CURIOUS CUBS DAY CARE CENTER
THE INFANT TODDLER LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
PRESCHOOL LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
EDUCATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
Click the links above for more information regarding our educational programs.
CURIOUS CUBS DAY CARE CENTER
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Curious Cubs Daycare Center is located in Middletown, New York, at the George Robinson Center for Child Development. This program is available to all children between the ages of 8 weeks and 4 years of age.
The Curious Cubs Daycare Center opened in August of 1997 with a license to operate from the Department of Social Services. This license is given to daycare providers for periods of two-years, with renewal subject to an on-site review by an inspector from the licensing department. We have successfully renewed our daycare license each 2 years since opening.
Curious Cubs' Infant room has the capacity for 8 full time infants. The children in the room are between the ages of 8 weeks and 18 months. The state mandated ratio for this room is one adult for every 4 infants.
The Toddler room has the capacity for 12 full time toddlers. The children in this room are between the ages of 18 months and 35 months. The state mandated ratio for this room is one adult for every 5 toddlers.
The 3 and 4 year old room has the capacity for 18 full time 3 and 4 year olds. The state mandated ratio for this room is one adult for every 7 children.
Since we opened our daycare center many of AHRC's own staff have enrolled their children. We offer a 10% discount to our full time staff when they enroll their children in our daycare center.
DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION
The Curious Cubs Daycare Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.The daycare center is open 52 weeks a year, closing only on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The daycare is open all other holidays and week days of the calendar year.
DROP IN SERVICE
The center offers a drop in service for those wishing to occasionally to use our daycare. The parents must already have completed an enrollment packet, have an up to date physical on file and call to confirm an opening at least 24 hours before planning on using the center.
PRESENT STATUS
The Curious Cubs Daycare Center has been in existence now for over 3 full years. We have been fortunate to find staff that are dedicated and committed to providing a much needed and wonderful service not only to our staff but also to those families in the community. We have also been fortunate to have full enrollment for most of the year. Presently, we have 3 full time group leaders and 8 full and part time group assistants who work the daycare center.
Our infant room has 6 children enrolled; the toddler room has 18 children enrolled; and our 3 and 4 year old room has 10 enrolled.
INFANT TODDLER LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Infant/Toddler Learning Experience (ITLE) program is located in Middletown, New York, at the George Robinson Center for Child Development. The program is available to all eligible children from birth to 2 years of age.
The ITLE program is offered five days a week between the hours of 12 noon and 2:30 pm. During this developmental group time, the children receive the related services that are required by their Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). These related services may include Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical therapy, Play therapy, and/or Nursing services.
The ITLE program requires a licensed special education teacher at all times. Classroom aides are hired as needed.
Since we are located in the same building as our Curious Cubs Daycare Center, we are able to include the ITLE program with the toddlers on a daily basis. Therefore, our ITLE program is considered to be an integrated developmental group model.
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be considered eligible for this program, a NYS Health Department approved evaluator must formally assess each child. The process requires, at minimum, evaluations in psychology, education, speech, and social history. If delays in other areas are suspected or found, the child may be recommended for further testing in occupational therapy, physical therapy, or play therapy.
When staffing is available, we offer these Early Intervention services in the home and/or community. At times, parents may opt to come into our center for a related service only.
PRESCHOOL LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The PRESCHOOL LEARNING EXPERIENCE (PLE) program is located in Middletown, New York, at the George Robinson Center for Child Development and in New Windsor, New York, on the grounds of the Mt. St. Joseph campus. This program is available to all children between the ages of 2½ and 4 years.
The PLE program is an integrated preschool program for both typically developing and developmentally delayed children. The preschool program offers both full-day and half-day sessions depending on the needs of the child. The integrated nursery school component offers only a half-day session.
The New Windsor center offers 10 self-contained special education classrooms and 2 integrated classrooms. The Middletown center offers 9 full-day and 2 half-day self-contained special education classrooms and 1 integrated classroom.
Classroom sizes are limited to between 9 and 12 children. Each class has 1 teacher and up to 4 teachers' aides. If required by the child's Individual Education Plan (IEP), a one-on-one aide is provided as well. Dually licensed teachers in both early childhood education and special education teach all integrated classrooms.
The children who are enrolled in the preschool program as preschoolers with a disability receive any or all of the following services:
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Each child referred by his/her school district of origin comes to the preschool program with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This plan states what goals and objectives the classroom and related service staff must address throughout the school year. As the child progresses throughout the year, progress is noted and the IEP may be updated as necessary.
ELIGIBILITY
All typically developing children between the ages of 2 ½ years and 4 years are able to attend the half-day integrated preschool program. Parents are required to complete an intake packet and submit it with a registration fee, a completed physical, immunization record, and 2 week's tuition. Children need not be toilet trained to attend the preschool program.
Any child between the ages of 2 ½ and 4 years who has had a formal evaluation and had a program recommended through his/her home school district may attend an integrated or non-integrated preschool class. The child must have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), completed physical and immunization records, and completed transportation sheets in order to begin program. If the child is classified as a "preschooler with a disability" there is no fee to the parents and transportation to and from the center is provided.
In order for the preschooler with a disability to receive any related services (e.g., speech, OT, PT, play therapy), the child's IEP must state the required amount of the therapy and must be accompanied by a completed evaluation in the area needing therapy, and, if necessary, a doctor's order.
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
The Preschool Learning Experience program is dedicated to providing comprehensive special education and early childhood education to those children who attend our program.
This program is designed to work closely with the parent and other caretakers in order to support each family's child to grow to his/her fullest potential in all areas of development. It is our aim to nurture a positive self-image and lay the foundation for a realistic opportunity at succeeding in life. We encourage parental and caretaker involvement so that each family will be able to provide their child with the necessary "carry-over" skills that will increase their learning. Our program also offers an opportunity for parents to share with each other specific problems and their solutions.
Our program philosophy encourages children to learn through their own active involvement with the world around them. "Hands on" experience, making choices, manipulating, exploring, practicing, and experimenting with people, materials, and ideas -- all these support and promote learning for all children. We seek to provide a variety of growth experiences through music, art, computers, one-to-one assistance, small groups, occupational therapy, physical and speech therapies. Learning opportunities are abundant anywhere children are interacting with each other and staff members.
The Preschool Learning Experience program reflects a learning environment in which teachers, and/or therapists challenge the child's physical and intellectual development with carefully selected and individually prepared curriculum and materials. Our integrated classes are designed to ensure the best atmosphere for every child as they come together at different levels to learn side by side and from each other.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
In addition to the 2 centers that offer preschool services, the PLE program also offers SEIT (Special Education Itinerant Services) and Related/Itinerant services.
SEIT services are requested when a preschool child completes the formal evaluation process through his/her school district and is then recommended to receive special education services anywhere from 2 hours a week to 20 hours a week. Itinerant services are usually recommended to be delivered in the child's home or while the child is attending a community day care or nursery school. A special education teacher goes to either to the child's home or to the daycare or nursery school where the child is enrolled and delivers the required amount of special education services.
Related/Itinerant services are requested when a preschool child completes the formal evaluation process through his/her school district and is then recommended to receive one or more of the following: speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, play therapy, services for the visually impaired, or mobility services. These services may be requested to be delivered in the child's home, in the child's day care/nursery school setting or the parents may choose to bring the child to one of our centers.
EDUCATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Educational Learning Experience is a private not-for-profit, special education school. It is our mission to provide comprehensive services, advocacy, and assistance to students who have developmental disabilities, so as to enable each individual to develop the skills necessary to attain the highest level of self-esteem, independence, productivity, self- direction, and integration into the community as he or she chooses and is personally capable of.
We have the capacity to serve 48 children between the ages of 5 and 21 years. Each classroom has 12 students, a teacher, and anywhere from 4 to 9 teacher aides.
The program is highly structured and disciplined. Staff are trained to have personal knowledge of the individual idiosyncrasies, learning styles, and medical and personal needs of each student. Staff are assigned to students on varied rotating schedules which enable the students to learn to interact with a number of personalities, as they would in communal life.
The program presentation employs a "whole language" model. Many of our students are non-verbal; therefore information is presented to them verbally, in sign language, and through pictorial icons. We are knowledgeable about most developmental and educational techniques and will utilize any tool, technique, or educational philosophy that a student will react to positively. The student is the "captain" of our ship and we will navigate the calmest and most direct route available to our mutually desired destination.
All our classrooms have computers in them. Our Speech Department is very high tech oriented and has its own computers. The students seem to focus better sometimes on these controllable "TV" screens.
The curriculum of the school includes:
Reading and writing, mathematics, science, geography, biology, adaptive physical education, and music as appropriate to the student's capabilities. We employ a highly experienced and credentialed therapeutic staff who provides the following services:
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Leadership counts also: our Director of Education is New York State Certified in both special education and special education administration.
Our classes take trips into the community as often as possible to enable our students to develop socialization skills appropriate to that environment. We also invite non-disabled public school students from neighboring districts to visit our school whenever possible. Special occasions become "Open House" events for family and friends to join us.
Our staff works side-by-side with parents on all aspects of the program that they choose to be involved with.
Our social worker facilitates the weekly ELE Parent Association meeting. Our psychologist is available to develop and assist parents with the home adaptation of behavioral intervention plans.