The School at The Children's Center At Carolina Park: Where kids are safe, happy and learning everyday!

Located just off Carolina Park Boulevard near the new Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, SC, The Children’s Center at Carolina Park offers year-round pre-school programs in a school year / summer class cycle. The school will operate from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday with Full-Day pre-school programs for children ages 6 months through 4 (4K, Pre K), and Half-Day pre-school programs for Twos, Threes and Fours 4K.

Privately owned and operated, every aspect of the school has been especially planned for very young children. From the building design to the learning materials to the staffing plan, the goal of The Center is to foster a positive learning environment. This will be a place where kids are encouraged to be active and involved in the lessons their teachers share. With teacher to child ratios that exceed South Carolina state requirements, teachers can make time for children to share ideas and ask questions – and let their imaginations run wild!

Teacher / Child ratios at The Children’s Center will meet NAEYC standards for high quality education, and as such, will exceed what is required by South Carolina law.

Teacher / Child Ratios
Pre-School Programs	The Children's Center will have	SC Requires
Full Day Pre-School Programs / M-F
Pre-Toddler (6-24 months)	1:5	1:6
Toddler-Younger (24-30 months)	1:6	1:10
Toddler-Older (30-36 months)	1:7	1:10
Threes (36-48 months)	1:10	1:13
Fours 4K (48-60 months)	1:10	1:18
Pre K (children who turn 5 after 9/1/2007)	1:10	1:20

Half-Day Pre-School Programs / 9:00 - 12:00
Twos T/TH	1:6	1:10
Threes M/W/F	1:7	1:13
Fours M-F	1:10	1:20

Natural Habitat

Nestled in the natural habitat of the Lowcountry on a private street, this 19,000 square foot building eases into the landscape as if it has been there for years. A great deal of effort was made to preserve trees on the property and nearby wetlands and incorporate elements of this natural setting in the building’s look and feel. Paving patterns, landscaping and lighting emphasize the entry and the transition as one approaches the building. Parking is laid out in two locations with lush landscaping and buffers to diminish the hard surfaces on the property (click graphic for larger image).

Welcome to our world

When you step inside The Children’s Center at Carolina Park, you'll experience a pre-school facility like no other East of the Cooper. The sweeping entry hall of wood and metal construction acts as a “bridge” from the parking area in front to the marsh and playground beyond. Overhead are exposed structural supports which look like huge building blocks and tinker toys. This central core of the building houses administrative offices and shared public spaces, and is the highlight of the building design. Two classroom wings serve as the anchors for the central core, wrapping around to create a secure playground and a patio pavilion adjacent to the wetlands.

Let the sun shine!
The classrooms are designed with typical Lowcountry materials and building concepts including large windows, long porches, shingle roofs and metal canopies. Diffused natural light is introduced into every room from continuous transom lighting. Running along both sides of the corridor, each classroom will have direct outdoor access and views of the adjacent marsh and lush landscaping (click for building floor plan).

For nearly 80 years, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has worked to raise the quality of programs for all children from birth through age eight. In 1985, NAEYC established a national, voluntary accreditation system to set professional standards for early childhood education programs, and to help families identify high-quality programs. The Children’s Center, although still in the building phase, has already begun to work toward its goal of being the only NAEYC accredited pre-school East of the Cooper.

Earning the Torch
Pre-schools that earn the torch, the NAEYC symbol of quality, meet the ten standards of early childhood programs. The Children’s Center will show in word and deed, a commitment to meeting these ten standards and providing high-quality pre-school programs for young children. Relationships, curriculum, health and safety, staffing, staff qualifications, physical environment, and administration are all reviewed during accreditation. While the NAEYC accreditation process looks at every aspect of a pre-school, the most important questions ask about the daily experiences of the child:

The accreditation process takes more than a year to complete but rest assured your child will be a part of high-quality programming from day one. During the first year of operation, teachers, staff, and families will participate in The Center’s self-study – a school-wide continuous improvement program - to evaluate achievements toward NAEYC goals. After at least twelve months in operation, The Center will be eligible to submit the self-study for review along with an application to NAEYC with a timeframe for completion of all requirements. On-site observation by a NAEYC validator completes the accreditation process.