About Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to create an out-of-school experience that inspires curiosity, grows character, and cultivates respect; striving to support each child in becoming a confident and capable young leader of tomorrow.
Acorn to Oak YDC Values
Acorn to Oak YDC values RESPECT.
Self Respect is where it all begins, you cannot expect others to respect you if you don’t respect yourself. Every person wants to be respected, even young children. Respect is about showing humility and being sensitive to the needs of others. Respect promotes cooperation. To show respect is to be open and honest and to behave with integrity. To show respect, we need to think about how our actions will affect our environment. We talk to each other, not about each other. We show trust and confidence in each other. We care for the spaces we occupy and resources we use. Teachers will cultivate respect by valuing children's choices, speaking politely, modeling active listening, practicing manners, explaining respectful limits, utilizing conscious discipline, providing opportunities for youth participation in decision making, and highlighting diversity within our community and around the world.
Acorn to Oak YDC values INCLUSION.
We at Acorn to Oak YDC are dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcoming child care community and feel we have a responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students. All children are welcome if the child can be successful with or without supplemental aids and services, the student will benefit academically and/or socially, and the student's presence does not have an adverse effect on the other students. Teachers will create an inclusive environment through program adaptations, promoting positive peer relationships and facilitating conversations so children may understand and accept each other's differences. Through inclusive practices, we develop patience, acceptance, helpfulness, diversity, and compassion.
Acorn to Oak YDC values CURIOSITY.
Curiosity facilitates a deeper connection to ourselves, others and the world around us. By encouraging children to be curious about the world around them, we are inspiring them to have an inquisitive way of thinking that includes exploration, investigation, calculated risk and learning. Cultivating curiosity improves our ability to make decisions, and solve problems creatively. It increases resilience and the ability to manage stress. Curiosity supports collaboration and teamwork among all age groups. Teacher’s will provide and monitor engaging and challenging choices for children to choose from. The teacher then acts as a facilitator: encouraging, promoting and reinforcing a child’s attempts, questions, skill development, and discoveries.
Acorn to Oak YDC values RESPONSIBILITY.
As children grow, we want them to be dependable, keep commitments, and be accountable for their decisions and actions. We want to remind children that responsibility means to do what you should do, sometimes choosing the hard right over the easy wrong. We know that children are capable of doing many tasks on their own, and will be encouraged to do so. Teachers will model responsible behavior, coach students through completing tasks, and delegate whenever possible to provide practice opportunities. We also want our students to understand the value of social responsibility, learning that our actions truly affect those around us, in our community and the world. We will provide opportunities for students to give back through service learning projects.