Child Care Goes Virtual at the Ben Samuel’s Children’s Center
Posted in: College News and Events
Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 107 forced child care and early education facilities to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Ben Samuels Children’s Center at Montclair State University wanted to continue to offer support to the close to 150 families and 180 children the facility serves.
Interim assistant director Myla Yakubov stated, “We were recognizing that we had a vulnerable population of children with special needs.” The staff began using platforms such as Zoom, so they could connect with students, parents, families, and each other. Teachers, physical and speech therapists and support staff all coordinated to find ways to help keep their students and families learning.
Interim director Lindsay Frigo noted, “Some people said [this] was even more beneficial than…regular conferences. Because it was more of a dialogue, because parents were able to share what they see and the progress they’ve seen in addition to (the progress) the teachers (saw) prior to this break.”