At the April DACC Board of Education meeting, board members were joined by Brooke Buzzard, instructor of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, along with students Jasper Franco (Big Walnut), Lucy Rathkopf (Delaware Hayes), and Maddie Simmons (Buckeye Valley). The group presented on the positive impact of a newly implemented observation room in the DACC preschool lab—a project that was made possible through an Innovation Grant proposal submitted by Ms. Buzzard.
Ms. Buzzard was inspired to pursue the project after observing similar setups at Columbus State Community College, where observation rooms are used in their childcare centers to enhance student learning. The new observation space at DACC allows students to view preschool classroom interactions without disrupting instruction, creating a more flexible and dynamic learning environment.
Student ambassador Jasper Franco shared how the observation room has become an integral part of showcasing the program during Sophomore Visit Days, middle school tours, open houses, and family group tours. Lucy Rathkopf and Maddie Simmons presented on the educational value of the space, emphasizing how it helps them observe developmental milestones in preschoolers and earn hours toward their Child Development Associate (CDA) certification.
The addition of the observation room has significantly enhanced the ECE learning lab, giving students more real-world experience in early childhood development and education.