First Gear Academy Information Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Where is the Center located?
The Center's address is Freightliner Truck Headquarters building (FTH) 4435 N Channel Avenue.

When will the Center open?
The Center is currently under construction. Based on the current construction schedule we are projecting the start of early 2009. Families will be updated on the progress of construction and the opening day throughout the course of the project.

What is the name of the Center?
First Gear Academy.

What types of enrollment schedules are offered?
The center offers full-week and part-week (MWF or TTh) schedules for all age groups. Please see the tuition sheet for complete information on the schedules offered and the related costs.

What age groups does the center serve?
Children ages 6 weeks through five years of age year round.

Who operates the Center?
The center is operated by Childrens' Creative Learning Centers (CCLC).

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Enrollment

What is the enrollment process for this center?
CCLC will conduct a lottery for the initial enrollment process. The lottery will start September 8, 2009. All forms needed to be considered for enrollment can be found on the forms section of this website.

Who is eligible to use the center?
First priority for enrollment into the development center is for full-time and part-time employees of Daimler Trucks North America and their legal dependents. If spaces remain available after all first-priority personnel have been accommodated, the available spaces are filled by the second priority.

Second priority spaces are for the legal dependents for contractors and grandchildren of employees. If space still remains after the second priority families have been accommodated, spaces will be made available to the thirds priority. Third priority is for the community at large. Employees of Daimler Trucks North America will have priority enrollment over other groups if the center has a waiting list. Employment status and eligibility will be verified before the enrollment process can be completed.

DTNA employees, refer a friend or a family member and receive a gift card for yourself and waived registration fees for the family you refer. Find out more by clicking here.

When can I enroll?
Interest forms are currently being accepted for enrollment on a first come basis.

Do I have to pay a fee or deposit?
Yes. There is non-refundable $25 fee due at the time you submit your completed interest form. If you are offered a space in the center and choose to enroll, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit (which will be applied to your first month’s tuition) to reserve your space in the center.

When will I be notified if I have received a space?
All children who receive a spot in the First Gear Academy will be contacted via e-mail if there is space for your child in the center. You will be contacted by CCLC within one week of your interest form being received in regards to your enrollment status.

What happens if there is not space for my child in the center at the time I need care?
If space is not available in the center at the time you apply, you will be placed on the waiting list in the order in which your interest form was received.

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Programming

What are the child-to-teacher ratios and group sizes in each classroom?
The center will offer programming designed to meet NAEYC Accreditation standards.
The child-to-teacher ratios will be as follows:

Teacher to Child Ratio & Group Size Comparison

Infant 6wks-approx. 12mo. Toddler 13mo.-24mo. Jr. Pre-School 24mo.-35mo. Pre-School 3yrs-4yrs. Pre-Kindergarten 4yrs-5yrs.

Age Group	CCLC Group Sizes	CCLC Ratios
Infant Toddler Jr. Preschool Preschool Pre-K	8 8 10 18 20	1:4 1:4 1:5 1:9 1:10

What are the Center hours and holidays?
The First Gear Academy will follow the Daimler Trucks US holiday calendar. The center will be open from 5:30am – 6:30pm Monday through Friday. The center will follow the Daimler holiday schedule as well as being closed twice a year for staff training days.

Can children attend the center part week?
Yes, parents can choose to enroll their child(ren) in a part-week schedule (i.e. MWF or T TH).

Curriculum & Accreditation

What kind of curriculum is offered?
The First Gear Academy in partnership with CCLC’s curriculum supports learning in a developmental-based, thematic and multicultural manner for each age group. CCLC views learning as a process that requires a balance between child-initiated and staff-initiated activities. Activities are designed to fit the developmental needs of each age group while ensuring that children are properly prepared for kindergarten.

CCLC uses its exclusive Guided Discovery Curriculum ™. Guided Discovery is a "whole child" approach to learning that incorporates different aspects of a child's physical, social, linguistic, cognitive, and emotional development into a variety of daily activities. Guided Discovery is rooted in educational philosophy and theory as well as practice. It relies heavily on Erik Erikson's stages of socio-emotional development, Jean Piaget's theories of how children think and learn, and on principles of physical development. The curriculum reflects the criteria set by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Accreditation process.

What enrichment programs will be offered at the center?
The First Gear Academy will offer a number of enrichment programs to enrolled families at the center.

Will there be a focus on the environment at the center?
The First Gear Academy will have an Eco-Healthy focus. Environmental practices will be incorporated into the center curriculum and daily routines. Children will learn to care for their environment, to not be wasteful and participate in environmental classroom projects. Check your child’s classroom curriculum sheet for more details on what your child is learning in regards to being environmentally friendly!

What is CCLC’s discipline policy?
At CCLC, we encourage children to learn to control their own behavior. We use positive language by telling children what they should do instead of what they should not do. Our goal at CCLC is to provide a safe and positive environment for every child.

The following steps outline our discipline process:

• We set clear and consistent limits
• When conflicts arise, we speak with both children and find out what has occurred
• We guide children in problem solving by encouraging them to use their words
• Give children alternative activities
• At no time will any child be subjected to corporal punishment, confinement to cribs, or the withholding of food or drink as forms of discipline
• Time out is not used at the center, we encourage children and staff to discuss issue

What is NAEYC accreditation?
NAEYC accreditation means that an early childhood program voluntarily applied for accreditation by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. The program then engages in an extensive self-study based on the Academy's Criteria for High Quality Early Childhood Programs. The accuracy of the program's self-study is verified during a site visit to the program by a team of trained validators.

The validated self-study, including the program director's responses to the validation visit, are reviewed by a 3-member national commission composed of recognized experts in childcare and early childhood education, judged to be in substantial compliance with the Academy's Criteria, and granted accreditation for a three-year period. The early childhood program agrees to act upon the commission's suggestions regarding areas needing improvement and to submit annual written reports documenting improvements and continued compliance. Less than 8% of all child care centers nationally have received NAEYC Accreditation.

Are meals and snacks offered and included?
The First Gear Academy offers children who arrive by 8AM a breakfast. All children receive either a regular or vegetarian/special diet lunch option. Breakfast and lunch are included in the tuition rates. The lunch program begins in the toddler classrooms. We ask infant families to provide all formula and foods for their child in order to ensure each child receives what is needed at this age.

Snack time should be tasty, appealing, low in fat, high in fiber and high in protein. We serve hormone-free, antibiotic-free milk and many of our snacks are organic. Snack will include items such as fruits, veggies, whole grain crackers and breads, yogurt, 100% juice drinks and milk.

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Tuition

What are the tuition rates?
To see a current tuition schedule, click here.

Are there any requirements for parent participation at the Center?
There is no requirement from families to participate in the program. There will be opportunities for families to volunteer through a new voluntary parent committee which will be formed after the center opens. Families can also participate at the center during special events. CCLC has an open door policy, parents are welcome in the classroom at any time.

More Information

Who do I contact with additional questions?
For programming questions, please contact CCLC directly via email

 

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