Purdue celebrates opening of new Patty Jischke Early Care and Education Center

Purdue celebrated the opening of the new Patty Jischke Early Care and Education Center on Aug. 24 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pictured from left: Ted Fondak and daughter Eliza; Martin C. Jischke, Patty Jischke and grandchildren Elizabeth and William; Rob Wynkoop, associate vice president of auxiliary services; Maureen Weber, president and CEO of Early Learning Indiana; Jessica Walters, school leader; and Evelyn Meng and Bella Guelfi Roseguini, who attend the center. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood) Download image

On Wednesday (Aug. 24), Purdue celebrated the opening of the new Patty Jischke Early Care and Education Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the facility.

The $6.9 million, 16,000-square-foot child care facility will serve 162 children ranging in age from six weeks to 5 years old, nearly doubling the number of children served at the center’s previous location near Discovery Park.

The new location at 2561 Kent Ave. in West Lafayette proved ideal due to its proximity to residential neighborhoods, the Purdue Research Park and commute patterns. The new center, which opened Aug. 8, offers 13 classrooms and a playground with unique equipment like caves, canoes and mud kitchens that simulate playing in nature.

Ted Fondak, whose daughter attends the center, spoke at the event and emphasized the importance and impact of the new facility.

“If you take one thing away from these remarks, please let it be how incredibly important this kind of care is, not just for a family, an educational institution, a city or even a country,” said Fondak, lead IT technician in the College of Education. “Our collective futures are built on the priceless efforts and love created in places and spaces like these. May we never take such care for granted.”

Purdue has worked to expand child care options over recent years with the new Patty Jischke Early Care and Education Center and the Purdue University Early Care and Education Center, which opened in 2016. Including the Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School, Purdue has current capacity for 398 children.

Patty Jischke, who worked with university leadership to establish the Jischke child care center in 2008 for children of Purdue employees, said the new center will improve the lives of hundreds of children and families in West Lafayette.

 “This center makes it possible for parents to pursue their own career choices, and it brings together the wonderful people whose skills of kindness, patience, humor and gentleness are the keys to success of any early learning and daycare facility,” said Jischke, who also was an advocate for early childhood learning during the years her husband, Martin C. Jischke, served as president. “I feel endless gratitude to all who will be doing the important works of launching our newest generation off to a great start in their lives.”

Early Learning Indiana will serve as the child care operator for the center. Early Learning Indiana is a 122-year-old early childhood education nonprofit, the state’s oldest and largest. It offers a child-centered, evidence-based curriculum designed to integrate with the broader educative practices in Indiana.

More information about Purdue’s child care options is available online.

Writer: Carly Rosenberger, rosenbe4@purdue.edu

Source: Rob Wynkoop, wynkoop@purdue.edu