About SWCDC
South Windsor Child Development Center is a non-profit organization serving a culturally diverse population of families in the Greater Hartford area. A viable part of the South Windsor community since 1973, our center continues to provide a variety of programs to meet the needs of toddlers through preschool-aged children and their families. In addition, the center is fully accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
At South Windsor Child Development Center, we strive to create a comfortable, secure, natural atmosphere. Our spacious, classrooms include cozy book areas for reading and resting, and picture windows provide abundant natural light. Each classroom had its own bathroom area with child sized toilets and vanities.
In addition to the classrooms, our center houses a large indoor area with tricycles, climbing apparatus, and tumbling mats for use on days when the weather does not allow for outdoor play.
Children at SWCDC gain the opportunity to explore and connect with the natural world through a wide variety of outdoor experiences. The center’s exterior includes two fenced in areas with equipment and ample room for children to climb, run, and jump. We also have a nice big open field for obstacle courses, water play in the summer, soccer, picnics and other various activities. In a more shaded area full of trees with a stage, we have “nature's classroom”. In this area, the children explore the natural world as the teachers make it an extension of the classroom. The final outdoor space includes a garden where children and teachers help grow and take care of various vegetables. Our organic garden offers our children healthy snacks as well as great learning experiences. Not only do our children experience the process of growing vegetables from seeds, but they also learn the importance of taking care of living things.
NAEYC
Early childhood programs accredited by the NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, invited external professional review to verify compliance with the Criteria for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs, and been found to be in substantial compliance with the Criteria. The Criteria can be found on NAEYC's web site.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide the highest quality child care and early education in a safe, diverse environment based on mutual respect and trust where all children and families feel welcomed.
Our Philosophy
At SWCDC it is our belief that children will reach their full potential in an environment that values the bond between child and family, thus helping children feel secure. Within this caring, nurturing environment, a play based curriculum supports the developmental domains of the whole child which include social/emotional, cognitive, creative and physical. The interests and needs of the children are identified to assist the teachers in providing a curriculum that is meaningful and interesting to the children. This approach offers children intentionally planned activities that supply opportunities to make decisions, manipulate materials and learn new concepts through active exploration. Also, active teacher facilitation assists children with learning skills that promote acceptable ways of expressing feelings and the means to develop and enhance friendships. As a result, we enable children to attain social and emotional competence, thus increasing their self-esteem.
Garden/Outdoors
SWCDC Children's Garden and Nature Classroom
Children need nature. Research has shown that there has been a dramatic decline in the amount of time spent outdoors. Outdoor play is important for any age, but particularly in early childhood and elementary school. Many children are growing up with very little connection to nature due to the lure of TV, computers, and our hurried lifestyle. Each day, we provide time outdoors for all the children. However, we are learning that just providing equipment and time outdoors to run and jump is not enough. Research is showing that children need connections with the natural world as a regular part of their healthy growth and development. Daily interaction with the natural elements will have a positive effect on their intellectual, creative, physical, and social emotional growth.
Staff
Our teaching staff features qualified, experienced individuals. Each classroom has a head teacher, an assistant teacher, and an aide. Our head teachers hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or related field with ECE credits. Our assistant teachers hold an Associates degree in early childhood or are working towards an associates. Aides must have some education and/or experience in early childhood. In addition, teaching staff further their skills by regularly attending professional development workshops.
If you are interested in applying for a position, please click here to download our employment application.
