WOW is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education.  The Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
 

Children
ECDC serves approximately 150 children of diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds ages six weeks through five years.  

The children at ECDC benefit socially and intellectually from being in a multi-cultural environment which allows them to learn respect and appreciation for people of different countries and backgrounds.

Staff
ECDC is known for its highly qualified personnel.  Our policy is to employ teachers of mixed ethnic backgrounds, and to provide children with a balance of both male and female teachers.  All staff must submit and be found suitable for work with children 

Education is a priority at ECDC for all ages.  In order to maintain quality personnel, ECDC offers education scholarships to staff members to further their knowledge and expertise.

Assessments and Parent/Teacher Conferences
Assessment is an integral part of any quality program for the purposes of identifying children’s needs and interests, and for improving curriculum, teaching practices, environment, and family involvement.

In an effort to demonstrate children’s growth, all children will receive a developmental screening within three months of enrollment at WOW.  Ages and Stages Questionnaires, which is a nationally-recognized, normative based instrument designed to be used by caregivers will be used.  All results will be shared with parents/guardians.  Ongoing informal assessments including observations, checklists, rating scales, and work samples will be collected and shared at your parent/teacher conferences.  All areas of learning including cognitive skills, language, artistic expression, physical growth, and social-emotional development will be covered.  If needed, these results will assist us in making appropriate referrals for services.  Additionally, multiple data assessment of children will assist teachers in making sound decisions regarding curriculum content, daily planning, and personal interactions.

Semi-annually through staff meetings and literature searches, ECDC actively engages in a literature search for the most appropriate screening/assessment tools published.  Parents/guardians will be informed if the assessment instruments and procedures are changed.  Parents/guardians are invited to help guide our assessment process to best meet the needs of their children.

Parents/guardians will be provided information, verbally or in writing on a quarterly basis with written reports at least two times each year.  ll children’s files will remain confidential unless a parent/guardian gives written permission to ECDC to release the information to a third party.  Staff who interact regularly with your child will have access to ECDC-generated reports.

Program Evaluations
We are continually evaluating our curricula, policies, and procedures.  At least annually, we will ask you to fill out formal evaluation forms.  The results will be shared with WOW’s families.  Your comments and suggestions are always welcome, so please communicate with us.  No concern is too small!