St. David’s Center Hosts Early Childhood Education Informational Open House January 15, 2014

St. David’s Center invites the community to learn more about its exceptional early childhood education program at an Open House, Wednesday, January 15. There are two sessions: morning from 9:30 to 11 a.m., and afternoon from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Parents and caregivers can tour the facility, talk with teachers and pick up information and enrollment packets for summer and fall 2014 programs. Free childcare is available during the Open House. No RSVP is necessary.

St. David’s Center offers flexible scheduling, with half-day and full day options for busy families. Programs are available for children ages 16 months through six years (age seven for summer session). St. David’s Center is located in Minnetonka at 3395 Plymouth Road.

“The early years of a child’s life are very important to their future development,” says St. David’s Center’s Executive Director Julie Sjordal. “With our more than 50 years of experience working with young children, we understand child development and the importance of a child’s relationships with caregivers. We focus on the important relationships in a child’s life and invite parents to be involved in their children’s early learning through open communication and thoughtful collaboration.”

St. David’s Center’s Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and was voted Best Daycare by readers of Lake Minnetonka Magazine for the past two years. The school campus, located alongside Minnehaha Creek in Minnetonka Mills across from the historic Burwell House, features a School Forest and Wetlands certified by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Many factors set St. David’s Center apart as an early childhood education alternative. Since its inception, St. David’s Center’s inclusive approach to early learning has successfully integrated typically developing children and children with developmental needs side-by-side in the classroom. All ECE teachers have a minimum of a four-year degree in early childhood education or a related field, and more than 70% have been with St. David’s Center for 5 years or more. Located in the building along with the preschool program are a number of other pediatric services, such as speech and behavioral therapies, that provide early assessment and assistance for young children to prepare them for success in school and life.

For more information, visit www.stdavidscenter.org or contact CORE (Central Office of Resources and Enrollment) intake office at 952.548.8700.

About St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development

St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development has been a resource for tens of thousands of Twin Cities families since its inception as a nursery school in 1961. Its founders and leaders knew the importance of investing early in a child’s life to produce the best possible outcomes for every child and family. Today, St. David’s Center serves the metro area in the community and in Minnetonka, assisting 2,200 children and their families in community-based and center-based programs. Our services improve school readiness; improve outcomes for children who have faced trauma and adversity; increase functioning in children with developmental needs; and increase independence in individuals with enduring special needs.

St. David’s Center is midway through a renovation plan to expand services in response to increased community need. The plan includes redesigned and expanded Autism Day Treatment classrooms (including a new community-based Autism Day Treatment program in N.E. Minneapolis); a children’s mental health facility housing outpatient and community-based services; therapy gyms; and improved classroom environments where children of all abilities learn side-by-side. For more information, go to www.stdavidscenter.org.