Back to school activities will absorb the focus of many families over the next month. In planning for the young children in your family please consider the YWCA’s Nursery and Day School option. Preparing young children for Kindergarten by enrolling them in a licensed program like the YWCA’s Nursery School establishes a pattern of school success. Children who succeed in school on any level are more likely to avoid serious problem behaviors such as substance abuse and delinquency when they grow older. 

The YWCA is a member of the Communities That Care Coalition (CTC) whose mission focuses on reducing problem behaviors in adolescents, all of whom were once preschoolers. Specifically the mission of CTC is “to reduce the adolescent problem behaviors of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school drop-out, and violence.” As a coalition of numerous community partners, CTC engages in several joint activities such as the recent and successful Drug Take-Back and the upcoming Plant the County Red in which red tulip bulbs are distributed throughout the county, planted ideally by young people, raising awareness of substance abuse when they bloom in the spring.

In addition to these joint activities, each coalition partner works daily to offer programs designed to engage children productively and prepare them for effective community participation. At the YWCA’s Nursery and Day School 3, 4, and 5 year olds are part of a NYS Office of Children and Family Services approved curriculum that lays the foundation for later academic achievement, and prepares preschoolers socially and emotionally for success in the classroom. The Nursery School program hosts NYS Education Department Universal Pre-Kindergarten slots that are free to all children from the Cortland City School District, based on a lottery system. Nursery School is also  home to six slots for preschoolers with developmental delays that are best addressed prior to entering public school.

In a nurturing and stimulating environment these young children learn to work and play together, to be independent in a classroom setting, and to communicate effectively with each other so that everyone can be friends. They explore the YWCA’s partially wooded hillside playground, have access to a new climbing structure, and attend weekly gym and swim classes on-site. Walking field trips to downtown points of interest enrich many weeks, and a nutritious hot lunch is served daily. Special observances are part of the day’s activities such as the Mother’s Day Tea and the Father’s Day Coffee. Most importantly children are provided an environment where they can succeed because small successes build on each other, fostering self-confidence and mastery in each child.

The governing philosophy of CTC is that if children have opportunities to succeed, to feel attached to their schools, neighborhoods and community they are more able to avoid the pitfalls of adolescence. At the same time, through joint coalition activities,  CTC works to make the community a more welcoming and safer place for all children.

If you are interested in becoming more involved with CTC, visit our website at www.cortlandareactc.com  If you would like specific information about the YWCA Nursery and Day School, contact Susan VanHelsdingen at 753-9651 or visit the YWCA