Our Center

Based on the highly acclaimed Bank Street Graduate School philosophy and over 30 years of educational experience by CLC Director, Bonnie Pauska, Creative Learning Center has developed one of the most outstanding progressive preschool and early primary (kindergarten/1) educational programs in our area.

Focusing on the whole child with a strong emphasis on community, the progressive educational approach at Creative Learning Center features a curriculum that respects children and follows their needs and interests. This progressive approach allows children to learn from hands-on experience, giving them a foundation for life with skills such as creative thinking, collaborative problem solving, conflict resolution, and self-discipline. These skills are essential in navigating today’s complex and rapidly changing world.

Consistently at the forefront of educational philosophy, Bonnie continually integrates the most current brain-based research into her proven preschool and  early primary (kindergarten/1) programs. Students thrive in a warm, caring environment where they are immersed in art and literature.

Our certified teachers develop creative, challenging learning activities that reach the hearts and minds of our young students. By integrating traditional subject matter such as science, math, reading, and social studies with creative arts, creative learning center enhances a child’s ability to draw meaningful connections in learning and living.

Engagement: Our students are actively engaged in meaningful learning experiences throughout the day.  We recognize that the optimal educative process is one that maximizes the child’s interaction with rich and varied materials, concepts and ideas, and the people in his/her school environment–all connected around meaningful and exciting literature-based themes.  Based on current research by renowned neuroscientists, we understand that cognitive development cannot be separated from personal and interpersonal processes.   Our brains are designed to “socially network” so we engage our students in cooperative learning projects where we encourage our children to talk, agree, disagree, and work through their inquiries, ideas, and problems. Our master teachers support our students’ engagement and efforts by guiding the children as they construct knowledge in our interactive environment.

Creative expression:  Play, movement, song, dramatic play, and artistic activity are the child’s means of making sense of his or her world.  At Creative Learning Center, there are ample opportunities, materials, and encouragement for symbolically representing learning through a multitude of avenues–from words to creative movement, drawing, painting, building, sculpture, collage, dramatic play, cooking, and music.  These experiences lead children to surprising levels of communication, symbolic skills, and creativity, as well as higher levels of critical thinking.

Community:  We understand that a school is a community, a place where teachers, parents and children are building and creating together, learning together and discovering together.  We emphasize that our students become “kind and caring” members of our community.  Our classroom environment encourages children to build relationships with their peers and their teachers, yet each child is known and responded to as an individual.  Our early childhood educators are passionate about teaching young children and understand how essential it is to work in  partnership with our parents in an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, and open communication.  We also expand our children’s sense of community through many field trips into our community and our ongoing inter-generational arts program with senior citizens.