Is C Street Development Center licensed or accredited?

C Street has been licensed since January 31, 2000 and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children since May 2006.

How long has C Street been in business?

C Street opened its doors as a "nursery school" in December 1992!  Although not a nursery school any longer, it still retains a family friendly environment that many have grown to love and expect from C Street.

What are the ratios in the classrooms?

The ratios vary by class depending on the age of the children.  The following are the NAEYC ratios and max class sizes:

• Infants Class 1:4  (Class size 2:8)
• Toddler Class 1:4  (Class size 2:8)
• Two Year Old Class 1:6  (Class size 2:12)
• Three Year Old Class 1:10  (Class size 1:10)
• Four Year Old Class 1:10   (Class size 1:10)
• Kindergarten Program 1:12   (Class size 1:12)

What are your procedures to keep my child secure?

Here at C Street, security of our children is taken very seriously.  All classrooms and play areas are monitored via security cameras, as well as the entrance door.  You cannot gain entrance to the facility without being buzzed in by a member of our Infant Room Staff.  If they do not recognize you as a parent, family member, or authorized individual via closed circuit monitor, you will be met by a Director or a staff member who will identify the purpose of your visit.  All parents fill out authorization forms upon enrollment identifying individuals who may pick up their child(ren), and proper identification must be presented at the time of pick up by those individuals.  Once the security precautions are satisfied, a staff member will escort them to the child.

When will my child move from one classroom to the next?

As a general rule, we move children the week before or the week after their birthday and slowly transition them to the new class (visiting in small increments and gradually building up to a full day).  When a family enrolls, their child's birthdate has been heavily considered before enrollment could take place and the birthdate criteria must be met.  We attempt to seperate children's birthdates by 4 weeks (in each classroom) in order to transition them alone to the next classroom.  The reason for this practice is we find children needs lots of individualized attention when acclimating to a new environment.  This is hard for teaching staff if/when there are several new children joining the group at the same time.  Depending on the child's temperment, needs, and/or cognitive growth, he or she may need more or less time in their "old" classroom, and the Associate Director will work with the staff and families inlvolved to make sure the child's best interest is maintained.

What does this transition schedule look like exactly?

The first and second day, the child will spend most of the morning in their new class.  They are allowed to return to the classroom which they've spent the last 12 months in if they begin to struggle or become increasingly upset.  The third and fourth day the child will spend morning, lunch, and afternoon in the new classroom, if possible and if the child requests it.  On the fifth day, the child will be in their new classroom for a full day.  We do adjust this schedule to meet the child's needs, but most children only take a week.  C Street is an intimate program, children and staff in all classes know eachother, so rapports have been established long before children join a new teacher and a new class.  However, children are allowed the freedom and respect necessary to make these move ups successfully and with as few tears as possible!

What is the daily schedule?

The schedules vary in each classroom and depend upon the age of the child. Please review our class pages for a summary of each room's schedule.

• Infants
• Toddlers
• Two's
• Preschool
• Pre-Kindergarten
• Kindergarten
• School Age

The Center's general schedule for the day is as follows (all times are approximate and may vary slightly):

What kind of curriculum do you have? Do you have pre-school for the three and four year old children?

C Street designed it's own curriculum based on the brain development for the age group it serves, the assessment system in place, and the abilities of all children in each class.  It is a very comprehensive system for all ages, infants through Kindergarten, so you can be assured that they are engaged, stimulated, and learning in all aspects regardless of age.  "Preschool" begins in our infant room! 

How often do the children play outside?

The children have outdoor time daily!  When the weather is permitting, we try to take the children outside for at least an hour throughout the day.  In addition, we take them for walks in the avenues neighborhood surrounding the facility and to neighborhood public playgrounds so they can see and explore the outdoors.

Do you have naptime?

In the infant room, the infants take naps as needed.  For toddlers through pre-kindergarten, the classes take naps between 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.  Our Kindergarten class, school age program, and summer programs do not include naptime.

How do you discipline children?

Children are disciplined in an age-appropriate manner and as fairly and consistently as possible.  Basic procedure is to redirect the child to a more acceptable alternative.  When appropriate, a child is given three warnings about unacceptable behavior.  A child is separated from the group and given a "time out" only when less intrusive methods of guiding behavior have been tried and are proven ineffective.  The child remains in time out for one minute for each year of the child's age (e.g.: three minutes if the child is three years old).  We do not use time out with children two and under.

How do you potty train children?

There are several signs of readiness, of which our two year old teachers are very familiar with. The classroom environment promotes independence and freedom to come and go from the bathroom as needed so the children are taking the initiative and have a sense of accomplishment.  Both two year old teachers are very experienced with potty training techniques and use them appropriately.  If at any point a child shows signs of distress, the process stops and will resume when the child is ready.

How often do you clean toys?

Equipment and toys in the classrooms that contain children two years and under are sanitized daily and washed rinsed and sanitized weekly - at a minimum.  Classrooms that contain children three years and older wash, rinse and sanitize their toys on a weekly basis, unless they need to be cleaned more often.

How much experience do your teachers have and how long have your teachers been with your Center?

This depends on the teacher!  Some of our teachers have been with us since the program opened it's doors, while others were welcomed as newer recruits. Please refer to teacher biographies (accessed by each class page) for specific information about experience, tenure, and credentials of our teaching staff.

What kind of training do staff members have?

Being NAEYC accredited, we have many requirements that must be met for teaching staff.  Several possess college degrees and some are students.  Some have been working for so long in Early Childhood that they meet an alternative pathway!  However, all staff members are trained in Pediatric and Adult CPR, First Aid, and have current Preschool Food Handlers Permits.  The administration also offer continued training, workshops, and seminars to our staff.

What is your policy regarding illnesses? Can I bring my child in when he or she is sick?

Children need to stay home when they are sick.  If a child has a fever of 101° F or higher, is vomiting, has diarrhea, or a severe cough, the child must stay home.  If a child exhibits symptoms during care, a parent/guardian will be notified and the child must go home within one hour of being called.  Please refer to the Parents Handbook on this website for a complete list of exclusionary circumstances and the Center Policy.

What are your hours of operation?

The facility is open from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. , Monday through Friday, excluding Holidays and Center closures.

Do you provide meals for the children?

The program provides a morning and an afternoon snack for the children as well as milk and juice for them to drink.  Parents and guardians are responsible for providing lunch for their children daily.

How many students are there at the center?

The early childhood program at full enrollment is 60 (Infants through Kindergarten). We are licensed for 101 children with school age programs.

How do you determine who comes from the waiting list?

Enrollment in a classroom is based on the following criteria (in order of priority):

• The child's birthdate.
• If they are a sibling of a currently-enrolled child.
• If a child's parent/guardian is a member of First Presbyterian Church.
• If they are on the waiting list.

Please email the Associate Director, Christine Medina-Zavala, with any questions regarding enrollment into the program. Christine [at] fpcslc [dot] org.

Do the children take field trips?

The best learning takes place outside of the classroom!  Being in the heart of downtown we have the whole city at our finger tips.  Children ages one and up are allowed to take field trips. The children are encouraged to get involved in their community and take advantage of its resources.  We get around by means of the Utah Transit Authority (bus and Trax systems), Utah Trailways, or by walking.  As always, parents are welcome!