Better than 40 years in child care and education is coming to an end for Deb Crowl.
The longtime Emporia Child Care director joined KVOE’s Morning Show on Friday to discuss her career and upcoming retirement. She says it has been a rewarding calling for her — enough to the point where she has seen generations of children go through the doors.
Emporia Child Care recently hosted Kansas Governor Laura Kelly for a roundtable on childcare and Medicaid expansion. Crowl told the governor her main concern has to do with staffing, and she reiterated that issue Friday. She says childcare has been an economic driver for years, even though its economic importance has really seen more attention the past three to four years — and she says the educational importance of early childcare cannot be understated.
Besides directing the child care and her daily interactions with children and their families, Crowl has also overseen several moves of individual Emporia Child Care centers, including the consolidation into the current complex at 1320 C of E Drive several years ago.
Crowl retires Dec. 1. Jeannette Baker, the director of Emporia State’s Center for Early Childhood Education, will replace her as CECE closes its doors soon. A special retirement reception will be held Dec. 1 at Gufler Mansion.
