Mercy Learning Center Of Bridgeport Incorporated

THE CENTER EDUCATES LOW INCOME,UNDEREDUCATED WOMEN FROM PRE-LITERACY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL FREE OF CHARGE. PREPARATION FOR THE GED AND THE NEDP HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCIES ARE PROVIDED.

ADULT EDUCATION: MERCY LEARNING CENTER'S ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE WOMEN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ENGLISH, ACQUIRE BASIC MATH AND WRITING SKILLS, OBTAIN A U.S. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN THEIR COMMUNITITES, AND IMPORTANTLY, TO SECURE THIER FIRST JOB IN THE U.S. OR OBTAIN HIGHER WAGE EMPLOYMENT. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) CLASSES, ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE), AND 4-5 HOURS OF COMPUTER LITERACY AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING EACH WEEK. FOR THOSE SEEKING THEIR U.S. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BOTH GENERAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA (GED) AND NATIONAL EXTERNAL DIPLOMA PROGRAM PREPARATION AND TESTING ARE PROVIDED. PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS, TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND TRANSITIONING TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION ARE MAJOR FOCI, ESPECIALLY AS WOMEN ENTER MORE ADVANCED CLASSES. STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF ONGOING ENRICHMENT WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS INCLUDING HEALTH, PARENTING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, SAFETY, AND ART APPRECIATION. OFFERED ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME TRACK, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES THE FLEXIBILITY FOR LEARNERS TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO TRACKS BASED ON CHANGING DEMANDS OF WORK AND FAMILY. IN 2023-2024, 543 WOMEN FROM OVER 3 DOZEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, ALL OF WHOM ARE ASSET-LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED (ALICE) OR LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM: MERCY LEARNING CENTERS' STATE-LICENSED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM (ECEP) PROVIDES STUDENTS' CHILDREN AGED 3 MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS OLD WITH COMPASSIONATE AND STIMULATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR KINDERGARTEN READINESS IN ENGLISH-DOMINATE CLASSROOMS. AGE APPROPRIATE, ROUTINE-BASED SCHEDULES ARE IMPLEMENTED TO ORGANIZE ACTIVITES INTO A DAILY STRUCTURE, INCLUDING INTERACTIVE PLAY, EXPLORATION AND INVESTIGATION, ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION, STORY-TIME, ARTS AND CRAFTS, AND PLAYGROUND TIME. EACH OF OUR THREE CLASSROOMS PROVIDE BRIGHT, COLORFUL, CLEAN SPACES WHERE UP TO 20 CHILDREN (60 TOTAL AT A TIME) CAN LEARN, PLAY AND BE CARED FOR IN THE SAME BUILDING WHERE THEIR MOTHERS ARE ATTENDING CLASSES. CHILDREN ATTEND OUR ECEP PROGRAM ON-SITE WHILE THEIR MOTHERS ARE IN CLASS TO ELIMINATE THE BARRIER OF CHILDCARE IN A WOMAN'S EDUCATION. THE ECEP CURRICULUM HOLISTICALLY IMPROVES CHILDREN'S OVERALL DEVELOPMENT: PRE-LITERACY, PROBLEM-SOLVING, SELF-HELP, AND FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS, AS WELL AS COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS.