Cal Poly Pomona Children’s Center

The Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) Children’s Center, a quality early care and education program, is operated jointly through a partnership between the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) and CPP. The CPP Children’s Center opened in 1974 to help support student parents achieve their educational goals while attending CPP. We are nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and are a nonprofit program, funded by state and federal grants, ASI, and the university.

The CPP Children’s Center is licensed by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing, and complies with Title 22 and Title 5 regulations. The Center is licensed to serve 71 children and operates on a non-discriminatory basis, affording equal access to services without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, age or marital status. Children with special needs are welcome.

Outside of a building of the children center
Inside of a classroom of the children center
Outside of a playground
Inside of the children center
Outside of the children center
Outside of a playground
Outside of a building of a children center

Eligibility & Enrollment

The CPP Children’s Center is open to CPP students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community, in that order. In order for families to be eligible for subsidized services (free or low-cost) they must show eligibility and need. Please call the Children’s Center for more detailed information on eligibility and need. Due to eligibility and need requirements admission to our center from the waitlist is not on a first come, first served basis.

Children must be 18 months through 5 years old to enroll. All children must show proof of age, immunizations, and a current physical prior to enrollment into the program.

Children are not required to be potty trained to enroll in our programs.

In order to enroll in the Cal Poly Pomona Children’s Center program, you must fill out the Interest Form, which is available for download below. You may drop off the completed Interest Form directly at our Center (Building 116) or email it to the Children’s Center at childrenscenter@cpp.edu.

Enrollments are completed throughout the year as space allows. The majority of our enrollments are done over the summer, prior to the beginning of the new school year. Once we receive a wait list form, we look to see if we have room for the child. If we do, the parent will be notified and scheduled to come in for an enrollment appointment. If we do not have room, we will hold onto the Interest Form until a space becomes available. At the time of enrollment, it will be determined if the family is eligible for subsidized or full cost services and the hours of care that will be provided. Families will be asked to bring in all pertinent information.

Early Care & Learning Philosophy

Our center places a high value on intentional and respectful relationships with the children in our care, with their families, with the supporting adults in their children’s lives, and with members of the larger CPP community we are a part of. We recognize that parents are their child’s first and most important teacher, and that together we can work to support healthy growth and development in a child-centered environment.

Value & respect all children and adults

Embrace differences

Encourage all children to explore and experiment in safe yet challenging environments that empower children to take reasonable risks

Encourage independent thinking

Promote intellectual inquiry & problem solving

Guide children to nurturing solutions

Care for our earth and all living things

Engage children in relationships

Nurture creativity in all its forms

Build awareness & acceptance of the rich diversity in our community and world

Vision

The CPP Children’s Center vision is for the children we serve to experience engaging learning experiences and to explore the joy and of wonders of childhood, the parenting students and Cal Poly Pomona students who participate in our program graduate and achieve their goals, and they all become an integral part of giving back to our world community.

Our ASI vision is to transform lives.

Teacher reading a book to group of children
Children Graduation
Children Tea Time
Children Teeter Totter

Curriculum

The Cal Poly Pomona Children’s Center is designed to create an atmosphere where children can grow emotionally, cognitively, socially, and physically. We value and nurture relationships. Every child is treated as an individual and is provided with a diverse and responsive environment. We use the emergent curriculum, which allows teaching teams to focus on children’s interests and developmental stages and build daily routines and lesson plans based around the children’s interests. The research-based Infant-Toddler and Preschool Foundations & Frameworks serve as a resource for our teaching team’s lesson plans. Teachers plan for both teacher-led and child-initiated play activities.

The Outdoor Curriculum also guides teaching staff as they weave nature and the outdoors into challenging and reasonable risk activities. Daily routines are changed to accommodate the needs of the children in the classroom, are posted on the classroom’s parent board, and handed out at Parent Orientation. For consistency for your child, we ask that parents make every effort to bring their child by their assigned drop-off time. This not only will build a solid routine your child can count on, but it will also prepare your family for kindergarten, where children must be on time to school each day.

Diversity & Inclusion

At the CPP Children’s Center, we honor and respect the cultural, linguistic, and religious customs and beliefs of each family. We want all families and children to not only be recognized, but to be welcomed as an important part of our community. To respect each family’s individual values and beliefs, we strive to work with all our families so that we can learn about and share important traditions, celebrations, and values held by the families we serve. We encourage all our families to share information with us so that we do not inadvertently disrespect any culture. We hope that by educating our adults and children about the many different beliefs that people hold, we can build a community of understanding and respect for all people.

Hours of Operation

For more information, please email the Children’s Center at: childrenscenter@cpp.edu.

Volunteers & Tours

For information about volunteering or tours at our center please email childrenscenter@cpp.edu or call 909.869.2284

Tours of the center are not available at this time.

Common Questions

We serve children ages 18 months to 5 years, or to entry into kindergarten.

You will find a wait list form on the “enrollment process” tab, or you may pick up a form from the center. Once the wait list form has been turned in, we will determine if there is space for your child.

Children 18-35 months ratio is 1:4, children 3-5 years ratio is 1:8.

We register new families all year long, as spaces become available. The majority of our children are enrolled over the summer months.

There are any number of indicators of kindergarten readiness, but a few of the most important and readily apparent ones include:

  • Ability to sit and attend to the teacher for longer periods of time and follow a routine
  • Social skills that allow your child to work independently or in a group
  • Sharing and taking turns
  • Alphabet and number recognition and manipulation
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to separate from family members
  • A desire to learn

No, children are not required to be potty trained in order to be enrolled in the Children’s Center.

We provide breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. The food meets CACFP food nutrition and health guidelines. We ask that you NOT bring your child food from home. We are a NUT-FREE FACILITY.

Each classroom has its own daily routine, however all classrooms provide time for large group, small group, and work time (free choice). There are both indoor and outdoor activities daily, with ample time for children to play, learn, and have a good time. Remember, young children’s learning is messy, so bring them to school in clothes that can get dirty!

Any time a child is hurt while at school, an accident report will be completed and given to the parent to sign. In the case of biting, we will follow the same procedure. However, we will notify both the family of the biter and the child who was bitten. On our forms, we do not ever release the name of the other child involved in an incident. If biting becomes a repeated problem with a child, an individual plan will be created to redirect the child’s behavior.

We encourage all children to solve their own problems when possible. Adults recognize children’s positive choices and ignore attention-seeking behavior that is not a safety issue. Children will be challenged to resolve conflicts with other children and the environment. Depending on the age group, a teacher will intervene to ensure safety as needed.

By not constantly and prematurely interrupting, adults allow children to work through a situation and develop their own solutions. Adults intervene only when it is apparent that guidance is needed. We seek to empower children as they discover they can solve problems themselves.

Physical aggression (hitting, biting, shoving, whacking with toys), relational aggression (“You can’t play with us,” verbal bullying), tantrums, excessive whining, testing limits, refusal to follow directions or observe classroom rules are some of the characteristics of challenging behavior that many children exhibit. Children’s behavior will be redirected to appropriate channels when possible, and they will be asked to use their words in working with other children. If needed, teachers will meet with parents to go over additional plans and options. Physically disciplining children, withholding food or sleep, or putting a child in restraints is NEVER allowed.

· All children must be well enough to participate in daily activities to attend the Children’s Center.

· Children will be sent home if they have a temperature of 101°+, vomiting/diarrhea, unusual lethargy, persistent crying or other signs of severe illness; or any infectious disease (pink eye, impetigo, strep throat, etc.).

· Children must be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours of wellness before returning to school.

· Parents must notify the Children’s Center of the reason for all of their child’s absences, as we are required to report some illnesses to the Public Health Department. Parents will be informed of any cases of contagious diseases at the Children’s Center.

· The Children’s Center staff may administer necessary medication to your child. These medicines must have the full pharmacy label and the child’s first and last name. Parents must also sign a “Prescribed Medication Consent and Verification” form, giving clear directions regarding when and how much medication to administer.

To prevent the spread of illness, staff, parents, and children must wash their hands with soap and water after using the restroom, after outside play or playing with sensory items, and before and after eating. All classroom items that come in contact with children’s mouths are removed from the play environment for sanitization later in the day.

If your child has allergies or a special diet, make sure to let the enrolling staff know about them. If a doctor completes a request for special diet restrictions, we will provide alternative food when possible. An allergy list is posted in each classroom. We welcome all children and will make any reasonable accommodations for a child with special needs. We will meet individually with the parent and create a plan appropriate for the child and our center.

Yes, we celebrate birthdays. Please see your child’s teacher about specific arrangements.

We have an open-door policy, and parents are always welcome to visit. If you would like to volunteer in your child’s classroom, you must bring in required proof of updated immunizations.