Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center

Stated Purpose:
Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center provides quality, early childhood care for families. 

Year, State Incorporated:
1970, CO

Also Known As:
United Day Care Center

Teaching Tree’s roots reach back to 1970 when community members founded United Day Care Center in response to the need in Fort Collins for an affordable, quality child care center to serve low- and middle income families. After becoming aware of a similar need in Loveland, Teaching Tree opened a second center there in 1988.

Approximately half of the children Teaching Tree serves live in low-income families. We provide tuition assistance that offsets the actual cost of care to make it affordable for low-income families. This assistance empowers families to work toward self-sufficiency and ensures that their young children are in a safe, nurturing environment that fosters their achievement of early developmental milestones and enables them to smoothly transition to school.

Activities
Quality child care is much more than “babysitting.” Our name change in 2010, from United Day Care Center to Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center, more accurately conveys the important work we do of promoting children’s growth, development, and school readiness during the first 5 years, when 90% of brain growth occurs.

Teaching Tree’s trained professionals work closely with families to foster children’s social-emotional development, preparing them to succeed in school and, ultimately, in life. Helping children to establish a strong foundation early in life is the most effective way to grow responsible, empathetic children and mitigate potential challenges and the need for costly services later on.

Teaching Tree-Fort Collins is a Level 4 Colorado Shines-rated center, meaning that it is among the highest quality child care providers in the state. We provide developmentally appropriate programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. To ensure that every child receives greater individual attention and has higher quality interactions, we maintain low staff-to-child ratios. We accept a high number of families in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and also provide tuition assistance to low-income families working toward self-sufficiency. This assistance makes their child care fees as low as $22/day, as compared to full-pay rates averaging $54/day.

Teaching Tree’s child care specialists are trained and experienced in promoting young children’s social-emotional competence and healthy brain development, using strategies that help minimize the impact of toxic stress the child may have been exposed to. Low-income children have a higher probability of exposure to toxic stress. When chronically exposed to toxic stress during the first 1,000 days, the young child will, by age 3, have a significantly smaller brain than the child who had positive experiences during her first years of life. The disruption that toxic stress causes to neural circuits can lead to lifelong problems with memory, learning, and behavior. Ultimately, this lack of brain development is associated with greater risk of chronic disease and mental health problems in adulthood.

To promote children’s optimal development, teachers focus on communication, separating the child from the behavior, and building strong relationships with children and families. These partnerships allow teachers to better understand circumstances at home and help parents learn how they can provide more positive experiences for their young children. Teachers are trained in the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. They also implement Teaching Strategies GOLD and its partner program, the Creative Curriculum. These evidence-based tools allow teachers to teach intentionally to the needs of each child, and observe, document, and measure each child’s growth in 7 key developmental areas.

Recognizing the importance of attachment to a child’s healthy development, teachers strive to develop a sense of trust and well-being in each baby. They use basic sign and consistent repetition to help children learn to identify feelings and begin developing their language skills. As children mature, teachers introduce age-appropriate curricula that:
·       teach children about caring, cooperation, safe environments, assertiveness, relationship skills, showing empathy, helping others, and self-control;
·       foster gross- and fine motor skills, sensory integration, language and literacy, music and movement and imaginative exploration;
·       encourage learning through play;
·       promote independence, making good decisions, and problem-solving.

Preschool classrooms offer kindergarten-readiness activities in every developmental aspect and include centers in art, math, science/sensory, dramatic play, language and literacy, computer, music and movement, blocks, fine motor, writing, cozy corner, and outdoor play.

To help strengthen families, Teaching Tree furnishes comprehensive services including nurse consultations, vision- and dental screenings, mental health supports, and speech therapy. We also provide enrichment programs in reading, speech, nutrition, and exercise at no additional cost to families. Many of the children we serve experience food insecurity. Our participation in the U.S.D.A. food program ensures that children receive meals and snacks that meet 100% of their daily nutritional requirements.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center's program expenses were:

Chief Executive
Anne Lance, Executive Director

Compensation*
$124,495

Chair of the Board
Jodie Riesenberger, Community Programs Manager

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Bohemian Foundation

Board Size
16

Paid Staff Size
82

* Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Internet, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Source of Funds

Programs: 90% Fundraising: 2% Administrative: 8%