Our History and Mission

CCCC was established in 1987 by a group of parents who worked for the federal government and who were looking for a small, nurturing child care setting for their children.

More than 25 years later, CCCC remains a non-profit, parent-run cooperative that is dedicated to providing quality child care and early learning. A parent-run Board of Directors is elected annually and is responsible for the overall management of the center. Day-to-day operations are overseen by the CCCC Director.

Our Philosophy

CCCC follows a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of learning through play activities that are consistent with the development of the child. We believe children need a safe, clean, supportive environment in which to grow and learn. We value and encourage individuality and self-expression—and we give children the opportunity to approach activities and learning at their own pace.

In addition to daily classroom learning and play activities, we offer Music, “Funtastic Fitness,” Spanish, and yoga instruction for our preschool classes.

The Center does not discriminate on any basis and is a drug-free workplace.

Creative Curriculum, Al's Pal, and GOLD

The Creative Curriculum fosters critical thinking, creativity, and confidence in children through engaging hands-on projects. It's a trusted curriculum used by early childhood educators for decades.

Al's Pals is a social-emotional learning curriculum that helps children develop foundational skills required for success in school and life. The curriculum promotes social-emotional skills such as self-control, problem-solving, and healthy decision-making.

GOLD is an assessment tool used to observe and understand child progress, plan instruction, and support child growth and development.

Our Teachers

CCCC teachers are responsible for the care, safety, well-being, and education of the children. They have completed training in early childhood development, and our lead teachers have either a child development associate or have 4-year degrees. Lead teachers plan appropriate weekly lesson plans for their students’ age group based on the Creative Curriculum approach. The Center’s director hires all teachers and performs criminal background checks on each candidate for employment. In each classroom, there is a lead teacher and at least one assistant.

We provide comprehensive benefits for our full-time teachers, including medical and dental insurance, paid time off, and a 401(k).

Our Classrooms

Infants

Age: 12 weeks to 1 year

Child to Teacher Ratio: 3:1
Class Size: 9

Toddlers

Age: 1 year to 2 years

Child to Teacher Ratio: 3:1
Class Size: 9

Twos

Age: 2 years to 3 years

Child to Teacher Ratio: 5:1
Class Size: 10

Threes

Age: 3 years to 4 years

Child to Teacher Ratio: 8:1
Class Size: 16

Pre-K

Age: 4 years to 5 years

Child to Teacher Ratio: 10:1
Class Size: 20