Opening a new early childhood campus in Victoria during the pandemic was a bold decision by both the Victoria Independent School District and the Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. After working diligently to get our new early childhood campus up and running in just six short months, the Children’s Learning Institute Early Education Center at F.W. Gross opened its doors and welcomed children (grades PreK-3 through 1st grade) and their families, eager to see what we could offer them.
Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, and children thrive when schools and families work together. Our focus from the start of the school year was to make strong efforts to engage and support our families, especially because this is the first time that many children are attending school. We especially like to hear how parents experience our school community, like Ashley Busby, “very supportive! This is my son’s first year in school, and he enjoys it very much.”
Since children learn and grow so quickly when they are young, it’s sometimes easy to forget that learning is happening anywhere and everywhere, and at any time! This provides wonderful opportunities for both teachers and families to make the most of each day when children are in school, at home, and out in the community.
On our campus, we start the school year with weekly family literacy nights since building those skills that lead to reading success are very important during a child’s early years. Then, throughout the year, we host weekly workshops for our families, where we connect and provide resources to help support learning at home across a variety of subjects and foster family time.
We work closely with our families to see all the wonderful opportunities they have to build their children’s skills during family time, but the most important aspect is the fun factor! You can explore the collection of fun activities we use in our workshops (and many more!) at https://cliengagefamily.org, easily accessible online and all available for free. These activities were developed by the Children's Learning Institute to be a resource for families of children from birth to age 8, so families can find fun games and activities to play during family time that use common household items. The best part is the added benefit of building children’s skills that continue to support their success in school and life.
Beyond learning at school and home, we see our school as a resource for our community and welcome our families to be involved. “I appreciate how positive everyone is. The school community is pleasant and upbeat,” Celeste Galla said when visiting our campus. Each week, one family is celebrated as the “Family Bee of the Week” to share their family’s traditions and culture. We also focus on social-emotional needs and are excited to open an on-site pantry that will aid families who need clothing, shoes, hygiene products, and more.
We are excited to continue supporting our families and children as the school year progresses. Early childhood is an exciting time for parents and families, as they see their children learning and growing every day. As teachers who are dedicated to educating the youngest students in our community, we cherish these strong partnerships with families to ensure children have the best start in life.
Our campus is registering now for Fall 2022! We invite you to learn more about our school or register your child for the upcoming school year, visit https://cli-fwgross.org or give us a call at 361-788-2847. Follow us on Facebook for the most recent updates: @CLIEarlyEducationCenteratFWGross.
Laura Prendergast is the Interim Principal of the Children’s Learning Institute Early Education Center at F.W. Gross.