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The URC Child Development Center is a unique child care facility that brings together all generations of people from ages 4 weeks to 100 plus years of age in a shared space environment. The shared space brings about endless opportunities and advantages for both the children and residents who are served within our facility and provides a wonderful and unique learning environment. Our entire campus embraces the Eden Alternative philosophy. This gives the children, families, and staff the benefits of having complete access to teaching staff, dietary staff, nursing staff, housekeeping staff, maintenance staff, recreational therapy staff, and administrative staff within a loving, safe, and homelike environment. We provide quality care and an educational environment that promotes the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of each child.

The URC Child Development Center is open for the enrollment of all children, four weeks through 12 years of age. The open enrollment includes infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as well as children with or without special needs, before and after school care, drop-in care, and respite care.

Director:
Dawn Kane is the director of the URC Child Development Center. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with a special education endorsement. Dawn has five years  of nursing home experience and over twenty years experience in respite care for children with special needs, registered home daycare, childcare center teaching, and administration. Dawn is a Habitat for Humanity volunteer and on their development committee. She is also a Brookings Hospital Auxiliary board member/membership chairperson and Kelly McGeough Foundation board member. Dawn belongs to the SD Voices for Children and was named a 2006 Champion for Children honor roll member. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and has reached Level VI on the SD Pathways to Professional Development. In 2007, Dawn received the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Service Award for outstanding administrator of an early childhood program. She is CPR and First Aid certified. She enjoys spending time with her own two children.

Staff:
The URC Child Development Center has a staff of approximately 19 people which includes an office assistant, teachers, and teacher assistants. All of our head teachers and several of our teacher assistants have a degree and/or certification in early childhood education/elementary education or a related field. The entire staff has a wide variety of previous experience with children and receives First Aid and CPR certification. They are a well trained and experienced support system for the children, residents, families, and each other.