Campus Fun and Learn Child Development Center

Campus Fun and Learn Child Development Center on the SUNY Rockland campus opened in September 2009. My daughter attended two and then three days per week beginning that month, and my son followed beginning in September 2012. They are both graduates of the entire program (infant though Pre-K), and are now in elementary school. I began as the parent representative on the Board of Directors, and gradually progressed to Vice Chair and then Chair of the board. When I took over as Chair in the fall of 2013, that is when my work truly began. The work that I have done with Campus Fun and Learn is one of the proudest parts of my professional career. While I did not expect to have such a large impact and influence on the school, I am forever grateful for the opportunity and the outcomes. "Real Learning: Real Fun" was a slogan that I instilled, and it is the beginning of the mission statement to this day.

When I took over the Board of Directors in the fall of 2013, the school was heavily in debt, hemorrhaging money and was most likely going to close its doors. Teachers were underpaid and classrooms lacked supplies. The school was opened as a non-profit, but both the director and board did not know how to run a non-profit center. The school was incredibly important to me as an early childhood educator and parent, and I was determined to not let the mismanagement continue. I took over the board and started from scratch. I brought in a non-profit fundraiser to train board members, and held training sessions in non-profit management and fundraising. In these sessions we came up with CFL's "Unique Service Position" with my guidance. I then restructured the board and its members' responsibilities and began to create a fundraising plan to get the school back in the black, supply the classrooms and pay the teachers an adequate wage. I personally brought in donors such as Tappan Zee Constructors, KPMG, Benchmark Education and Neiman Marketing Group. All of these groups provided funds to the school and resources based on the company's specialization and resources.

During this fundraising process, I recruited new board members that shared my vision and we got to work. I also worked with Debra Tietze to quickly put together a plan for a summer program that utilized all of the resources that the SUNY Rockland campus and CFL grounds had to offer in order to attract more children. That summer had the highest enrollment that CFL has ever had and has changed the summer program culture at the center to be more involved with the campus and nature. I also brought in a children's yoga instructor and acquired funding to pay her fees. During this process, the director resigned and I acted as the interim director while I searched for the right person to run the school in this new chapter. 

The director I hired in May 2014 is a former student of mine, and quite frankly one of the best teachers, students and people I know. She came into the school and immediately worked with me to turn the place around. We fundraised together, worked with teachers and added to the indoor and outdoor environment of the school. I spend most of the summer of 2014 at the school working with her and helping her to change the culture of Campus Fun and Learn from negative to positive. We raised enough money to fill the classroom with supplies and give teachers raises. We acquired community partners in the area that donated tens of thousands of dollars to the school for a new website, sensory garden and outdoor classroom. The link to the website is at the top of this page - I worked with Neiman Marketing Group to build the site and provided all of the content and visuals to make it the appealing and interactive website it is now. Our "Sensory Garden Event" in July 2014 showcased one of our major donors (KPMG) and attracted news media and local councilmen. The all day event truly represented what Campus Fun and Learn had become - a positive place where children are given opportunities and resources to reach their fullest potential. At the end of the day the children had a complete Outdoor Classroom. 

In the fall of 2014, I presented the "new" Campus Fun and Learn to the SUNY Rockland Board of Trustees. This group had continually supported CFL through all of the mismanagement and hemorrhaging of funds, and was shocked at what we were able to accomplish. They applauded my work and the work of the school, and from that moment on CFL was new. Since this time we have raised enough money to build a playground, fill a "board designated funds" account with money for the director to use for new projects, acquired additional donors and paid off a large amount of the debt the school acquired from SUNY Rockland when they didn't have any money. The school is now debt-free and I recently stepped down as chair to allow another former parent and educator to take the reigns. CFL also became accredited by NAEYC, which was my final "goal." 

It is impossible for me to fully describe the transformation that has happened and Campus Fun and Learn. I am incredibly proud of what the center is and represents for the Rockland County and Early Care and Education community. Below are pictures and documentation of the yoga, summer program, sensory garden, documentations, the donor wall and fundraising documentations and photos.