Day Nursery Indianapolis names new President & CEO

Ted Maple, Ph.D.

Indianapolis – The  board of directors of Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Ted Maple, Ph.D. as the President and CEO. He will succeed Carolyn M. Dederer who will retire August 2 after 15 years with the organization.

Maple comes to Day Nursery from United Way of Central Indiana where he led United Way’s education priority with a focus on early childhood and school-age initiatives.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Indianapolis, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Butler University and his Ph.D., in, Early Childhood Education from Ball State University.

Carolyn Dederer welcomed Dr. Ted Maple to his new office at Day Nursery this morning. They will work together for three weeks until Carolyn officially retires on August 2.

He began his career in education as a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Pike Township. Following his time in the public schools, he served as Director of the Early Childhood Program at St. Mary’s Child Center where he led the nationally-accredited early childhood program for 200 at-risk preschoolers at two locations in Indianapolis. In 2005, Maple’s career in early childhood took a different turn, when he was selected as United Way’s Director of Success By 6. In this role, over more than eight years, he crafted United Way’s early childhood agenda that included programs, policy advocacy and community engagement. In 2012, he was promoted to Director of Education to oversee United Way’s two education priorities: children entering school ready to learn, and performing on grade level by sixth grade.

He lives with his wife and three children on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

ABOUT DAY NURSERY:
Day Nursery Association is the oldest and largest non-profit provider of early care and education in central Indiana. Founded in 1899, the agency has been educating the youngest children of Indianapolis for over 100 years. Serving more than 1,350 children annually ages six weeks to six years old in 7 locations in Marion and Hendricks County, Day Nursery believes that all children, regardless of a family’s income, should have access to the highest quality of care. Day Nursery is a United Way agency.

Thankful Thursday: Celebrating retiring CEO Carolyn Dederer

Since 1998, Carolyn Dederer has dynamically led the Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis. Carolyn will be retiring August 2, 2013 and we wish to thank her for leadership and service. Her untiring effort to grow Day Nursery and raise the bar for early childhood education in our community is truly commendable. Last night we celebrated Carolyn’s service with a party. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Carolyn sharing some thoughts with the guests.

Child Care Answers staff

Guests filled the Reuben Community Room at WFYI

Wanda Kaiser, Day Nursery CFO thanked Carolyn on behalf of the staff.

Susie Friend of United Way of Central Indiana and Carolyn

Carolyn and son Andrew

Carolyn with Board Chair Raven Buchanan

Long time board member Lloyd Lyons led off the evening’s tribute to Carolyn.

We know that her many gifts to Day Nursery and the Indianapolis community will continue to touch children’s lives for many years to come.

Sincerely,
Raven M. Buchanan
Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis Board Chair

Day Nursery Thankful Thursday

Thank you to First Book of Greater Indianapolis for their donation of books to support Day Nursery Association and Child Care Answers’ Play and Learn Program. For more information on First Book, visit their website.

A sampling of the great books we received!

Day Nursery staff and students say Happy St Pattys Day!

Patty Fisher, Day Nursery Director of Center Administration (in shamrock glasses) with her family

Day Nursery Hendricks County student

Joslyn and Larry from Child Care Answers

Kennette and daughter Rachel Child Care Answers

Joy and Carrie Day Nursery Hendricks County

Crystal Gardner Day Nursery Hendricks County

Susan Kelly Day Nursery Hendricks County

Day Nursery Hendricks County

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the staff and students of Day Nursery.  We are celebrating in the centers and in the administrative office downtown.  Our downtown staff is getting ready to head off to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade.  Watch for more pictures this afternoon!

Day Nursery Annual Meeting: Report from our Executive Director

Last Wednesday, our association held its annual meeting.  As a not for profit organization, the Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis gathers board members, staff and friends together each fall to recap the previous year. Our 2009 annual report was presented  (our usual timetable following the audit of  financials and compilation of details).  Today I would like to share with you the “state of the organization” remarks presented to our board by our Executive Director Carolyn Dederer at this meeting.

ANNUAL REPORT DAY NURSERY ASSOCIATION

October 27, 2010

by Carolyn M. Dederer

 In Memoriam:  Laverne Edwards (July 4, 1946 — October 21, 2010), Day Nursery Teacher (1985 – 2008)

 To bring us from the end of 2009 to today, I offer a few highlights of 2010.

 First, consider the goals and successes of our 3 year Philanthropic Initiative, LEADING THE WAY.  It is truly remarkable that in these lean economic times, we have made considerable progress toward our goals. Indeed, people are responding, and so we have extended our time frame to 2013, with hopes our success will be even greater.

 TEACHER EDUCATION LEVELS:  An average of 41 teachers per year is enrolled in college level courses, working toward a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, an Associate Degree (AA), or a Bachelors Degree (BA).  The graph illustrates the progress we have made toward our goals of 50% of lead teachers earning AA degrees and 25% of lead teachers earning BA degrees.  All assistant teachers have achieved CDAs or are on track to earn them.  This program is funded through 2011 and we will continue to raise funds for the following years.  

 

Child Care Answers Ministries Mentoring Project:  Sixty one ministries are enrolled with the goal of raising the quality of care they provide.  Forty three of them have achieved 50% or more of their goals to date.  This program continues through June, 2011.

TUITION ASSISTANCE: Working to achieve a multi-year goal of $1,141,950, we have successfully raised $627,815 to date.  Because the needs are ongoing, we have to celebrate our milestones, year by year, and by the number of children we serve who otherwise would be unable to attend Day Nursery.  In 2010, 24% of our children received Tuition Assistance Scholarships that ranged from 10% to 60% of their tuition.

 Additionally, we have established a donor recognition society, and called it “The Leading the Way Society”, to honor donors of $25,000 plus in cumulative giving.  Fifty five Day Nursery donors qualify for membership already, and we hope to increase membership over time.  Goelzer Investment Management, our endowment management partner, has sponsored the presentation of a limited edition print by Indianapolis artist Candice Hartsough McDonald to these generous supporters.

Despite the great success we have had with fundraising, we remain caught in a dilemma of fees that are at the top of the child care market, yet fail to cover all expenses.  We have a mission to serve the at risk population, yet government support for that population is limited and sliding fee scholarships of our tuition assistance program (TAP) are literally tapped out.  Our voucher and scholarship population, given current funding limitations, cannot grow.  Yet these are the
majority of people who are trying to gain access to our services.  Our full pay population, about 45% of the total, is the only place we can grow to fill the empty spaces in our centers.  With the current economic crunch, families are telling us they cannot afford another penny; indeed, many are leaving us out of economic necessity.  The net result is that we have more openings than are healthy to maintain services.  If we raise fees, we will lose many of the families we currently serve, while driving away potential new customers who cannot afford Day Nursery.  If we don’t raise fees, we must find even more new ways to raise our revenues.

We are exploring several entrepreneurial ventures that hold possibilities, but certainly will not change our world immediately.  They are meals-to-go programs, consultation contracts with outside vendors/partners, and children’s enrichment programs.  It remains our challenge into 2011 and the future to further develop these potential revenue sources, while continuing on the path of philanthropic development, especially endowment.

One could make the prediction that if ever there was a time where this is possible, this is it.  Early childhood education is at last being recognized for the important role it plays in every child’s young life.  The world is finally beginning to understand and value child development and early learning for the base it provides to put children on track to becoming successful students and, later, productive adults.  Immediate gratification, apathy, lack of funding, and competing priorities will always be a part of the educational picture, and represent the challenges we continually work to overcome.

Team Day Nursery makes big showing at Walking for Dreams

If you were near the downtown Indianapolis canal on Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t hard to tell that something big was going on. Team Day Nursery (74 members strong!) joined with over 20 other area not for profit organizations to participate in the Walking for Dreams Family and Pet Walk which originated in the basin near Buggs Temple on the north end of the canal. The event, managed by the Sycamore Foundation, was founded in 2004 to pull together local organizations who did not have the manpower or could not afford to do a fundraiser like this on their own.  This was our first time participating in the walk and we were very pleased with the participation from staff and Day Nursery families as well as our supporters from the Day Nursery Auxiliary (thanks to Co-President Joan Lyday and past president Jenny Rosebrock for coming out) and our board of directors. I also had the chance to meet Day Nursery Wiles Center alum Rachel McCaffrey and her mother Beth who works for Mental Health America, another agency participating in the walk.  Rachel will be a freshman at Knightstown High School in the fall.  A special thanks goes out to AGIS and our representative Mollie Bean for underwriting our staff entry fee. The Day Nursery Employee Health & Safety committee is always on the lookout for activities that promote a healthy lifestyle and AGIS has been very supportive of the committee’s efforts. We also appreciate Olivia Roney from Crouching Tigers coming out to walk with us.  Many of our students know her as the instructor of the martial arts class at their center.  Also I wanted to shout out to Erin Slack, Day Nursery’s Human Resources Director and Beth Rodriguez, our Director of Development for their work in making sure this event went off smoothly. Donations from the event will go toward arts programming in the Day Nursery centers.  Pledges are still coming in so I don’t have a final tally on the amount raised but by all accounts, it was a successful event.  Here are a few pictures from my vantage point at the registration table.

Remembering our friend Kathy Klatte

Kathryn Jean Klatte, who left her handprint on the hearts of so many young, old and furry, passed away unexpectedly on March 7, 2009 while visiting her father in Sun City, Arizona. She was 54 and was a longtime resident of Indianapolis and a longtime employee of Day Nursery.

Kathy was born November 11, 1954 in San Francisco, California. She had a zest for outdoor activities, including landscaping, bird watching, traveling, and SCUBA diving.

She most recently worked for the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children as a Quality Advisor. Day Nursery Association was lucky to have Kathy as a part of our organization for 24 years as a teacher, center director, and a member of the senior management team.

Kathy’s role changed through the years at Day Nursery.  She wore many hats but always will be best known as a friend and caring person to all.  She began as a teacher at Medical Center in 1983, and served there until 1989 when she left us for a brief 3 months.  After finding out for herself that Day Nursery was the place to be for those dedicated to the best in early childhood education, she returned as a Child Care Answers Home Coordinator for 4 months until a center based position became available to her.  In August, 1990, she was back with the children where she wanted to be, serving as the Director of the Plainfield Day Nursery.  She engineered the move to the new Cinergy based building and led that center until July of 1998.  Medical Center needed her to return at that time and so she did, this time as the Director from August, 1998, until December, 2001.  Day Nursery had won a contract for managing a new center at Fort Harrison, and Kathy became its director in January, 2002.  She was promoted to Director of Center Administration and joined the senior management staff in August, 2005 until her move to the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children in December of 2007.

This picture from 2002 shows Kathy doing what she loved best--recognizing an employee for an accomplishment.

Day Nursery as an organization, a group of volunteer and staff adults, and most importantly, a large number of young children, is stronger and better for having been a part of Kathy’s 24 years with us.  People like Kathy teach us how to be better human beings and how to value the importance of children above everything.  Because of her fine example, we want to keep her memory alive in a way that will continue to inspire present and future early childhood educators.

We have established the “Kathy Klatte Award for Outstanding Excellence in Early Childhood Education”, as a designated endowed fund within our Day Nursery Foundation. Contributions to this fund will provide an annual award to the Day Nursery staff member who best exemplifies Kathy’s dedication to early childhood education. A nomination process and criteria will be determined and the first award will be given at the 2009 Annual Meeting in October. It is anticipated that the Award will allow early childhood education professionals to take advantage of professional development opportunities otherwise unavailable to them, and will help them further their skills in the field.  If you would like to make an on-line contribution to Day Nursery in Kathy’s honor, follow this link.

Kathy was preceded in death by her mother, Barbara (Lyntton) Klatte in December. She is survived by her father, Dr. Eugene Klatte, and four sisters, Susan (Duhn) Mand, Constance Gilbert, Jeanette Ashmore, and Teresa Gibson.

There will be a memorial service at Zionsville United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 14 at 1:00 p.m. Visitation hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the church.

Kathy taught others kindness, professionalism, passion, zest for life, respect for all things living, and how to smile. Those touched by Kathy will honor her by dedicating themselves to continuing her legacy of making the world a better place for young children.

Happy Thanksgiving

The staff of the Day Nursery Association is grateful for   110 years of community support.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Day Nursery Annual Meeting-Hold the Date

 

Eva Johnson, a 20-year employee will be among the teachers recognized at the Day Nursery annual meeting.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2008, the Day Nursery Association will hold our annual meeting.  This year it will take place starting at 5:00 pm at our Ruth A. Lilly Center at 3522 N. Central Avenue in Indianapolis.  We will be honoring 46 of our teachers and administrative staff members for years of service and for reaching academic milestones. Included in this group is Eva Johnson, a teacher with Day Nursery for over 20 years. If you would like to join us, please email Denise Hancock at deniseh@daynursery.org.