THE CENTER’S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND SERVICES

Early Childhood Centers provides quality, integrated early education and care services for families in the Greater Springfield area. Age groupings are based on the child’s age as of September 1 of each year. Groupings are flexible and are based on a child’s needs.

School Readiness

Early Childhood Centers’ educational environment provides children with quality services and meaningful early learning experiences. Its readiness curriculum includes language and early literacy skills, math, science, art, sensory and music activities, dramatic play, physical development, and an anti-bias program that promotes an inclusive educational environment. The Center exceeds the state’s minimum childcare licensing requirements and is seeking national accreditation through the National Association for Education of Young Children.

Family Readiness

Early Childhood Centers is not only ready for children but also for their families. Quality early learning and care must include family support or it cannot be quality. Our family-centered practice is an approach for developing partnerships with families. The agency focuses on strengthening family ties and building family assets. It encourages parents to choose their own level of participation. Workshops, social events, classroom activities and Parent Advisory Council meetings offer families a range of support. Parents participate in decision-making by serving as a member of the board of directors and advisory committees.

Community Readiness

Early Childhood Centers strives to influence community change on behalf of children, providers, and families. It contracts with other community agencies, helps link families with existing community services, and maintains both formal and informal partnerships as part of its commitment to build strong organizational relationships that are essential to strengthening family assets. The agency maintains high standards in its centers and strives to influence community residents, informal caregivers, and other child care providers to improve their quality of care for children.

As a direct result of the market demand for qualified center-based staff, Early Childhood Centers offers the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credential Program to community residents. The state placed the agency on the statewide list of training programs eligible to receive Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Individual Training Account Funds.

Cultural Arts Readiness

Through dance, music, theater, and the visual arts, children express ideas that they cannot express in language alone. Early Childhood Centers provides an effective cultural arts curriculum that emphasizes development of skills and understanding of creating, performing, and responding.

Visual Arts

Early Childhood Centers connects children and their families with a variety of arts resources in the community. Professional artists visit the center and offer exposure to a variety of visual arts.

Professional Development

Early Childhood Centers highly values professional staff development as the basis for its quality early childhood program. Its educational requirements for teachers are higher than those set by the state’s Department of Early Education and Care. It requires its teachers to have one of the following professional credentials: a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate or an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in education.

In addition, its teacher assistants must meet the Department of Early Education and Care’s teacher requirements. The agency offers an implemented Child Development Associate training program as a staff development benefit. The CDA program provides performance-based training, assessment, and credentials. All staff are required to participate in a continuous training and professional development programs in order to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s families.