Meet The Participants

Congratulations!

Participating in the pilot phase of the Registered Child Care Apprenticeship Program, Pine Forest Children’s Center sponsored one successful apprenticeship team and continues to sponsor new apprentices in Burlington!

Pine Forest Children’s Center was founded in November 1988 by the Baird Center for Children & Families-a Division of the Howard Center for Human Services. The center was designed to be a quality child care center that would meet the following population needs:

1. Provide a home base for Baird and Howard employees’ children
   
2. Provide a full day, full year child care center located in the South End of Burlington
   
3. Provide an integrated program for the community and provide a quality setting for families with identified needs

The program at PFCC honors the individual child and his/her family. The teachers are professionally prepared to work perceptively and warmly with diverse children and families. Appropriate curriculum is developed through observation of the child at play. Each group of children and adults is involved in exploration, discovery and experimentation. The teachers guide, ask questions, provide materials and develop new challenges based on their observations.

PFCC began with 3 infants, and currently provides care for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. They have expanded to include toddler, preschool and host a small kindergarten program. The center also operates a continuing kindergarten program at Champlain Elementary School.

Pine Forest Children’s Center currently sponsors 2 Apprentices

Apprentice Jackie Cregar has completed her 4000 hours on the job and has recently completed her 6^th college course. She is compiling her packet of documentation to be submitted to the VT Department of Labor for formal completion of all requirements.

Apprentice Crystal Clark graduated from Burlington High School in 2004 and began working at Pine Forest Children’s Center in June 2005. Crystal entered the Registered Apprenticeship Program in September 2005.

Mentor Tracey Girdich returns to the Apprenticeship Program to mentor Crystal through her 4,000 hour training period. Tracey earned her BA in Theater Arts in 1987 and her Certificate in Early Childhood Education in 1991. Tracey writes, “I like the concept of mentoring and I enjoy helping my peers to increase their strengths in the field. I am eager to share my skill of giving clear and constructive feedback. I feel it is invaluable to any teaching situation. I hope to gain the experience of watching my apprentice grow and learn as she becomes part of the community at the center.”