Quality child care and progressive instruction are among the benefits that Laredo Community College’s new state-of-the-art Camilo Prada Child Development Center will offer to the young children of Laredo Community College students, employees and parents from the community.
The Prada Child Development Center, located at LCC’s South campus at 5500 South Zapata Highway, is scheduled to open this fall.
Director Gloria Castillo says that the Child Development Center is currently enrolling children—ages 2, 3 and 4. She says that the Center will be led by a group of dedicated and caring teachers and teacher assistants.
“The Camilo Prada Child Development Center will consist of fully credentialed staff prepared to serve children’s needs with a curriculum and assessment based on Developmentally Appropriate Practices in this state-of-the-art facility,” says Castillo.
The Center is licensed by the Department of Family and Protective Services, adds Castillo.
The philosophy of LCC’s new Child Development Center, says Castillo, is to promote the children’s best interest.
“The college wants to ensure that learning experiences are both culturally sound and developmentally appropriate in the social, intellectual, physical and emotional domains,” says Castillo.
Experts say that children who experience learning from a quality early childhood development center most often achieve greater success later in their academics and their lives.
Some of the factors that go into a quality center that parents can expect to find at the Prada Center are: lower staff-child ratios, small group sizes, staff with an Associate in Arts Degree in Child Development, curriculum supporting Developmentally Appropriate Practices and parental involvement.
Castillo says that the Prada Child Development Center will maintain the number of children assigned to each staff member at a ratio equal to or better than the state standards, providing children greater individualized instruction and care. She also says that the Center is committed to employing teachers with associate’s degrees in child development and teacher assistants with a minimal of one-year certificate in child development.
Castillo also indicates that the Creative Curriculum, along with the Bilingual Homegrown Aprendiendo Juntos Curriculum will support Developmentally Appropriate Practices on an on-going basis.
Parental involvement in the classrooms and the curriculum will be an integral component at the Prada Child Development Center, says Castillo.
Vacancies are filled on a first-come, first-served basis for the children of LCC students and college employees. The Center at LCC’s second campus will operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monthly tuition is $395 and one-time enrollment fee will be $75. Supply fees for class materials are $100 per semester. The Center will provide year-round services. LCC students who are currently receiving assistance from the Child Care Management Services (CCMS) may request that their children be transferred to the LCC Camilo Prada Child Development Center. For more information, they should call CCMS at 794-1500.
For more information or to enroll children in LCC’s new Child Development Center, contact Castillo at 794-4561.
This fall, Laredo Community College offers LCC students, college employees and the public a new education and child care facility for their 2-, 3- and 4-year old children. Enrollment is underway at the new Camilo Prada Child Development Center, which will feature a fully credentialed staff, providing a quality learning experience in state-of-the-art facilities.
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