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About the Child Development Center at Fairplex
The Fairplex Child Development Center is a private, non-profit center operated by the
Los Angeles
County Fair Association since 1980 and in alliance with the University of La Verne since 1991.
We cherish children, support families, build community among diversity and pursue excellence in
early education.
We serve children and families from twelve weeks to kindergarten age with specially designed infant,
toddler, preschool and kindergarten classrooms, which emphasize developmentally appropriate
experiences for the children and is regarded as one of the finest facilities of its kind in
California. Children are admitted into the various programs regardless of income, religion,
ethnicity, gender, culture, language, or developmental differences, based upon enrollment space
availability.
Our program is proud of our highly trained and qualified staff certified in early childhood
education, many of whom hold advanced degrees in child development or related fields. The
Fairplex Child Development Center also serves as a professional development school for students
enrolled in the University of La Verne's early childhood education program. This partnership
with the University ensures that the Center's program incorporates the highest standards to
encourage optimum child development opportunities.
The Fairplex Child Development Center is a great place with a safe
learning environment for a child to grow and learn. I recommend the CDC to any parent without
hesitation!”
— Current CDC parent
CDC Mission
We are a premier model, early care, and education program in collaboration with the University of La
Verne. Our staff and leadership are dedicated to providing the highest quality, safe, nurturing,
educational environment where diverse children, families, and adults come together to learn and
grow. We cherish children, support families, build community among diversity, and pursue
excellence in early education.
CDC Philosophy
Our curriculum focuses on a child’s four primary developmental domains: cognitive, language,
social-emotional, and physical. We emphasize first-hand experiences in play, oral language,
listening, books, and phonemic awareness. Our facility is adjacent to the grounds of the
nation’s largest county fair. This provides the unique opportunity to have amazing
hands-on educational experiences — “from Apples to Zoo” — that cannot be
taught in a classroom.
As a well-known African proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child.” The
Fairplex Child Development Center strives to be a key part of that “village.” The
Center is a private, non-profit organization in partnership with the Los Angeles County Fair
Association and the University of La Verne.
In 1980, the Center began as a child care resource to under-served communities. In 1991, two major
milestones occurred. A new building was constructed to increase enrollment capacity, and the
Center formed a partnership with the University of La Verne. This new alliance established the
Center as a lab school and hands-on training facility for students pursuing a Child Development
degree from the University of La Verne.
Today, the Center serves children twelve weeks to kindergarten age, in specially designed infant,
toddler, and preschool classrooms. The Center is licensed under Title 22 under the Department of
Social Services. We follow Title 5 under the California Department of Education Code for teacher
qualifications and ratios.
Integrating development of the whole child
“Our purpose is to improve our community by educating and preparing today’s
children, their families, and tomorrow’s teachers to succeed in a diverse and changing
world”
— Paul Strand
CDC Staff
We have a strong commitment to the education of our teachers. We know from many research studies that
when a teacher has a well-rounded education, the children in their class will do much better.
Our classroom teachers hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development or related subject.
Many are working on or have even completed a Master’s Degree in Child Development.
Holly Kirkland Reynolds - Director of Children and Family Services
Has full responsibility and provides leadership for the Center’s educational programs,
personnel, and daily operations as well as serves on the Board of Directors as Staff
Representative.
Bio: Holly Reynolds has been committed to social & emotional development as an early childhood
teacher, director and college instructor for 30 years. Her passion is helping teachers and
families support their child’s emotional & social development to help them reach their
potential.
Holly was introduced to Conscious Discipline in 2007 at a state wide conference, she knew at that
moment this was the program that she had been looking for. After a three year implementation at
her school, the Fairplex Child Development Center in Pomona, CA, she began the process to become
a certified trainer to help others learn the life changing skills. She now conducts trainings at
the state wide level, for educators, families and business leaders that is tailored to the needs
of the specific organization. With her studies in Organizational Leadership Holly is well suited
to assist organizations make the transformational change that Conscious Discipline can provide.
She is a passionate and energetic speaker who involves the audience in the experience of
learning new skills and becoming conscious.
Holly earned a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Master’s Degree in Human
Development and is currently working on completing her Doctorate in Education.
Education: Ed.D. Doctorate in Education Candidate, Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne
M.A. Human Development, Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena
Certified State-Wide Trainer for Conscious Discipline
Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, University of California at Los Angeles, Anderson School of
Business
B.A. Child Development Interdisciplinary Studies, Cal State San Bernardino
“Having our center here on the grounds of the Fairplex is a special benefit. Our children
are able to go on walks to see wonderful things such as farm animals and wonderful
educational exhibits. Working closely with our students and faculty from the University
of La Verne helps make our center a very special place. As a result of our partnership,
we can serve and learn from our children, families, and our university students. The
reciprocal learning adds a special element.”
The Center formed a formal partnership with the University of La Verne in 1991. This new alliance
established the Center as a lab school and hands-on training facility for students pursuing a
Child Development degree from the University of La Verne. The teaching faculty from the
University are active in observing and consulting on curriculum and best practices at the
center. They often are seen observing their students and the children in all of the classrooms.
CDC Programs
Philosophy
We utilize research-based, best practices in all of our age groups. Taking into
consideration
research from brain research, literacy, and child development, our programs are well designed to
help children develop to their fullest. Through guided play, fun, and well-designed learning
activities, children will learn at their best pace. Our expert teachers design individualized
learning activities to help children grow and learn to their potential. With our caring teachers
and well-designed learning environment, children, develop confidence, competency, and skills to
be successful in education and through their lifetime. We help children learn in the domains of
social and emotional, language and literacy, cognitive and thinking, health and physical
development.
Literacy-Based Curriculum
Our program provides a literacy-enriched environment where children develop a love of
reading and
language-based activities. Our take-home backpack program helps all children have access to a
variety of books to be read to them before bedtime. Research demonstrates that when children are
read to on a regular basis, they will be ready to be readers. Our children learn their letters
and the sounds of the letters when they are in our Pre-Kindergarten classes and are ready to
read by Kindergarten.
Fair Field Trips
During the month of September, the Los Angeles County Fair is right outside our back
door. Our
Toddler and Preschool classrooms design walking trips to some of our special learning exhibits,
such as the Big Red Barn to see where milk comes from! This is a very special time for our
children and families. We invite families to join us, allowing us to share the learning
experience.
Conscious Discipline®
Within this program, children learn skills to build a sense of community (the
School-Family) and to
develop empathy and caring for others. The children learn to manage their emotions and deal
effectively with conflicts. Research studies have found that when children learn pro-social
behaviors early they are more likely to succeed later in life in areas such as health,
education, career, and life-long relationships. And we know that all children deserve to have a
successful life!
“We use a nationally known program to help children & adults develop social-emotional
intelligence.”
It is the only program that integrates classroom management with social-emotional learning, utilizing
everyday events as an opportunity to learn. The children are taught techniques to help manage
their emotions, build trusting and caring relationships and to handle conflict in a constructive
way.
Conscious Discipline® is a comprehensive social-emotional learning and classroom management
program based on current brain research, child development knowledge, and best practices.
Written and designed by Dr. Becky Bailey, a child psychologist, this program has gained national
recognition as a model for character education for early childhood education and elementary
education programs. For more information on this program go to consciousdiscipline.com or call Loving Guidance, Inc. at
1-800-842-2846.
Baby Signs®
Our center is a certified Baby Signs School, with our teachers specially trained to use
simple sign
language with our babies to help them learn to communicate, even before they can talk. We have
found that our babies love learning to sign different things such as bottle, milk, and all done
to communicate their needs and wishes. They also love to sign things such as bird, tree, and
outside to express their enjoyment of our environment. We have found that our babies can begin
learning simple signs as early as six months. As children begin to speak, their reliance on the
signs diminishes. Some research indicates that children who learn sign language as a baby will
develop expanded vocabularies.
Garden Program
Our garden program helps our preschool children to learn about the science of growing
and the
nutrition of eating foods that are healthy for us. With our very own garden in our playground,
our children plant the seedlings and nurture them as they grow. They are very excited when it
comes time to harvest the kale, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Our children
help to prepare the vegetables and are excited to try them! With the ever growing obesity
epidemic, it is important that our children learn to make healthy food choices.