The+School



 Ford Childhood Enrichment Center

> We have three classrooms for each age group and we rent the other to Head Start. There is an outdoor area for the 3-5 year old's and a separate area for the infants and toddlers. The socioeconomic status ranges because some are staff and community children and some are college students children. This seems to make a very lively learning center with children who are more developed; modeling speech, potty training, social skills, etc. to the other children who may not have as much experience in these areas. We also provide quality experiences for the practicum students by modeling and pointing them in the right direction as far as professionalism and engaging with the children. We have a somewhat colorful center with a few African American, Hispanic, Russian, and Jewish children but it is predominantly white which is consistent with the area. All in all it is an interesting place to work and the Director places a great deal of importance on learning through play and encouraging a nurturing safe environment and it shows in the staff, as well as the children. >
 * Mission of our center: We provide quality Early Childhood Education for the children of U.C.C students as well as staff on campus and are the lab school for the E.C.E practicum students. When we have additional openings we also serve the community. Our mission to the children is to provide a safe and nurturing environment while learning through play. Our curriculum provides time to learn about music, art, science, math, letters and numbers. We focus on social skills, fine and gross motor skills, learning routines and verbal skills. We have three classrooms: Infant- 6 months- 1year; Toddler- 2 years; and 3-5 year old classrooms. The ratio in the 3-5 classroom is 1-10; the toddler classroom is 1-5 and infant is 1-4. There are eight teachers and the Director and a secretary. The average class size is 10 but we have up to 20 enrolled in each classroom and provide two time slots; morning and afternoon.