ABOUT US

 

Mission Statement

The Early Learning Center is caring for our community’s children and families by providing every child in our care with consistent, high-quality early learning opportunities from compassionate and dedicated staff in order to prepare each child for their next milestone. 

 

Program Philosophy

The Early Learning Center believes every child in our care will be engaged in quality experiences that offer a healthy and compassionate home away from home. These experiences will be:

• Inclusive – meeting the needs of and creating opportunity for every child

• Collaborative – taking into account the strengths of staff, parents, and the community to grow together, building each other up and working together in mutual respect

• Fun – learning and connecting through play and positivity

• Intentional – making choices that best support identified early learning objectives

• Developmentally-appropriate – best suited for the specific needs of each child

 

This program believes in and practices a positive teaching method. Teachers are to spend time on the children’s level as often as possible and to lead by example as role models. Signs of this include but are not limited to:

• Using kind voices

• Utilizing positive reinforcement

• Implementing center-wide discipline techniques as trained

• Doing activities with the children

• Joining in conversation with the children

• Playing with children on their level

• Teaching developmentally-appropriate lessons to help children with their development

 

Center Organization

The Flatwater Bank Early Learning Center provides care for children from ages six weeks through 13 years old and is organized into three “neighborhoods” made up of five classrooms each – Infant (6 weeks to 12 mo.), Toddler 1 (12-24 mo.), Toddler 2 (24-36 mo.), Pre-K 3/4, and Pre-K 4/5.

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The Impact Center Board of Directors will govern the business of the Impact Center, including the operations of the Early Learning Center. This board of directors will make policies and have the final say on all matters pertaining to the Impact Center, including the Early Learning Center.

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The Early Learning Center Director will oversee and manage the day-to-day operations of the ELC. 

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The Curriculum Directors are responsible for the training and coaching of the education staff in their neighborhood and overseeing the instruction in the classrooms. 

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Teachers in classrooms are responsible for the coordination and implementation of the education program in his/her classroom in consultation with the Curriculum Director in that neighborhood.

 

Accreditation/Licensing

The Flatwater Bank Early Learning Center is licensed by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and as such will adhere to the rules and regulations of this licensing. The Center’s license is displayed in the reception area for review. A copy of the DHHS licensing regulations is available in the ELC Director’s Office or online on the Nebraska DHHS website. 

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In order to provide this high-quality learning environment for all children, we will participate in Step Up to Quality as soon as we are eligible. This program is designed to help participating providers intentionally go beyond what is required to recognize quality and offer the best possible care and education for the children in their care. 

 

Inclusion and Non-Discrimination

The Flatwater Bank Early Learning Center provides access to high-quality care for any family. No child will be denied care based on race, color, religion, sex, age, or physical or mental disability so long as there is room for the child in the program under State licensing ratio regulations.

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The ELC believes that children of all ability levels are entitled to the same opportunities for participation, acceptance and belonging in childcare. We will make every reasonable accommodation to encourage full and active participation of all children in our program based on his/her individual capabilities and needs.

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The Center strives to meet the needs of all children, including those with special needs. A specific written plan will be designed for each child with verified special needs by the teacher, curriculum director, and parent before enrollment. In order to provide consistent care, we also ask that we be able to communicate and work with any outside sources that also provide special services to the child.  Parents are asked to make the initial contact and release relevant information to the Center staff. If areas of concern arise, parents are encouraged to work with the responsible curriculum director and the appropriate services.

 

Curriculum and Child Assessment

Much time and effort has been put into choosing the best curriculum for our Center. The Flatwater Bank Early Learning Center follows Creative Curriculum. This curriculum is a research-based, high-quality learning tool with appropriate lessons and activities for children of all ages. This curriculum is supplemented with appropriate activities in math, science, creative arts, literacy, and interpersonal skills, among other things that help prepare the children for kindergarten. 

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Each classroom is overseen by a Curriculum Director who will assist the teachers with preparing and implementing lesson plans as needed.

As part of this curriculum, we gather information about each child’s developmental abilities and evaluate progress. This information allows teachers to modify and adjust what they are doing in their classroom to deliver the best individualized instruction for each child. This evaluation is communicated to families periodically during the school year using various formal and informal tools, forms, and resources.

Information about your child’s day and how learning is taking place in the classroom will be communicated through normal Center communication tools. Questions may be directed to classroom teachers or Curriculum Director.

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The Center uses the Teaching Strategies Gold. To coincide with curriculum-based assessment(s), we monitor each child’s achievement of developmental milestones, share observations with parents/guardians, and provide resource information as needed for further screenings, evaluations, and early intervention and treatment.