Tompkins Chamber: Not-for-Profit of the Year 2023: Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3)
IC3 has been an important part of the community since 1976 and recently completed a facility and program expansion.
“For the past year, we’ve been focusing a lot on our staff and appreciation as we try to recover from the effects of the pandemic. We have been working to help them in various ways, one of them being focusing on their own well being,” said IC3’s executive director, Sherri Koski. “There’s just been a lot of burnout and this, right now, is the first time that we’ve been fully staffed since 2021 and we’re really happy about that.”
In addition to their main campus on Warren Road, IC3 also has a facility inside Kendal at Ithaca on Triphammer Road. The Kendal daycare area is for children 8 weeks to 3-years-old. Children and their families have the option to move their child to the main center as they age out of the Kendal center.
“We are also working back to featuring children’s talents and hobbies and holidays in our classrooms again. We want to have the classrooms being more reflective of what’s going on within the families of the children,” Koski said. “Family style meals is another thing and I think some classrooms are doing this again. There were just some things we had stopped for safety measures that we want to reintroduce.”
Best of Ithaca 2018: Best Daycare: Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3)
Staci Higgins, Enrollment & Marketing Manager for IC3, responded in kind.
“Ithaca Community Childcare Center sends thanks to all of the readers of the Ithaca Times that voted for us! It is an honor to be recognized for our high-quality childcare that is provided to our families and reinforced through our Board of Directors. With your continued support we are able to have a professional childcare center that has low teacher turnover and high teaching standards, making IC3 a great place to learn, grow, and play!”
Family Reading Partnership
The Family Reading Partnership is a non-profit community organization based in Ithaca that promotes early literacy. IC3 is firm supporter and advocate of early literacy which we actively promote daily within our classrooms. As an important part of the Ithaca Community, IC3 also strives to connect children in our community, beyond those enrolled in our programs, to books by participating in the Books to Grow On program through the Family Reading Partnership.
Early experiences with books help children develop language, imagination, increased attention span, and learn about the world around them. IC3 is currently sponsoring the 12-month book, Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis, handed out to families at their pediatrician’s office during their child’s 12-month old well visit. We are proud to partner with the Family Reading Partnership by supporting the Books to Grow On program and by helping children throughout the community foster a lifelong love of books and learning.
Hangar Theatre and State Theatre
Children enrolled in IC3 toddler, pre-k, and summer camp programs regularly attend Kiddstuff performances at the Hanger Theatre and shows offered through the State Theatre Family Series each year, and have benefited greatly from these experiences. These shows foster imagination and inspire children throughout the Ithaca community. IC3 is proud to have sponsored or co-sponsored several Hanger Theatre Kiddstuff performances and State Theatre Family Series performances. By sponsoring these programs IC3 aims to help our local theatres continue to offer high quality family performances in particular those that promote a love of books by bringing the page to the stage.
