New child-care facility opens on North Campus Sept. 7

Washington University’s new child-care facility on the North Campus will open Tuesday, Sept. 7, announced Ann Prenatt, vice chancellor for human resources.

The Washington University Family Learning Center is located at 840 Rosedale Ave. in University City and offers care for 156 children from the ages of 6 weeks to 6 years.

The 19,900-square-foot center serves the children of faculty, staff and students and is accessible from the Danforth, West and Medical campuses by car and by MetroLink.

“The university is thrilled to open the Family Learning Center and welcome the children of faculty, staff and students,” Prenatt says. “Having high-quality child care available close to where parents live, learn and work provides parents convenience and the comfort of knowing their children are participating in an early-education program managed by leading provider of child-care programs.”

The lottery for the first enrollment in the Family Learning Center was held this past May. The goal is to gradually reach the maximum capacity of 156 children. Interested parents are strongly encouraged to visit the Family Learning Center, as enrollment is ongoing.

Washington University financed the construction of the center, which was built to be LEED-certified silver and designed by Ross Barney Architects. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is a third-party certification program and a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of environmentally friendly buildings.

The Washington University Family Learning Center offers care for 156 children from the ages of 6 weeks to 6 years.

“The Family Learning Center is an essential investment for the university — not only to remain competitive among its peer institutions, but also to help faculty, staff and student with small children lead fulfilling lives,” says Henry S. Webber, executive vice chancellor for administration.

“The new building is bright, beautiful and environmentally friendly,” Webber says. “We especially thank the architect, Carol Ross Barney of Chicago, and the contractor, United Construction.”

The university will subsidize the center’s utilities and major maintenance, but its day-to-day operations will be fully funded by users. For rates, visit wustl.edu/childcare.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions, which manages more than 700 child-care centers for universities, corporations, hospitals and government agencies, operates the center under the leadership of Ann Bingham, director of the WUSTL Family Learning Center.

“The center’s goal is to provide a nurturing environment for university children that the community can be proud of,” Bingham says. “That Washington University parents have been so eager to work with caregivers to create an environment for children to grow and thrive has made meeting that goal that much easier.”

Bright Horizons Family Solutions, which manages more than 700 child-care centers for universities, corporations, hospitals and government agencies, operates the center.

Most recently, Bingham was the director of Childgarden Child Development Center, an early-childhood education and pediatric therapy program serving more than 400 culturally diverse children annually at multiple locations in Missouri.

Bingham also has served as director of the Elm Point Early Childhood Center in St. Charles, Mo., and as executive director for the Stella Maris Child Center in St. Louis.

The center will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will maintain the same eight-day holiday schedule as the university and also will be closed for two scheduled staff development days.

For more information about the new center, visit wustl.edu/childcare, e-mail Bingham at annbingham@wustl.edu or call (314) 935-KIDS (5437).