FAMILY CENTER COMING.Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Liz Seipel had heard the story more than once from parents of the preschool children she taught: They won't listen, refuse to eat and sleep and their behavior is out of control. It was 1976 and parents had nowhere to turn for help with children who had behavioral and mental disorders mental disorders: see bipolar disorder; paranoia; psychiatry; psychosis; schizophrenia. . But Seipel and Carol Gelsinger, another preschool teacher A Preschool Teacher is a type of early childhood educator who instructs children from infancy to age 5, which stands as the youngest stretch of early childhood education. Early Childhood Education teachers need to span the continum of children from birth to age 8. , had an idea: Open a mission to teach them. On Wednesday, 24 years after teaching their first class of eight families at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church St. Stephen's Episcopal Church can refer to:
``This is a really exciting day,'' Seipel said. The center, which will be built at 21545 Redview Drive, has been leasing various locations over the years, now holding three addresses scattered Scattered Used for listed equity securities. Unconcentrated buy or sell interest. around the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. , to help families with child care issues. The dream for the center began five years ago, Seipel said. In 1997, fund raising began for the $3.5 million project, a 27,000-square-foot facility that would house all of its programs. The center raised more than $1.8 million and plans to borrow $2 million through a low-interest government bond program. Construction could begin next month and the center could open in about a year. Since the center was established as the St. Stephen's Special School, it has expanded services to include helping teen moms and families, assisting families with emotional, learning and behavioral problems, children who are suicidal su·i·cid·al adj. 1. Of or relating to suicide. 2. Likely to attempt suicide. , in trouble with the law or at school and those who have been or are being abused. Though these problems haven't been discussed publicly in the valley, opening the center shows the community's support, said Steve Stark, chairman of the center's board. Addressing children's needs and helping them adjust to life with behavioral problems is crucial especially since the Columbine columbine, in botany columbine (kŏl`əmbīn), any plant of the genus Aquilegia, temperate-zone perennials of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family), popular both as wildflowers and as garden flowers. , Colo., slayings. ``The need grows every day,'' he said. ``The needs grows in Santa Clarita because it grows across the nation. That's what makes the center important.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (1 -- color) Everyone gets into Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Child & Family Center on Redview Drive. The $3.5 million, 27,000-square-foot Child & Family Center could open in about a year. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer (2) The $3.5 million, 27,000-square-foot Child & Family Center could open in about a year. |
|
||||||||||||

Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion