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gonna happen, and this keeps us on our toes.”
Growth and change fill the days at SCC in
following the customized plans for each child
with goals outlined. Maybe the goal is for the
child to eat independently within so many
months of therapy. Maybe another’s dream
for their child, who is non-mobile, is for them
to walk before they attend Kindergarten.
“We see so much change!” exclaims Gayle.
“Children conquer new words, new findings,
and there’s never a dull moment because
they learn something new every day. We have
longevity in staffing, because we become so
attached to the kids.”
The educational setting inspires much
of the growth. Each child who has special
needs has either an IEP (Individual Education
Plan), or if they are under the age of three,
they have an IFSP (Individual Family Service
Plan). From birth through three years old,
involvement with the family is key.
Some families know of the special needs
before the child is born; however, most do
not. If a child has either Down’s Syndrome or
Cerebral Palsy, then the family will normally
know within the first day. Other disabilities
present at a later onset. For instance, autism
doesn’t present until children are two and
three years old. Every child who has autism
is very different from the other, and they all
develop in their own way.
Just as the children are different, so too
the families. Working in tandem with the
parents enriches the customized care. With
so many parents working every day, SCC
is open year round. About 45% of SCC’s
families are military, interestingly many move
here because they have a child with special
needs, and they want SCC to help. Staffing
is staggered through the operating hours
of 7:30-5:30, Monday through Friday. “Our
regular school day ends around 3pm, just
like the public schools; our aftercare program
runs until 5:30 and normally serves children
who are typical,” informs Gayle.
Parents who have a child with special needs
ultimately decide the timing for care outside
the home; however once a child with special
needs turns three, the federal government
requires that the child receives education.
Moore County Schools and Richmond County
Schools contract with SCC for a set number of
kids which helps determine how many special
needs kids SCC can accept.
Just as the children differ, so too the
financial commitments as parents pay on
a sliding scale. The 3-5 year olds who are
in contract with the school system, do not
pay during the regular school year. However
because they’re not under public school
responsibility in the summertime, families
pay on a sliding scale. Of course, the parents
of typical kids pay for child care just like
anyone else.
Meals are provided for the children as
breakfast, lunch, and a snack are included
in the day. The prepared meals are delivered
to the classrooms via carts, and the children
eat family-style around their tables and learn
clean-up skills, all in an effort to be ready for
Kindergarten. Making sure all dietary needs
are met, Marie Russell, along with Billy, runs
the cafeteria with pride. Completely invested
for 22 years, Russell serves the children with
unconditional love. “For the children who
cannot have gluten, milk, or other ingredients,”
shares Russell, “I prepare separate meals to
make sure they get their nutritional needs
met. However, I make their food look the
same as the others’. For instance, today we are
having spaghetti, but I cooked rice noodles
for those with special dietary needs, so that
the spaghetti looks the same. I get in here
every morning and get it done. I don’t play
around, and I take care of my children and
staff members.”
Near and dear to her heart, Russell
remembers how SCC helped meet the needs
of her daughter with special needs. Russell
smiles, “My heart has always been in this
place. I love to see the kids eat, and I want
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them to be able to eat good food.” After
cooking over a hundred meals a day, Russell
definitely doesn’t cook any more once she
gets home.
Preparing the children for Kindergarten
requires a collective approach, and preparing
the children for placement after graduation
encourages a group decision. Wanting the
very best for each child, Gayle shares, “The
transition placement meeting that happens
at the end of their time here is a group
decision. Some children will attend a regular
Kindergarten classroom setting while others
will go into a self-contained classroom
designed for their disability.”
A good place for all kids, SCC’s goal for the
next fifty years is to continue the same mission.
Gayle hopes that, “In addition to being the
place for young children who have special
needs, I hope the philosophy of inclusion will
continue. We need to create additional space,
because we have so many families who are
in critical need of childcare. I’d like to open
another center right next door as the campus
must be cohesive because the children and
therapists travel from one building to the next.
For our Richmond County campus, we need
renovations and a covered shelter to get from
A to B and to protect the children from the
elements of rain, snow and heat.”
Along with the growing needs comes the
needed financing. Known for their annual
Festival of Trees fundraising event, Gayle
explains, “What makes the Festival of Trees
are our sponsors and our designers. We order
the trees, the wreaths, the garland, and the
designers decorate them. Everything the
designer does is a gift; everything that is on the
tree and under the tree is a gift. Once locals bid
on the item they want to take home, then their
giving helps fund the care. Because Festival of
Trees has been so successful for 25 years, one
of our challenges is to raise awareness of the
continued financial needs as costs of care are
tremendous.”
In sharing in the complications presented
by COVID-19, SCC is working harder than
ever to secure funding. Finding creative ways
for locals to donate, Gayle says, “I love the
relationship with our donors! I love doing the
operational budget every year wherein we
start out with no money and brainstorm about
new revenue. I love a good challenge, and the
budget is one of the biggest!”
From one smiling face to the next, the
favorites continue down the long hallways
of classrooms, therapy stations, playgrounds
and the kitchen with pots of healing broth,
where large windows allow a peek inside the
life of this very special place called Sandhills
Children’s Center. Gayle slows, “We share in
this journey together. We meet obstacles, and
we overcome. We share a common desire for
every child to become the best person they can
be.” An inclusive place for all children, either
with or without special needs, the Sandhills
Children’s Center team, in partnership with
families, serve together to provide a very
special place for all. ☐ For more info, see p.27
Sandhills Children's Center
Top: Southern Pines campus.
Bottom: Rockingham campus.
Marie Russell runs the cafeteria at
the Sandhills Children's Center.
Sandhills Children’s Center
1280 Central Dr. • Southern Pines
CALL: (910) 692-3323
WEB: sandhillschildrenscenter.org
FB: @sandhillschildrenscenter
DONATE: Become a DreamMaker
Join online • 50 Club for $50/month.
p.34 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 142 • The 1970 Society for $1970.
/sandhillschildrenscenter.org
