LEARN GROW INSPIRE

YMCA ACADEMIES OF SOUTH DEKALB

ys WayWay to the ys to the Creative CurriCulum Creative CurriCulum

Second only to human relationships, a well-planned curriculumcurriculum Second only to human relationships, a well-planned helps define a childs experienceexperience in a YMCACurriculumCurriculum helps define a childs in a YMCA program. program. affects all affects all aspects of aoverall quality, parents parents aspects of a program: program: overall quality, perceptions, and the outcomes outcomes and benefits of the program perceptions, and the and benefits of the program for individual children. To ensure To ensure that YMCA early childhood for individual children. that YMCA early childhood programs deliver high-quality activities and interactions, YMCAs YMCAs programs deliver high-quality activities and interactions, have embraced The Creative CurriculumCurriculum for Preschool, developed have embraced The Creative for Preschool, developed by Teaching Strategies,Strategies, Inc.Washington, D.C., Teaching Teaching by Teaching Inc. Based in Based in Washington, D.C., Strategies Strategies is committed to improving the quality of early childhoo is committed to improving the quality of early childhood programs by producing producing curriculum and training materials. programs by curriculum and training materials.

8 Core8 Core Content areas: Content areas:

* literacy* literacy * mathematics * mathematics * science * science * social studies studiesarts * social * * arts * technology * technolog healthy * healthy*habits habits * social, moral and * social, moral and spiritual development spiritual development

visit us online atonline at visit us www.ymcaatlanta. www.ymcaatlanta.org for morefor more informati information.

1 Family

3 Community
3
The YMCA assesses the needs of its community and responds with programs to Community meet those needs, helping The YMCA assesses the to make the community a needs of safer, and better healthier, its community and responds with programs place those needs, YMCA to meet to live. Each helping designs and delivers its a to make the community early learning programs according healthier, safer, and better place specific needs of to theto live. Each YMCA designs in the neighborhood families and delivers its early learning it serves.programs according to the specific needs of
families in the neighborhood it serves.

ymCa early learning ymCa PhilosoPhy early learning

ymCa early learning programs are built on the four concepts ymCa early learning programs of family,on the community, are built child, four concepts of family, child, community, and accessibility.
and accessibility.
ymCa aCademies oF south deKalb loCations deCatur deCatur 2575-A Snapfinger Rd. Decatur, GA 30034 Decatur, GA 30034 (770) 987-4666 (770) 987-4666 lithonia lithonia 2924 Evans Mill Road Lithonia, GA 30038 Lithonia, GA 30038 (770) 484-1625 (770) 484-1625
ymCa aCademies oF south deKalb loCations

PhilosoPhy

YMCA early learning is family-centered, which means parents must be included in Family the care process. The goal YMCA early learning is of YMCA early learning is family-centered, which means to support and assist the parents must be included in parent, to strengthen parentthe care process. The goal child relationships, and is of YMCA early learning to increase the importance of to support and assist the parent, to the family. strengthen parentchild relationships, and to increase the importance of the family.

2 Child Child

4 aCCessibility

YMCA early learning programs YMCA early learning programs provide caring role models provide caring role models and age-appropriate and age-appropriate experiences that nurture experiences that nurture childrens growth, encourage childrens growth, encourage positive behavior, and help positive behavior, and help children develop a strong sense of right and wrong. sense of right and wrong. Early learning offers great offers great Early learningthe achievement potential for potential for the achievement of the YMCA mission and of the YMCA the livesand objectives in mission of children and the lives objectives in families. of children and families.

4 The YMCA believes safety aCCessibility

and care are birthrights of The YMCA believes safety and care are birthrights all children, and it is the of all children, and parents responsibility of it is the to responsibility of parents to provide their children with provide their children with full-time care from birth full-time care from birth through adolescence. Quality through adolescence. Quality early learning must be available to all who need available to all who need it, not just those who can it, not just those who can afford it. afford it.

TRADITIONAL CARE TRADITIONAL CARE AGES 6 WEEKS-5 YEARS AGES 6 WEEKS-5 YEARS
YMCA pre-school programs offer year-round care, Monday through YMCA pre-school programs offer year-round care, Monday through Friday for infants, toddlers and pre-school children. The YMCA Friday for infants, toddlers and pre-school children. The YMCA uses the theme-based Ys Way to the Creative Curriculum with uses the theme-based Ys Way to the Creative Curriculum with the philosophy that children learn best by doing. The curriculum the philosophy that children learn best by doing. The curriculum exposes learning opportunities in the areas of art/writing, exposes learning opportunities in the areas of art/writing, language development, reading, math, music n movement, science language development, reading, math, music n movement, science and discovery, activity, cooking and computer programs. and discovery, physicalphysical activity, cooking and computer programs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY ACADEMY

The YMCA is committed to providing The YMCA is committed to providing quality quality early learning programs. YMCA early learning programs. YMCA pre-school programs are by the by the pre-school programs are guided guided National Association Education National Association for the for the Education of Young Children standards. of Young Children standards. SOME OF OUR ARE TO: SOME OF OUR GOALS GOALS ARE TO:
* Help develop develop * Help children children to their to their fullest potential fullest potential * and strengthen families * Support Support and strengthen families * Deliver early in a caring, caring, safe * Deliver early learning learning in asafe and environment and positive positive environment

PRE-K AGES PRE-K AGES 4-5 4-5

The of Georgia Pre-Kindergarten is to provide provide a The purposepurpose of Georgia Pre-Kindergarten is to a full day full day (6.5 instructional services), five days per week, 36 weeks (6.5 hours ofhours of instructional services), five days per week, 36 weeks (164 days) of year of appropriate educational, instructional (164 days) per yearper appropriate educational, instructional servicesservices for four- and five-year-old children. Each led by is led by for four- and five-year-old children. Each class is class a certified teacher. Georgia Pre-K program goals are to an a certified teacher. Georgia Pre-K program goals are to provide provide an appropriate pre-school education emphasizing growth growth in appropriate pre-school education program program emphasizingin language and math and science science concepts, art and language and literacy, literacy, math and concepts, art and music, music, physicalphysical development, and social concepts. development, and social concepts.

HEAD START AGES HEAD START AGES 3-5 3-5

Partnership for Community Action Head Start is a Partnership for Community Action Head Start program program is a comprehensive early childhood that develops social comprehensive early childhood programprogram that develops social competence in Head Start programs are guided guided competence in children.children. Head Start programs areby a set by a set of performance standards that specify specify a wide of programprogram performance standards that a wide range of range of servicesservices to comprehensive care including health, education, to ensure ensure comprehensive care including health, education, parent involvement, and social services. parent involvement, and social services.

WHERE ELSE WHERE ELSE BUT THE BUT THE YY

CAN YOU CAN YOU FIND:FIND:
* * * * * commitment to character development * commitment to character development commitment to the highesthighest standards * commitment to the standards clean, safe and secure environment * clean, safe and secure environment nurturing environment * nurturing environment experienced staff staff * experienced

SUMMER CAMP AGES 4-7 SUMMER DAYDAY CAMP AGES 4-7

YMCA day camp programs will give you peace of mind of mind YMCA summer summer day camp programs will give you peace while while you are youwork.at work. This program willthe learning,learning, fun and at are This program will assure assure the fun and character-building experienced during the school year continues character-building experienced during the school year continues into theinto the summer months. The activities are designed your summer months. The activities are designed to keep to keep your childs mind and body active while nurturing the YMCAs core childs mind and body active while nurturing the YMCAs core values: values: caring, respect, and responsibility. caring, honesty,honesty, respect, and responsibility.