Growing Place

Programs: Organization-the growing place (organization) was organized in santa monica, california in 1985 to provide childcare and education for up to 86 children in their ocean park facility. In september 2000, the organization entered into an agreement with the city of santa monica to act as administrator and operator of the marine park child development center, located in santa monica. The organization provides services for up to 137 children (between its two campuses) from infanthood to kindergarten age, with priority given to children of the city of santa monica employees and children of santa monica residents at its marine park site. The major sources of funding for the organization are students' tuition and fees, and a city of santa monica grant, which provides funding specifically for the marine park site. During the year ended july 31, 2017, 41 children graduated from the program and entered kindergarten prepared with the social, emotional and cognitive skills needed to sustain success. To that end, and because the childcare facility is typically a parent's first encounter with an educational institution, the organization also prepared parents to be advocates for their children, partners with teachers/administrators, and to understand the fundraising and collaborative components vital to any school's community. The staff engaged in special professional development opportunities unique to the reggio approach. Upgrades were made to the ocean park site, giving children more stem play opportunities with natural materials, such as grass, water and river stones. The organization sustained naeyc accreditation and remained active in the landscape of early childhood education by hosting educators to learn from the organization, and serving as mentors to emerging teachers. The organization also reached its fundraising goals for sustaining its tuition assistance program during the year ended july 31, 2017, giving more families the opportunity to attend the organization's program. A grant from the city of santa monica was successfully sustained so that the youngest and most under-served citizens - infants and toddlers - could be recipients of a nurturing, yet educational, program with specially-trained early educators. The program services offered during the year ended july 31, 2017 not only helped prepare 137 children to think, wonder and be empathic towards others and the world around them - skills fundamental to a positive learning disposition and to later academic achievement - but also provided necessary childcare services to more than 265 parents with full-time employment obligations.