Early Childhood Education Center
Who We Are
Nevada State Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) is an inclusive preschool program that serves children 3-5 years old, in mixed-age classrooms. The ECEC is committed to supporting the School of Education as we prepare pre-service teachers to become exceptional educators. The ECEC serves as a collaborative lab school providing quality field, clinical and research experiences for a variety of programs and disciplines that further the field of early childhood education. We provide a holistic environment where our focus is on creating an inclusive environment for children to explore, investigate and create in order to learn about themselves, their peers and the world around them. We create an instructional foundation which focuses on social emotional learning and language, literacy and communication. Our intentional focus on phonological awareness and oral language prepares children to be confident learners and lays the foundation for academic success. We encourage and value children and want their voices to be heard!
Our Beliefs
- We believe it is our obligation to encourage student voice.
- We believe in creating a safe school environment by implementing consistent, school-wide, developmentally appropriate expectations for students through differentiated instruction, while encouraging each child’s potential and success.
- We believe in valuing all children and treating them with love and respect while supporting our community to do the same.
- We believe in the joy of learning and that learning happens through intentional play.
- We believe in an intentional and meaningful partnership with families including open and ongoing communication to support children.
- We believe in teaching, training and mentoring pre-service early childhood teachers. This intentional work enhances the profession and assists in advocating for high-quality, inclusive early childhood education throughout Nevada and the World.
Calendar & Important Dates
Absence Form & Withdraw Form
Important Documents
Enrollment & Registration
Enrollment and Registration for the Fall/Spring 2024-2025 Semester is now OPEN. Please fill out the Interest/Intent to Register Form if you are interested in enrolling your child(ren) in our Preschool Program. You will receive a call from the Administrative Team for next steps. If interested in touring the ECEC please schedule a tour Monday-Friday from 9:30 to 12 PM. Please call 702-992-2595 or email [email protected] for additional information.
FAQS
How old does my child have to be to attend the ECEC?
The ECEC is for 3 and 4 year-old children. Your child must be 3 years-old by September 30, to enroll in the ECEC. We will have mixed-age classrooms with children 3-5 years old. If your child is 5 years-old prior to August 1st, they are eligible for kindergarten and are no longer eligible for our program.
What is the tuition rate for the ECEC and can any child attend?
The ECEC is available to all Nevada State (NS) students, faculty, staff, and community members. We offer two program opportunities, School Day and Extended Care. School Day is from 9 AM to 3 PM. Extended Care is available from 7 AM to 6 PM. For NS Students and Faculty, the School Day cost is $250 a week & Extended Care is $280 a week. For Community Members, the School Day cost is $260 a week & Extended Care is $300 a week. For NSU Students, we offer a CCAMPIS Grant Opportunity, and for NSU Faculty and Community Members, we accept Urban League. The Summer Camp program runs during June and July and is $250 per week for everyone. We try to allocate 1/3 of the spaces for NS Students, 1/3 for NS Faculty and Staff, and 1/3 for community members to promote diversity and equity. The ECEC does not discriminate against anyone based on familial status, socioeconomic, cultural or linguistic status, race, gender or gender identity, cultural beliefs or religion and we value and celebrate diversity, differences and inclusion.
What are the hours of operation for the ECEC?
Our school day program runs from 9 AM to 3 PM and Extended Care is available from 7 AM to 6 PM.
Will the ECEC provide food for my child or will I need to send food items?
The ECEC asks families to please pack a lunch for their child each day. We ask that these lunches offer a protein or protein substitute, fruit, vegetables, and grains so that the child has a healthy balanced meal. The ECEC will provide each child with 2-3 snacks as well as 2 cups of milk a day at no cost to the families.
What type of “discipline” or “classroom management” is used in the ECEC?
At the ECEC, we believe in building genuine and caring relationships with our students and their families. We believe in creating and communicating clear, developmentally appropriate expectations with the children. We use positive redirection and help children to express their feelings in healthy ways. We teach mindfulness and breathing techniques to aid a child in regaining composure when they are upset or frustrated and we model and coach them through social interactions until they are able to navigate them independently. We also have an in-depth initial training and ongoing professional development for the teachers and staff of the ECEC to utilize Conscious Discipline (CD) where we teach adults to focus solely on the child’s needs and best interests. CD also helps us to teach the children life-long skills such as identifying and expressing emotions in healthy ways, regaining composure to think clearly, resiliency and positive self-esteem.