The Southeast Community College Child Development Center’s mission is to provide quality early childhood education and care to children from 6 weeks through 12 years by meeting the needs of SCC students, faculty, staff, and the community. The Center serves as a practicum site for the Early Childhood Education program ensuring the most current, and evidence based, practices are modeled for professionals entering the early childhood education field. An emphasis is placed on creating an educational and supportive community for children and families to thrive.
The Center is nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Center also participates in Nebraska Step Up to Quality, a quality rating and improvement system administered by the Nebraska Department of Education.
The Center is located on the Lincoln Campus at 8800 O St., Lincoln, serving SCC students, faculty, staff and community members. The Center is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed for most major holidays, as well as one week during Winter Break. The program serves children ages 6 weeks through 5 in a year-round program and school-aged children, kindergarten through age 12, during select Lincoln Public School non-school days and over Summer break.
The Center participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP ) through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ensuring that well-balanced meals are served and that good eating habits are taught in the program setting. Children are served breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack daily that meet the nutritional requirements that are determined by the CACFP.
The Center values the importance of positive developmental opportunities and relationships in the formative early childhood years as establishing a child’s long-term success. Evidence-based play practices and educational experiences are emphasized with attention to developing children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and linguistic development, as well as approaches to learning and problem-solving skills. The teacher’s role in the classroom includes nurturing, guiding, and facilitating experiences with the children through education and care. Planning and implementing learning experiences that are responsive to each child's interests, strengths, and needs is key at the SCC Child Development Center.
- We believe a child’s environment has the greatest influence on learning.
- We believe in providing children with an overabundance of positive reinforcement.
- We believe it is imperative to instill good educational and moral foundations for young children, enabling them to grow and develop into the best, most productive individuals possible.
- We believe diversity in our program is one of our greatest strengths, as the best way to learn and develop is from experiencing life hands on with each other.
- We believe our teachers enhance development and learning. From birth, a child’s relationships and interactions with adults are critical determinants of development and learning.
- We believe in treating children as individuals, allowing them to develop an identity inclusive of emotional well-being, individualism and self-worth.
- We believe in cognitive development: intentional learning environments, age appropriate classrooms, hands on learning, sensory development, experiences and learning from the world, development of learning styles and Kindergarten readiness.
- We believe in physical development: healthy living, development of gross and fine motor skills and safety.
- We believe a collaborative community with our families is an integral piece of a child’s success
Enrolling
Interested families may submit a Waiting List Application along with a $10 non-refundable fee to be placed on the SCC Child Development Center’s wait list. When an opening is available, the Director of the Center will contact the family. To accept and secure the opening a $135 refundable deposit is due ($75 deposit for subsequent children.). Next steps will include the receipt of the family handbook, child enrollment packet, along with providing the Center with a copy of the child’s immunizations.
Enrollment Period
- Children of SCC students: Required to be enrolled for the entire semester. They are not required, but can opt, to be enrolled during break periods.
- Children of SCC faculty and staff: Required to be enrolled yearly. They are not required to be enrolled during the 4-week break between the Spring and Summer Quarter. The children must be enrolled for all other weeks the Center is open.
- Children of community members: Required to enroll yearly for the entire 50 weeks the Center is open.
Children can be unenrolled with a two-week written notice. If you want to re-enroll at the Center you will be required to go on the waiting list.
Tuition Payments & Financial Assistance
Tuition may be paid weekly or monthly through a bank or credit/debit card automatic withdrawal, or Title XX (State subsidized child care assistance). Applications for Title XX may be submitted to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. SCC students may qualify for up to a 50% reduction in services through the CCAMPIS (Childcare Access Means Parents in School) grant.
CDC Weekly Tuition and Fees / Child Care Rates
- Step Up to Quality is where Nebraska parents find quality-rated child care and early childhood education.
- Nebraska We Care for Kids
- Nebraska DHHS Child Care For Parents
- Nebraska DHHS Choosing Child Care for Your Children
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- How Play Connects to Learning (NAEYC )
- PBS Kids For Parents
SCC Summer Camps - 2025
The Southeast Community College Child Development Center (8800 O St.) offers 11 weeks of summer camp for children ages 5-12. These week-long day camps give children the opportunity to participate in fun, hands-on activities, crafts, games and daily field trips. Breakfast,
lunch and snack are also provided as a part of the program. Early and late child care (7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.– 5:30 p.m.) are included in the cost of camp as well. Enrollment is open to all children ages 5 through 12. Children of community members, SCC students and employees are welcome to attend. Children must currently be enrolled in, or have completed Kindergarten, to participate. Families may register for any number of camp weeks offered.
Cost
Summer Camp Tuition: $210 per 5-day week ($50 deposit is applied to the full weekly tuition amount). Please note - there are two 4-day weeks this summer: May 27-30 and June 30-July 3. Both 4-day weeks will be $170 per week.
Summer Camp Deposit: $50 per each week registered. Deposits are non-refundable.
Camp Hours
7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (planned camp activities and fieldtrips occur between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.)
Camp Sessions, Dates and Registration
Please review camp sessions and descriptions below to determine which camp sessions to register your child for. You may register for as many sessions as you would like. Additional health and permission forms will need to be completed for camp participation. Please note that your registration will not be confirmed until deposit is received.
A typical week at camp will include 3 field trips (themed trips, park, library and/or splashpad). Non-field trip days will include special guest visitors, active time at the gym or outside and/or wacky water days! We will do our best to accommodate all trips listed in session descriptions, however, trips are subject to change due to transportation availability, staffing or unforeseeable circumstances. Additional trips or guest visitors may be added depending on availability.
- May 27-30 (4 DAY WEEK): Sweet Summertime Join us for a super sweet first week of camp! Roll into summer with a bowling trip and a visit to the library to get signed up for
the summer reading program. Don’t forget about a sweet treat at the UNL Dairy Store! Sweet summertime can’t come soon enough! - June 2-6: Nature Explorers: Make some cool discoveries with us this week as we embrace the great outdoors, history, science, space, bones, bugs and more!
Trips this week will include the saline wetlands to search for all kinds of critters. We’ll also visit Morrill Hall and enjoy a planetarium show. Isn’t nature neat?! - June 9-13: Wild Adventures: Embark on an adventure with us this week as we take a trip to the Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland to see buffalo, bears, wolves, eagles and more! We’ll also enjoy a “camper favorite” trip as we challenge our friends to a round of laser tag! It’s bound to be a wildly fun week!
- June 16-20: Summer Rocks!: Let’s cheer on our friends this week while conquering our fears on the UNL rock wall! We’ll also enjoy a trip to the UNL Dairy Store
for a sweet treat. Fly high and try new things with us this week! Camp ROCKS! - June 23-27: Animal Antics: It’s all about animals this week! Waddle like a penguin with us as we take an exciting trip to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. We’ll also take a trip back in time as we enjoy dinosaur themed mini golf at Prehistoric Putt. Hop, slither, stomp and crawl into a fin-tastic week!
- June 30-July 3 (4 DAY WEEK): Star Spangled Fun: Get ready for a week of stars, stripes and so much fun! Burn off some energy with us as we enjoy a trip to Lost in Fun! We’ll also
visit the bison and nature play area as we take a hike through the Pioneers Park Nature Center! Don’t forget to create some red, white and blue crafts with us back at the center! -
July 7-11: Creativity and Imagination: Create a masterpiece with us this week as we enjoy a trip to Paint Yourself Silly. We’ll also embrace the power of play as we explorefun, hands-on activities at the Lincoln Children’s Museum. It’s sure to be a creatively imaginative week!
- July 14-18: I Like to Move It Move It!: Let’s get moving this week as we tumble over to Solid Rock Gymnastics Center. We’ll also practice our putt putt skills and aim for a hole in one at Adventure Mini Golf. This week is full of active adventures!
- July 21-25: Happy Campers: Explore one of Lincoln’s hidden gems and venture with us into the depths of Robber’s Cave. We’ll also enjoy a high-energy trip to Mahoney State Park’s Indoor Activity Center. This fun week is sure to bring smiles and lots of happy campers!
- July 28-August 1: Paws, Claws and Farm Friends: Join us for some fun on the farm as we go on an adventure to the Lancaster County fair! We’ll enjoy the fair’s scavenger hunt and petting zoo while also visiting the cows, horses, pigs, goats and more! We’ll also learn more about our furry friends at the Capital Humane Society! Moo, oink, meow - see you there!
- August 4-8: Summer Favorites: Summer isn’t over quite yet! Join us this last week of camp for some of our summer favorite trips and activities! We’ll challenge each other in a game of laser tag and celebrate with a sweet treat from the UNL Dairy Store! Summer might be over soon, but the memories will last forever!
Food
The Center participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and follows USDA guidelines. As a part of this program, outside food cannot be brought into the Center or consumed during camp. The Center will provide a nutritious breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack each day (breakfast runs from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.). If your child has specific allergies or dietary needs, please speak with the Camp Coordinator about accommodations. The Center is also a completely peanut-free facility.
Leadership
Camp teachers are trained Early Childhood Education professionals and Early Childhood Education program students. Each group will have a teacher/child ratio of 1-15.
Transportation
The Nebraska Child Passenger Safety Law states that all children age 7 and under must ride correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat. Parents with children age 7 and under must provide a booster or car seat each day of camp. All camp teachers will have Safe Kids Nebraska Child Care Transportation Training and will transport children on trips in either a 12 passenger van or minivan.
Tuition Assistance
Students who have been awarded the CCAMPIS child care grant receive significant summer and mini camp tuition assistance. Contact Katie Zabel at kzabel1@southeast.edu or 402-437-2450 for CCAMPIS grant pricing and further information.
Pell eligible students may find more information and apply for the CCAMPIS (Child Care Means Parents in School).
Camp Cancellation and Refund Policy
We encourage all families to carefully plan out their summer and mini camp needs prior to registration. Please take into consideration family vacations, other camps, time spent with family members, etc., so that you only register for the weeks that your child will need care.
Deposits for both summer and mini camps are non-
refundable. The tuition balance for all camps is due the Monday of the week of camp, or may be paid in advance. Account information must be provided to complete the registration process. Absences or unapproved cancellations will be charged to the account information on file as per the tuition policy. Additionally, advanced payments are non-refundable for absences or unapproved cancellations.
For summer camps, tuition refunds (minus the $50 a week deposit) will be issued (or will not be billed) with a written or emailed notice provided to the Camp Coordinator or Center Director on or before June 1, 2025.
(The SCC CDC Director may approve full or partial refunds or credits of camp registration fees, or tuition, in extraordinary circumstances, including family or medical emergencies)
Questions?
Contact the Camp Coordinator, Katie Zabel, at kzabel1@southeast.edu or 402-437-4250, or stop by the Child Development Center at 8800 O St., Lincoln, NE.
Register Online Today!
Registration for previous center, summer and mini camp families will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 26th. Public registration will open the following week at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5th. Registration links will not be active until the dates listed above. Please choose the appropriate registration link below. Registration cannot be confirmed until deposit is received. Account information must also be provided to complete the registration process. Space is limited –once all spots are filled, children may be added to the waitlist.
Previous Camp or Center Families:
Registration will open on Wednesday, February 26th at 8:00 a.m.
New Camp Families:
Registration will open on Wednesday, March 5th at 8:00 a.m.
The Southeast Community College Child Development Center (8800 O St.) hosts a series of Fall, Winter and Spring mini camps on select days that community schools may not be in session. These day camps give children the opportunity to participate in fun, hands-on activities, crafts, games and field trips on select days. Breakfast, lunch and snack are provided.
Children of SCC employees, SCC students and community members are invited to participate. All children ages 5 through 12 are welcome to attend. Children must currently be enrolled in, or have completed Kindergarten, to participate. Families may register for select mini camp days, and do not need to register for all days offered.
Cost
Mini Camps Tuition: $50 per day ($25 deposit is applied to the full tuition amount).
Mini Camps Deposit: $25 per each day registered. Deposits are non-refundable.
Camp Hours
7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (planned camp activities and field trips occur between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.)
Camp Dates
2024 Fall Camp Dates:
Friday, October 11
Monday, October 14
Tuesday, October 15
Check back later for Spring 2025 dates.
Tuition Assistance
Students who have been awarded the CCAMPIS child care grant receive significant summer and mini camp tuition assistance. Contact Katie Zabel at kzabel1@southeast.edu or 402-437-2450 for CCAMPIS grant pricing and further information.
Pell eligible students may find more information and apply for the CCAMPIS (Child Care Means Parents in School) grant here.
Camp Cancellation and Refund Policy
We encourage all families to carefully plan out their summer and mini camp needs prior to registration. Please take into consideration family vacations, other camps, time spent with family members, etc., so that you only register for the weeks and/or days that your child will need care.
Deposits for both summer and mini camps are non-refundable. The tuition balance for all camps is due the Monday of the week of Camp, or may be paid in advance. Account information must be provided to complete the registration process. Absences or unapproved cancellations will be charged to the account information on file as per the tuition policy. Additionally, advanced payments are non-refundable for absences or unapproved cancellations.
For mini camps, tuition refunds (minus the $25 per day deposit) will be issued (or will not be billed) with a 14-day written or emailed notice provided to the Camp Coordinator or Center Director.
(The SCC CDC Director may approve full or partial refunds or credits of Camp registration fees, or tuition, in extraordinary circumstances, including family or medical emergencies)
Questions?
Contact the Camp Coordinator, Katie Zabel, at kzabel1@southeast.edu or 402-437-4250, or stop by the Child Development Center at 8800 O St., Lincoln, NE.
Register Online Today!
Early Childhood Education and Care Opportunities
Scholarships provided to Southeast Community College students by the U.S. Department
of Education CCAMPIS Grant.
Pell-eligible SCC student parents with children ages 6 weeks through 12 years of age are eligible to apply. The grant will assist in reduction of tuition for child care and early childhood education, school age Summer camps, and/or school age mini-camps.
Southeast Community College Child Development Center has been awarded the CCAMPIS (Childcare Access Means Parents in School) Grant from the United States Department of Education. Pell-eligible SCC students who are awarded the grant will receive a reduction in early childhood education and care tuition, up to 50%. Applicants will be selected based on need and space availability. Students receiving this grant are responsible for providing the CDC with an annual PELL eligibility letter, and schedules and grades after each semester. Once the student is receiving assistance, they will remain eligible for assistance if they remain Pell-eligible, continue progressing in their schooling, and comply with the Center requirements. Grant funding limitations may restrict the number of eligible student’s participation.
This grant supports SCC student parents attend school, and successfully graduating, by reducing financial barriers and assisting with the cost of quality early childhood education and care. SCC serves a large number of Pell-eligible student parents who may benefit from financial assistance to help cover the cost of child care.
How to Apply:
Pell-eligible SCC student parents may submit a CCAMPIS application , along with a copy of their Pell Award Notification letter and current class schedule
to the CDC. SCC student parents will be scheduled to have an initial interview with
the Grant Coordinator, as well as semester meetings following the receipt of the award.
If funds and space exist after the application is reviewed, funds will be awarded.
Eligibility Requirements:
- SCC student must be Pell-eligible
- Actively enrolled at any SCC location
- Submission of completed application form
- Submitting Pell Award Notification letter and class schedule with application
- Attend initial interview with CCAMPIS Grant Coordinator
- Attend semester interviews with the CCAMPIS Grant Coordinator for renewal of assistance
SCC students will no longer be eligible for tuition assistance immediately upon:
- Loss of PELL eligibility or withdrawing from SCC courses
- Non-compliance with the Child Development Center’s CCAMPIS requirements