Griffin Early Childhood Center

The Griffin Early Childhood Center is an innovative preschool/parenting program created in partnership with Chicago Heights School District 170. Approximately 150 preschool age students have been admitted through a lottery system and attend a half-day program at no cost to their families. Additionally, parents of the preschool students attend bi-monthly Parent Empowerment workshops to support and reinforce the learning in the classroom. The GECC has been made possible thanks to a $10M grant from The Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation to fund a multi-year initiative to identify programs and strategies for improving student education in America's schools.

The GECC preschool is one component of a long-term research study designed to measure the impact and benefit of different curricula and practices in early childhood education on future academic success and life outcomes. GECC teachers are more than just instructional staff members and classroom managers. They work in the spotlight of educational reform and research to improve life opportunities for students and families in Chicago Heights and to make lasting change on the US public education landscape. Thus, we are looking for innovative and motivated classroom teachers who are eager to learn about and contribute to an expanding base of knowledge about what works for preschool students and their families.