The Child Development Center of Minuteman High School

By Judy Bass

“It really feels like a family there. They treat you like they would treat family,” appreciatively said Robert John, of Lexington, about the Child Development Center of Minuteman High School, where his son, William was a student.

The program, for children aged two to five years, is located at 20 Mill Street in Lincoln. Registrations for the 2014-15 school year are being accepted.

The Minuteman Child Development Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and offers valuable educational experiences along with opportunities for growth, self-esteem and confidence building. Flexible scheduling choices are available, including full-day and half-day, as well as full-time or part-time schedules.

A typical day features individual and group activities, plus educational and recreational time.

Monthly themes allow for in-depth exploration of subjects like family, friends, and pets; fairy tales and nursery rhymes; the ocean; pond life; and spring weather.

“Our unique program mentors Minuteman High School students [who are studying Early Education & Care] through the year, which allows the children the opportunity to have a teenage role model,” said Teacher/Director Kelly Downing. “The high school students are learning, however, and their presence provides an opportunity for the children to have a big sister/ brother feeling in the classroom. We strive to make every parent and child feel like we are one big family. Because we are a small program, it lets parents enroll their 2-year-old child for a few days and then have the flexibility to add hours or days to his or her schedule as the child grows older.”

The resources that nearby Minuteman High School in Lexington offers to the CDC facility include tremendous educational experiences. The school serves as a venue for field trips so the children can have everyday real-world experiences: a trip to the hair salon, a stop at the bakery or fun in the gym. The CDC is surrounded by a 66-acre campus, which also allows the children to study indoors and outside.

Downing continued, “We have a field trip either to a technical program at Minuteman, or around-our-community, field trips to Dental, Cosmetology, Carpentry, the Bakery, the Library, Gym, Art, Language, Science and the Early Childhood & Care-related room at Minuteman for special activities. We parade around with costumes and sing for people in their offices at Minuteman during the holiday seasons. We have a beautiful campus to explore and many nature hikes and science activities. We go to the baseball field, football field, track, and tennis court for some outdoor exercise. Sometimes we will watch a Minuteman athletic game in the afternoon. We are always outside in all weather for activities so that the children can learn through playing.”

As Minuteman moves towards a new building, the students at the Child Development Center will be able to receive these excellent services in a start-of-the-art facility on a beautiful campus that will be sure to give them a head-start on their peers.

Parents whose children have been enrolled at the CDC gladly extol its virtues.

Robert John said, “I think very highly of the program and Kelly Downing, who is very focused on the children. There’s excellent leadership, and a very down-to-earth feel there.”

John, who expressed satisfaction that his son made educational and social progress in the program, warmly lauded the CDC’s “bucolic” setting, homelike, welcoming atmosphere, and the field trips, which have included jaunts to a local fire station, the Discovery Museum in Acton, and Kimball Farm for ice cream.

He also mentioned activities like a “fabulous” Thanksgiving dinner with “all the fixings” to which the parents are invited, and a “super” end of the year party and graduation ceremony.

Tim Carlson, of Lexington, said that he decided to enroll his daughter at the CDC because of its affordability, convenient location, flexible scheduling, and the safety of the environment there.

“My daughter fell in love with it pretty much right away,” he said. “It was a perfect fit.”

Carlson also praised the curriculum and how it prepared his daughter for kindergarten. “She always came home with new knowledge, and learned her ABCs and numbers,” he mentioned. “It was a great platform for going into kindergarten.”

He liked the level of parental involvement too. For example, when the children took a trip to the Butterfly Museum in Acton, Carlson was a chaperone.

Michael and Melissa Allen’s sons Zach and Tyler went through the program. Melissa said, “My kids got really good care there.” She appreciated the CDC’s veteran teachers who met with parents to discuss their children’s development, and praised the portfolios assembled for the children containing their work such as pictures they created and writing assignments they did.

“That was such a nice piece,” Allen, of Chelmsford, said.

Erin and Michael Schanck of Reading sent their two kids to the CDC: Eleanor, who was there from 2009 to 2011, and Carl, who went from 2011 to 2013.

“It was a warm, friendly place,” said Erin Schanck. “Very personable and down-to-earth. They let the kids be kids and encouraged individual play. [The children] went outside a couple of times a day. They made a lot of friends. I thought it was well-done.”

“I liked how the program was run,” said Mary Gallant, of Bedford. “I liked how it all worked together.”

Gallant said her son, Derek, went to kindergarten [after the CDC] and did a great job,” thanks in large measure to the excellent foundation he received at the CDC.

Every aspect of the children’s development and growth is addressed at the CDC to get them ready for their future education.

“We want them leaving with the highest self-esteem [so] that they will spread their wings and learn all they would like,” said Teacher/Director Downing. “We would like to build their foundation of a school experience as strong, fun and educational as we can so they will continue having a positive experience through their elementary years.”

For more information on the Child Development Center or to schedule a tour, please call 781-325-1656.

Minuteman High School provides its students with a superb academic and technical education that readies them for professional success and gives them the ability to become contributing members of the community. Minuteman’s rigorous, challenging curriculum prepares students to excel in an increasingly competitive 21st century global economy. In addition, Minuteman has numerous services available for the public at reasonable cost and of outstanding quality. Please visit www.minuteman.org for more information on Minuteman High School.