MODEL OF EXCELLENCE

Our Approach

Infant Care

Our Programs

Early Learning Advocate

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Families & Teachers

Safety First

Our Greatest Asset Is Our Professional Staff

Children benefit most from teachers who are highly qualified and experienced.  Equally important, children flourish by developing deep and trusting bonds with their teachers.

Each classroom is headed by two full-time teachers: a lead teacher and an assistant teacher.  The lead teacher in each class has a master’s, bachelor’s, or associate’s degree in early childhood education or closely related field. All assistant teachers have at least a high school diploma plus three years’ experience working with children. Over half of the teachers have or are working towards their Pennsylvania state teacher certification in early childhood education.

Children’s Village has low staff turnover. Children’s Village is committed to ensuring that children and their parents enjoy longstanding and meaningful relationships with teachers.

Teacher-to-Child Ratio

Embracing Best Practices To Achieve The Best Outcomes For Each Child

Here is a description of our programs:

The Infant Program [6 weeks -13 months]

Children’s Village’s Infant Program provides a safe, secure, warm and caring environment for your baby to grow and thrive. The program welcomes infants ages 6 weeks and older, with full-time or part-time availability. There is one teacher for every four infants, and the program takes care to adhere to the highest quality of state and national standards.

Play and nurturing relationships are at the heart of the active learning curriculum in the infant program. Inspired by the HighScope curriculum, the teaching team guides early experiences toward a lifelong love of learning, at each child’s individual pace. In close partnership and daily communication with parents, a consistent yet flexible schedule is followed to create an environment in which children feel loved and secure. The infant learning environment encourages movement, curiosity, exploration, and communication in all of its forms.

To view photographs of the Infant Care Program and read our Infant Care Program Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

The Toddler Program [13 months – 3 years]

Stories, art projects, music and movement activities, conversation, and neighborhood outings engage the active minds and bodies of toddlers.  Educational themes include ‘all about me’, community helpers, transportation, food and markets, animals, and nature.  The social-emotional focus throughout the Toddler Program is on the development of self-identity, healthy self-expression, and the independence afforded by beginning mastery of self-care skills.

The Preschool Program* [3- and 4-year olds, and children turning 5 after September 1]

The Preschool Program’s curriculum introduces the basic skills and concepts reflected in local and national standards.  Throughout the entire Preschool Program, activities are planned in all areas of the curriculum – literacy, science, math, social studies, the arts and physical education – that relate to the current theme (see below).  Preschool classrooms implement the Blueprint for Early Literacy curriculum, set forth by the Children’s Literacy Initiative, and the math and science components of the HighScope curriculum.

Blueprint for Early Literacy Themes

·   Welcome to School

·   Families

·   People & Places in My Neighborhood

·   Seasons

·   Foods & Markets

·   Daily Life in Many Lands

·   Farms & Folktales

·   Under Construction

·   Seeds, Plants & Gardens

·   On the Move

In the Blueprint for Early Literacy curriculum, children’s books inspire the themes that make learning fun for preschoolers.  Monthly themes come alive through daily read-alouds, literacy activities, and related materials in classroom centers.  The Blueprint curriculum allows for individualized instruction based on a child’s prior knowledge and skill level.  The study of each theme integrates various subjects with a year-long emphasis on emerging reading and writing skills.

Educators focus on the math and science components of the HighScope curriculum.  Classroom learning centers of natural objects, weight and measurement tools, blocks and construction toys, sand and water, and books on math and science topics ignite children’s interest and encourage active exploration.  Posing questions, guessing answers, and testing and experimenting with peers and educators builds children’s understanding and confidence in mathematical concepts and scientific inquiry.    

The School-Age Program* [Elementary school children between 5 and 12 years]

The School-Age Program at Children’s Village provides a safe, caring, and academically enriching environment for children after school when school is in session and all day on school holidays and during summer vacation.  The School-Age Program provides opportunities for children to further develop interpersonal and social skills while supplementing and supporting the children’s elementary school experiences.

During the school year, the children receive a nutritious dinner and assistance with homework.  The year-round program uses a Project Based Learning approach that includes opportunities to explore creative interests and pursue inquiries that arouse curiosity.  The program also offers: daily physical exercise, cooking projects, arts and crafts, field trips, story-telling and drama, games, computer-literacy activities, and development of creative conflict-resolution skills.

*THE SECOND STEP CURRICULUM

In addition, our aim is to teach children self-regulation skills every day when they are not in a ‘crisis’ situation. In working toward this goal, Children’s Village utilizes the Second Step curriculum in our preschool and school-age classrooms (and the curriculum is forthcoming in our toddler classrooms). Through this proactive social-emotional curriculum, we work to help children express their feelings in ways that are satisfying and yet respectful to others.  The curriculum helps children focus their attention on learning even when they are distracted, upset, or excited. 

Weekly themes include:

· Paying Attention

· Asking for What you Need or Want

· Identifying Feelings

· Fair Ways to Play

This preventative approach helps children control their impulses, follow directions, and be empathetic towards others.  

Student Pick-Up Locations

If your child is attending General George A. McCall Elementary School and you are in need of after-school care, you might be interested that we pick up children on foot from McCall. We take the SEPTA 47 bus if the weather makes the walk unpleasant (or if backpacks are particularly heavy!)

Please note our pick-up locations:  
Please note our pick-up locations:  McCall on foot and at 8th & Arch school bus stop, Holy Redeemer School on foot, FACTS Charter School on foot, and other elementary schools, such as Russell Byers Charter, bus to Children’s Village by parent arrangement.

When Children Have Special Needs

To ensure all children succeed in the classroom, our Mental Health Consultant, a psychologist, works with parents and teachers to help children who have difficulties with speech, motor coordination, behavior, or learning.  Children’s Village is able to accept children whose Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) are compatible with our full-class, traditional classroom setting.  Philadelphia’s public early intervention providers provide special instructors, speech therapists, behavioral consultants, or other specialists to work with children on their IEP/IFSP goals at Children’s Village.

Encouraging Life-Long Learners and Readers: Our PNC GROW UP GREAT Library

Children can choose books from among the 5,000 titles in our on-site library.  Children enjoy story time hosted by our part-time Librarian. Preschool and school-age children can borrow books every week and share them with their families.  Many books are written in English and Chinese as well as other languages.  Students who borrow books from the library on a regular basis are better readers, writers, and researchers, no matter how old they are!

Children’s Village Adheres To The Best Practice Standards In The Field:

Pennsylvania Child Care Licensing Legislation
Children’s Village is licensed as a child day care program by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. Licensing regulations set the health and safety standards and minimum policy and procedure requirements for child day care programs in the state of Pennsylvania.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
NAEYC sets best practice standards for the field of early childhood education above and beyond the minimum state licensing guidelines.  This professional organization offers a voluntary accreditation process addressing ten program standards and accreditation criteria, including curriculum, teacher-child interactions, and parent-staff relationships.  Children’s Village has been NAEYC accredited continuously since 1996.

Keystone STARS Performance Standards for Centers
Three different Environmental Rating Scales (ERS) — one for infant and toddler classrooms, one for preschool classrooms, and one for school-age programs, assess educational quality for Pennsylvania’s STAR ratings at Children’s Village.   Each ERS is divided into criteria that asses the respective program’s physical environment, health and safety procedures, materials, interpersonal relationships, and opportunities for learning and development.  Administrative policies and procedures also are thoroughly reviewed.  Children’s Village has continuously earned the highest STAR 4A rating.

Head Start
Head Start services are provided to income-eligible families enrolled at Children’s Village. Many requirements of Head Start programs are already met in a high-quality preschool setting, but additional features of Head Start include home visits by the teacher, a family interview and family partnership agreement, parent participation in the program, and stepped-up monitoring of children’s health and growth in all developmental areas.

Pre-K Counts
Pre-K Counts is preschool education under the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Pre-K Counts programs must meet high standards related to teacher education and expertise. The curriculum must be designed to help children grow academically and socially.  Teachers are required to review children’s progress and choose teaching and learning activities that are best for each child.

PHLpreK
Philadelphia’s soda tax funds high-quality preschool for Philadelphia residents.  PHLpreK is Philadelphia’s preschool funding.  Our Head Start, Pre-K Counts, and PHLpreK contracts all require that participants reside in Philadelphia.  Head Start and Pre-K Counts have income ceilings for eligibility;  PHLpreK does not.

The National After-School Association (NAA)
NAA establishes best practice standards for programs dedicated to elementary children during out-of-school hours. It is Children’s Village’s goal to comply with NAA standards and achieve accreditation.

Core Standards for Philadelphia Youth Programs
The School-Age Program follows the Core Standards for Philadelphia’s Youth Programs.

Child and Adult Care Food Program
Children’s Village participates in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). CACFP establishes basic nutrition requirements for meals served to children in early childhood programs and schools.