The Early Learning Center offers preschool and day care for children ages 3 to 5 years. The ELC was established by Dunns Corners Church in 1967 and is licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families.

BrightStars, Rhode Island’s Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement system, has awarded a prestigious Four Stars to the Early Learning Center. Click here to read more. 

STRUCTURE AND HOURS

Ages: Multi-age preschool class (Ages 3-5 years)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm.  Extended hours and flexible schedules are available. Extended care charge is $5 per hour.

Childcare: Extended child care is  available, 8 to 9 a.m., and noon to 5:30 p.m.

We offer individual scholarships. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. We accept DHS payments.

PRINCIPLES

• Children learn best through play. Young children are encouraged to learn and grow when exposed to a variety of developmentally appropriate experiences in a safe and nurturing play-based environment. Drawing from research, we stimulate children’s natural curiosity through play and exploration. Our child-centered program reflects the integration of all domains of development and learning — physical, cognitive, social-emotional, literacy, language, math science, social studies and creativity — in a whole-child approach.
• Each child is a competent and unique individual. Our program is an inclusive, multi-age setting that recognizes children’s diverse abilities, needs, learning styles, temperaments and family experiences. We respect each child as an individual and build our curriculum around the interests, experiences, strengths and needs of the unique children in our multi-age preschool class. We respect children’s rights and choices by offering a balance of teacher- and child-directed experiences, fostering independence and valuing children’s individual learning paths.
• Each child’s family is a partner in the education and development of their child. Families are a child’s first and most important teachers and we value them as partners in children’s process of learning. Coming to preschool is often a child’s first experience outside of the home context, making it a big transition for child and family alike. We strive to develop strong relationships with families and children to provide a nurturing environment based on trust and respect. With trust and respect, we can work together to make sure that each child is successful and is being supported in meeting developmental goals at home and at school.
• An atmosphere of support encourages a child’s sense of responsibility to self and others. Young children thrive in an environment that supports and develops a love of learning, respect, cooperation, leadership, the ability to make choices, problem-solving skills, and pride in individual accomplishments.  This environment is best fostered within a community of learners that includes diverse children, supportive and engaged teachers, parents and families as partners. We believe in providing children with tools to navigate the social world through direct experiences using these skills, helping them to be successful in developing positive relationships.  Our preschool class is a  community in which every member is valued, respected and supported. Within our classroom culture and curriculum, we foster empathy and respect for self, others, belongings, place, community, and the natural world.