Our Children's Center Montessori - a snapshop

Our Children's Center –OCC is a private, non-profit Montessori pre-school and Kindergarten welcoming families from diverse religious, cultural, and economic backgrounds. We are conveniently located in downtown State College.

Our Children’s Center offers a variety of educational programs with flexible options for children ages 2 – 6 years of age.

Montessori education uses a ‘whole child’ approach and activities are designed to promote social skills, emotional and cognitive growth and physical coordination.

Teachers prepare the classroom environment so that activities offered are attractive to children, developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory and self-correcting. Most of the learning is self-directed.

Respect for self, others and the environment are core Montessori principles.

The goal of Montessori education is to develop autonomous, competent, empathic, responsible problem-solvers who one day will make a positive impact on the world.

The Our Children's Center Board of Directors employs a Director, Tricia Cossick and a Head of School, Kassie Holloway to organize and supervise the school programs.

Tricia, the Director, is a full-time director charged with insuring the smooth day-to-day functioning of the school, organizing the staff development plan, and developing systems for continued quality improvement.

Kassie, the Head of School, teaches Montessori sessions, oversees students’ progress, supervises Montessori staff, and plans the school’s Montessori educational program.

Here are the quality indicators you will find here at OCC:

* Maintains a quality early learning program with an academic license for Nursery and Kindergarten education from the PA Dept. of Education. Recently attained Star 2 status through the PA Keystone Stars program.

* OCC funds several financial aid programs that insure a more economically diverse student population.

* We offer before- and after-school care as well as flexible schedules to accommodate our growing families’ changing needs.

* Our volunteer parent board oversees the school’s budget, goals and programs aligned with the school’s mission.

* OCC hires and retains Montessori-trained teachers as well as classroom assistants with education-related degrees.

* Montessori education includes geographical, cultural, and environmental studies.

* Montessori teachers “FOLLOW THE CHILD” when designing classroom learning environments and materials.

* Teachers model for children how to express thoughts and emotions in caring and considerate ways.