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The Teaching Research Institute Child Development Center (CDC) has provided quality care and education to young children and their families for over 30 years. Our program serves families with children aged 30 months to 6 years from Western Oregon University and the surrounding community. The comprehensive program is designed to serve all children seeking preschool and/or child care services regardless of race, color, disability or health status.


Join Us for Week of the Young Child - April 23-27!

Week of the Young Child logo

Every spring early childhood educators and programs all over the United States celebrate Week of The Young Child (WOYC) to highlight the importance of quality care and education for young children. This annual celebration is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to reach out and emphasize the crucial role that adults play in giving children the foundation needed to succeed in school and beyond. Activities during the week are intended to educate families, students, and faculty to the importance of play in a child's life and the need for quality care and education.

(Play's the Thing) Galleries

child doing an art project

The classrooms have been collecting a wide variety of children's art and pictures to demonstrate how children develop through play. These collections will be on display in over 5 separate galleries throughout campus for all to see. Every child enrolled will have at least two items displayed.

Many thanks to the children, participating families, the OCDC/community partner, College of Ed., Art Department, and Music Department for their help and support for this endeavor.

April 27, 2012 - Parade!

Children, families, TRI and WOU staff joined together in celebrating the Week of the Young Child. Over 75 individuals took a walk viewing the "Play's the Thing" Galleries. The classrooms collected a wide variety of children's art and pictures to demonstrate how children develop through play. These collections will be on display Until May 7, 2012 in the following locations on WOU's campus; Todd Hall, Math/Nursing Building, College of Education, Campbell Hall, President's Hall. and Academic Programs Support Center Every child enrolled has at least two items displayed.

Many thanks to the children, participating families, the OCDC/community partner, College of Ed., Art Department, and Music Department for their help and support for this endeavor.

Download Week of the Young Child flyer.

 

Families

Our teachers and staff are passionate about forming a strong partnership with you to ensure the best possible experience for your child and family. Families are welcomed visitors to the classroom at any time! We view family involvement as any activity that empowers either the family to participate in the educational process of their child, at home or the classroom. We encourage you to become involved in any way your life allows.

holding hands

Every family has something positive of offer, whether it is volunteering in the classroom, taking home a project to complete, sharing a talent or family tradition with the children. When we join in partnerships, the biggest winners of all are the children who thrive on the operative relationships.

Tour Our Facility - Coming Soon!

Meet Our Staff

2011-2012 Enrollment Application

2010-2011 Family Information Book

Volunteers

children and volunteer at art table

Volunteers are viewed as a valuable resource to the Center. We welcome students and community members to spend time working in our center.

Benefits of volunteering include:

  • Enhanced skills working with children
  • College credit
  • Learn about developmentally appropriate practices
  • Have fun!!!

CDC Information Sheet.

How to Volunteer page.

WOU Student Practicum and Volunteer Information Form

Download and view theVolunteer Orientation Power Point Presentation.

For more information on volunteering, contact the CDC Director, Ingrid Amerson at 503-838-8769.

  

TRI-CDC Oregon Program of Quality

Ingrid Amerson, Director of the TRI-CDC, announced today that it had successfully completed Oregon Program of Quality (OPQ) Designation. "We are very proud and excited to have achieved OPQ Designation for our child care program."

Ingrid Amerson with OPQ award

The OPQ process enhances and recognizes the quality of child care programs, resulting in a state designation as a quality program. TRI-CDC participated in the first OPQ statewide-cohort. To achieve the designation, TRI-CDC had to meet research-based standards for program quality, including collaborative family partnerships, child development and learning, highly qualified personnel, health and safety practices, developmental environments, and effective administration and business practices.

According to Amerson, "We know that quality child care services make a huge difference for children, families and the community. During the process of creating a portfolio to demonstrate the quality of childhood care and education at TRI-CDC, we not only recognized our strengths but we had the opportunity to make improvements to our program. This award confirms that our efforts through the years at maintaining high quality child care and education have been successful."

  

News and Events

Learn . Grow . Thrive Family Event

May 5, 2012 at the Werner Center, WOU

A FREE event for families, parents, caregivers, and child care providers. Topics include early literacy, child development, importance of play and more!

Download brochure for more information.


5-2-1-0 Family Event

5 2 1 0

On March 6th, Brittany Mason from the Polk County Health Department, Kelsey Castrey, and other volunteers from WOU's College of Education presented several hands family/child nutrition activities centered on the program "5-2-1-0 Healthy".


parents and kids eating lunch

Activities included:

Children and their families making and eating a nutritious lunch.

Tasting different types of fruits and vegetables.

Participating in physical activities and identifying healthy foods.

New Classroom

The Teaching Research Child Development Center is opening a new morning classroom beginning Monday January 30, 2012. The teacher for the "Ladybug" classroom will be Aimee Anderson. Opening the Ladybug classroom will create smaller class sizes for all of our rooms and help additional families with their childcare needs.

Lady Bug Classroom

The Ladybug classroom is located down the hall from the Butterfly classroom on the west side of Todd Hall. We encourage you to stop by and visit.



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