Early Childhood Learning Center

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the Early Childhood Learning Center ! We are delighted that you have chosen us to meet your family's educational and childcare needs. Caring for your child is a responsibility that we take very seriously. At ECLC we are committed to doing what's right for children by providing caring teachers and a happy and warm educational environment to help foster your child's growth and development.

This webpage contains valuable information about your child's program at ECLC and I encourage you to read it carefully. If you have any questions about the material, just ask the Director. You'll find him/her knowledgeable and responsive.

Our Director and teaching staff are eager to know if there are ways our programs might better serve your needs. If you ever have any suggestions or concerns, please talk about them openly with your child's teacher or with the Center Director.

Again, thank you for choosing ECLC. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship.

Sincerely,

Raymond J. Glasser
ECLC Executive Director

"We believe parents are the most significant adults in a child's life. We do everything possible to insure parents' involvement with our programs. Developing methods of keeping communication flowing freely is an important part of each staff members responsibility."

Below you wil find excerpts of our ECLC Handbook. If you would like to view the handbook in its entirety, please contact a center director.

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER
AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR YOUR CHILD

Early experiences are vital to your child's growth and development. Experts have determined that personality, identity, and language are largely formed by the time a child is six years old.

Early Childhood Learning Center is an important resource for children during these formative years. We believe that guidance by skilled, trained teachers allows your child's physical, social, emotional, and mental development to progress smoothly and rapidly. Our family grouped program encourages imagination and a natural love of learning.

Fine learning materials and our trained staff combine to enhance children's skills and help each child develop social and cognitive abilities through guided learning experiences. Your child discovers friendship and sharing, and most importantly, develops a positive self-concept. Developmental early childhood programs, trained staff, and an orientation to the individual child make ECLC uniquely qualified to help support you as you raise your child.

HOURS OF OPERATION AND HOLIDAYS

The Early Childhood Learning Center is open from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. five days a week (Monday-Friday / Check with your center director for the exact hours of operation), twelve months a year. ECLC is closed on the six (6) legal holidays each year:

New Year's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Tuition rates are established on a yearly basis. The closing for the six legal holidays are figured into the annual tuition rates and there is no reduction in tuition when the holiday comes up and ECLC is closed.

NUTRITION

A nutritious hot lunch and afternoon snack are prepared at the Center and served daily at no charge. An optional breakfast is available for a minimal charge per day or per week. Every meal is planned to meet a child's nutritional requirements. Nutrition is one of the most important elements in child development. Good nutrition not only affects the physical functioning of the child, but the mental functioning as well.

EDUCATION

QUALITY ASSURANCE

"We believe program quality must be monitored and evaluated to assure that the programs we provide meet the child care and early education needs of the children and families we serve. The result of our systematic Quality Assurance Program is confidence in the programs we offer to children and their families."

The quality assurance program at ECLC entails careful reviews of our program implementation by both ECLC management and child development/early childhood experts. Using outside experts to help in this process provides an unbiased look at the excellence of our programs. The continual improvement and fine-tuning of our programs are the goals of our quality assurance program.

PROGRAMS

"At ECLC we believe each child is a unique individual. Therefore, our programs are based on the individual social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of each child. We believe children are happy and secure when they have plenty of opportunities to succeed each day. Success breeds' self-confidence, and self-confident children approach learning as fun and actively search for information and solutions to problems. As a result, they develop into well-rounded, capable adults. Much of what we do with children is designed to facilitate the development of self-confidence."

"Because our programs are developmental, we believe that children's interest and skill must guide our curriculum planning. Planning efforts respond to the direction of a child's learning. We believe that the process of learning is more important than the content of learning. Because we focus on process learning, activities are designed to emphasize the experiences children are having rather than what results from activities. In other words, painting is more important than what is painted, building with blocks is more important than what is built. Helping children learn how to learn is what our programs are about."

STAFF TRAINING

"We believe that the teaching team is the cornerstone of our philosophy. Members of the team are carefully selected, trained, and evaluated. Team Members are aware of the expectations for them and have input into their own professional training and development."

Following a careful selection process, each staff member receives training before beginning to work in the classroom. Upon entering the classroom, training is done on a continual basis for all teachers. ECLC has carefully identified the skills and competencies teachers must have to meet the childcare and early education needs of the children. The Director regularly observes the teachers and conduct feedback conferences to ensure the competence of each staff member.

DISCIPLINE

"During the early childhood years, young children are learning to be in charge of themselves. We believe in consistent, understandable limits and in teachers who respond to inappropriate behavior with insight, sensitivity, and skill. When clear, consistent, and age-appropriate limits are present; children increasingly become responsible for themselves. When out-of- bounds behavior does occur, we believe it is important for children to understand why the behavior is inappropriate and how to modify it."

At ECLC we work to prevent behavior problems by arranging the classroom so that children can work in small groups and have a choice of activities. This range of activities will give your child the freedom and ability to experience success and become self-directed. Teachers are also trained to skillfully to direct behavior along appropriate channels.

Teachers establish predictable limits and help the children understand the consequences of their actions. For example, each child must learn that throwing a toy in anger may lead to injuries and that such behavior is inappropriate. Children are encouraged to verbalize their feelings, thus, learning to positively work through strong emotions.

Teachers act as role models and employ ample praise for appropriate behavior. Our staff all takes a discipline/communication class entitled, "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen, And Listen So Kids Will Talk." This is also open to parents.

ECLC staff uses the 1-2-3 magic, which consists of a child receiving three warnings after the third warning a consequence is given (the consequence is age and situational appropriate). The consequence can range from a time out to a job being off limits to a child.

Time out is a chair or quiet place away form the other children. Time out time is based on one-minute per year of child and in relation to what the time out is for.

ECLC staff talks with the child after time out or when a consequence is given to then help the child verbalize the problem and/or reason for the time out or consequence. Drawing of pictures or writing of words some times helps the child to put into perspective what is happening.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

"We believe parents are the most significant adults in a child's life. We do everything possible to insure parents' involvement with our programs. Developing methods for keeping communication flowing freely is an important part of each staff member's responsibility."

ECLC aims to be supportive of your parenting role and supplement the development of your child's future in a most positive and professional way. We realize that many parents feel some anxiety when leaving their child at the childcare center, and that this is a normal part of the adjustment process. If you feel anxious about your decision, your child may sense this and have a harder time adjusting. ECLC will be a wonderland of excitement and fun when you emphasize the positive aspects of meeting new friends and experiencing new situations. Please feel free to discuss any concerns you may have with your Center Director and Head Teacher at any time.

Some children seem to have no difficulty in adapting to new situations and experiences, while others take longer periods to accept new surroundings and new people. Much of the grief and anxiety expressed at first is a good way to get feelings out in the open. We find that the concern ends soon after your child enters his/her classroom and becomes involved in the day's activities. Often, a readjustment may occur after a long weekend or vacation. Your continuing positive attitude will facilitate any such transitions.

A daily time of sharing your child's experiences at ECLC and his/her feelings toward playmates and adults will strengthen the parental bond and an acceptance of the separation. Keeping ECLC's monthly calendar in a place where activities can be easily referred to will facilitate these interactions.

You may want to prepare a special area, wall, or bulletin board for the display of your child's artwork. Featuring only one or two pieces at a time and then filing them away will make each one special. As your child grows older, he/she may be willing to part with some, but let him/her decide. Each piece of artwork is a part of your child and should be accepted and treated with respect.

Encourage your child to express creativity in art work by comments such as, "I think that's an interesting design;" "You must have worked hard on that;" or, "You must have had lots of fun doing that." Talking about colors, shapes, design, lines, and curves will help your child understand many basic concepts. Try to avoid making value judgments or labeling (i.e. "That's a good or bad flower."), or asking, "What is it?" It doesn't have to be anything! You might want to ask, "Would you like to tell me about your picture?” but do not be disappointed if he/she does not want to talk about it. Remember that children do not see things as adults do and it is the process or "the doing" that is important, not the product or end result.

If your child has an upsetting experience, such as the death of a pet or an illness in the family, please let us know. We want to help your child work out difficulties through play, art, or sympathetic conversation. Your child's total development is important to us all.

Please send a small "crib-size" blanket for your child's naptime. We will keep it in your child's cubby and send it home each Friday to be laundered. After the first few days of adjustment to the classroom, we ask that your child leave toys at home since they may get broken. Also, children are less likely to want to share personal possessions. Security items, however, such as dolls, stuffed animals and blankets are encouraged since they help children feel more comfortable and secure.

PARENT CONFERENCES

Every fall and spring, you will have a formal opportunity to meet with your child's teacher as we schedule parents-teacher conferences. This will give you an additional chance to discuss in depth your child's program, his/her progress, and any concerns you may have. We encourage you to schedule conferences whenever you desire.