At First Impressions we believe that a safe, loving environment should be the most basic foundation of all childcare programs. We value partnerships with our families as the building block of our center. We respect parents as a child’s first advocate, and we work collaboratively to ensure that familes are involved in ongoing healthy iStock_000007925507XSmallemotional, psychological, and educational development in all children. We build strong partnerships between home and center to encourage sharing of cultures, ideas, knowledge, strengths and differences. Collaboration between families and our center is essential to growth and development of the individual child. Together we work at the task of providing a strong foundation for each child’s life.

We believe in students capabilities to learn repect, and responsibility and to learn to care for others, and see themselves as constructive contributors of the community. We believe that learning how to get along with others is a life-long skill. Teachers facilitate problem solving, assist children in making positive choices, and help them develop appropriate solutions. Our staff strives to help children learn how they have an impact on others, to recognize their emotions and express them in acceptable ways.

Children’s learning and growth are seen as intertwined. We recognize the importance of play on the learning process. Our philosophy is that play is a child’s work, and fosters all aspects of development. Play is the source of laughter, humor, of inventiveness and beauty. It allows children to entertain possibilities and envision the future. During active play, a child’s mind, body and emotions develop and true learning takes place.

Our teachers support children’s acquisition of skills, knowledge and dispositions for learning (concepts or facts, physical and social tasks, curiosity or friendliness.) We prepare each child to enter kindergarten academically ready, and confident of their abilities, and we may help them achieve a lifelong love of learning.