Meet The Participants

CONGRATULATIONS! 

Missy Bell successfully completed all training requirements and earned her Certificate of Completion from the VT Department of Labor for the trade of

Child Care Development Specialist in February 2004!

College Street Children’s Center returns in 2005 to sponsor a new apprentice!

College Street Children’s Center was established to meet the needs of faculty and staff of Middlebury College, many of whom were in need of infant/toddler child care. A consortium was formed with the Bristol Family Center, Mary Johnson Children’s Center, Otter Creek Child Care Center and Middlebury College to meet that need.

CSCC serves children aged 6 weeks to 3 years and works with each family to make the transition to another child care program as smooth as possible for the child. “We are dedicated to providing for the growth of the children in a safe, healthy, creative, stimulating, nurturing environment; and advocating for their rights as members of our greater society.”

Apprentice Christopher Thebodo enrolled in the Registered Apprenticeship Program in October 2005 and began his first apprenticeship sponsored college course through Community College of VT in September.

Chris writes, “ Going through the Registered Apprenticeship Program currently appears to be the most appropriate course of action for me to take. The Program directly coincides with the Early Childhood Education track I wish to stay on, and by following such, it will ultimately give me the necessary tools to achieve a CDA (Child Development Associate) status. This achieved status, assisted by completing the Registered Apprenticeship Program, will reinforce my current skills in the field of Early Childhood Education and will more easily help me to develop new appropriate and applicable ones.”

Director Joshua Brooks will be responsible for mentoring Chris, as he continues through his 4,000 hours of on-the-job training. Josh came to College Street Children’s Center in 2006, after several years of teaching at Mary Johnson Children’s Center, also in Middlebury. Josh has a Bachelor of Art in Elementary Education and English from St. Michael’s College and is currently working towards his Master’s at the University of Vermont.

Joshua writes, “In a field where the points of entry are many, an on-the-job training program such as the Apprenticeship Program is a necessity. A number of studies over the past few years have shown the impact of high-quality care on young children and families to be overwhelmingly positive. If we are to provide children and families with the highest quality of early care possible, we need first to staff our centers and preschools with the most caring, competent, and capable early educators possible. The Apprenticeship Program is a fantastic first step towards creating a workforce that is highly qualified.”