Chatham County Preschool

Welcome to the Chatham Preschool. We want our preschool population to reflect the diversity of our community. We hope to be a Resource Center for families, by providing staff whom families can talk with, counsel with, and obtain information from a wide variety of topics. We are very eager to have parent participation in our program through visits, observations and special projects.

Our preschool program is a part of the Early Childhood Department of Central Carolina Community College. The Community Preschool serves as a demonstration center for the students in the Early Childhood program.

Our Philosophy

We believe that a high quality early childhood program provides a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children, while responding to the needs of families. It is our belief that all children have the right to loving and nurturing care from the adults in their lives. We feel children in childcare settings have the right to be treated with respect. A developmentally appropriate environment that fosters independence and play is necessary for their optimal growth as individuals. Through play children learn to solve problems, make choices and develop a pattern for learning. We believe that the role of adults in the lives of children is to provide positive guidance that leads to the development of self control.

Our Purpose

The first purpose of this program is to establish a demonstration center that will serve as a site for the training of Early Childhood Associate students in the appropriate care of young children. The program will demonstrate developmentally appropriate curriculum and provide a model of quality childcare for the college and the community. The program will also serve as a demonstration site for persons employed in the field of childcare who are pursuing further education and training with the college. Training in child development will be provided through observation of the children and involvement with their daily activities.

The second purpose of this program is to serve as a child development center that provides for the optimal development of the children enrolled. The children will have the opportunity to explore and learn in an atmosphere where they are happy and relaxed. Active participation and involvement of parents will be an essential component of the program.