Dauphin Way Puts Your Children First!
"Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him."
Psalms 127:3
Welcome to the Child Development Center (CDC) at Dauphin Way UMC! We are an outreach ministry of the church, on a mission to develop good moral character within each of our students, while offering them the highest quality of age-appropriate, educational programming possible.
Since the CDC is a Christian center, children can expect to learn about God’s love through Bible Stories, music, and a faith-based curriculum. Our educators and caregivers’ motto is “Children First”. They serve as guides to learning by providing a variety of curricular experiences that foster intellectual, physical, social, emotional and spiritual growth. Our students experience Christian love, acceptance and forgiveness as modeled by their educators. Our infant, toddler and preschool educators are trained in current childcare methods implement Pinnacle Curriculum, a faith-based curriculum used to guide children toward their potential.
The CDC is a non-profit, self-supporting program. The break-even budget is derived entirely from tuition and fees of the children attending. Administrative policies of the CDC are guided by a Board of Directors. Ultimate responsibility for the program resides with the Board and all matters involving employment, finances and policy must be approved through the Board. The Director and Assistant Director report to the Board monthly and are responsible for the day-to-day oversight in the Center.
7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
(251) 473-1861
Stephanie.Axtell@dwumc.org
The Infant department at the Child Development Center enrolls a maximum of 17 children ages two months through approximately 12 months. The department is divided into three areas, based on the ages of the infants in each area. Detailed information concerning the Infant department is available, by request, from the Director.
The Toddler Department at the Child Development Center is made up of four classrooms. In the toddler classrooms, the teachers will work together to make activities developmentally appropriate for your toddler to learn and explore new things. We have a schedule or a routine we follow, but we understand the need to be flexible. We explore many different activities that give the children a chance to be creative. It also provides them with many opportunities to learn or be independent. Children will develop the ability to interact with other children of their age. Children learn through play and by example. Our goal is to increase growth in each developmental area. Detailed information concerning the Toddler department is available, by request, from the Director.
The Preschool Department at the Child Development Center is made up of three classrooms. One is for PreK3 (children who turn three years old before September 1 of the current school year); one for K3 (older three year olds that are almost 4 and miss the K4 cutoff) and one classroom for K4 (children who turn four years old before September 1 of the current school year).
In the preschool department, the teachers will work together to make activities developmentally appropriate for your preschooler to learn and explore new things. We have a schedule or a routine we follow, but we understand the need to be flexible. We explore many different activities that give the children a chance to be creative. It also provides them with many opportunities to learn or be independent. Children will develop the ability to interact with other children of their age. Children learn through play and by example. Our goal is to increase growth in each developmental area. Detailed information concerning the Preschool department is available, by request, from the Director.
The CDC uses Pinnacle, a faith-based curriculum that guides children towards their potential. Pinnacle provides a complete, developmentally appropriate curriculum for young children. Based on the work of Piaget, Garner, and Erikson, Pinnacle provides hands-on, center-based activities that promote the development of emerging skills. Each age group follows a daily format, centered on themes that have relevance to children.
Our K4 students learn through the ABeka curriculum, enjoy weekly Chapel, and participate in both our annual Christmas Program and our K4 Graduation/ End-of-Year Program in May. The Abeka curriculum is a comprehensive, Christian-based educational program, known for its traditional, Bible-centered approach, featuring spiraled instruction, physical materials, and video lessons from teachers in a classroom setting. It focuses on academic excellence from a Protestant worldview, integrating scripture and character building, offering homeschooling kits, and sometimes facing criticism for its strong religious perspective and specific historical viewpoints, though it provides structured learning for Christian families or schools.
“Creative” and “developmentally appropriate” are the key words to our understanding of curriculum. Children have the world readily available and love to explore and create with a variety of mediums. Through the use of a vast array of activities, our children are encouraged to be themselves and not conform to the rigidness of worksheets and coloring sheets. Recognizing that children grow and mature at their own speed, activities are designed to encourage but not force concepts and skills that are challenging and appropriate for their age.
The following areas are explored in our curriculum:
For more detailed information about any of the topics in our curriculum, please contact the CDC’s Director, Stephanie Axtell.
Please Note: Availability is limited, and spots will fill quickly. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please contact us as soon as possible. We look forward to meeting you and having your child join our program!
stephanie.axtell@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
stephanie.axtell@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
alisa.eagan@dwumc.org
Dauphin Way United Methodist Church