Child Learning and Care Center

At the Helen R. Godfrey University Child Learning and Care Center (UCLCC), we believe children are capable, curious learners who thrive through exploration, relationships, and play. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, we follow children’s interests, offering meaningful experiences that deepen their understanding of the world. Through documentation, we make learning visible, celebrate children’s growth, and guide future learning. 

We value nature as a teacher and provide daily opportunities for outdoor learning and connection to the environment. We believe that regular engagement with nature and healthy risk-taking is vital to children’s development. As a Green and Healthy School, we help children develop a lifelong love for the natural world.

Our learning community is built on empathy, inclusion, and respect. Using Conscious Discipline, we guide children in recognizing emotions, building relationships, and resolving conflicts. We honor the diverse backgrounds of every child and family, creating a space where all feel seen and valued.

Families are essential partners in learning. We work closely with them to support each child’s development, while observing, reflecting, and planning intentionally to create engaging, hands-on experiences. We believe the environment is the third teacher—inviting curiosity through beauty, authenticity, and thoughtful design. As a university-based center, we believe that the college students are unique, integral, and valuable members of our learning-teaching community.

1. We know the first five years of a child’s life form the foundation of their future learning, behavior, and well-being. We believe offering a multitude of experiences supports children’s development and potential. This guides all of our other values. 
2. The Helen R. Godfrey University Child Learning and Care Center (UCLCC) is a Reggio-inspired children’s learning center. For us this means children are capable and competent learners driven by curiosity. We observe play interactions to understand what they know and what they would like to learn more about. We then follow this interest with more experiences that invite them to develop deeper understandings, we call these provocations.
3. At UCLCC, we use nature-based learning to give children ownership of the natural world and teach children about their impact on nature. This starts with the exploration of natural materials, a whole lot of time outside, and taking risks. They challenge their bodies and brains on our natural play-scape and campus green spaces. As a Green and Healthy School we work to foster a life-long love and appreciation for nature within our students.
4. At UCLCC, we believe in building connections and fostering empathy. Using Conscious Discipline practices, we help children recognize and manage emotions, develop regulation skills, and build healthy relationships. In our safe and supportive environment, we guide children in resolving conflicts respectfully and understanding the impact of their actions on others.
5. At UCLCC, we celebrate diversity as a vital part of our learning community. We create an environment where everyone feels seen, valued, and included by recognizing and honoring each child’s unique culture, background, and identity. Through shared experiences, stories, and traditions, we help children develop respect for others and an appreciation for the rich variety of people and perspectives in the world around them.
6. At UCLCC, we believe families are a child’s first teacher and are active partners in their education, welcoming their insights and aspirations for their child. Through daily conversations we collaborate to learn about family values so they are honored within our school community.
7. At UCLCC, we view teachers as the child’s second teacher—building on the foundation set by families. Teachers intentionally guide children while learning alongside them. They observe closely, listen deeply, and create learning opportunities that reflect children’s interests and developmental needs. Our educators are committed to professional growth, staying current with early childhood research and best practices. Through a strong work ethic and dedication to high-quality programming, teachers provide authentic, hands-on experiences that spark curiosity and build confidence.
8. At UCLCC, we believe the environment is the third teacher, and that children deserve to have beautiful things. We strive to keep each child’s learning environment aesthetically pleasing and limit overstimulating elements.  At UCLCC teachers provide children with authentic experiences, using real materials and tools.
9. At UCLCC, we use documentation as a powerful tool for understanding and supporting each child’s learning journey. Teachers observe children’s experiences, capturing these through text and photography. This documentation makes children’s learning visible through newsletters, individualized portfolios, and displays of their artistic expression. Teachers’ reflections uncover emerging interests, developmental needs, and guide learning opportunities. The Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) aligned with the Portage Guide 3 ensure our practices promote high-quality learning. 
10. At UCLCC, we believe in growing future professionals. College students are valued as emerging professionals and active participants in our learning community. By engaging in hands-on experiences and close collaboration with teachers and peers, college students are empowered to develop the skills, confidence, and curiosity essential in many professions. We see their time at UCLCC as both a contribution to our present experiences and an investment in the future.
11. At UCLCC, we believe community enriches learning through meaningful connections and shared experiences that inspire learning and growth. By engaging with students, families, campus partners, and the broader community, we create opportunities for shared discovery and dialogue. These relationships help children to see themselves as active participants in their community, while also inviting others to learn from the wonder and curiosity of children.

The NAEYC Accreditation torch is a sign that your child will be safe, healthy, and learning each day. NAEYC has developed 10 standards for high-quality early childhood education. Programs that meet these standards provide a safe and healthy environment for children, have teachers who are well-trained, have access to excellent teaching materials, and work with curriculum that is appropriately challenging and developmentally sound.

September 2025​​
October 2025
November 2025​
December 2025
January/February 2026
March 2026
April 2026​​​
May 2026​

Open Yearly:

Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Summer Hours (June 8-Aug. 28, 2026​), 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closures

UCLCC Closure Dates 6/1/2026-5/31/2027​ – Printable Document of all dates

Closed/Holiday Breaks (see Family Manual for more information on closures):​

Fouth of July: July 2-3, 2026​

Labor Day: September 7, 2026

Thanksgiving: November 25-27, 2026​

Christmas & New Years: December 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 18, 2027

Spring Break Week: March 22-26, 2027 

Memorial Day: May 31, 2027

2026-2027 School Year additional FULL DAY closures:

June 5, 2026

August 28, 2026 – noon closure (no lunch served)

August 31, 2026

October 16, 2026

November 16, 2026

February 15, 2027

The UCLCC will close for the FULL day on November 16, 2026 for all classrooms to hold Parent Teacher Conferences.  During each family’s conference time, the UCLCC will provide a teacher at the center to be with those children while each family meets with their respective teacher.