FCCJ takes over center
Felicia Flaum
Issue date: 10/28/08 Section: News
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The center, which was originally owned and funded by the city of Jacksonville, was closed due to budget cuts. FCCJ reopened the center and now operates it, while the city will remain landlord.
FCCJ will use the center to provide high-quality education for children as well as provide its facilities for laboratory schooling.
"FCCJ entered into the operating and licenses agreement for two key reasons, one being that FCCJ has a keen interest in early childhood learning and two, that with the offering of bachelors in applied science degrees next fall, the need to fulfill internship and training will be greatly needed," said Edythe Abdullah, FCCJ Downtown Campus president. "The Don Brewer Learning Center provides the opportunity for field placement requirements to be met along with the education and caring of children."
FCCJ and Chappell currently work together to operate four on-campus childcare centers, FCCJ President Steven Wallace said in a press release.
"The College is developing a Bachelor in Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and the Brewer Center will be an ideal location for a laboratory school in support of the program," Wallace said.
The mission of the center is to work with low-income families to place children in an early childhood development center so that the children can get an early start to more easily transition into elementary school later on, Abdullah said.
"The earlier we can teach our children the better," Abdullah said.
The programs and services will essentially be the same, but enhancements such as an early literacy and learning model curriculum, and a specialized curriculum from Chappell will be introduced, according to The Florida Times-Union.
As of right now, the center is in the early transitional stage, but at the end of the year, it should receive accreditation and see a larger increase in enrollment, Abdullah said.