WE ARE HIRING FOR TEACHERS! Join our Community of Dedicated Professionals About Current Page: Programs Professional Development Parents Alumni Give Nurturing the whole child Discover our unique play- and nature-based programs Children’s Programs at the CEC Infant-Toddler & Preschool Program At our beautiful Oak Grove site in La Cañada, we serve children ages two months to five years. This program has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) continually since 1988. Learn more School-Age Program Our School-Age Program serves more than 650 children daily at seven sites in Pasadena and La Cañada before- and after-school, with full-day care available on many school holidays or closures. Our School-Age Program is aligned with standards of the National AfterSchool Association. Learn more Summer Exploration Camp The CEC’s Summer Exploration Camp offers children 1st grade through 6th grade outdoor fun and adventure in an exciting day camp experience! Camps include Descanso Discoveries, our 10-week Summer Exploration Camp at our Oak Grove and Caltech sites, and after-summer school care for LCUSD (ALF) and PUSD (PEF) summer school attendees. Learn more Preschool Program at Caltech Now Enrolling! The new CEC Preschool program serves children ages three to five years old. Located one block from the Caltech campus in Pasadena, the CEC Preschool at Caltech serves Caltech and families from the surrounding community. Learn more Our Philosophy. We believe that the primary value a child care program must embrace is providing the quality of loving that is critical to a child's well-being. This includes: Accepting children as they are, valuing their uniqueness. Assisting children to perceive their world holistically, recognizing the connection and interdependence among all things, valuing uniqueness and diversity. Encouraging clear communication, verbal expression of feelings, sensitivity to others' needs and attunement with one's own needs. Through immersion in outdoor environments, children and adults build the foundation for a holistic connection to the natural world. COVID-19 Health & Saftey. At the CEC, Public Health and Community Care Licensing regulations and guidance serve as the foundation of our health and safety plan. To help reduce the risk of illness transmission, we do the following: Face coverings. Facial coverings are worn by parents, children age 2 and over, all staff members. Staff with children under the age of two wear a face shield in addition to facial covering. Health screenings. Detailed health and temperature screenings occur prior to entering the sites. Closed groups. We maintain a stable cohort model of 10-14 children plus their teachers, depending on the age of the group and the latest recommendations from Community Care Licensing. Washing & sanitizing. Frequent handwashing throughout the day is done by all staff and children. The environment and materials are cleaned and sanitized throughout the day as well as deep cleaned after operating hours. Our Teachers. Our experienced teachers are child development professionals specializing in early childhood education and school-age programing. Our excellent ratio of adults to children permits individual attention, differentiated curriculum based on children’s emerging skills, and strong relationships among children, teachers, and families. Our Learning Environments. Our engaging indoor and outdoor classrooms are full of provocations, areas intentionally designed for exploration, and learning opportunities that intrigue and delight children. Each unique environment is separate from the other developmental groups, allowing it to be appropriately safe, yet challenging. Join us. Submit your application for admissions today Apply Now 140 Foothill Blvd. La Cañada, CA 91011 T: (818) 354-3418 F: (818) 393-4243 cec@ceconline.org Our Mission Our Programs Contact Us Careers NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: The Child Educational Center admits children of any race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to children in the program. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, tuition assistance programs, and other school-administered programs.