Las Positas Invites Enrollment at New Child Development Center

- Information provided by Las Positas College

A maple hardwood kitchen stands ready for make-believe play. Books are displayed on tables. The dolls are waiting to be hugged. A dream that has been years in the making will come true when classes begin on October 3 and the first children walk - or toddle - to their classrooms in Las Positas College’s new state-of-the-art Child Development Center.

“Our new center is the culmination of a dream that began more than 20 years ago,” said Child Development Center Program Director Corinna Calica, who also is a mother of three. “Our faculty worked closely with architects and they thought of everything that would be beneficial to the development of young children.”

Calica invites interested parents in the community to contact her
immediately for tours and information about enrollment and tuition.
Openings still are available in both classes: the toddler class for
children 18 to 36 months, with a teacher/student ration of one to four;
and preschool class for children 3 to 5 years old, with a teacher/student ration of one to eight.

She said that visiting parents’ responses have been positive and
enthusiastic.

“Parents really like the fact that we are part of a learning laboratory program. Our teachers are always on their toes because they are being observed by college faculty and students, and they are modeling best practices in early education - teaching future teachers how to teach,” Calica said.

Classroom teachers hold qualifications that exceed minimum state
requirements, noted Calica, who currently is completing a doctorate
program in Educational Leadership at the University of California at
Davis. She earned an M.A. degree in Human Development/Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena.

She explained that Las Positas College students will get hands-on
teacher training and mentoring through the center. Additionally, the
opportunity to observe will complement their classroom education in the most current research, developmental theories and best practices in early childhood development.

“Theory and practice go hand in hand in our center,” she said.

Visiting parents have been impressed with the new center’s
state-of-the-art facilities.

“They can tell that we celebrate childhood here and that this is reflected inside and out. This is a place for imagination, where children are encouraged to explore and discover.”

Explaining that children learn through play, she gave one example of
how children will learn pre-math and pre-science by cooking in the full
classroom kitchen - measuring ingredients to create a liquid batter and
turning that into a solid muffin through baking. Each classroom also has an outdoor garden box where the children will grow vegetables.

“Children like to eat what they grow,” she said.

The two outdoor play areas offer sinks, bikes, play equipment, art
areas, many natural and water features, and several water misters to
keep children cool during hot summer months. The center includes an
administration building and separate wings for toddler classrooms and
preschool classrooms, accommodating up to 132 children.

Supporting Las Positas College’s commitment to sustainability, toys
and other classroom materials are eco-friendly, and many pieces are
constructed of solid maple hardwood. The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification; LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized “green” building
certification system and standard for measuring building sustainability.

The building has been funded by Measure B, the general obligation
facilities bond which voters passed in 2004.  For more information about the program, click here.