A key goal of the Child Development Center of Central (CDC) is fostering an inclusive community that celebrates the racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic diversity of the city. To ensure that as many working parents as possible have access to this service, tuition is competitively priced; and the CDC offers some scholarships funded by gifts and endowments.
The CDC incorporates a family-centered approach to the development of children. Recognizing and respecting parents as the most important influence in the lives of their children, the CDC works with them in close partnership. The CDC further believes that children must grow socially, psychologically and physically as well as intellectually. Therefore, the professionally trained and experienced teachers and staff, under the leadership of a full-time director, gear all the programming towards helping each child develop a healthy sense of self-esteem and emotional safety. Teachers seek to provide a nurturing environment where parents are always welcomed. This strong sense of community is reflected in our high teacher-retention rate. The CDC is governed by a Board of Directors composed of parents, members of Central Presbyterian Church and individuals with expertise in early childhood education. This Board reports to the Session, the governing body of the church. Central Presbyterian Church provides free space, utilities and maintenance services for the CDC.
Information:
Philosophy:
We understand that early childhood experiences greatly influence a child's self-esteem, ability to trust and attitude toward learning. The Child Development Center of Central (CDC) seeks to support each child's positive growth and development by providing an environment that is healthy, safe, loving and cognitively stimulating. We recognize children as active learners who need active experiences with the world of people and things as well as opportunities to plan, set goals and assume responsibility.
Curriculum Overview:
Our classroom schedules, learning centers, furnishings and playground allow children to explore, discover, and learn through developmentally appropriate activities. As a childcare center accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) the CDC follows this organization's instructional guidelines and recommendations for low teacher/child ratios.
Infants and Toddlers:
A typical day for our infants and toddlers includes a balance of quiet time and active experiences. Growing language abilities are reinforced through music, story time, rhyming games and conversations with teachers. Infants and toddlers have opportunities to learn about social relationships through interactions with peers and adults.
Cognitive activities emphasize concepts such as object permanence, spatial relationships, cause and effect and classification of objects. Large and small motor experiences may include holding, crawling, walking, climbing, and manipulating objects. Children's unique abilities are explored and encouraged as they engage in art, movement exercises and simple dramatic play.
Preschool/Pre-kindergarten:
During the preschool years, through interaction with people and objects, children are busy discovering the world , how it works, and how to best utilize their rapidly emerging skills. Language and newly acquired cognitive abilities enable them to question and explore new worlds through books, conversation, social interaction, and increasingly sophisticated play.
Our teachers carefully plan the environment and initiate projects to enrich the child's capacity to learn. Classroom learning centers are created to facilitate this process. Learning centers include art, language, science, blocks, manipulatives and drama. To provide structure and organization, centers are labeled using colors, symbols and words.
Throughout the day children have opportunities to make choices and to participate in small and large group activities. A typical day for a preschooler may include time at the listening center, reading books with a teacher, investigating the world of bugs outside, acting as an architect and builder with blocks, group singing, cooking activities, measuring and pouring, and creating various imaginary worlds with their friends.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks are served daily. A weekly menu of meals and snacks is made available to parents. Parents are encouraged to have lunch with their child from time to time.
