Our Program
Physical Environment
Safe and Healthy Environment
To ensure a safe environment for your child, we take all the precautions necessary. We follow a rigorous checklist daily before the children arrive to allow all areas are safe for children. Our staff to child ratios for infants are 1 to 3 and for Toddlers they are 1 to 6. All furniture is secure and in good repair and will not harm the children. Small parts and objects are kept away from children at all times in secure areas. Medications are kept in designated areas out of the child's reach. Crib checks are done according to licensing procedures and documented daily. Children are also closely supervised with knowledgeable staff that understand the limits children need.
To ensure a healthy lifestyle, we wash our hands upon arriving, after toileting, and before and after meals. We also wash our hands after we have been outdoors. All children in our center are up to date on immunizations and health records. We clean and sanitize the classrooms on a daily basis and as needed. General cleaning of the facility is also done on a daily basis and as needed. Our wholesome snacks and hot lunches provide good nutrition and include all of the food groups. We also take certain precautions when feeding infants.
Developmentally Appropriate Environment
Our learning environments are suitable for each age group. Our infant room has an area for immobile children where they can lay on the floor, swing, or sit up. We also offer a mobile room where they are free to move around in an enclosed space suitable for their developmental needs. Our toddler room is designed specifically for the mobile needs they have. We have larege motor areas that encourage movement. We also have a smaller section in the room designed for meals and diapering. Each area plays an important role in their development. We also take into consideration the layout of the classrooms.
Play Environment
What lies in our classrooms is so important to the growth and development of each individual child. We offer age appropriate toys and equipment to ensure all of their needs are being met. In our infant rooms the calm atmosphere helps them adjust and feel secure. We offer simple toys that they can manipulate and areas to lay on their backs and tummies. We also have some equipment for them to practice sitting up and balancing. Our swings and bouncers help to sooth and entertain them.
The toddler room is designed for a lot of movement. One side of the room is designed for quiet activities such as reading, puzzles and quiet reflection. There are many comfortable places to sit and relax. The other side is meant for more large motor activities and promotes loud actions and movements. The children's artwork is displayed at their level and also from the ceiling. This gives the illusion for a more intimate setting and makes them feel more secure.
Social Environment
The social environment of a classroom is critical to a child's development. This is a place where they learn skills to know and understand who they are, who other people are, and what to do with other people.
Identity Formation
This is where your child learns who they are and who others are as well. They form opinions and make friends as they watch and observe. Our job is to model appropriate behavior and give them a positive example to look up to and mimic. They pick up on our actions and character traits, which is why this time is so crucial to model the correct behavior.
Self-Image
Children are influenced by the images they have of themselves. We promote positive self-images through positive language and encouragement and allowing children to be independent. We take pride in giving children their shining moments and allowing them to do things on their own and learn who they are.
Gender Identity
Children understand early on if they are a boy or girl and how they feel about both genders. These feelings are learned through observing others' attitudes and what they learn about them. We teach each child that both genders are equal and capable of all things. There are no gender limitations or stereotypes. Both boys and girls are encouraged to play and learn together!
Adult Relations
Caregivers are a big part of the classroom, because without them schools just wouldn't exist. The relationships between caregivers and parents are also important. There are three stages caregivers go through when they begin to work with children.
Caregiver Development
- Caregiver as savior: They see themselves as knowing the child best and are rescuing the child from their parents.
- Caregiver as Superior or Parent: They begin to see an importance the parents plays in the role of the child.
- Caregiver as Partner: They see the relationship between the child and parent as most important and work alongside them to help the child develop to their full potential. The parents is the most important person in that child's life.
Communication Barriers
We are here to help you and your child receive as much possible from their education and development. Communication doesn't always happen the way we want and we sometimes have trouble understanding one another. We offer parent notebooks in every classroom, where you can write notes to the teachers if they are unavailable. We also encourage you to call if you have any questions or concerns. Our teachers also record all important conversations for future reference to help with good communication.
Parent Education
We hold parent teacher conferences three times a year and when asked by the parent or teacher. We also encourage smaller phone conferences to catch up or discuss any concerns. This is a time when you can discuss with your child's teacher the improvements in their development and any concerns that are noted. We also offer many resources in our parent library about parenting ideas and fun family activities to promote development and bonding.
Staff Relations
Our center staff need to communicate and work together successfully too! That is why we hold weekly meetings by classrooms to ensure that we are all on the same page. We discuss goals that need to be met and other areas that can be improved on. Every month, our center holds a short meeting to talk about announcements and upcoming events. This is a time when we can come together and talk about things we can do to improve our center. Your feedback is always welcome! Please let us know how we are doing!
