They actually reversed it and the Childrens Campus is staying open. I am literally shaking because I really thought this was a lost cause but you all kept showing up and now the board is backing down. I need a nap before I can even process the implications but for …
April 17, 2021
Final supporters
Dear President McDonough and members of the RVCC Board of Trustees,
We strongly urge you to reconsider the decision to close the Children’s Campus. Such a move would devastate our community.
The Children’s Campus serves a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and community members by providing a safe, high-quality pre-school education for our students, staff and community. Attending the Children’s Campus instills curiosity and fosters a life-long appreciation of learning in the children it serves, and supports the parents of those children as well, many of whom are students, staff, and faculty at the College. Exposing young children to this diverse, inclusive, and caring environment on our college campus lays the foundation for their appreciation of the value of education.
It is particularly harmful, bordering on cruel, to students, faculty, staff, and community families to close the Children’s Campus in the midst of this pandemic. It risks trauma for our young children as they are taken away from where they belong -- a place that has managed to keep them safe and well during a very turbulent time. Working parents will be forced to choose between dropping out of the workforce or securing a seat in scarce childcare facilities that are likely to be significantly more expensive and may not match the Children’s Campus’ curriculum that emphasizes developmentally appropriate learning. In fact, a recent survey conducted in NJ indicated that since the start of the pandemic, more than 1 in 10 parents reported having to leave the workforce to manage childcare, and of those parents, women were impacted 6 times more than men. In addition, the childcare shortage has had a devastating effect on communities of color, with nearly half of the families surveyed indicating that their childcare costs have significantly increased since the pandemic began.
We cannot let the RVCC Children’s Campus become yet another casualty of this pandemic. It must remain open.
We urge you to find a way to sustain the RVCC Children’s Campus so that it can maintain the essential role it has provided to our community for more than forty years.
Updates
March 13, 2021
I just looked at the screen and realized we hit five hundred signatures which is honestly kind of surreal because I started this sitting in my kitchen wondering if anyone even cared about the campus as much as I do. My coffee is cold now but I feel way too energized to go make more because the comments keep rolling in and wow some of you have the most beautiful stories about what the children learn there. Now I just need to figure out how to get this pile of digital names over to the administration's front door so they actually have to look at them.
Reached 500 supporters
March 13, 2021
March 10, 2021
I was just looking at the monitor and seeing the count climb so fast is honestly making my hands shake a bit (in a good way I swear). If we can just push through this next stretch and hit that five hundred mark it will make it impossible for them to keep pretending we are just a small group of annoyed people.
Reached 100 supporters
March 10, 2021
215 Comments
RVCC's Children Campus has been caring for our son, Anderson, for the last four years. My wife and I have always appreciated the caring, professional staff at the center! It'd be a shame to see this resource closed to the RVCC community.
Both of my daughters went to the Children’s Campus and thrived there. But more to the point, cutting high quality, affordable childcare during this endless, devastating pandemic, is cruel, and will stop women from getting their degrees.
Quality early care and education are critical for students, staff and faculty. Arbitrarily closing Children's Campus without complete evaluations and analysis will impose uncertainty and stress for so many families.
I was a day care employee for 7 years. The children benefitted from a safe environment to fellowship and learn while their parents had peace of mind knowing their children were well being cared for. I urge you to reconsider your decision to close your facility.
RVCC CC is what made it possible for me to attend college while working. It was affordable and the staff took an active part in nurturing my children. It’s a shame that it’s being closed. In a post covid world when we return to normalcy this is what will be most needed
The RVCC Children's Campus under the Director Cathy Griffin and Asst. Director Jill Accomando has always provided a safe, nurturing, fun learning environment for the children who attend there. The staff are professional, caring educators who always have the children's best interests in mind. It's convenient and affordable childcare for RVCC students, staff, and community. I thoroughly enjoyed my years working there. l hope the RVCC Children's Campus will continue to thrive.
It’s incredibly important to keep this open. When I was really young I went here and the time I still remember and am impacted by the time I spent there. I’m a high school senior now, and it would crush me to see it closer because of how influential it was for me. Please keep it open! :(
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They actually reversed it and the Childrens Campus is staying open. I am literally shaking because I really thought this was a lost cause but you all kept showing up and now the board is backing down. I need a nap before I can even process the implications but for …
April 17, 2021
Final supporters
Dear President McDonough and members of the RVCC Board of Trustees,
We strongly urge you to reconsider the decision to close the Children’s Campus. Such a move would devastate our community.
The Children’s Campus serves a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and community members by providing a safe, high-quality pre-school education for our students, staff and community. Attending the Children’s Campus instills curiosity and fosters a life-long appreciation of learning in the children it serves, and supports the parents of those children as well, many of whom are students, staff, and faculty at the College. Exposing young children to this diverse, inclusive, and caring environment on our college campus lays the foundation for their appreciation of the value of education.
It is particularly harmful, bordering on cruel, to students, faculty, staff, and community families to close the Children’s Campus in the midst of this pandemic. It risks trauma for our young children as they are taken away from where they belong -- a place that has managed to keep them safe and well during a very turbulent time. Working parents will be forced to choose between dropping out of the workforce or securing a seat in scarce childcare facilities that are likely to be significantly more expensive and may not match the Children’s Campus’ curriculum that emphasizes developmentally appropriate learning. In fact, a recent survey conducted in NJ indicated that since the start of the pandemic, more than 1 in 10 parents reported having to leave the workforce to manage childcare, and of those parents, women were impacted 6 times more than men. In addition, the childcare shortage has had a devastating effect on communities of color, with nearly half of the families surveyed indicating that their childcare costs have significantly increased since the pandemic began.
We cannot let the RVCC Children’s Campus become yet another casualty of this pandemic. It must remain open.
We urge you to find a way to sustain the RVCC Children’s Campus so that it can maintain the essential role it has provided to our community for more than forty years.
Updates
March 13, 2021
I just looked at the screen and realized we hit five hundred signatures which is honestly kind of surreal because I started this sitting in my kitchen wondering if anyone even cared about the campus as much as I do. My coffee is cold now but I feel way too energized to go make more because the comments keep rolling in and wow some of you have the most beautiful stories about what the children learn there. Now I just need to figure out how to get this pile of digital names over to the administration's front door so they actually have to look at them.
Reached 500 supporters
March 13, 2021
March 10, 2021
I was just looking at the monitor and seeing the count climb so fast is honestly making my hands shake a bit (in a good way I swear). If we can just push through this next stretch and hit that five hundred mark it will make it impossible for them to keep pretending we are just a small group of annoyed people.
Reached 100 supporters
March 10, 2021
215 Comments
The childcare was a vital resource for me when my twin sons attended when they were younger and I was working as an adjunct at the college. I hope we can find a way to keep it open for the students and employees who need it now.
RVCC's Children Campus has been caring for our son, Anderson, for the last four years. My wife and I have always appreciated the caring, professional staff at the center! It'd be a shame to see this resource closed to the RVCC community.
Both of my daughters went to the Children’s Campus and thrived there. But more to the point, cutting high quality, affordable childcare during this endless, devastating pandemic, is cruel, and will stop women from getting their degrees.
Quality early care and education are critical for students, staff and faculty. Arbitrarily closing Children's Campus without complete evaluations and analysis will impose uncertainty and stress for so many families.
I was a day care employee for 7 years. The children benefitted from a safe environment to fellowship and learn while their parents had peace of mind knowing their children were well being cared for. I urge you to reconsider your decision to close your facility.
RVCC CC is what made it possible for me to attend college while working. It was affordable and the staff took an active part in nurturing my children. It’s a shame that it’s being closed. In a post covid world when we return to normalcy this is what will be most needed
The RVCC Children's Campus under the Director Cathy Griffin and Asst. Director Jill Accomando has always provided a safe, nurturing, fun learning environment for the children who attend there. The staff are professional, caring educators who always have the children's best interests in mind. It's convenient and affordable childcare for RVCC students, staff, and community. I thoroughly enjoyed my years working there. l hope the RVCC Children's Campus will continue to thrive.
It’s incredibly important to keep this open. When I was really young I went here and the time I still remember and am impacted by the time I spent there. I’m a high school senior now, and it would crush me to see it closer because of how influential it was for me. Please keep it open! :(
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The childcare was a vital resource for me when my twin sons attended when they were younger and I was working as an adjunct at the college. I hope we can find a way to keep it open for the students and employees who need it now.