Childcare program

Philosophy  
The childcare program is founded on the following beliefs about children:

• Parents are the most pervasive and influential teachers of their children.
• Curriculum is everything that a child experiences, from the time they get up in the morning until the time they go to bed in the evening.  
• Each child’s uniqueness must be respected and fostered.    
• Children grow and develop at individual rates that are often unique and unrelated to their calendar age. 
• Children need curriculum that moves slowly from the concrete to the abstract.   Children learn best through a hands-on approach.    
• Learning is what children do, not what is done to them. They must be active and directly involved in their own learning.   

The Children’s Center’s curriculum is play-based and focuses on the Wisconsin Early Learning Standards. 

Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards Guiding Principles

1. All children are capable and competent.
2. A child’s early learning and development is multidimensional.
3. Expectations for children must be guided by knowledge of child growth and development.
4. Children are individuals who develop at various rates.
5. Children are members of cultural groups that share developmental patterns.
6. Children exhibit a range of skills and competencies within any domain of development.
7. Children learn through play and the active exploration of their environment.
8. Parents are children’s primary and most important caregivers and educators.

Research has proven that young children learn best through play-based activities designed by qualified teachers.  Play enables the learner to make sense of their environment and is the essential ingredient in the work and learning of young children. Children are given ample time to actively explore their environment, choose their activities based on their own interests, and  interact socially with their peers. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process, insuring that children are gaining experience across the curriculum.

Teachers will create an environment that encourages children to:    

• grow socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically    
• develop a positive self image    
• be aware of, accept, and express one’s own feelings in an atmosphere or respect    
  
• try new experiences 
• develop problem-solving and decision-making skills    
• explore and express their creativity    
• take responsibility for one’s own actions    
• accept and enjoy diversity    
• participate in self-care with increasing independence      
  

Research has proven that young children learn best through play-based activities designed by qualified teachers.  Children are given ample time to actively explore their environment, choose their activities based on their own interests, and  interact socially with their peers. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process, insuring that children are gaining experience across the curriculum.

Enrollment process
Enrollment for 3 year olds starts in April for the fall session of that year. Prospective families wishing to tour the center will be invited to do so after May 15th. Their child is welcome to visit at this time. St. Norbert feels strongly that the program speaks for itself and the best information is based on this visit. St. Norbert faculty and staff will be given first priority. The prospective families that have been on the waiting list will be notified first and their children will be enrolled in the order they were placed on that list. Once all families are on the waiting list having had a chance to enroll or decline enrollment, telephone calls will be taken to fill the remainder of the spots. There is a $50 registration fee required for holding a spot. This fee is non-refundable.  The Children’s Center at St. Norbert College is open 51 weeks per year, closing for one week during the Christmas holiday.

After enrollment
Once the enrollment form and registration fee are received, enrollment packets will be mailed to each family.  These forms are expected back the month before the start of the academic year which is the Tuesday after Labor Day. The only exception would be for a child’s physical form. This form must be returned to the Center the week before the child begins to attend the Center. Once a family enrolls their child, they are welcome to visit several times during the spring and summer sessions so that their child has an easier transition to care at St. Norbert College. This is especially important if it is the child’s first school experience. The teachers in charge of childcare have bachelor’s degrees and share over 20 years of combined experience working with children and families. They are very eager to work together with you and your child in order to insure a successful childcare experience, as well as a great transition to Preschool.

Teacher education and psychology
Because the Children’s Center is a true lab school, there will be many other students from the education and psychology disciplines that use the center for coursework. This enriches your child’s experience and allows the college students to gain much needed insight into child development.

For children that are 2.5-4

Monday - Friday
7:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

The center is open year-round but is closed on St. Norbert College holidays—approximately 10 holidays per year including:

• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Various days between Christmas and New Years Day

Resources for parents:

Child's Play (an article from St. Norbert College Magazine)

For more information about the childcare program, contact:

Bonnie Lueck
Director of the Children's Center
(920) 403-3013
bonnie.lueck@snc.edu