How can I hear about my child’s day?

There are many ways to hear about your child’s day. Communication with staff takes place spontaneously during drop-off and pick-up times, and with phone conversations, texts, and emails. Parents can request a conference with a teacher or Site Director at any time. A newsletter describing both specific site activities and CEC-wide initiatives is emailed monthly, with a current calendar available on our website. You will find information specific to your child’s room at your child’s site. Broader program communication is also sent out regularly which contains a great deal of program wide information.

Can I have a one-on-one meeting or conference about my child?

Absolutely! We are here to answer your questions, discuss your child’s development, and work with you to resolve any problems you encounter. Site Directors have participated in SSTs, IEPs, or other school conferences as well, and we are happy to schedule something with you.

What activities does the CEC offer?

Specialty Classes and Clubs provide opportunities for children to participate in small group activities directed by teachers. A different class meets each afternoon (or as often as possible). Some examples include: cooking, science, sports, games from around the world, and art activities such as sculpture, watercolor painting, and sewing. Participation is optional and open to all ages. These classes allow teachers to share their special talents and interests with children. Children take a role in determining the activities that are of interest to them. Additionally, older children have opportunities to provide leadership for special activities for younger children.

What type of curriculum does the CEC use?

Our program is founded on the philosophy that a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth develops from a positive sense of self. We treat children with love and respect, and encourage them to grow, create, and learn at their own unique pace. We use a type of curriculum called emergent curriculum; a child-led approach where the learning plans are not predetermined but develop in response to the interests and curiosities of the children of the children in our care. 

Do you offer a homework time?

Each day, approximately an hour is set aside to work on school assignments. Children are also welcome to work on assignments at any time. Depending on the age of the child, they may need more or less time. Teachers help to facilitate a quiet atmosphere, provide materials and suggestions, and answer questions. We communicate with parents regularly about how their child is doing, but we are not tutors. It is important that parents and classroom teachers get an accurate picture of how the child is doing. A Homework Agreement is available for those who are interested in filling one out with their child.

Do children with an early-bird schedule have an official homework time?

We purposefully schedule homework time later in the day, allowing children to reconnect with friends, have a snack, and play outside. While we recognize that some children may miss homework time if they get picked up or leave early, our aim is to maximize outdoor play during daylight hours. Children’s health and development rely on fresh air and physical activity. We are dedicated to finding a healthy balance between addressing homework needs and supporting all other areas of children’s development.

Do you help solve conflicts between children?

We use positive guidance to help children learn about themselves and others. We do not use shame, blame, or time outs in working with children. When conflicts or other problems arise, it is our job to understand the behavior, why it is there, and what the child may be telling us they need with their behavior. We work with children to help them solve conflicts with confidence and independence, while they also learn vital social skills and emotional regulation.

Can my child attend the CEC for extra time outside of their regular scheduled hours?

You may request extra hours (for an additional fee) on an occasional basis, subject to availability. To do this, please contact your Site Director. Fees for extra hours are typically charged in the following month.

Who is in charge of the CEC facilities?

The CEC facilities are owned and operated by La Cañada Unified School District. As our landlords, we pay them rent and they do a great deal of the maintenance and repairs on the property. Some of the facilities improvements are within our control, some are not. Over the years, the District has been very helpful in taking care of the CEC.

Is the CEC open during school closure days?

On many of the school closure days, the CEC offers a separate full-day (full-care) holiday program at our LCUSD and Oak Grove locations. We recognize that these are vacation days, and our goal is to create a fun and relaxing break from the regular school-day schedule. Families can look for information about these special days on site and in our newsletters.

Why is the CEC tuition so high?

High-quality care and education programs for children are expensive. Well-educated staff and teacher-child ratios that support both research-based curriculum and relationship-based caregiving account for the two highest budget expenses in these types of programs. After payroll, our rent to LCUSD is our second highest expense. The CEC maintains a tuition assistance program to help families who are unable to afford the full amount of tuition.

What are your teacher's qualifications?

CEC teachers are experienced professionals in the field of early childhood education, child development, and elementary education. Many of our teachers have their BA in the field and exceed the state of California licensing requirements for their positions. Many of our teachers also have degrees in psychology, sociology, and child life. They come to us with a variety of experience from a wide range of programs, and many of them have worked at the CEC for years, finding their second family here.

Can the CEC just add more teachers to enroll more children?

Our capacity is determined by our licenses, which are set by the state of California Community Care licensing, the agency that regulates childcare centers. These licenses determine our enrollment based on the square footage given to us by the District. In addition, the District only has so much space to share with us. Changing our license to add more children is only possible if there is more physical space to be had.

Why do you require so many forms at registration?

Many of the forms are required by the state, as part of licensing. We are always looking to consolidate and streamline where we can. We continue to work with our registration platform to simplify the process for parents.

What type of food does the CEC serve?

The CEC offers a wide variety of food choices for children at various snack times throughout the day, depending on the children’s schedules. The CEC avoids white flour or white sugar and offers organic products as much as possible. As a vegetarian program, the CEC creates snack offerings that appeal to children of all ages - crackers and cheese, pasta with sauce, veggies and hummus, fruit and cereal.

What time do you offer snack?

For LCUSD sites, we offer a morning snack time. In the afternoon, snack is served at all sites once dismissal is over - around 3:15 PM. Throughout the day, children are welcome to eat something from their lunch if they are hungry. Teachers will offer children a snack if they are hungry outside of a snack time if needed. We also serve a 5:00 PM cracker break (if needed) to help children transition home.

Do your playground rules match the school playground rules?

For the most part, the playground guidelines on LCUSD campuses during school hours and at the CEC are the same. We all want the children to be safe and happy on the equipment. However, there are some rules that can be different. During the afternoon, there are far fewer children on the campus, so play can look different. The teacher to child ratio during CEC time is also different than during the school day, when the PE teachers or playground support staff have to supervise many more children than we do. Additionally, the nature of the CEC’s approach to play, and our overall philosophy, allows children to explore in a way that just is not possible during the structure of the school day. An example of this would be “lining up.” School requires lines in order for teachers to manage large numbers of children moving through the campus. At the CEC, we do not have the same need for lines or crowd management in that way. Shoes can be off at CEC where they cannot be off at school. Games that school does not have the ability to supervise, like tag, are allowed at the CEC. Children are able to adjust to these differences, knowing that what is needed during one time is different at another.  For the most part, children can be flexible, resilient, and understand that sometimes guidelines can and should be different depending on the circumstances.

Why does the CEC offer a mixed age group environment?

There are many benefits of a mixed age group environment. Older children get to serve as mentors to the younger children, leading clubs and activities, helping with homework, and developing special bonds. The younger children look up to the older children and see them as guides and helpers. The family-like environment that is created at the CEC offers children an extension of their home, their backyard, their neighborhood, where siblings, cousins, and neighbors grow up and play together. This is a reflection of their community, and the mixed age group allows social emotional development to be the focus. Additionally, time when it is just TK and K groups is plentiful, and creating space where children can only be with their peers is also valuable and available.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Primarily, you can call the CEC office (818-354-3418) for general questions or to reach Allegra, our Co-Executive Director. For daily questions about your child or to speak to anyone at the site, please contact your child’s site directly. Our website lists all of the members of our leadership team and there is a contact page as well. Our School-Age newsletters contain additional contact information, including our business office for billing inquiries.