Our education program has been developed through research-based strategies, best practices, and customized procedures to best fit YWCA’s mission and its families. We offer an experiential, play-based program using the Storybook Journey curriculum in all classrooms. Developed by teacher Sue McCord as a child-centered, emergent curriculum, Storybook Journey supports the needs of each child individually and as a classroom group by exploring a shared central story. This approach helps children develop social/emotional skills and a sense of belonging.

With Storybook Journey, children explore materials provided by the teachers, and teachers support the children in following their own interests. For example, when a preschool class read a book that took place in a department store, they were interested in creating their own store. Teachers provided materials and a table, and the children worked together to decide how their “store” should be set up and run. In another example, toddlers who read a story about animals later practiced moving like those animals in their active play sessions with our Wellness Coordinator. Teachers in our Infant Development Center incorporate short stories and songs into their activities, while tailoring these experiences to the individual developmental needs of each infant.

Teachers connect with our children’s parents and caregivers at drop-off and pickup each day, and we send home daily updates about the child’s activities and meals. We also hold regular conferences with teachers for families. We use COR Advantage, a research and evidence-based learning assessment tool that incorporates observation-based assessments and measures 36 key developmental indicators in major areas of growth and development. COR is inclusive of all children at every stage of development. Our teachers use COR Advantage to track each child’s progress, inform lesson planning, and share information with parents and caregivers.