Annual Report 2024-2025

 

*We hired: 37 students 

*Had quit: 29 students quit.  1 of these students graduated and started their careers.  4 of these students left because they transferred to another school.   5 of these students left due school commitments.  The rest of the students left due to financial issues, struggles handling work and school or the job was not what they expected.

*Student employees have:

-flexible schedules (we work around their class schedule, with very little evening commitments) 

-ability to go home for the winter and summer breaks knowing they will have a job when they get back to school 

*We recognize the importance of investing in the next generation of early childhood professionals who will shape the lives of young children and drive positive change in our community.  Many aspiring early childhood professionals lack access to quality training and mentorship. The Child Development Center is committed to bridging this gap by providing hands-on experience, real-world applications, and experiential learning opportunities.

*We also recognize the importance we can have with other students that are not majoring in early childhood education.  We have students that use our center to complete their requirements for their degrees.

 

-Music (students come in and have music time)

-Spanish (students come in and teach the children Spanish words)

 

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Meet Our Team:

*Jillian Hoefer, Director
Jillian has been at the center since 2000, starting as a teacher assistant and working her way to director.  She graduated from Wichita State University in December of 2013 with a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in Counseling and holds a Play Therapy certificate. She holds a program director's license from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and has been the current director since May of 2011.

 
*Michelle Jarboe, Assistant Director
In 1997, Michelle earned an associate of applied science degree in early childhood education from Butler County Community College. She earned a bachelor's degree in human ecology at Kansas State University in 2000. Michelle has been at the center since 2007, starting as a lead toddler teacher and then moving to lead preschool teacher.  She has been the assistant director since 2016.  Michelle has her director’s license from the state of Kansas.  

 
*Amy Mease, Administrative Specialist
Amy began working at the child development center in January 1998 as a teacher assistant. She then became the center's Administrative Specialist in 1999. Amy has earned her Certificate in Supervision from the Center for Management Development. The best part of Amy's job is getting to greet each family and child every morning.

*Tiffany Littlejohn, Lead Pre-School Teacher 
Tiffany is a graduate of Wichita State University with a dual bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education with a certification in special education for ages birth to 3rd grade.  She began at the child development center in April 2008 as a Teacher Assistant working with all ages.  Tiffany's classroom is full of love, music, and fun.

*Autumn Bergkamp, Lead Toddler Teacher, 2-year-olds
Autumn graduated with her associate degree in science from Cloud County Community College, then graduated from Wichita State University in May 2015 with her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders. She began at the Wichita State University Child Development Center in August of 2014 as a teacher assistant working with infants and toddlers.  She loves the toddler group because you can see them making strides and learning new things day in and day out.

*Jessica Martin, Lead Pre-K Teacher
Jessica graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  She started working at the CDC in August 2020 where she instantly found a love for working with kids! She became the Lead TA of Room 5 in 2021 and fell in love with teaching Pre-K.  Jessica teaches the Kindergarten Readiness program for children ages 4-5 years who will be entering a kindergarten program the following year. Jessica loves coming to work each day because each day is always going to be something different and fun with the kids.

*Brandy Harris, Lead Pre-School Teacher
Brandy graduated in 2018 with her associate of applied science in early childhood education. She has worked at the WSU CDC since January 2020 where she started as a teacher assistant, then became the lead teacher substitute and in July 2022 became the lead teacher in Room 6.  She currently has her director's license through the state of Kansas.  Her goal is to fill any classroom with love, acceptance, laughter, learning, and fun.

*Ariana Hernandez, Lead Toddler Teacher, 1 year olds 
Ariana graduated in 2024 from Butler Community College with her associate of applied science in early childhood education.   She has worked at the CDC since 2020, working in each of the classrooms and acting as the lead teacher assistant in Room 1 and 3. Her goals as a teacher are to create strong relationships with her kiddos and families that she works with by sharing love, empathy, and patience. 

*Angie Lancaster, Lead Toddler Teacher, 1 & 2 year olds
Angie has been in early childhood education since 2004 when she started at Butler Community College to earn her associate degree and graduated in 2005 with her associate’s degree in early childhood education.  She firmly believes that children learn best through play, and it is her responsibility as their teacher to keep them safe and engage them with quality activities that enhance their learning.

*Rebecca Robinson, Lead Infant Teacher, 6 weeks to 1 year old
Rebecca graduated with her bachelor’s degree in social work from Kansas State University in 2013.   She has worked at Head Start, worked as a therapeutic horseback riding instructor and as a foster care worker.   She values building positive relationships and providing safe opportunities for exploration, fun and play so that each child can have the best environment for learning and growth.

*Ashlyn Riggs, Lead Teacher Substitute
Ashlyn graduated in May 2025 with her degree through the TAP program at Wichita State University.  Ashlyn began working at the CDC in June of 2022.  Her favorite part about working at the center is all the connections she has made with the kids, co-workers, and parents.  
*7 Lead Teacher Assistants

Staff Highlights & Accomplishments

~Early Childhood Impact Awards: Jill Hoefer, Michelle Jarboe and Amy Mease from administration; Angie Lancaster, Jessica Martin, Brandy Harris, Autumn Bergkamp, Ariana Hernandez, Rebecca Robinson, Ashlyn Riggs and Tiffany Littlejohn for the lead teachers;  Julia Zoglman,  Haley White,  Alexis Andring, Avrey Thompson, Dani Little, Elisa Fernandez, Gary Tran, Rylee Hockett, Sophie Gonzalez, Isabel Bektic, James Buhman-Wiggs, Maria Moreno, Maliyah Meza, Mayra Vargas, Natalie Mora and Riley Jaske for the teacher assistants.  The above individuals were nominated by their co-workers and parents at the center.

*Jessica Martin, Rebecca Robinson and Angie Lancaster were spotlight award recipients from the lead teacher category.   James Buhman-Wiggs and Julia Zoglmann were spotlight recipients from the teacher assistant category.  

~Brandy Harris was voted Teacher of the Year and James Buhman-Wiggs was voted Teacher Assistant of the year.   They were selected by parents and co-workers.

~ Jill Hoefer and Michelle Jarboe are part of the Early Childhood Director’s Organization.   They have been a part of setting up quality trainings for directors in the Wichita area.  They are also members of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health.

~Jill Hoefer is currently working towards an endorsement with the Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health.

~Tiffany Littlejohn and Michelle Jarboe are looking into the process of getting their endorsement with the Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health.

~Michelle Jarboe is part of the Child Nutrition & Wellness Advisory Council.

~Tiffany Littlejohn, Angie Lancaster, Ariana Hernanez and Autumn Bergkamp have given trainings to other centers in the city and surrounding areas and the staff and the center.   They continue to develop new trainings.

~Tiffany Littlejohn and Ashlyn Riggs are studying to take the Praxis test for the state of Kansas.

~Jill Hoefer, Michelle Jarboe, Ariana Hernandez, Brandy Harris, Jessica Martin and Tiffany Littlejohn took part in the Rhythmic Movement Training International series level 1 and 2. 
  
~Tiffany Littlejohn renewed her certification in Car Seat Training/Safety

~Rebecca Robinson was hired as the lead teacher in the infant room.

~Tiffany Littlejohn moved from the lead infant room teacher to a lead preschool teacher.

~Jill Hoefer, Michelle Jarboe, Amy Mease, Angie Lancaster, Brandy Harris, Jessica Martin and Tiffany Littlejohn have their directors license from the state of Kansas.

~Our center has achieved a 100% level of compliance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for the past 6 years.

Training and Professional Development

*Total hours of training completed by CDC staff and student workers:

-Roughly 1,103 in-service hours completed by teachers, administrators and staff.  Each person that works at the CDC is required by the state to complete a minimum of 16 hours of in-service within our licensing year with 4 of these hours in the health and safety category

-1 national conference attended by 3 lead teachers and the director

-1 Infant/toddler mental health conference attended by infant room lead teacher

-1 local conference attended by director and assistant director

-1 leadership conference attended by the director and assistant director

*Topics covered in professional development trainings:

-Car Seat Safety

-Food Allergies

-Adverse Childhood Experiences

-Policies and Procedures

-Darkness to Light (child abuse)

-How to handle different behaviors

-Speech

-Feeding challenges

-Importance of mental health for employees

*Compliance and licensing benchmarks:

-Each staff member completes:

            ~TB testing with a negative test result

            ~CPR/First Aid training

            ~Completing 16 hours of in-service per licensing year

            ~Fingerprinting completed every 5 years

            ~2 online classes through Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities

-Each year we have an annual visit from the health department to renew our license.  They review a variety of things from naptimes, ratios, making sure all files and paperwork are complete, etc. 

Children and Families Served

 Total Enrollment and Families 

*Total children enrolled: 88

*Total families: 63
*Faculty/Staff: 30|
*Alumni: 24
*Community: 5
*Students: 4

Waitlist Breakdown 

*Total children on waitlist: 67

*Infants: 29
*1-year-olds: 15
*2-year-olds: 9
*Preschool: 12
*Pre-K: 2

-Student worker testimonial

*I started working at the Wichita State University Child Development Center in February of this year, and although I haven’t been there long, I have fallen in love with working with children but also with all of the staff that work there. I started working at the CDC in my second semester of my freshman year, knowing I loved working with children and wanting to expand my knowledge with child development and care while beginning to pursue a major in social work. Since working at the child development center, I have decided to take two psychology classes next semester in child psychology and developmental psychology. Upon my first day I was welcomed with open arms, and I simply love working with all the children. This summer I was to pursue an internship back in Kansas City working in a homeless community center for women and children healing from trauma and abuse, where they placed me as a lead preschool teacher. I was nervous to say the least, but the Child Development Center gave me the knowledge and skill set to help teach and support these children in their circumstances. One of the most important lessons they taught me is to love the children for who they are no matter what. I am excited to return to the child development center in the fall, and to see what the future holds! 

-Kaelyn Schroeder 

*Working at the Child Development Center is fantastic for a variety of reasons. It's a fun job, it provides fantastic experience dealing with children and community leaders, and it's a convenient position to have for busy schedules, to mention. I am a nursing major, and I have yet to find a job that is more suitable for my school schedule. On top of that, the fact that this employment is so flexible with busy school schedules is a great plus. It's convenient to be able to walk between work and class. This is a profession where you can work and play with wonderful children. You must be professional, just like any other workplace, but you also have the opportunity to play, be goofy, and simply have fun! Most occupations do induce stress; however, this one has been more of a stress relief than a stressor for me. Working here is an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. I found one of my lifelong mentors, as well as lifelong friends and community ties. You gain so much knowledge. I am confident that not only will this work make me a better person, but it will also make me a better mother when I have my own children.
— Kaia Siebert

The WSU Child Development Center has been such a positive work environment during my time at WSU! It has allowed me to work with the early childhood age group which will better me as a future Speech-Language Pathologist! 
-Emily Streeter

I have been at the CDC for just under a year and I have loved all of it. I love coming in and learning something new for the kids every day and seeing how their personalities are always changing and growing. It has also helped to reinforce my love of teaching, despite being a secondary education student at WSU. Everyone is so supportive and is always willing to help where they can. Each of the lead teachers has such a welcoming classroom that is unique to them. Admin makes coming to work fun and there is always something fun planned each week. I am confident that the CDC is where I will send my kids in the future.
-Mauryn Lehmann

-Parent testimonial

*Our daughter started going to the CDC in October of 2020 and has done nothing but flourish since being there. She will come home and tell us all the cool facts that she learned that day. Watching her grow up at the CDC has been nothing short of amazing and I am so sad that she has graduated Pre-K and will no longer be attending in August. 

The teachers and support staff have been amazing with answering questions we have. Jill has been amazing at answering anything that others can't answer, and Amy is always the first smiling face you see when you walk in the door. 

If you're thinking about putting your child at the CDC, I highly recommend it; not only for their wellbeing but also yours cause you know they will be taken care of, learn so so much, make unforgettable memories and friends to last them a lifetime. 
— Vanessa Keeler and Matthew Gayton

We are so grateful to have both of our daughters at the CDC and we truly couldn’t imagine a better place for them to grow and learn. From the very beginning, we’ve been consistently impressed by the thoughtful, engaging curriculum — even in the infant room. The activities they plan for the youngest children are intentional, enriching and developmentally appropriate.

What makes the CDC so special is the sense of community and care. It truly feels like a family. Every teacher, whether they’ve had our children in their class or not, knows them by name and shares stories that make it clear how well they’re seen and loved. Our girls have not only been nurtured by compassionate teachers and TAs, but they’ve also learned meaningful life and self-help skills, like how to recognize and express their feelings, or how to put on and zip their own jackets.

As our oldest prepares to start kindergarten next year, we feel confident she’s ready to thrive, and we credit so much of that to the strong foundation she’s received at the CDC.
-Kayla and Tyler Pennick

Applied Learning and Student Employment

-Total student employment hours

            *Average number of hours per week is 800

            *8% of those hours are work study

-Number of students participating in applied learning roles

            *25 students

-Student employee satisfaction or developmental feedback

*I love the kids, and I have found a great teacher that I consider a mentor.  Since this is my future career, from the right people I have learned a lot, and I greatly value that.

            *Insight into my future career.

            *I like working with children and the work study.

*I enjoy getting to see the kids grow and be a positive impact on their lives.  It’s a highlight when they come to say hi or ask for a hug.

Departmental Goals

1) Guarantee an applied learning or research experience for every student by each academic program.

Provide an environment for students to meet their academic goals in their academic curriculum.

Objectives

1. 1. Forge a relationship between the Child Development Center and other Departments on Campus to help WSU students with their academia.
   2. Continue to build a partnership with the Early Childhood Education Department to ensure experiential learning during the school year.

2) Capitalize systematically on relevant existing and emerging societal and economic trends that increase quality educational opportunities.

Ensure returning students the opportunity to invest in their child’s future in an exceptional Early Childhood educational program while building their own.

Objective

1. 1. Update our program technology to incorporate the latest societal trends in Early Childhood Education during the school year.
   2. Continue to collaborate with the academic departments on campus on research projects that involve children birth-age 6.

3) Accelerate the discovery, creation and transfer of new knowledge.

Engage with any research-based project that advances the knowledge of early childhood education or young children.

Departmental Snapshots & Key Data Points

*Total number of student employees served: 72

*Classification:

            ~Freshman: 38
            ~Sophomore: 11
            ~Junior: 13
            ~Senior: 6
            ~Non-Students: 4

*Race/Ethnicity:

            ~White: 57
            ~African American: 5
            ~Asian: 3
            ~White/African American: 1
            ~Pacifica Islander: 1
            ~American Indian or Alaska Native: 3
            ~Preferred not to say: 2
            ~Hispanic-15
            ~Non-Hispanic-57

*First Generation: 36

*Gender Identity:

            ~Female: 60
            ~Male: 7
            ~Non-Binary: 2
            ~Transgender Female: 1
            ~Preferred not to say: 2

*Residency:

            ~International: 2
            ~In-State: 42
            ~Out of state: 13
            ~Residential: 15

Divisional Outcomes from DSA Priorities

Priority One: Innovate Student Engagement
Key Metrics & Outcomes: 

*Total number of engagement events held within our department:

            ~17 events
            ~For example, celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, finals food, caramel apple bar, TA of the month, hot chocolate bar, trail mix bar, employee appreciation day, teacher appreciation week, etc.

 

*Community partnerships formed:

-Happy Feet
-Happy Hoops
-Children Behavior Services
-Breastfeeding Coalition
 -Make a Difference Trainings
 -Wichita Public Library
 -Early Childhood Directors Organization
 -Kansas Children’s Service League
 -Kansas Department of Children and Families
 -Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities
 -Kansas Department of Health and Environment
 -Rainbows United
 -Spirit Engineering, sponsor STEM activities with the preschool age children
-Early childhood professionals from around the area can observe our classrooms
-The Treehouse is an organization that helps low-income families
-Food Drive for Shocker Support Locker, Kansas Food Bank and Food 4 Kids
-Child and Adult Care Food Programs
-Integrated OT

*Student employee comments:

-Regarding working at the Child Development Center (CDC):

"At first, I started working here because I needed money, but now I do it because I love what I do and the connections I’ve made."

"I enjoy knowing that my hours don’t interfere with my classes. Working with children is good practice for my future career."

"I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, but this experience has helped me learn how to be a better caregiver."

"One thing I really enjoy about working at the CDC is the community aspect. I’ve met some of my best friends here. I also love the fun themed days where teachers jump into the activities and get silly with the kids."

Priority Two: Expand Students’ Applied Learning

 Key Metrics and Outcomes:

*Partnerships created or expanded to facilitate experiential learning

~Cross-Campus Partnerships:

-Play Therapy Department
-Melissa Vagts, Speech and Hearing Clinic/Feeding Interactions
-Samantha Gregus, Assistant professor, Psychology
-Cindy Malcom, Education Department
-WSU PD, reading to the children
-WSU PD, active shooter training for staff
-College of Applied Studies

*Number of students participating in applied learning experiences through Student Affairs

~We have 25 students with the applied learning grant in the education, healthcare or related field

*Integration of applied learning into student employment or leadership roles

            ~We have 7 lead teacher assistants that are in leadership roles.  They oversee the classroom when the lead teacher is gone and implement their own lesson plans.

Priority Three: Address Departmental Needs to Optimize Service

Key Metrics & Outcomes:

 *Investment in staff development, wellness, or retention efforts:

~Looking at better ways to train new teacher assistants

-Creating training videos that can be watched before starting and teacher assistants will have access to them for review when needed
-Giving the option of observing in all classrooms before actually starting to work

*Feedback from staff satisfaction or service experience surveys:
We surveyed 57 teacher assistants. Here are the key responses:

1. What would make your work experience more enjoyable?
39 respondents answered
   *17 are happy with their current job and wouldn’t change anything
   *3 want more snacks and drinks
   *3 want better pay
   *3 want more support from administration
   *3 want opportunities to get to know co-workers better
   *10 provided miscellaneous answers

2. Why did you choose to work here?
49 respondents answered
   *36 cited the children as their reason
   *6 mentioned the work environment
   *4 said it helps with future career experience
   *3 appreciate the schedule and convenience

3. Do you feel recognized and appreciated as a Lead Teacher Assistant/Teacher Assistant?
Please share ideas on how to feel more appreciated.

40 respondents answered
   *28 feel appreciated
   *2 do not feel appreciated
   *6 provided ideas for feeling more appreciated
   *1 was unsure
   *3 responses were not related to the question

4. Do you feel like a team player and part of the WSU CDC?
How can we improve in this area?

38 respondents answered
   *24 feel like a team player
   *7 provided suggestions for improvement
   *3 responded N/A
   *4 gave miscellaneous answers

Looking at the Future:

To enhance our impact on early childhood education, we propose a three-pronged approach:

**1.  Modernizing the Existing Child Development Center (CDC):  We will upgrade the current CDC site, transforming its classrooms and building into a state-of-the-art facility. This will ensure a high-quality learning environment for children from 6 weeks to 6 years old.

**2.  Establishing a Second Site: A new site, housing five classrooms, will further expand our capacity to serve children aged 6 weeks to 6 years.  This expansion will allow us to meet the growing demand for high-quality early childhood education and provide more hands-on learning opportunities for education students.

**3.  Developing a K-6 Micro Lab School: This facility would have state-of-the-art technology, space for STEAM and Makerspace providing hands-on opportunities for science, technology, engineering, art and math.  There would be additional space for WSU faculty and students to interact with children.  

Benefits of this Expansion:

* **Increased Capacity: The addition of a second site will substantially increase the number of children served, benefiting more families.
* **Enhanced Educational Opportunities: All three locations will provide invaluable learning experiences for education students, fostering their skills in early childhood education, play therapy, and related fields.
* **Community Partnerships: A network of support for early childhood education will be established through collaborations with local schools and community organizations.
* **Research Hub: The combined facilities will serve as a central location for faculty and student research in early childhood education, play therapy, and associated disciplines.

Currently, the CDC is housed within the division of student affairs. By transitioning to the college of applied studies the CDC would be able to enhance academic integration, strengthen research and innovation and expand their community engagement. 

This comprehensive plan positions the CDC for continued success in providing exceptional early childhood education and research opportunities.