Program Philosophy & Guiding Principles
Our mission is to “Transform the Future Together, From Birth to Adulthood,” by offering a high-quality, developmentally appropriate and diverse early care & education program for young children, while simultaneously cultivating a highly skilled and passionate Early Childhood Workforce for Santa Cruz County and beyond. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming, safe, respectful, and engaging learning environment—one that honors and reflects the diversity of all children, families, and adult students, and actively upholds anti-bias and anti-racist values.
Program Philosophy
Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive community where children, families, and educators from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds feel valued, respected, and supported. We honor the wide range of children’s abilities, identities, and needs, and we engage families, staff, and adult ECE students in meaningful dialogue about the social issues that impact childhood—such as racism, violence, antisemitism, homophobia, and bias related to gender, language, disability, class, or family structure. We embrace diversity and intentionally integrate anti-bias, anti-racist (ABAR) education into every aspect of our work.
We believe children learn best in safe, nurturing environments where differences are celebrated and belonging is actively fostered. A strong ABAR learning community supports both children and adults in developing respect, fairness, empathy, and appreciation for diversity. Through age-appropriate language, materials, and experiences, children are invited to explore similarities and differences, build understanding, and develop a sense of identity and connection. Families are essential partners in this process, and our classrooms reflect this partnership through inclusive materials, thoughtful conflict resolution, and the integration of each family’s culture, language, and traditions into daily learning.
As early childhood professionals, our core responsibility is to support children’s growth and development so they can thrive in a complex, ever-changing world. High-quality early learning is grounded in strong, respectful relationships with families and caregivers and in the creation of consistent, secure, and nurturing environments where both children and adults can learn and grow together.
We view children as competent, capable learners at every age. To support their optimal development, we offer rich opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and discovery, with an emphasis on positive relationships and purposeful play. Our approach is informed by the theories and best practices of leading educators and organizations, including Maria Montessori, Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Erik Erikson, the Reggio Emilia approach, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), RIE, and the Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC).
Through these approaches, children learn best by doing—actively interacting, questioning, creating, and problem-solving. Social justice and equity have long been foundational elements of our curriculum. We provide children and adult learners with meaningful opportunities to engage in anti-bias, anti-racist (ABAR) learning through intentional, play-based experiences across all developmental domains. We believe that facilitated, purposeful play is central to children’s intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development.
Our overarching goal is to nurture a learning community where every child and adult experiences a sense of belonging and feels safe to share their talents, perspectives, hopes, and values—while learning to honor and celebrate the richness of others.
6500 Soquel Drive Aptos, Calif. 95003, Building 1500 Cabrillo College Lower Campus
Build community: Bring together families and teachers from a wide range of cultures, family structures, languages, and economic backgrounds, ensuring that everyone experiences belonging, trust, and respect while sharing their talents, hopes, and values—and celebrating the strengths and cultures of others.
Create inclusive learning environments: Provide spaces that recognize and support every child’s ability, unique interests, disabilities, and learning styles.
Foster mutual understanding: Strengthen staff, children, and families’ capacity to understand and accept one another. This anti-bias approach is reflected in our classroom environments, the materials we use, the topics we explore at family meetings, the strategies we apply to support conflict resolution, and the ways we welcome and honor each family’s culture, language, and traditions.
Teach values of equity and respect: Engage children in age-appropriate conversations and activities that cultivate respect, fairness, and appreciation of diversity, while encouraging families to recognize and value both similarities and differences.
Address broader social justice issues: Create opportunities for staff, adult students, and families to discuss the larger challenges that impact caregiving and childhood, including commercialism, violence, racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and bias related to gender, language, disability, class, or family background.
The Cabrillo College Children’s Center & Lab School is grounded in the following guiding principles:
High-Quality Environments: Children thrive in safe, healthy, and stimulating spaces that are nurturing, play-based, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate. Our indoor and outdoor learning environments are intentionally designed with engaging materials and a balanced, predictable daily schedule. Ongoing, authentic observation and assessment guide instruction and curriculum to support each child’s growth and learning.
Inclusive Learning: Children need supportive learning environments that honor and respect all individuals, affirm cultural, racial, and gender identities, and nurture joy in diversity, self-esteem, interdependence, and independence.
Family Partnerships: Strong family partnerships are the foundation of high-quality care. We strive to cultivate relationships where all families feel a sense of belonging by offering safe, healthy, affordable, collaborative, and inclusive program that supports them in reaching their academic and employment goals.
Open Communication: Effective, ongoing communication between families and primary caregivers is vital for building trust and strong connections.
Family Involvement: Families are essential partners in a high-quality program. We provide opportunities for meaningful engagement—such as program orientations, classroom meetings, workshops, family conferences, and events that strengthen home-to-school connections.
Supportive Community: We foster a safe and welcoming community where families can share the joys and challenges of parenting, learn from and support one another, honor each family’s traditions and values, and advocate collectively for the well-being of all children and families.
Student Learning: Early Childhood Education (ECE) students gain valuable “hands-on” laboratory experience that bridges theory and practice, preparing them to become reflective, skilled professionals.
Respectful Workplace: Staff are provided with a safe, healthy, positive, and collaborative work environment that values their contributions. We work together to foster respect, effective and transparent communication, and cross-cultural understanding among staff, families, and ECE faculty.