CEC Early Learning Academy

A four Star Center!

The top 10 reasons to enroll your child at our preschool:

1. We are a community site for the Colorado Preschool/Kindergarten Program.
2. We off full day childcare.
3. Your child will participate in exciting field trips and enjoy guest presenters each month.
4. Lots of nutritious food – we provide breakfast, lunch and two snacks each day!
5. We have a highly qualified teaching staff with over 30 years experience.
6. We provide a caring, supportive environment for families.
7. We were a nationally accredited preschool for 10 years and now we are a four-star center!
8. We offer a mixed age classroom, which helps facilitate social skill development.
9. We have lots of learning space and a beautiful playground.
10. Our maximum class size is 16 with a teacher/child ratio of 1:8.

General Information

The center is open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday.  We follow the Denver Public Schools calendar and are closed whenever DPS is closed. We accept children age 3-5 (by October 1st) who are potty trained.

The Colorado Preschool/Kindergarten Program (CPKP) runs each day from 9:00 – 12:00.  We also offer enrichment activities after lunch and after restime.

We are a tuition-based program.  Children who qualify for CPKP funding will receive a discount.  We also accept reimbursement from CCCAP (The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program for families on TANF or with low-income.)  Rates for 2007-2008 school year are $30 per day. Children will receive breakfast, lunch and two snacks each day.  Our meals are catered by the Garden’s of St. Elizabeth and we prepare our snacks ourselves.  The food we serve meets or exceeds the guidelines established by the Colorado Child and Adult Care Food Program.  We serve meals family style and encourage children to try new things whenever possible.

We believe that play is the primary vehicle for and the best indicator of a child’s growth and development.  Activities are designed to meet children’s individual needs and naturally developing interests.  Our activities are developmentally appropriate and incorporate the Building Blocks to Colorado’s State Standards of learning. We encourage children to question, explore, imagine, and problem-solve each day. These skills build the foundation for future academic success.  Our primary goal is to help children foster a love of learning.

Quality Rating

Qualistar Early Learning is a statewide non-profit organization working with child care providers, parents, and communities to improve the quality of early childhood education across Colorado.

In January 2007 we achieved a Qualistar Rating of FOUR stars – the highest rating possible!

For more information on Qualistar please visit their website at www.qualistar.org.

Qualistar Early Learning is a statewide non-profit organization working with child care providers,

parents, and communities to improve the quality of early childhood education in Colorado.  In January 2007, we achieved our first Qualistar rating of  FOUR STARS!  Four stars is the highest quality rating possible.

Link to Qualistar website www.qualistar.org

Prior to this achievement, we were a Nationally Accredited Preschool Program for 10 years.  This came form the National Association for the Education of Young children.  For more information of Accredidation please visit NAEYC’s website at www.NAEYC.org.

To receive these ratings and accreditation centers must meet standards higher than those established by state licensing.  These higher requirements help to ensure programs are providing a quality setting for children and families.

For more information abut licensing please visit the state website at www.cdhs.state.co.us/childcare/.

Field Trips and Special Activities

We try to take a filed trip each month. (There is sometimes an extra charge for these trips.) Our first trip of the year is usually a walking trip to the fire station on Federal Blvd and 26th.  We also like to take the bus to Sloan’s Lake for a picnic and the opportunity to practice an emergency exit from the rear of the bus!

CEC Middle College Partnership

Being located in a middle college offers us many opportunities for exploration outside of our classroom.  We often take walking tours of the building to find out about the different people who work here.  We get to know the secretaries, the custodians, the security guards, and the administration by their first names.

We also participate in activities in the building such as a bug day hosted by the Criminal Justice class studying entomology.  We delivered recycling bins to all of the classrooms and take our recycling to the big container as needed.

Our program also serves as a lab for high school students enrolled in the “Teaching Careers” class.  Students are able to observe, participate and explore the teaching profession in our room.  They help with cleaning, plan and implement activities, and read with the children.  These students are always under the direct supervision of preschool staff and are never left alone with the children.

Meet Our Staff

Ramona Hall, Director                   
Mona has served as the director at CEC since 1983.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a master’s degree in ECE and Curriculum Development and Instruction.  Mona has also earned a Level V Credential in ECE.  Mona loves teaching at CEC and hopes to stay until retirement!

Lisa Bond, Group Leader                   
Lisa has worked at the CEC on and off since 1999.  She began as the assistant director and was in charge of the summer program when we had a year round program.  She left in 2001 to have a child and returned as a sub and then eventually a full-time employee again.  She is director qualified and also has a Level V Credential in ECE and School-Age Care.  Lisa has a bachelors and masters degree in school-age care.  Lisa is also currently going back to school to get her teaching certification.  She has presented at many local and state child care conferences, taught college courses, and is a published author.

Lindsay Flanigan, Group Leader                   
Lindsay has worked at the center since 2006.  She has a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and is currently taking classes to receive her teaching certificate from Metropolitan State College of Denver.  She has earned a Level I credential in ECE and will soon have enough credits to receive a Level IV credential!

Parent Involvement and Comments

We consider you an essential part of your child’s success and believe that close cooperation is necessary to best meet the needs of your child.  We expect you to participate in at least five activities each year.  These will include a home visit, enrollment conference, and at least one parent conference.  We also invite you to come eat a meal with us, read books, cook a snack or join us on a field trip.  Parent activities will also be held each month.  These may include a guest speaker, a craft night, or a family tea.  And of course, you are welcome in the center to play or observe any time!

Our best referral is word of mouth as parents share their experiences with others.  We have also enrolled multiple siblings and cousins from the same family.  We have even had children of past preschoolers!  Here is what some of the parents have had to say about our program:

“This is the best early childhood program I have ever witnessed!”

You are truly a unique, special, totally child driven center.  You differentiate to all needs.  We thank you.”

“thank you for being the people you are and dealing with my neuroses and popping in unexpected during the day!  Words cannot express my gratitude.”