The Chardon Early Learning Center is working to build a solid foundation for the district’s youngest learners, said CELC Principal Doug Higham and intervention specialist Kristen Sironen March 17.
The Chardon Early Learning Center is working to build a solid foundation for the district’s youngest learners, said CELC Principal Doug Higham and intervention specialist Kristen Sironen March 17.
Higham, who previously worked at Chardon High School, expressed gratitude for his new position during the Chardon Schools Board of Education meeting.
“After spending many years at the high school, I’ve had a unique opportunity now to see both ends of the educational journey in our district — from our youngest learners just beginning their academic path, to the graduates who are ready to step into the world,” he said.
The experience has given Higham a deep appreciation for how each step in a student’s education is connected, he said, adding the foundations built in the early years are critical as a student grows older.
“We are all working together toward the same goal — to develop well-rounded, confident young people who are prepared for whatever comes next,” he said.
It has been an interesting year in their building, Sironen added.
There are currently 83 pre-kindergarten students spread across three morning classes, three afternoon classes and one all day class, she said.
The school also serves six students in community programs, Sironen said, adding there are 141 kindergarteners with six general education classrooms.
Specials offered to students include world language, physical education, art, music and library technology, she said.
The pre-school is on a new curriculum this year called Creative Curriculum, Sironen said.
“It’s been a labor of love, but it’s a really neat program and it’s all-encompassing for everything, for English language arts, for literacy, for math, for social/emotional, for fine motor and gross motor,” she said. “It even includes cooking lessons and things like that.”
CELC provides a rich language environment for students to encourage their communication and models effective communication, encouraging language experiences through play, Sironen added.
The school also works to build continuous learners by cultivating a love for learning, designing engaging lessons so students will be excited to return to school, she said.
“We are always encouraging the students to become critical thinkers by explicitly teaching problem-solving skills through the social/emotional lessons and inspiring them to think critically and find solutions to their problems,” she said.
Classrooms are supportive, family-like environments, something Sironen described as necessary when working with young children.
“There’s no fear of speaking out in public, there’s no fear of doing something wrong,” she said. “Everyone is welcome and everyone is a little family.”
CELC’s core values are to be safe, be kind and try your best, she said, adding the center has also been engaged in community involvement, including high school students coming from across the street to perform skits and drama productions and the Chardon Smile Center visiting yearly to talk about dental hygiene.
The district’s school resource officer, the Chardon Fire Department and Chardon branch of the Geauga County Public Library have also visited, she said, noting there is extremely high parental involvement, as well.
“It’s always heartwarming to see how many parents are involved every day and every week,” she said. “As a pre-school, we don’t have busing for most of the students, so I get to see the parents almost every day at drop-off and pick-up, and it’s really lovely to see how much they care and how we are a team together.”
