Friendship Children's Center, Washington DC

About Us: The Friendship Children's Center is a non-profit school established in 1989 to provide high quality early childhood educational experiences to children between the ages of three months and five years. Our school is founded upon the principles of learning through play. The program is designed to encourage curiosity, to provide opportunities for children to think creatively, and to allow children to make choices and decisions for themselves and be able to act freely upon those decisions within appropriate limits. Above all, our school provides an environment in which children are respected and encouraged to grow. The Friendship Children's Center has an open door policy that not only allows but encourages parents to participate in their child's educational experience. Parents chaperone field trips, contribute to classroom activities, coordinate social events, and deepen the quality of their children's learning through their involvement. Because the school is nestled in a community rich with young families, efforts are made to ensure that the school is serving those families living and working closest to us in the surrounding neighborhood. The school maintains an equal opportunity child care policy. Applications for enrollment are accepted without regard to race, religion, color, sex, or national origin. Our school is managed by an Executive Director, a Deputy Director, and a Board of Directors, comprised mostly of parents of the school and including members of our local community who have experience in early childhood education and school development. Daily operations are managed by the Executive and Deputy Director, and the Board is responsible for conducting long-range and strategic planning, as well as financial management of the organization. New Board members are elected by current families of the school each September. Board meetings are held monthly and are open to all parents and faculty. Parents are encouraged to submit ideas to the Board for consideration and to maintain active involvement in supporting the Friendship Children's Center through Board membership, classroom activities, and financial contributions. Our Philosophy: Our mission is to provide developmentally appropriate programs and experiences that enhance each child's social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language growth. Within those learning experiences, we are building the foundational supports for each child's future success in elementary school. A significant focus of our curriculum is placed on building healthy and happy kids and grounding them in solid social and emotional skills. Teachers and parents are expected to be role models and to reinforce in the classroom and at home the characteristics of empathy, cooperation, respect, and esteem. We are preparing the children to be independent, confident, and well-adjusted members of their community. Our primary goal is to instill in every child a love of learning and to provide each student with an equal opportunity to thrive in future school settings. Not only are we responsible for introducing these children to the new and complex world they have entered, but we are determined to make that world a safe and nurturing place where they can learn and grow to their greatest potential. Our Executive Director: Leah Potts has been actively involved in promoting intellectual and social competence in young children and families at the Friendship Children’s Center since 2009. Ms. Potts possesses Master's degrees in Early Childhood Education and in Educational Leadership. Previously serving as the school's Education Director, she has implemented the utilization and successful application of the Creative Curriculum in the school. She has expanded the special programming offered in all of our classrooms throughout the year and has continued to incorporate curriculum-enriching field trips to enhance the students learning experience at FCC. Ms. Potts has also enhanced the pre-Kindergarten program to remain competitive with the programs offered by the public programs in the area, as well as ensuring mastering of the skills required for acceptance into competitive kindergarten programs in surrounding schools. Ms. Potts is devoted to engaging in practices that bring strength, joy and richness to life and believes that early childhood education and the support of young families, is a building block for creating a community of active, aware, and compassionate citizens. Friendship Childrens Center #2 is a child care center in Washington, DC. We are open from 7:30am to 6:00pm. Contact us to schedule a tour and discover for yourself all Friendship Childrens Center # 2 has to offer.