UGA Dedicates New Childcare Center

See Mike the UGA President.

See Mike take the scissors.

See Mike cut the ribbon. Cut, Mike, cut.

Mike did cut. He cut fast.

And in just a few seconds, UGA's University Childcare Center on the Health Sciences Campus in Normaltown was formally dedicated. The university spent $1.7 million renovating what was the base commissary for the former U.S. Navy Supply Corps School into a state-of-the-art day care facility.

“I wouldn’t want to build a childcare facility where I wouldn’t want one of my grandchildren to be,” said UGA President Michael Adams. “I would love my grandchildren to be here.”

The day care center meets the stringent National Association for the Education of Young Children standards. Operated by Prodigies Childcare Management, it is licensed for 146 children, six weeks to 5 years old, but so far, fewer than half that number have been registered. Those who come find clean, sunshiny rooms, with intact toys that are age appropriate.

The University Childcare Center has a ratio of children to caretakers which exceeeds what's required by the state. For infants at the center, it's four to one, as it is for crawlers and one-year-olds, said director Nadia Perez. For two year olds, it's one to six, and for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds, it's one to eight.

Operational only since January 3, the facility is open weekdays 7am until 6pm. Families pay anywhere from $195 to $175 a week for fulltime care. Those with incomes less than $70,000 annually pay $20 less a week.

Perez said the center is far from full. She expects to hire more teachers and staff members--like a cook--as more parents enroll their children.

The center is open to both community members and UGA faculty, staff and students. if there is ever a waiting list, priority will be given to those associated with the university, Perez said.

On Wednesday morning, at the dedication ceremony, teachers passed out safety scissors to children helping Adams and other university officials with the ribbon cutting. It went well, though one little girl puckered up afterwards and clutched her scissors, saying, "Mine."