main concern continues to be the quality of care provided. She describes with pride how parents whose children have aged out of the Center have left notes, thanking Alexander and her staff for their peace of mind.
“Parents say how great it is to be able to go to work and know their child is in good hands.”
Alexander said she wants to continue to create a happy and nurturing environment for children to grow and develop in.
“That not only helps the child,” she said. “It helps the family and, in turn, helps the community.”
For additional information about the Children’s Center, an application, or to schedule a tour, call (607) 336-4499.