February 07, 2017

Openings available at Rainbow’s End

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Rainbow’s End Child Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale has openings in several age groups this spring.

The center provides licensed child care for children from the age of six weeks through second grade. Located at 650 S. State St., behind SIU’s Student Health Center, Rainbow’s End operates from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The center has full-time openings for children ages three and older. Any child from the community is welcome to attend. Preference is given to children of SIU students, faculty and staff as enrollment in an age group fills up. The cost varies depending on the age of the child and whether the parent is a student, faculty/staff member or community member.  

The children participate in a variety of educational activities at the center under the direction of skilled and experienced teaching staff, assisted by early childhood students from the university. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are provided. The center, which is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, has a numerous classrooms, an indoor activity room and three playgrounds. Rainbow’s End has a low child-to-teacher ratio and participates in the Illinois Department of Human Services Child Care Subsidy Program.   

Karen Samuel is the new director of Rainbow’s End. A double alumna of the university, Samuel earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at SIU. She brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in the early childhood field. She has been employed in several area child development centers and regional childhood programs and has served since 2013 as the assistant director of Rainbow’s End. She became the director January 1.

To learn more about Rainbow’s End Child Development Center, visit www.rainbowsend.siu.edu or visit the center and take a tour. You can also find out more or register a child by calling 618/453-6358.