
		Overview Requirements Liberal Studies Concentration Senior Seminar and Internship Faculty Useful Links Frequently Asked Questions Advising

Senior Internship Experience

Mary Osterman

Modesto City Schools offers child care for 70 low-income three- to five-year-old children at Everett Elementary School and Robertson Road Elementary School. This is a comprehensive child care program funded by the California Department of Education, Child Development Division. It offers: developmental curriculum, health services, nutrition and parent education.

Modesto City Schools also offers school age child care known as Latchkey for 450 children at nine elementary schools. Half of the enrollment is subsidized through the California Department of Education, Child Development Division and half is non-subsidized. It offers before and after and full day child care.

CHILDREN'S CENTERÊ

Robertson Road Children's Center is located at Robertson Elementary School 1111 Hammond Street, Modesto, CA. This complex houses the elementary school, Healthy Start, Head Start, State Preschool and the Children's Center. The Children's Center is staffed with four teachers and six instructional paraprofessionals. The hours are 7:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. The center is open 247 days a year.

Everett Children's Center is at Everett Elementary School 1530 Mt. Vernon Drive, Modesto, CA. The center is staffed with two teachers and three instructional paraprofessionals. The hours are 7:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. The center is open 247 days a year.

The Children's Center goals are to:

provide a safe and comfortable environment that is staffed by caring adults
support the individual growth and development of each child
recognize that each child brings to the program his or her own family values and cultures
increase the parents' understanding and knowledge of child growth and development
help meet the needs of the families

Families are offered parent/staff conferences, parent meetings, participation on the advisory board, health services by the school nurse, social service referrals and a nutrition program.

The children's program uses a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Each child is assessed within 30 days of enrollment and then twice a year. Each child has a portfolio which is shared with the parents during conferences.

LATCHKEY

The following school sites offer Latchkey:

Beard Elementary
Everett Elementary
Franklin Elementary
Fremont Elementary
Lakewood Elementary
Martone Elementary
Muir Elementary
Rose Avenue Elementary
Sonoma Elementary

All sites offer before and after school child care for 1st through 6th grades. Hours vary according to each school schedule. Franklin Elementary is the school available for off-track child care for kindergarten through 6th grades. The hours are 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Fremont and Rose Avenue schools offer child care for morning kindergarten children. Each site is staffed with teachers and instructional paraprofessionals according to their ratios.

Latchkey goals are to:

provide a quality environment that provides social, emotional and intellectual growth
provide a safe and comfortable environment that is staffed by caring adults
facilitate the development of each child as the child interacts with materials, ideas and people
emphasize self esteem, problem solving and life skills through the curriculum
help meet the needs of the families

Families are offered parent conferences, parent involvement and the opportunity to participate on the advisory board. The children's programoffers a stimulating environment that addresses each child's development. This includes activities such as arts and crafts, cooking, sports, science, social and cultural interchange and time to do homework.

My Internship was with Judi Drobnick, Supervisor of Child Care Programs for Modesto City Schools. I assisted her in any aspect that pertained to these child care programs. I had a variety of experiences with the Children's Center and Latchkey staff and parents. I also was involved in evaluating a new computer student system and its compatibility with the child care programs. I appreciated the opportunity to become involved with the staff and parents and valued what they taught me. Center base child care is a delivery mode I was not entirely familiar with. This Internship allowed me to expand my skills to other child care environments. I found the experience and programs very valuable.

Modesto City Schools Child Care Programs offers parents a service that enables them to afford child care, work, attend school or training. All child care enrollment and waiting lists are administered at Modesto City Schools District Office, 426 Locust Street, Modesto, CA. The phone number for information is 209-576-4796.