Oct. 19, 2020
Contact: Brian Consiglio, consigliob@missouri.edu, 573-882-9144

The University of Missouri Adventure Club has partnered with MU Health Care to open a licensed child care center in Columbia for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. While enrollment originally opened to just children of full-time MU Health Care and School of Medicine employees, the child care center is now open to children of all MU and UM System employees, including graduate assistants.

The child care center, located next to the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at 200 N. Keene St., is staffed and operated by the MU College of Education’s Adventure Club, traditionally an enrichment-based, before-and-after school program that provides educational and recreational activities in a safe environment. The center operates Monday through Friday from 6:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will remain open until the end of the academic school year.

MU Health Care opened a temporary child care center for its employees’ children in March when the pandemic began, and due to its success, the new partnership with MU’s Adventure Club will expand eligibility to children of all MU and UM System employees.

“As schools are using a variety of approaches, including virtual and in-person learning, we know that MU employees with children may be struggling to find adequate child care options and educational support,” said Beth Alpers, MU Health Care’s Interim Chief Human Resources Officer and director of Learning and Organizational Development. “Work-life balance can be difficult to navigate, especially during these challenging times, and we want to support our employees who are also working parents.”

The center has been inspected and licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Staff include Adventure Club administrators, full-time site facilitators and part-time staff.

Adventure Club staff will be available to assist children with logging into Zoom sessions and finding assignments until they are proficient to log in and navigate any virtual learning on their own.

Enrollment options include Monday through Friday for children attending school 100% virtually. For those now attending Columbia Public Schools in person, before-and-after school care and all-day Wednesday care is available.  Adventure Club will hold before-and-after school care at participating Columbia Public Schools starting Monday, Oct. 26.

Enrichment activities include arts and crafts, building, dramatic play, science, technology, recreation and outside play.