Crafton Hills College Child Development Center set to reopen safely, now accepting applications

The Crafton Hills College (CHC) Child Development Center plans to reopen August 9 as COVID-19 cases steadily decline and vaccination rates rise across the county.

The Child Development Center had initially closed in March 2020 following recommendations from the County Department of Public Health. While it was closed, the Center’s staff deep-cleaned and disinfected the facility, said CHC Child Development Center Director Deborah Wasbotten. She added that the priorities for reopening will be health and safety, as well as providing a positive experience for the children in their care.

“When we return, we will focus on the children’s social and emotional development,” Wasbotten said. “We understand that this past year has been spent away from direct connections with others for most of us. Our staff will do their best to ensure a welcoming transition back into school.”

The Child Development Center will implement all health and safety protocols as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, the county health department, and community care licensing guidelines for childcare centers.

“Most of these standards are already embedded in our health practices,” Wasbotten said. “But we want the public to be sure that we are creating the safest possible environment for their children and that we and college officials believe the risk is relatively low for us to reopen our centers.”

Safety protocols for the Child Development Center include frequent handwashing, cleaning, covering coughs and sanitizing “high-touch” items and hard surfaces. Regular health checks will continue to be implemented, with exclusions for fever, rash, and other communicable-type diseases.

More information will be provided as it becomes available. The Child Development Center is currently accepting applications. Visit craftonhills.edu/childdevelopmentcenter for more information.