Early Childhood Education Center
The OTC Early Childhood Education Center is a childcare facility for ages birth to six years old. The center is licensed through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and accredited by Missouri Accreditation of Programs for Children and Youth.
We serve OTC students, faculty, and staff as well as the greater Springfield community. The center has five classrooms, each staffed by two full-time teachers who lead students through a variety of learning activities including cooking, creating art and taking field trips. These activities are part of a research-based curriculum called HighScope, one of five early childhood curriculums approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Our second childcare site is the Study Nursery which is provided through a partnership between Springfield Public Schools and Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC). Study Nursery provides childcare for children ages birth – 35 months. The Nursery is licensed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Childhood for children ages birth – 35 months.
Study Nursery serves Study students, Springfield Public Schools students, OTC students, OTC employees, Springfield Public Schools employees and the local community. The Nursery collaborates with parents and offers supportive services to families as they work toward self-sufficiency.
Our centers are training facilities for OTC’s Early Childhood Development Program. College students learn by assisting our teachers as they create a safe, nurturing environment for the children to grow in. The help they provide allows us to keep the teacher-to-student ratio low while providing valuable experience to the next generation of early childhood education professionals.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m
ABOUT THE CENTER
The center is accredited through the Missouri Accreditation of Programs for Children and Youth and features experienced teachers with professional backgrounds in Early Childhood Education or Child Development.
As our center is also a training facility for the college’s Early Childhood Development program, students help maintain a low child to teacher ratio.
CLASSROOMS
The center has five classrooms, each staffed by two full-time teachers.
Each classroom at the center provides developmentally appropriate activities that encourage and stimulate the cognitive, creative, emotional, social and physical development of each child in a safe, secure and nurturing atmosphere.
ACTIVITIES
The classrooms offer activities such as cooking, music, art, large and small group activities, problem solving and field trips.
Indoor and outdoor experiences enhance large and small muscle development and coordination. Teachers guide children in appropriate social interaction that helps to promote self-confidence in relationships.
FAMILY PARTICIPATION
Families are encouraged to participate in their child’s learning experience by volunteering to participate in classroom activities, classroom visits and parent-teacher meetings.
Why should you choose the OTC Early Childhood Education Center for your child?
- Enrollment is for children ages birth-5
- Full time lead teachers and assistant teachers have formal education in early childhood development.
- All staff are CPR and First Aid certified.
- The center is a training facility for OTC students studying early childhood development. This helps keep the teacher/child ratio low.
- The center is open Monday-Friday year-round for fulltime childcare.
- Hours of operation are 7:30am- 5:30pm.
- The center is licensed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Office of Childhood.
- The center is accredited nationally by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
- We participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
- The center provides breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.
- The center offers a researched based, developmentally appropriate curriculum called HighScope. HighScope is one of five early childhood curriculums approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- The center accepts childcare payment for qualifying families through Child Care Subsidy.
- The center does have a waiting list for enrollment of 6 months to 1 year.