by Christopher Stark - The Metropolitan

Danny, 5, a student in the kindergarten at the Auraria Child Care Center waits for other students to get ready before he can go outside. The Center accepts children of students and faculty at Auraria Campus and some from off campus.

Childcare services are provided to more than 300 children by the Auraria childcare center on campus, and is available to students, faculty and staff.

Center Director Gina Hamelin said that the childcare center benefits both the children and their parents because of the convenience of having a childcare center on campus. In her opinion, the center is a highlight of the Auraria campus.

“I feel like Auraria has a big commitment to the students on this campus in making sure that childcare doesn’t stand in the way of education,” she said.

The Auraria childcare center exceeds the benefits provided by typical daycare centers. The children range from ages 1 to 6, and are educated in classrooms with enough staff to provide individual student attention.

There are no more than eight students per teacher in each classroom. Curriculum is taught to classes as a whole and also in smallgroup activities.

Kindergarten student Emma Cheever enjoys going to class each day and learning new things with the new friends she has made.

“I learn so much stuff and always have fun,” she said.

Every parent who enrolls a child in the center is charged a rate that is determined by the category for which they qualify. There are three categories, defined according to family size and income.

A parent with one kindergarten student and an income of $20,000 a year would be considered a category “B” (middle income) parent.

The cost to enroll a category “B” kindergarten student full-time is $530 a month. If that parent opts for half-time enrollment, the fee is $17.50 per day.

Student parents have the option of being subsidized for cost of the childcare. This is an option that many student parents use.

Once the category of a student parent is determined by the childcare center, that parent can visit the financial aid office and complete a childcare expense form.

The lead student advisor at the Metro financial aid office, Martin Vasquez, assists many students with completing the simple application process.

“The loans enable many parents to afford the services at the center. It is possible for a parent to use loans to cover the whole cost of childcare for one semester,” he said.

Financial aid is provided to students in the form of a federal subsidized or unsubsidized loan. These loans are offered to students enrolled in at least six credit hours.

The approval is not based upon past or present credit.

If a student parent is enrolled in at least three credit hours, he or she is eligible for the Child Care Access Mean Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program. CCAMPIS is a financial program offered by the center.

Once the semester is over, a student parent who is eligible to participate in the CCAMPIS program will receive a refund of up to 60 percent of the money they paid to enroll their child for the semester.

Faculty, staff and student parents who would like to take advantage of the quality education, proximity or payment options the center offers must participate in a lottery.

The student parent lottery for spring 2004 enrollment will be held at 7 a.m. on Dec. 1. The faculty and staff lottery will be Dec. 3.

If selected, a parent can, after necessary paper work is completed, officially enroll his or her child or children.

There are no waiting lists. A parent who is interested in enrollment can contact the childcare center at (303) 556-3188, to get information about mid-semester enrollment availability or answers to specific questions.