The purposes of the child care center are to support families and to provide quality programming. To accomplish these ends, the PAC2 Center provides a safe, consistent and enriched environment where developmentally appropriate activities encourage exploration and learning through “hands on” experiences.

The PAC2 Center provides children with a caring, safe and secure environment that utilizes a child-centered curriculum. This type of curriculum is based on the emotional, physical, social and cognitive needs of the individual child. The developmental needs of the child are used to determine appropriate activities carried out with that child. Because children grow and develop at different rates, this approach offers them the opportunity to explore each area of development at their own pace.

The staff of the Center creates an atmosphere of support and affection as well as provides the materials, equipment and experience required to optimize the experiences of each child. They also serve as examples to the children, since children learn as much by observing others as they do by direct instruction. The teaching staff act as facilitators rather than the directors of activities. 

The goals of the child care center are:

• To accept children as individuals, to nurture their individuality and creativity.
• To promote critical thinking so that children can verify and validate information for themselves.
• To expose children to a variety of experiences, to increase their mastery of a variety of skills.
• To encourage children to be active and resourceful in discovering for themselves the world around them.
• To help children learn to trust in themselves and feel confident in their ability to make choices.
• To increase children’s capacity to confront new discoveries and integrate them into their world.
• To foster the ability to be sensitive and supportive of one another’s feelings.
• To teach children to approach learning with confidence and joy, and be willing to take risks.
• To nurture children’s capacity to make commitments and become involved.
• To help children learn self-control and accountability for their actions.
• To enhance the child’s mental processes by building confidence and self-esteem.
• To provide children with an environment devoid of sexual, racial, religious or economic bias.
• To constantly encourage parent visitation, in-put, and participation.
• To provide parenting resources for Center families.
• To promote the educational growth and development of Center staff.