The SECCC is a registered
not for profit 501(c)(3) organization and is governed by a Board of Directors,
primarily parents who work for the U.S. Senate. It serves as a model for parents
and employers interested in working together to solve their childcare concerns.
The Center maintains a cooperative relationship with the Senate. This
relationship gives parents responsibility and control, and relies on the Senate
to provide critical support to ensure the Center’s successful
operation.
Because the Center is
nonprofit and parent-run, it is very much community oriented. The goal of this
community of parents, professionals and children is to assure children daily
exposure to a safe, nurturing, enriching, and age-appropriate environment. To
assure we meet those goals, we use as our guidepost the guidelines provided by
our accrediting body, the National Academy of Early Childhood Program, a
division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC). The SECCC originally became accredited in 1989. We were the first
center in Washington DC to receive accreditation and we have maintained
continuous accreditation since that time. Because the SECCC occupies a United
States Senate building, we are an unlicensed program that voluntarily follows
all District of Columbia licensing standards.
Our program philosophy,
curriculum, staff, structure, and governance are critical components in the
quality of the program. However, that is not our only resource. We turn to
each other– professionals with varying levels of experience and varied talents,
and to the parents with their extensive array of experiences – to continually
evaluate and enrich our program.
Program
Philosophy The Center is designed to
provide a comprehensive and highly individualized program to foster the
physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth of the young children
enrolled. Children are offered age-appropriate learning opportunities as
described in the Creative Curriculum. Parents are expected to participate in the
ongoing activities of the Center and to collaborate with the staff in the
operation of the Center.