
DATE: Thurday, May 15, 1997                 TAG: 9705140519

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Military 

SOURCE: BY KRISTEN DE DEYN KIRK 
                                            LENGTH:   97 lines

NORFOLK DAY-CARE CENTER HELPS NAVY SERVE AS NATIONAL MODEL CLINTON ASKS MILITARY TO SHARE ITS EXPERTISE WITH PRIVATE, STATE AND FEDERAL FACILITIES.

All parents want the best for their children, and a group of Navy personnel believe they've found it at the Norfolk Naval Station's child development center.

Ask them why, and the parents have a list: Beth Woodward talks about the amount of time spent on instruction. Monica Taylor appreciates the reasonable prices. Anthony Green praises the teachers for alerting him about his son's health. Darryl Eymard gets a kick out of participating in classroom activities.

That kind of talk is music to Kristen Carter.

As child development program administrator, Carter oversees the center, which cares for 288 children aged six months to 5 years for up to 10 hours a day.

``We strive to teach the children life, cognitive and social skills through active programs,'' Carter said. ``They're truly developmental programs.''

Centers like Carter's may soon join state and federal child care agencies and civilian day-care centers to improve the quality of these private and public facilities nationwide The move comes in response to recent praise of the military's child development programs from President Clinton, who also directed the armed forces' centers to share their expertise.

Carter believes the programs are being recognized because most, like hers, have earned accreditation from the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Accreditation is awarded by the academy to facilities that meet the needs of the children and adults - parents, providers and administrators - involved with the programs. The accrediting process includes a self-study, a site visit by academy officials, and a commission's review of the officials' findings. Only 5 percent of American day-care centers are accredited.

Carter attributes her center's success to her staff and the government money that helps her keep quality employees.

New hires must undergo a background check and must be certified in first aid and CPR. Each is on probation for 90 days and evaluated after six and 12 months by a senior staff member.

At least four hours of monthly training is required, and employees are encouraged to complete Navy caregiver training over an 18-month period.

That training, a series of 13 ``modules'' that include workbook exercises and hands-on activities, covers the foundations of child care from proper nutrition to positive discipline techniques and parent interaction. Employees get raises as they complete the modules.

Entry-level employees are paid $7.15 an hour - nearly 40 percent more, Carter said, than workers in similar positions at civilian day care operations.

The Norfolk Naval Station center employs 85 and strives for a low teacher-to-student ratio, Carter said - one teacher for every four babies under 13 months, one for every five children under 2, and one for every seven 2-year-olds, 10 3-year-olds and 12 4- and 5-year-olds.

With government subsidies, the program is able to charge parents less a week than most local day-care centers. Fees vary from $49 to $92 week, depending on family income. Some local centers, Carter said, charge as much as $145 weekly.

Monica Taylor, a food service administrator, has found the cost manageable since enrolling her 2-year-old daughter, Devonia, in the child development center one month ago.

The center's security is reassuring as well, she said.

``There's security everywhere, so I don't worry about her,'' Taylor said. ``And the teachers pay a lot of attention to her.

``She used to be quieter when she was staying with a friend of a friend. Now she's talking and singing more already.''

This peace of mind allows Taylor to concentrate on work, she said.

Barbara Willer, director of public affairs for the national Association for the Education of Young Children, called the military ``a model employer'' for its efforts to combat major sources of parental anxiety.

``They're supporting their employees, the parents, by helping with the arrangements for, and the cost of, day care,'' she said.

Willer would like to see private corporations follow the military's example by subsidizing such operations, and sees opportunities for civilian day care workers to get training at centers such as Carter's.

``I hope they'll all be open to help from the military,'' she said, ``because there's a lot to learn.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by Beth Bergman/The Virginian-Pilot

Robin Thompson, a teacher at the Norfolk Naval Station's child

development center, helps Laura Harroll, 3, with a puzzle. The

center cares for 288 children 5 years and younger for up to 10 hours

a day. ``We strive to teach the children life, cognitive and social

skills through active programs,'' program administrator Kristen

Carter said. ``They're truly developmental programs.''

Anthony Ellison, 3, plays with hand puppets at the Navy Child

Development Center in Norfolk. Parents say they're very pleased with

the care given there, and President Clinton said the program should

serve as a national model. KEYWORDS: MILITARY U.S. NAVY DAYCARE DAY-CARE