Early Childhood Center
Great Beginnings
The Early Childhood Center (ECC) enables children ages 3 to 6 who are at risk for learning disabilities to avoid the pain and frustration of struggling in a mainstream environment. Our specially designed curriculum combines traditional early childhood experiences with the most effective methods in special education to help children mitigate learning challenges, make great strides in their educational, social, physical, and emotional development, and put them on the path to sustained academic success.
Everything children see, hear, and do in the ECC – from manipulating blocks and drawing pictures to listening quietly during story time – helps them become confident, independent, and joyful learners. In a comfortable and enriching environment, children learn to follow directions, work together with their peers, and participate in exciting hands-on activities including planting and harvesting vegetables in the ECC garden.
Innovative, Integrated, and Individualized
Together, ECC activities and facilities promote learning and build strong speech, language, and motor skills. To design our innovative curriculum and physical spaces, Stephen Gaynor School expert early childhood educators worked closely with occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, a gardening consultant, and architects to design our innovative curriculum and physical spaces.
In addition to helping develop and implement the ECC’s daily activities, our full-time occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists work with children on a one-to-one basis during the day, reducing the need for students to attend afterschool therapies.
The Seeds of Science
ECC students enjoy a unique hands-on science program enabling them to explore the natural world in depth. Designed and implemented with expert gardening consultant Stephanie Rose, our Discovery Program incorporates lessons on plant biology, good nutrition, and healthy cooking. Students plant and harvest vegetables, plan and prepare food in our child-friendly kitchen, and have fun while improving their social, fine motor, and language skills.
ECC Highlights at a Glance
- Ideal class size of 10 students and two early childhood special education teachers
- Team-based approach that includes dedicated full-time occupational therapists and full-time speech-language pathologists
- Hands-on play and discovery programs specially designed to foster learning, motor development, speech and language abilities, and social skills
- Specially designed physical environment, including on-site sensory gym, designed in consultation with renowned occupational therapist and author Kirsten DeBear
- Spacious classrooms incorporating SMART BoardsTM and soundfield systems
- Modular outdoor garden and full-size kitchen that facilitate experiential learning
- Outdoor and indoor play spaces designed to stimulate children’s imagination