Concordia Place

CONCORDIA PLACE DISRUPTS SOCIAL INEQUITIES THROUGH ACCESS TO TOP-QUALITY EDUCATION, ENRICHMENT, AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT INCLUDE ALL CHILDREN, TEENS, AND FAMILIES - TOGETHER. FOCUSING ON EDUCATION AND LEARNING, CONCORDIA PLACE ENVISIONS BIGGER AND BETTER TOMORROWS WHERE RICH DIVERSITY STRENGTHENS LEARNING AND GROWTH FOR ALL. SINCE IT'S CREATION IN 1981, CONCORDIA HAS GROWN PHYSICALLY AND PROGRAMMATICALLY TO OPERATE FOUR CENTERS AND SERVE CHILDREN, YOUTH, TEENS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE CHICAGO AREA.

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMSEARLY CARE & EDUCATIONCONCORDIA OPERATES FOUR NAEYC ACCREDITED EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION CENTERS TO PROVIDE QUALITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND SERVES THE WHOLE FAMILY THROUGH PARENT EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. YOUNG CHILDREN BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING THROUGH PURPOSEFUL PLAY. WITH A FOCUS ON EACH CHILD'S OVERALL DEVELOPMENT, THE PROGRAMS INCORPORATE TEACHER-DIRECTED AND CHILD-INITIATED ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD BOTH COGNITIVE AND MOTOR ABILITIES, TEACH SOCIAL SKILLS, ENCOURAGE POSITIVE SELF-IMAGES, AND FOSTER A LOVE OF LEARNING. THE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM FOLLOWS THE ILLINOIS EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND PROVIDES PARENT INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE THE KEYSTONES OF OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS.EACH CLASSROOM MEETS OR EXCEEDS STATE REQUIRED STAFF-CHILD RATIOS. TEACHERS HAVE DEGREES IN EDUCATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, OR CHILD DEVELOPMENT. CONCORDIA EVALUATES OUR EARLY CARE & EDUCATION PROGRAMS BY MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF EACH CHILD, AS WELL AS THE CLASSROOMS OVERALL, IN MEETING CRITICAL MILESTONES. TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD IS THE RESEARCHED-BASED METHODOLOGY THAT INFORMS INSTRUCTION, PROMOTING 38 LEARNING OBJECTIVES THAT ARE STRONG PREDICTORS OF FUTURE SUCCESS. TEACHERS OBSERVE EACH CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT AND DOCUMENT PROGRESS AND LEARNING OVER TIME, COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES, AND FACILITATE COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGIES AROUND ANY POTENTIAL AT-RISK AREAS. AS A RESULT, CHILDREN WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN AT RISK OF ACADEMIC FAILURE, ARRIVE AT KINDERGARTEN PREPARED FOR FUTURE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.EVALUATING THE CHILDREN'S PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH OVER THE FY23 SCHOOL YEAR DEMONSTRATED 99% OF CHILDREN TRANSITIONING INTO KINDERGARTEN FROM CONCORDIA PLACE PRESCHOOL MET OR EXCEEDED STANDARDS IN SIX DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS.IN FY23, CONCORDIA SERVED 484 CHILDREN 6 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS OLD. A CONCORDIA PLACE GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS "A PLACE OF EXCELLENCE." ALL FOUR CENTERS HAVE ACHIEVED ACCREDITATION BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC). THIS IS A RIGOROUS, VOLUNTARY PROCESS THAT HAS BECOME THE BENCHMARK OF QUALITY. THE MULTI-STEP PROCESS IS COMPREHENSIVE AND INCLUDES OPERATIONS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, PROGRAMMING PRACTICES, AND CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS. HOME VISITINGOUR PERSONALIZED, HOME VISITING PROGRAM OFFERS CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PARENTING SUPPORT FOR EXPECTANT WOMEN AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS OLD. SERVICES ARE FREE TO INCOME-ELIGIBLE FAMILIES.THE ULTIMATE OUTCOMES OF THIS EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM ARE TO HELP END THE CYCLE OF POVERTY BY PROMOTING POSITIVE CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS, IMPROVE FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY, ENCOURAGE POSITIVE PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND MALTREATMENT.IN FY 23 HOME VISITING SERVED 24 FAMILIES.SCHOOL-AGE 365 SCHOOL-AGE 365 INCORPORATES LEARNING WITH SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES DURING AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS THAT ENRICH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN 6-12 YEARS OLD. IN ADDITION TO HOMEWORK HELP, CHILDREN ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS WITH READING AND WRITING, SCIENCE, MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES AND ART COMPONENTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS. THE CHILDREN ALSO BENEFIT FROM PHYSICAL FITNESS AND HEALTHY, NUTRITIONAL SNACKS AND MEALS. IN SUMMER 2023 CONCORDIA PROVIDED FULL DAY, SUMMER CAMP WITH FIELD TRIPS THAT INCLUDED: SHEDD AQUARIUM, RAINBOW FALLS, LINCOLN PARK ZOO, AND KATHY OSTERMAN BEACH. IN ADDITION, SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN CONTINUED LEARNING THROUGH ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS). TO KEEP THEIR ENERGY UP FOR ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES THEY RECEIVED HEALTHY SNACKS AND ORGANIC LUNCHES. IN FY23, CONCORDIA PLACE SERVED 115 SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN YEAR-ROUND.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMSTEEN LEADERSHIP CONCORDIA PLACE TEEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS PROVIDE TEENS AGES 13-18 FROM UNDER-RESOURCED FAMILIES WITH A SAFE, ENRICHING, AND TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE WHERE THEY CAN FLOURISH AND GROW. WITH AN ULTIMATE GOAL TO ADDRESS SOCIAL INEQUALITIES AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION, OUR PROGRAMS AIM TO CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP FOR CHICAGO TEENS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT. THE PROGRAM ENGAGES TEENS IN DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE TO HELP THEM DEAL WITH LIFE CHOICES AND CHALLENGES. TEENS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DISCOVERY AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT, DEVELOPING TEAMWORK AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND INSPIRE A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE. IN FY 23, TEEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS SERVED 219 TEENS FROM 19 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS CHICAGO. IN ADDITION:- 93% OF ALL TEENS SERVED WERE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS- 98% OF TEENS WERE FROM RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS. THE PROGRAM CONTENT VARIES (ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CULINARY, GARDENING, ETC.), YET ALL INTEGRATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS TO DEVELOP SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE SKILLS THAT DRIVE ACADEMIC, CAREER, AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT. THIS CORE CURRICULUM IS INFORMED BY MHA LABS, A RESEARCH-BASED FRAMEWORK OF SIX CORE SKILL DOMAINS: PERSONAL MINDSET, PLANNING FOR SUCCESS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, VERBAL COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND PROBLEM SOLVING.HEALTH, FOOD ACCESS, AND SAFETY IN AVONDALE CONCORDIA PLACE AND ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE AVONDALE FAITH AND HEALTH COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE TO IMPROVE HEALTH IN THE AVONDALE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE COLLABORATIVE ADDRESSES FOOD ACCESS AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. IT OFFERS FOOD MARKETS WITH FOOD BOXES, HOT MEALS AT COMMUNITY DINNERS AND MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AS WELL AS MASKS, INFANT AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES.IN FY23, 4,066 FOOD BOXES AND MEALS AND 2,975 MENTAL HEALTH AND CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT RESOURCES WERE DISTRIBUTED IN THE AVONDALE COMMUNITY.