The Dr. Lorenzo Harris Jr. Early Childhood Learning Center

Interfaith Neighbors’ Early Childhood Learning Center [ECLC] embarks on its second year of providing quality, affordable childcare and education this September. With the children growing up and new families coming in, the ECLC enrollment will be increasing to 28 children in September and adding a new 4 years+ class. This expansion will bring the staff to 10 teachers and enable the school to serve 35 students in 2025.

Ashley Fabien, the ECLC Director, described the goal when first opening as, “bringing the village back to the families by identifying their needs and connecting them to resources to meet those needs.”

She smiled and exclaimed she thinks they’re succeeding, having already acquainted families with numerous community resources. Some of these include WIC, Childcare Resources of NJ, and the ECLC’s own Parenting Power which explores various parenting subjects and invites professionals to share their knowledge. Representatives from Bank of America and Hackensack Meridian Pediatrics have come to speak about family budgeting and child health.

Interfaith Neighbors’ Community Food Connection has also partnered with the ECLC to bring a free Farmers Market to the school every Tuesday with local, healthy produce.

In the classroom, the teachers have a primary focus on language development and math. Ashley explained the children practice language verbally, use gestures, and sign language to further communication development. Each teacher is professionally trained in the Wilson’s Fundations Program, which instructs how to properly communicate with children and teach them to read. The children explore math naturally through interaction and practice oral counting, spatial awareness, and measurement concepts during various activities. These fundamental language and math skills will help the ECLC kids to be right on track when they graduate and enroll in kindergarten, one of the predominant goals of the Center.

However, these children have had no shortage of fun! Summer was filled with “sensory activities” of all kinds, including exploring the splash park, painting, sandbox play, and more! Walkable field trips to community events occur weekly and allow the children to get outside and engage with the world.

 With 10 new families entering the ECLC, the staff and Interfaith Neighbors are excited to expand on bringing the village back to the families and prepare these children for their bright futures!

Categorised in: What's New