GCISD's Early Childhood Development Center provides child care based on sound child development research and developmentally-appropriate practice. Supported by the theory that children learn through play, the program reflects the guidelines established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NEAYC). The GCISD Early Child Development Center is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Enrollment priority is given to district employees before placing the children of students or children from the community. Currently the Center only accepts children whose parent or guardian is a district employee.

CLASSROOM RATIOS

The classrooms maintain ratios set by NAEYC which are lower than the standards set by Child Care Licensing.

• Infant Room ( 8 weeks to 12 months) 1:4 ratio
• Toddlers (12 months to 24 months) 1:5 ratio
• Two Year Olds ( 24 months to 36 months) 1:7 ratio
• Three to Five Year Olds 1:10 ratio

TUITION RATES

Tuition can be paid on a ten or twelve month plan. Parents can pay by check or use Tuition Express. Tuition Express will automatically debit your checking/ savings account or charge your credit card.

DIRECTOR AND EMPLOYEES
The GCISD Early Childhood Development Center’s Director is Kimberly Howard. She is a native Texan and relocated from New Orleans to join GCISD. Kim has a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood from Texas Tech University and a Masters of Education from Hardin Simmons University. She has worked in the field of Child Development for the last 13 years in a variety of settings ranging from Non-Profit to Military to Corporate Child Care.

ECDC employees are GCISD employees and must pass a criminal background and reference check as part of the interview process. All Center staff, including Lead Caregivers and Assistant Caregivers, meets NAEYC Accreditation qualifications. All Lead Caregivers have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Development or a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA). Staff is required to complete training in Infant/Child CPR, First Aid, and Procedures for Handling Emergencies and Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting on an annual basis. Additionally, caregivers must obtain at least 15 clock hours of training each year in the areas of child growth and development, guidance and discipline, age-appropriate curriculum, teacher/child interactions, special needs, health and safety and cultural diversity. Caregivers for children under the age of 24 month have additional training requirements for recognizing and preventing shaken baby syndrome, preventing sudden infant death syndrome and understanding early childhood brain development.

YEAR ROUND CARE AVAILABLE
The Center is committed to providing year round care for employee children. During the summer the GCISD Early Childhood Development Center will offer additional programs that can be contracted on a week to week basis. All employee children are eligible for summer care. The Infant, Toddler, and Two Year Old classrooms will be restricted to employee dependents. Although in order to be cost effective during the summer break, the Center will enroll children from the community for weekly themed Preschool Summer Enrichment Camps. Parents are asked to sign up for the weeks that care is needed so staffing can be arranged.

YOUR CHILD'S SAFETY
The ECDC is committed to providing a safe environment for the children. All classrooms and outdoor play areas are monitored by security cameras. All doors remain locked through out the day. The parent’s employee badge is programmed for access into the center during this time. Additional reader cards are provided to non employee family members. The center has an open door policy. Visitors are welcome through out the day for guided classroom tours.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND HOURS
You may reach the Center by telephone at 817-305-4890. Messages may be left on the voice mail and will be retrieved each day after the Center opens. The Center’s operational calendar will follow the teacher calendar with additional days of operation during the summer months. The Center will be open from 6:30 am-6:30 pm Monday through Friday and for some evenings during campus scheduled open houses and school activities. Additional and late hours of operation will be posted in advance.

The Extended care Services office at the administration building will remain open throughout the year except during school breaks, holidays, and for the first week of July. If you have any questions, Kimberly Howard, Center Director and the office staff can be contacted by phone, 817-305-4890 or kimberly.howard@gcisd.net or at childcarecenter@gcisd.net. The Extended Care Services Coordinator is Kathy Papathopoulos. She can be contacted by phone, 817-251-5552 or kathy.papathopoulos@gcisd.net.

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