The Tacoma Daycare And Pre-School Association

IN 1911, TACOMA DAY CARE AND PRESCHOOL ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED THE FIRST PRESCHOOL IN PIERCE COUNTY WITH THE MISSION TO PROVIDE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE. IT HAS A STATE OF THE ART EARLY LEARNING CENTER SERVING CHILDREN FOUTEEN MONTHS THROUGH PRE-KINDERGARTEN, AS WELL AS AN ACADEMICALLY SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL-AGE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN TO AGE TWELVE. WE ARE A PROUD MEMBER AGENCY OF THE UNITED WAY OF PIERCE COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICE NETWORK AND NATIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN, AN HONOR HELD SINCE 1997.

THE YEAR 2021 WAS STILL AN UNPREDICTABLE WILD RIDE OF TACOMA DAY. TACOMA DAY WAS FULLY ENROLLED WITH VERY LITTLE TURNOVER. THE GOVERNOR'S STAY AT HOME ORDER WAS FINALLY LIFTED. THAT DID NOT MEAN THAT EVERYTHING TURNED BACK TO THE NORMAL WAY OF DOING BUSINESS. ALL OUR TRAININGS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WERE STILL ZOOM MEETINGS. OUR NEW PROTOCOLS THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS WERE NOW SIMPLY HOW WE DO BUSINESS. ADULTS AND CHILDREN AGE FOUR ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS THROUGHOUT THE DAY TEMPERATURES ARE TAKEN ON ENTERING THE BUILDING COVID-19 SCREENING IS DONE BY PARENTS EVERY MORNING, NO RUNNY NOSES ALLOWED NO ONE EXCEPT STAFF IS ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING PAST THE FRONT OFFICE A MORE STRINGENT ROUTINE OF CLEANING SPACES AND ENDLESS HAND WASHING NEW TERMS NOW OLD PPE, REMOTE LEARNING, PPP, ZOOM, RING CENTRAL, COVID-19 TESTING, QUARANTINE, VIRTUAL, TEAMS, SOCIAL DISTANCEOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM REOPENED. OUR ECEAP CONTINUES OFFERING ON SITE LEARNING. THE STATE EXTENDED THE PROGRAM INTO THE SUMMER TO HELP PARENTS. FOR OUR YOUNGEST PRESCHOOLERS, IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL.OUR SUCCESSES: OUR CHILDREN GREW IN A SAFE HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SHARING TIME AND ADVENTURES WITH FRIENDS. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL GROWTH, SO IMPORTANT, WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE. AN OUTSTANDING FOOD PROGRAM WAS AVAILABLE TO ALL. NUTRITION AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT TO A STRONG HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WAS NOT INTERRUPTED. DURING THIS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL TIME PARENTS HAD THE NORMALCY THEY NEEDED FOR THEIR CHILDREN.A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO: THE STAFF OF TACOMA DAY FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND COURAGE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OUR AUDITOR WHO HELPED TACOMA DAY NAVIGATE FINANCIAL WATERS SECURING A VERY MUCH APPRECIATED PPP GRANT. THIS ALLOWED TACOMA DAY TO KEEP ALL STAFF WORKING. OUR CHILDREN WHOSE ETERNAL OPTIMISM, SILLY JOKES AND UNENDING LAUGHTER KEPT EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE.