For more information, contact Julie Kramp, 620-792-9278.

November 20, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by: Linda Jerke

Barton Community College will offer a course in Creative Experiences for Children from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 12 through March 12, on the Hays campus of North Central Kansas Technical College. Shara Neidenthal will be the instructor.

The Creative Experiences course will be a combination of lecture and “hands-on” learning with the development of a themed unit of the student’s choice and materials to go along with the unit. The course will help students prepare for their classroom experience.

Barton also will offer Introduction to Early Childhood Education from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 23 through May 11, on the NCKTC Hays campus. Kris Schulte will be the instructor.

Responding to the growing demand for qualified child care providers and educators in the Hays area, North Central Kansas Technical College has established a partnership with Barton to provide course work that will lead to an associate degree in early childhood education on NCKTC’s Hays campus.

NCKTC consistently offers the general education coursework required to complete this degree. The technical college also has worked with Barton’s Early Childhood Program to ensure students in the area are able to complete their degrees in Hays.

This program offers a head start to students interested in completing a bachelor’s degree at Fort Hays State University. This partnership demonstrates a unique beneficial collaboration between a community college, technical college and four-year university.

Local careers available for students with degrees in early childhood education include child care administrator, professional nanny, paraprofessional, family child care provider, day care provider, after-school program provider and corporate care provider.

Students may qualify for Federal Financial Aid and/or other scholarships and tuition assistance. Anyone interested in this program may contact Barton’s Early Childhood Program toll free, 866-813-2462, or NCKTC, 785-623-6152.

Starting in January 2010, Barton’s Early Childhood Education program is offering a new scholarship opportunity for students through the Early Childhood Associate Apprenticeship Program. This program utilizes registered apprenticeship in order to help early care and education providers create high-quality learning environments for young Kansans.

The program engages any center-based provider seeking strong, ethical employees with demonstrated work ethics and accountability. The program allows participants to become acquainted with the skills and knowledge required by both the industry and the individual employer while continuing to earn an income. It combines on-the-job training with related classroom instruction that can be received at Barton Community College on the Barton County campus, online, or through Barton’s program at Hays in conjunction with NCKTC.

All apprentices work in early childhood programs and take coursework in Early Childhood Education. ECAAP pays 100 percent of the books, fees and tuition for these core Early Childhood courses. ECAAP also pays the CDA assessment fee for participants. Obtaining the CDA is one requirement for the apprenticeship program.

Barton and ECAAP are looking for Early Childhood center-based programs that are in need of hiring staff or training current staff who are wanting to build knowledge and expertise in their employees at no cost to them.

For more information, contact Marla Canfield, ECAAP Program Consultant with KANSASWORKS, 316-771-6830, or Cheryl Couch, Barton’s Early Childhood Coordinator, 620-786-1130. Beginning in January 2010, these courses can be taken on the Barton County campus, online, or through Barton’s program in conjunction with NCKTC at Hays.