Early Learning

Children learn best through play. Learning requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. The activities we plan for children, the way we organize the environment, select toys and materials, plan the daily schedule, and talk with children, are all designed to accomplish the goals of our curriculum and give your child a successful start in school. The most important goal of our early childhood curriculum is to help children become enthusiastic learners. This means encouraging children to be active and creative explorers who are not afraid to try out their ideas and to think their own thoughts. Our goal is to help children become independent, self-confident, inquisitive learners. We’re teaching them how to learn, not just in our programs, but all through their lives. We’re allowing them to learn at their own pace and in the ways that are best for them.

The classrooms reflect the community we serve and we strive to employ an equally diverse staff population. Early childhood is the ideal time to emphasize the important of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The classrooms incorporate the diversity as reflected in the variety of books, music, languages, toys, photos and other materials that reflect the many ethnic, racial, and gender backgrounds.

Family engagement is essential to the success of our program and we welcome families as a valued partner. Parents are encouraged to attend monthly Parent Committee meetings, interact with their child’s teachers, be elected to serve on Policy Council as a representative of their center, participate in home visits, parent workshops, and parent activities. Parents are encouraged to volunteer, although at this time, we are not allowing volunteers in the classrooms, there are other ways to be involved, such as completing activities at home that support the home/school connection.

Families enrolled in one of our fee-paying programs pay a fee based on the State of Connecticut Dept. of Education Child Day Care Center schedule or the School Readiness Initiative fee schedule. The fee is determined based on the family’s gross income and family size. he fee is calculated per child, however, ELD has a policy in place that allows a discount based on the number of children enrolled in the program. Families are strongly encouraged to apply for Care 4 Kids to help subsidize the cost of care.

Yes! It is important for children to attend school every day and build good habits. Regular attendance helps prepare children for Kindergarten which enhances their ability to make friends, follow routines, and learn valuable skills. Research shows that children who miss too many days of preschool have weaker literacy and numeracy skills.