All About University City Children's Center


Mission
    
University City Children's Center (UCCC) is a nonprofit United Way agency committed to providing care and education for a diverse socioeconomic and ethnic population of children ages 6 weeks to 6 years in a nurturing atmosphere that offers supportive services for their families.

Vision
    
Our vision is to become the model for a new paradigm in early childhood education. University City Children's Center’s vision for teachers is to possess and develop psychological understanding and knowledge of the inner world of children and use a literacy-based curriculum as the tool to gain an understanding of the inner world of children. This will create systemic change for children, families, and the community.

Philosophy 

    
Our philosophical and educational beliefs identify literacy as the linchpin to current and future academic success for all children. UCCC offers a literacy-based curriculum which supports the social, emotional, and intellectual health of children, and enables them to have the opportunity for that academic success. In addition to this innovative approach to literacy, the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute provides teachers with highly specialized training in the psychodynamic development of children, which, in turn, supports the social and emotional health of children. Thus literacy becomes the overlay for a deeper understanding of children. This is an ambitious conceptual understanding for teachers of early childhood, when the norm emphasizes product, not process or understanding the inner world of children. We must create a school that heals and is emotionally responsive to the needs of children and families. Yet as ambitious as this may be, we believe it is the key to systemic family change. The integration of disciplines creates a model for early childhood education unmatched in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

2007-2008 Program Goals:

    * To provide innovative quality early care and education for an economically, racially, and culturally diverse population of children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age in a year-round program.
    * To enhance early literacy development of children in an emotionally responsive environment that advances the intellectual, emotional, social and physical development of children.
    * To develop partnerships with families that increase their understanding the importance of early care and education through comprehensive family services.
    * To enhance character and value development of children, families, and UCCC’s faculty and staff through building a caring community.  

School Demographics 

The children currently enrolled in our program truly reflect our stewardship to our mission.

  • 24% African American
  • 45% Caucasian
  • 4% Hispanic
  • 2% Asian
  • 25% Other (children of mixed race, children for whom English is a second language)
  • Annual family incomes range from $4,900 to $100,000
  • 50% of our families receive scholarship
  • Our families come from 23 different zip codes

All of these diverse families come together at UCCC and speak the common language of children. The Center has truly evolved into the melting pot its founders envisioned 38 years ago, while respecting individual diversity.
 
Hours of Operation:
 
We are open from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. year-round.  We close for the following days each school year:


   * Fall Professional Day - Staff Only (Friday before Labor Day)
    * Labor Day
    * Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday
    * Christmas Day
    * New Year's Day
    * Martin Luther King Jr. Day
    * President's Day
    *Spring Professional Day - Staff Only (Friday before Memorial Day)

    * Memorial Day
    * Independence Day
   

Registration & Enrollment
    
We are currently enrolled to full capacity.  The best way to get information about our Center is to bring your family in for a tour! Open tours are held every Monday at 4 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. (except on national holidays).  There is no need to sign up ahead of time, but feel free to call if you would like more information.  To begin the registration process, there is a registration form as well as a nominal fee.  Financial Aid forms are available as well.  Please be aware that most of our classrooms have a wait list for enrollment.  For more information please call us @ 314/726-0148.


Tuition & Scholarship
    
Weekly Tuition Rates:

 Infant/Toddler:
    * 5 days: $310
    * 3 days: $219

     *2 days: $148


Two Year Olds:
    * 5 days: $255
    * 3 days: $180
    * 2 days: $122

Three to Five Year Olds:
    * 5 days: $210
    * 3 days: $148

    * 2 days: $100


We are able to offer varying amounts of scholarship to families who qualify.  To fill out a financial aid form, or for more information, please contact Dottie Bini @ 314/726-0148 or dbini@uccc.org.

The Belle Center

The Belle Center offers a full inclusion preschool program which allows children with disabilities - ages 2 to 6 years - to learn and play with their typically developing peers.  The Belle Center is now operating here at University City Children's Center.  View The Belle Center Fact Sheet here.

Head Start Partnership                                      

Effective January 2007, University City Children's Center became a partner in the Head Start Program. This enables us to serve several qualified families at a reduced rate of tuition. 

 Click Here to View the Head Start 2008-2009 Income Guidelines

 

Licensing
    
UCCC is licensed by the Missouri Division of Family Services.  

Accreditation
    
We are accredited by the Missouri Accreditation of Programs for Children & Youth.

Affiliations 
 We maintain relationships with many organizations:  Click here to View our Partners

Board Roster:  Board Roster