Early Childhood Education
To develop the cognitive, social and emotional well-being of young children in our program and to serve the diverse needs of their families, Hilltop provides a comprehensive early education program in which children are encouraged to explore, question and discover.
Hilltop Child and Family Development Center provides quality child care to families of any ethnic or religious background. We provide children with a wide variety of basic skills that prepare them for success in elementary school and beyond. Children are encouraged to develop their creativity and their physical, intellectual and social skills. We place a strong value on developing good self-esteem, verbal and creative expressiveness, assertiveness and a sense of personal responsibility that is age appropriate.
Each child is valued for their individual strengths and is encouraged to be self-directed in their learning by exploring and investigating their environment. This learning takes place in a warm, safe, nurturing and stimulating atmosphere. Hilltop invites and values parental visits or volunteering in the classroom or on special occasions.
Our Educational Approach
- Learning experiences are child-initiated and based on the interest of the children.
- Viewing children's individual interests instead of viewing children as a group.
- Allowing children to participate in playful interactions with peers, ask questions, explore, figure out how equipment works and discover objects in their real world surroundings.
- Developing weekly lesson plans that provide developmentally appropriate activities for children.
Behavioral Health & Parenting Services
Hilltop is able to provide currently enrolled families access to behavioral health and parenting services onsite through Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS).
Our Approach
Success in school requires more than access to quality early childhood education. At Hilltop, we offer onsite behavioral health and parenting services, including home visitation, to every family in need. This unique approach supports the whole family.
Additionally, we maintain relationships with all families through third grade and beyond if a family chooses. This continuation of support provides guidance through the education system and long-term access to resources to improve each family’s overall well-being.
Embedded Mental Health Counseling at Hilltop allows staff to address behavior, academic, and social problems as they arise. Parents and family members also have access to these services to address concerns with anxiety, stress and other issues that affect the family structure. Through caring, effective therapy we can:
- Improve communication skills with parents and teachers by naming feelings to them.
- Learn about common feelings and how to express each appropriately.
- Increase listening skills by learning the importance of limits and boundaries through role-play and play therapy techniques.
- Decrease the frequency of angry outbursts by learning self-soothing methods that may be used during times of heightened emotion in class or at home.
- Address the long-term effects of trauma with the entire family.
Learn More Apply
The Parenting services offered at Hilltop aim to improve life at home while helping children and families deal with the unique challenges they are facing. We provide education on positive parenting as well as access to other resources as needed. Topics covered include:
- Prenatal care
- Birth spacing
- Car seat safety
- Attachment disorder
- Safe sleep
- Post-partum depression
- Managing emotional stress
- Appropriate discipline
- Setting goals as a family
- Self-care
- Developmental milestones
By addressing risk factors proactively and providing parents with coping mechanisms, we decrease the risk of abuse and neglect.
Learn More Apply