STLCC's Child Development Laboratory Centers (CDLC) serve as laboratory schools, working closely with students studying child and family development and other related areas. Our teachers are credentialed experts in early childhood education and are committed to supporting children of all backgrounds.
The CDLC provides developmentally appropriate child care experiences to children ages six weeks through six years. Our goal is to provide children with opportunities to interact with the world and others as they build a foundation of curiosity, knowledge, independence and self-confidence.
The children of enrolled STLCC students receive first priority for placement in the CDLC. To receive priority placement on the waitlist, STLCC students should sign up for the waitlist. The deadline for the fall semester is June 1 and October 1 for the spring semester.
Faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to complete their waitlist application as soon as a need is identified. Completion of a waitlist application does not guarantee placement in one of our centers.
We invite you to visit the centers for a tour prior to completing the waitlist application.
At the CDLC, we seek to provide developmentally and educationally appropriate experiences which meet the social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs of each individual child. We believe that children construct their own knowledge as a result of interactions with the physical world, so we plan a curriculum that is appropriate to the learning styles of each child. We encourage:
The CDLC serves as a learning facility for STLCC students enrolled in the child and family development (CFD) program and other related programs such as nursing and occupation therapy. CFD students visit the CDLC for a semester-long practicum where they student teach in a classroom.
The CDLC embraces a constructivist approach based on developmentally appropriate practices. Teachers create individual goals for students and craft lessons that meet each child at their developmental level.
Tuition is due weekly. Payments should be made on or before Monday. You can also pay online, with a check or money order in person or with cash at the STLCC cashier’s office.
Yes, you still pay for the space while on vacation as enrollment is based on the space reservation.
Our chefs can prepare alternative meal options to meet each child’s dietary needs.
Students go outside each day for at least 45 minutes if the temperature is within a safe range. On hot days over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, children will go out for a shorter period and wear sunscreen and have access to water. If the temperature is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, children will not go outside. On cold days when the wind chill is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, children will not go outside.
We ask that if you choose to celebrate a special day at school, discuss the idea with your child’s teachers a few days before the celebration. We encourage you to celebrate with a special activity, a book donation or a healthy snack. In our effort to recognize and support families of various beliefs, the classrooms do not celebrate specific holidays as part of our curriculum.
We do our best to accommodate the needs of all children and families. If additional services are needed, we ask parents to work in partnership with the CDLC and classroom teachers.
Yes, the CDLC’s offer part time programs. When a family enrolls, they pay for the entire day regardless of how many hours the child is in the CDLC. We offer a five-day program, which is Monday through Friday, a three-day program, which is Monday, Wednesday and Friday and a two-day program, which is Tuesday and Thursday.
The CDLC’s follows the St. Louis Community College schedule and are closed when the College is closed, including for inclement weather closures. The academic calendar is an excellent source for a list of days the College is closed.
St. Louis Community Colleges has a number of ways to inform you regarding a closing or delayed opening. Please carefully review and be familiar with STLCC’s closing procedures and notifications. The CDLC will be closed any time the St. Louis Community College is closed.
Yes, please call or email either CDLC location to schedule a tour.
We encourage parents to join the Parent Advisory Committee to help plan events, build community and support the CDLC’s. Please email cdlc.pac@gmail.com or join the Facebook group Flo Valley CDLC PAC for more information.
Yes, we accept state assistance from both Missouri and Illinois.
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