Programs

Early Childhood Education
The Center is licensed to care for children ages 2 through 5 in our preschool programs. Weekly fees are affordable because we base fees on family size and income. The Center accepts families who qualify for state childcare subsidies, and we charge only a modest co-pay for those families. We currently have one two-year-old room (The Explorers) and three preschool classrooms (The Discoverers, the Imagination Station, and the Dream Catchers).

Once a child is placed in one of the preschool classrooms, he or she typically will remain in that classroom until starting kindergarten. This gives children a greater sense of continuity, rather than having to change rooms every 12 months.

Our curriculum is based on research which shows that children learn best in a hands-on environment. Each classroom prepares a weekly lesson plan to encourage development in key areas: pre-literacy, math, science, motor skills, and social skills. Each classroom is staffed by teachers with training and experience in early childhood education.

Individual plans are created for each child, based on his or her developmental level. The individual attention placed on meeting each child's needs is one of the hallmarks of care at our Center.

School-Age Care
During the school year, we provide before and after-school care for children in kindergarten through age 12. We offer full-day care on school holidays, snow days, and during the summer.

Because we are located in the Hancock Place School District, the district provides bus service between the Center and the elementary school. We provide van transportation for children attending other nearby Parochial and public schools outside the Hancock Place District.

The program is designed to complement what children are learning in school, in a fun, informal setting. Activities include computers, board games, outside play, art, dramatic play, construction, and many field trips in the summer.

Family Literacy Classes
Funded in part through a federal Even Start grant, the Family Literacy program is designed primarily for parents of children under the age of eight who do not have a high school diploma. Program components include GED preparation, parenting classes, lifeskills classes, home visits using the Parents as Teachers program, and interactive activities for parents and children together.

Program hours are 8:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Thursday. The Center provides transportation to enrolled students either on a van or by providing bus passes. The program includes lunch, childcare and a variety of support services.

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are also offered as part of the Family Literacy program. ESL students also participate in the full-range of programs comprising Family Literacy.

Parents as Teachers
Lemay Child & Family Center offers a Center-based Parents as Teachers program. With four staff members trained as Parents as Teachers educators, we are able to offer this program to every family who enrolls.

Through individual meetings and group activities, parents receive a wide range of information regarding the health and development of their child. We are able to use screening results to develop the individual plans that are such a crucial part of our success in early childhood education.

Parenting Classes
Parenting classes are open to anyone in the community. The six-hour class is offered several times each year - usually six weeks of 1-hour classes, or three weeks of two-hour classes. Topics covered include Play, Discipline, Changing Chaos to Calm, Communicating, Sibling Rivalry, and Keeping You and Your Child Safe.

We charge a small fee for participation in these classes, which include dinner and childcare.

To enroll or to learn more about our programs, contact Tina Cheek at 314-544-3338.