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What sets CASTLE apart?

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Convenient Location

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CASTLE is located directly across the street from Colchester Elementary School, and only a short walk from Jack Jackter Intermediate School and William J. Johnston Middle School. Our close proximity allows CASTLE staff to provide pick-ups from after school activities for CES and JJIS, as well as walking trips to the school playgrounds and local businesses & parks for added fun!

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Nationally Accredited Program

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CASTLE is proud to have achieved national accreditation and recognition by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

 

NAEYC Accreditation helps teachers and other staff at early learning programs develop a shared understanding and commitment to quality. The accreditation process leads to increased staff morale, greater staff retention, and a more positive, energetic work atmosphere overall - enabling centers to provide a solid foundation for all children's success in life.

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NAEYC Accreditation helps families recognize quality early learning programs and feel comfortable knowing their children are receiving a high-quality, research-based education that will prepare them for future success. NAEYC Accreditation offers programs access to continuous quality-improvement, the latest research on best practices, training, technical assistance, visibility on family-focused search engines, and much more.

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For more information about accreditation, please visit www.naeyc.org

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Low Child-to-Staff Ratios

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Child day care ratio in the State of CT is 1 staff to 10 children. We go above and beyond this mandate to structure our classrooms with at least 2 staff at all times, plus additional staff, allowing for more engaging supervision and meaningful interactions between staff and child.

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Opportunities for Family Involvement

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CASTLE hosts several events throughout the year as a way to extend our community reach and give families an opportunity to enjoy a fun evening together. These events have included our annual Light's On After school celebration, Trivia Night & Silent Auction, Winter Wonderland, Benefit Bingo, CASTLE Tag Sale, Parent's Night's Out and many more.

 

Since CASTLE is a nonprofit organization, we rely on outside fundraising to help enhance our program and make safety improvements to our facility.

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Enriching In-house Programs Included

As an added feature for families enrolled in our summer and specialty day programs, CASTLE offers free in-house programming for our school-age students. These enrichment programs keep children engaged in a variety of topics, with invited guests from the CT Science Center, Circle K Farms and Mystic Aquarium, as well as performers and on-site entertainment ranging from jugglers and acrobats to inflatable obstacle courses and water slides.

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Community Collaboration

CASTLE connects with many community agencies to present and interact with our children. We invite Cragin Library to come and share new and interesting games and activities with the children, started our very own garden with members of the Colchester Garden Club, visited the Giving Garden to help harvest vegetables to be donated to local soup kitchens and food banks, and have worked with local artist Julianna Cameron on several projects and the completion of our Buddy Bench!

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