For many students at Palo Alto College with children, it seems like the Ray Ellison Family Center will never open. The project, which originally was scheduled to be completed in January 2000, has been plagued with problems and more delays are possible.

The Family Center has had many projected completion dates, the most recent being August 2000. The

building stands vacant and incomplete. The construction crew halted work in mid-August, handing students another setback.

“If this daycare were to open, it would make my day so much easier,” said Erica Lopez, a Theatre Arts major. “It would be very convenient for me to pick up my son on campus when I’m done with my classes, rather than rushing across town.”

Soon after the original contractor, Talley Construction, defaulted on the project because of financial stress, the contract was picked up by HMS Dreadknought Inc., a bonding company, who has hired a contractor to complete the Center.

It’s not certain when work will actually resume, but the signing of a legally binding takeover is a relief for many. The bonding company has since hired Contract Completion Inc., yet there continues to be a delay of a work schedule. It is uncertain whether Contract Completion Inc. will finish the job or act as a supervisor to a sub-contractor.

Dr. Laura Beizer, Family Center Coordinator, and Louis Kreusel, the project manager for ACCD, and the contractor met on February 28 and March 1 to discuss when work will begin. When work does begin, it will take an estimated three months for the contractor to finish the nearly completed structure. In addition, it will take an additional three months for Beizer and her assistant Wendy Scott, Lead Child Development Specialist, to get the center ready for operation.

In the meantime, Beizer and Scott continue to work on detailed manuals and comprehensive programs.

The program guidelines will be taken from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The NAEYC standards are higher than the basic standards the state of Texas requires. Because of these standards, there will be two instructors in each of the four classrooms. Each instructor will have at least an Associate’s degree in Child Development.

Requirements for enrollment are incomplete, but children must be from two to four years of age, and they do not need to be potty trained. Beizer encourages an open-door policy where parents can visit the center and interact with the staff. Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the cost will be $98 per week. There are income-based scholarships available.

For information, contact Beizer or Scott in the Student Center, Room 126, or at 921-5490.