Early Education Programs in West Hartford
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Discover the ABC’s of Early Education Early Education Programs In West Hartford GREAT8 by Funded by the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund Great by 8 Great by 8 Mission: The mission of Great by 8, a diverse group of individuals advocating for the early education of young children, is to ensure that all West Hartford children enter school as eager learners with the skills that enable them to reach their full potential. This will be accomplished by increasing the community’s awareness of the value of preschool education and promoting availability and access to affordable, high quality programs and family support resources. This resource guide is the result of the collaboration of area early education and childcare providers and Great by 8, in an effort to engage families in accessing community resources for young children. Great by 8 Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment West Hartford Public Schools 50 South Main Street West Hartford, CT 06107 (860) 561-6669 [email protected] www.whps.org/whecp/ Thank you to our collaborative agent: The Bridge Family Center, Inc 1022 Farmington Avenue West Hartford, CT 06107 (860) 521-8035 www.bridgefamilycenter.org Great by 8 is funded by: William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund One Hamden Center Suite, 2B Hamden, CT 06518 (203) 230-3330 http://discovery.wcgmf.org/ 2 Great by 8 Table of Contents Choosing Quality Early Childhood Programs ..................................... 4 Qualifications ...................................................................................... 5 Questions to ask the Provider ............................................................ 6 Signs of a Great Preschool ................................................................. 7 Preschool Programs ...................................................................... 8-14 Licensed Homecare Providers ................................................... 15-18 Kindergarten Information ........................................................... 19-20 West Hartford Public Schools Contact Information .......................... 21 Town of West Hartford Contact Information ...................................... 22 Before/After School Care ................................................................. 23 Social Services ............................................................................ 23-24 Programs Free of Charge ............................................................ 25-26 Additional Programs .................................................................... 26-27 Please note: This directory is meant to provide parents with a listing of available early education and childcare providers in the town of West Hartford. The inclusion of a listing here in no way indicates the endorsement of any program by Great by 8. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information printed in this guide. To alert us to a discrepancy, please contact Beth Bye at 561-6669. 3 Great by 8 Choosing a Quality Early Childhood Program Childcare Quality childcare can make a big difference in the future of your child, your community and even the world. Choosing quality care is important. A quality program can help build a child’s confidence, curiosity and language skills. It can help a child share and enjoy learning. When choosing a child care provider, you should consider several factors, including location, convenience, referrals from friends, family and your community. There are also many websites and resources available on the internet to help you choose quality childcare. • Begin by visiting several childcare home providers or centers. • As you observe a homecare provider or a center, look at the whole facility – inside and out. See every room your child will use. • On each visit, think about your first impression. But don’t stop there. You should always visit a home or center more than once. And stay as long as possible so you can get a good feel for what the care will be like for your child. • Once you decide that a childcare provider will work for you, register your child. Many programs require registration a year before your child will enter the program, usually in the fall or winter. Why Should I Send My Child to Preschool? Children who attend a quality preschool, nursery, childcare center or family childcare before starting kindergarten enter school with a jump- start. Preschool offers children practice in becoming a group member, getting along with others and learning through planned activities that are age appropriate and fun. When to Begin Looking Start now! If you plan on sending your child to preschool, you should begin looking when your child turns two years old. Most preschools start registration between November and January for the following school year, so it’s important to think ahead. 1 National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, Child Care Aware initiative, 2001, 1-800-424-2246, www.childcareaware.org 2 “ Ready or Not: A Parents Guide to School Readiness, Prenatal to Age Five, Connecticut Commission on Children” www.cga.ct.gov/coc/ 4 Great by 8 Qualifications State Licensing All states require centers to be licensed. The goal of licensing is to ensure the safety and developmental well-being of children while in out- of-home care. Licensing does not ensure quality, but it does set health, safety and caregiver training standards that all centers must maintain. All centers are inspected at least once a year. Contact the following agency for details on childcare licensing regulations in the state of Connecticut: Connecticut Department of Public Health 410 Capital Avenue Hartford, CT 06134-0308 Phone: (860) 509-8045 Website:http://www.ct.gov/dph/ The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care also maintains documents related to child care licensing in Connecticut at: http://nrckids.org Accreditation The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC accredited programs complete a rigorous self-study and external review to prove that they meet standards of excellence in early childhood education. Accredited homes and centers voluntarily measure up to national standards of quality that have been established by national childcare organizations. Programs that are accredited have gone beyond state licensing standards. Trained caregivers have an increased understanding of children’s needs at different ages. These programs undergo in-depth self–assessments, independent observation and approval by professional experts. For more information contact: NAEYC 1313 L St. NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 (800) 424-2460 Website: www.naeyc.org 5 Great by 8 Other Resources: 211 Child Care Infoline is a confidential childcare referral telephone service. Childcare counselors are available to assist parents and childcare professionals in locating appropriate resources and referrals. 211/Child Care Infoline 1344 Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill, CT 06067 Website: www.211childcare.org Phone: 211 Phone: 1-800-571-7500 QUESTIONS TO ASK THE PROVIDERS: • What are the hours of operation? • What are the age ranges? • How are children of different ages, needs, and abilities grouped? • How many children are in each group? • How many adults work with a group? • Is the program licensed? • Is the program accredited? (SEE PAGE 5) • What are the qualifications of the director and staff? • What does the program cost? • Does the provider offer a lunch program? • Does the provider have a summer program? • Does the provider offer more than one language? • Does the provider smoke or have pets? Important Details To Consider: • Preschools housed in places of worship are usually non- denominational and welcome all faiths. • Some preschools offer scholarships or financial aid, a sliding scale, or may take the Care for Kids state subsidy. They are based on slot availability and consideration is on an individual basis. Don’t be afraid to ask! State Readiness Funds are available for preschool education on a limited basis for those families who qualify. Please contact Mary Stone in the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment at (860) 561-6635. 6 Great by 8 10 Signs of a Great Preschool If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 and attends a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten program, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) suggests you look for these 10 signs to make sure your child is enrolled in a high quality program. 1. Children spend most of their playing and working with materials or other children. They do not wander aimlessly, and they are not expected to sit quietly for long periods of time. 2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day. Look for assorted building blocks and other construction materials, props for pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as matching games, pegboards, and puzzles. Children should not all be doing the same thing at the same time. 3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend all their time with the whole group. 4. The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and stories dictated by children to teachers. 5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences.