Highland Community Child Development Center Inc

THE MISSION OF THE HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY, PRESCHOOL CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN A SAFE & LOVING ENVIRONMENT TO YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (HCCDC) USES AN AGE-APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM SELECTED FOR EACH AGE GROUP AND APPLIES THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN INDIVIDUAL LESSON PLANS. BASIC SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IS AUGMENTED BY PROGRAMS IN CREATIVE PLAY, ART, CRAFTS AND MUSIC APPRECIATION. THE MUSIC APPRECIATION PROGRAM PROVIDES EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSICAL EDUCATION TO ALL CHILDREN AGES 1 TO 5. HCCDC'S PROGRAMS ARE COORDINATED WITH THE HIGHLANDS PUBLIC AND SUMMIT CHARTER SCHOOLS' TEACHING STAFFS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM THE CENTER INTO PUBLIC OR CHARTER SCHOOL.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE CENTER BY MACON COUNTY AGENCIES ARE SPEECH AND HEARING THERAPY, NUTRITION AND COUNSELING FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THE CENTER PROVIDES AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY, PRESCHOOL CHILDCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN A SAFE AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT TO ALL FAMILIES REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR FINANCIAL ABILITY. HCCDC CURRENTLY HAS 6 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ENROLLED. CURRENT ENROLLMENT INCLUDES 13 HISPANIC AND 3 OF MIXED RACE. ADDITIONALLY, WE SERVE 6 SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. COMMUNICATIONS WITH PARENTS, POTENTIAL CLIENTS, SUPPORTERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE BEEN EXPANDED BY ESTABLISHING A WEBSITE: HIGHLANDSCOMMUNITYCHILDCARE.ORG.

HCCDC IS THE ONLY STATE-LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTER IN HIGHLANDS AND EASTERN MACON COUNTY PROVIDING SERVICES FULL TIME - 10 HOURS PER DAY, 5 DAYS PER WEEK FOR 12 MONTHS EACH YEAR. THE CENTER IS LICENSED BY THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA TO SERVE 74 CHILDREN FROM 8 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS OF AGE. ENROLLMENT FOR THE FULL YEAR OF 2022 AVERAGED 64 CHILDREN FOR THE YEAR WITH NORMAL SEASONAL VARIATIONS. ONE-HALF DOZEN CHILDREN GRADUATED IN AUGUST AND ENTERED THE AREA PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEMS. FOR THE YEAR, HCCDC PROVIDED SERVICES TO 51 FAMILIES REPRESENTED BY 91 PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS LIVING IN MACON, JACKSON, AND RABUN COUNTIES AND WORKING FOR 59 COMPANIES IN AND AROUND HIGHLANDS. 24 CHILDREN ARE FROM LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY THROUGH MACON AND JACKSON COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES FOR TUITION SUPPORT FROM THE NC CHILD CARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM. APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF OF THE CHILDREN QUALIFIED FOR SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF FREE OR REDUCED MEALS FROM THE FEDERAL FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP).