The USAO Child Development Center recognizes the importance of the early years for growth and learning in children. The major purpose of the Center is to provide a training laboratory for USAO students in Child Development, Child Psychology, and Early Childhood Education.

USAO students study human relationships and have opportunities for observation and participation in child development and guidance, curriculum and program planning, and methods of teaching in pre-kindergarten. Students from other disciplines, such as, physical education, psychology, speech and hearing therapy and elementary education also use the laboratory for observation and special projects.

The Child Development Center curriculum is designed to meet individual needs at the developmental level of participating children. The curriculum focuses on the achievement of the following goals: enhancement of self-concept, language development, sensory acuity, motor development, concept formation, and living skills. Because young children have an insatiable curiosity and an urge to explore, discover, and experiment, they are provided an enriched environment where they can make choices.

The Child Development Center program and student laboratory experiences fit well together and are designed to complement one another. Together they provide additional realism and reinforcement for learning. One without the other is inadequate.

The laboratory experience is also a state requirement for teacher certification in Early Childhood Education. The USAO Child Development Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. The enrollment is limited to 16 three-and four-year-old children. The current fee structure can be obtained by calling (405) 574-1230.

A Goal-Directed Program

The USAO Child Development Center offers the children varied opportunities to learn in all areas: physical, social, emotional, and intellectual. The curriculum and the environment are the results of careful planning based on the knowledge of child growth and development. At the USAO Child Development Center you will see:

• Preschool games to play.
• Materials with which to create.

• Ideas and things to talk about, relate to, compare with, match, fit into, try out, reinforce, invent, discover, and enjoy.

All the time the children are being continuously challenged by specific learning goals set for them.

In order to begin to read and perform other academic tasks, children must first gather meaning from the world and develop an awareness of concepts.
In order to gather meaning from the world, children must have many satisfying sensory and sensory motor experiences -- they must touch, feel, smell, hear, and see. Perceptual development follows. This is how children interpret their sensory experiences which are prerequisites for developing their minds.

The program is geared toward helping children develop habits of observation, questioning, and listening. It gives them an awareness of their own feelings and of their right to express those feelings by sometimes channeling them into other means of expression. They learn they are free to make choices, and that as long as they stay within the limits of consideration for people and things, they do not always have to conform. Our program prepares children to utilize their intellectual and creative abilities in future learning tasks.

TO OUR PARENTS

We want our parents to know, to understand, and to discuss with us our goals.

We want our parents to look often into our busy, happy, sometimes noisy, creative classroom and see their child at play.

We want our parents to realize the validity of that play and the importance of what is being learned.

Parents and teachers together can help their child develop his or her full human potential.

OBSERVATION

A large observation booth, equipped with a one-way vision mirror, may be entered from the playground near the patio area of Gary Hall. Parents and college students are invited to observe from this booth. Arrangements can be made for university and other school groups to observe. Observers are asked to refrain from conversation while in the booth -- this interferes with the work of the college students. Observers are also advised that discussion of children in the program, other than your own, will not be allowed.

NUTRITION

The Child Development Center serves a mid-morning snack, usually juice and crackers. Parents are welcome to send other snacks to be shared by their child's class. Suggested snacks are apple wedges, orange sections, raisins, celery or carrot sticks or Jell-O. Once a month the children have the opportunity to cook or otherwise prepare special food at school for a nutritious snack.

THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER STAFF

The staff consists of a director, Professor in Education and Early Childhood Education, student aids, and a custodian.

ELIGIBILITY

Children living in or near Chickasha are eligible to enroll.

CHILDREN VISITING THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

The USAO Child Development Center does not permit children to visit who are not enrolled in the program.

APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT 

Application forms can be obtained from the USAO Child Development Center, Gary Hall, Room 101A, Telephone 405-574-1230 or the Education Office, Gary Hall, Room 206, Telephone 405-574-1328. Requests for application made verbally to staff members cannot be honored. After notification of acceptance in the Child Development Center a non-refundable processing fee of $25.00 must be paid in the Business Office at USAO.

SELECTION OF CHILDREN TO BE ENROLLED

Since many more applications are received than the capacity enrollment, the following procedures are used for selecting children:

• Children who meet current study or research interests or other needs receive priority for enrollment.
  
• Generally, as vacancies occur, the child whose name appears next on the eligible list is accepted, provided that:


1. The child's membership in the group is best for the desired mix of the age, sex, maturity level, ethnic, and socioeconomic level.


2. Parents agree to full participation in the program.


3. Parents agree to provide medical coverage for their child.


• Names of children who are not accepted are left on the waiting list for a period of one year, at which time a letter of inquiry will be sent, asking if parents are still interested in the program. If unanswered, the application will be discarded.
• Applications will be accepted during the school year prior to the child's age of admission (March 1 - April 30). The child must be at least 2 years of age before making application.
• University faculty members and university students must make application in the same manner as other applicants.

ENROLLMENT POLICIES

• If the parents do not wish to accept enrollment in the Child Development Center when it is offered, the child's name is removed from the waiting list.
• If the child is withdrawn from the waiting list for reasons parents cannot control (illness, move from the Chickasha area, etc.) the name will be reconsidered at the request of the parent in review of existing possibilities for enrollment.
• It will be necessary for the parents to submit a new application to re-enroll a child who has been removed from the Child Development Center.

POLICY FOR PAYMENT OF FEES

The first trimester fee for the Child Development Center is due and payable in one amount by September 15. Second trimester fee will be due and payable by January 15. Notification will be sent to the parents in August and December.  Fees for the Child Development Center are $500.00 each trimester per child beginning Fall 2006-07. Children will not be allowed to attend if the fees are not paid within two weeks after the fees are due. Fees are to be charged per child/per family. Fees are paid in the USAO Business Office, Troutt Hall. Checks cannot be accepted by the Director.

PARENT PARTICIPATION

Conferences are held during the year to discuss development and progress of the child. They may be initiated by either parent or teacher. Excellent contributions to the program are made by parents each year.

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS

Before a child is accepted for first admission, the Child Development Center requires the child to have a certificate of birth and a certificate of a physical examination. This information will include:

• A report on the physical examination.
• Date of inoculation, and a yearly update, against DTP, mumps, rubella, polio and measles.
• Records of the communicable diseases of the child.

HEALTH CARE PROCEDURES

Parent

Children with signs of oncoming illness of any kind will not be allowed into the Child Development Center. The parent is requested to refrain from bringing the child should he/she show any of the following symptoms: elevated temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, heavy nasal discharge, red throat, reddened eyes, excessive sneezing, coughing, listlessness, sudden loss of appetite, or undue irritability. The child should remain at home approximately 24 hours after vomiting or an elevated temperature.

Teacher

The Teacher will be alerted should any of the above signs appear while the child is in the Center. Should any of these symptoms be noted, the child will be isolated from the others and the parents notified at once so they may come for the child. In the event that the parent cannot be contacted, the teacher will notify the individual designated to be contacted in case of an emergency.

EXCLUSION FOR CONTAGION

In the event the child develops a contagious disease, or is exposed at home, it is important for the parent to notify the teacher immediately of the physician's official diagnosis. If a child has been exposed to a communicable disease at the Center, the parents will be notified by the teacher.

Following an absence for a major contagious disease or hospitalization, a doctor's statement may be required before a child is re-admitted.

In the case of common colds, no doctor's certificate will be necessary for re-admittance to school. It will be the function of the parent and the teacher to determine when a child is ready to return to school. In case there is a question about the teacher's decision, it will be the parent's privilege to secure a doctor's certification which will be honored.

ALLERGIES

When a child has been diagnosed as having allergies, a written statement to that effect must be on file. Whenever possible, this statement should include whether or not skin tests have been made, and to what the child is allergic.

EMERGENCIES

Simple injuries will be cared for by the teacher. In the event that a serious injury is involved, the parents will be notified at once, and if necessary, the physician designated by the parent as first or second choice will be called. It is imperative that this information be supplied to the Center as well as information as to whom may be called in an emergency, in the event that the parent cannot be reached. Treatment cannot be given to your child in the hospital without parental consent -- the Child Development Center cannot provide this permission. No medication will be administered to children at the Center.