Program Goals:

The Early Childhood Program will:

• Prepare students to provide quality, developmental care and education for children ages birth through age eight.
• Provide students with the opportunity to develop skills which include critical and reflective thinking, problem solving, creativity and practical reasoning.
• Provide instruction and courses that will allow students to understand the importance of quality early care and education to children, families, communities, and society as a whole.
• Enable students to have an understanding of themselves and others, to appreciate their similarities and differences, and to work together as a team with colleagues, parents and the community.
• Provide a program of study that is a leader in the advancement of theory and practice in the field of early childhood education.

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Requirements

Students Requirements:

• Complete an application for admission
• Submit official high school transcripts, GED scores and/or other college transcripts.
• Check with a college career advisor to determine whether the COMPASS assessment test is needed. This requirement may be waived if the applicant has sufficiently high and recent ACT scores or has successfully completed necessary college-level prerequisite courses elsewhere.
• If applicants have deficiencies or lack a high school diploma or GED, check with a counselor to determine a preparatory plan.

Program Requirements:

Criminal Background Checks

A Criminal Background Check (CBC) or a student’s self-disclosure indicates that the student has a criminal history, he or she may be prohibited from participating in designated programs of study.

For purposes of this procedure a student has a criminal history if he or she: (a) has been convicted of a crime offense; (b) has pled guilty to a criminal offense; (c) has entered a plea of no contest to a criminal offense; (d) has entered into a program of pre-trial diversion: or (e) if criminal charges are pending.

The existence of a criminal history will not automatically disqualify a student from participating in a designated program of study. A criminal history which involves one or more felony offenses will generally be disqualifying.

A criminal history which involves only misdemeanor offenses will generally be disqualifying only if the offense(s) involve a crime of violence; sexual assault; the abuse of a child, elderly person with a disability, or person under the care of the student in any type of medical or mental health setting; the unlawful use, possession or sale of narcotics or controlled substances; or if the offenses are so numerous or of such a character to indicate that the student may pose a threat to the employees, clients, or property of the designated program or the College.

Subject to the foregoing, the following criteria will be considered in determining whether an affected student will be permitted to participate in a designated program:

1. The date, nature and number of arrestsand convictions:
2. The relationship which the arrest or conviction bears to the duties and responsibilities of the affected student in a clinical setting;
3. Successful efforts toward rehabilitation;
4. Rules and regulations of the clinicalprogram;
5. Whether the criminal history is likely to prevent the student from obtaining necessary licensing or other credentials needed to obtain employment in his or her chosen field; and
6. Other criteria which are determined byCollege administrators to be relevant.

Any student not continuously enrolled in the College will be required to have an additional CBC conducted. The CBC will be completed only once, if no more than one year elapses in enrollment. After the initial CBC, students will complete a selfdisclosure statement annually.

LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

Student’s names will be submitted and must clear the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Students enrolled in any lab, practicum or coop must have on file a current health report.

Current CPR certification with infant and child skills, and First Aid certification are required before enrolling in specific labs, practicums or co-ops.

Students who will be taking classes or practicums where they will be working directly with children or adults will be charged a nominal fee for insurance.

Persons must be declared Early Childhood Education program students in order to register for certain practicums / labs.  (see course descriptions - pdf 8mb)

Note: Students are encouraged to apply for admission to the ECED Program as early as possible.  Becoming a declared student allows for early registration and regular contact with an instructor advisor.  Declared students are under no obligation to take a required number of classes each quarter.  To apply for admission click on "Apply now" link in upper right corner of screen.

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Student Responsibilites
 

Early childhood education students will be expected to:

• Adhere to all program policies and expectations.
• Attain a minimum 2.0 grade point average for the entire program while meeting additional grade requirements set forth in specific courses.
• Exhibit high employability attributes through punctual and regular attendance.
• Maintain professional and ethical conduct by exhibiting honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility and diplomacy in all deeds, actions and words.
• Have strong communication skills that will allow them to clearly and legibly communicate, both verbally and in writing, with children and adults.
• Have a level of personal physical, emotional and mental health that will insure the safety and well-being of children, families and colleagues.
• Be a willing and active participant in classroom, lab and practicum discussions and activities.
• Have cultural awareness, accept others as unique individuals, use inclusive language, treat all people with equity, not discriminate and be open minded.
• Be warm, caring, empathetic, enthusiastic and passionate as they become advocates for children and families.
• Be responsible for program costs: tuition, fees, books and supplies.

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Cooperative Education

Students at Southeast Community College are employed by area businesses and industries and have the opportunity to "learn whle doing" through the College's Cooperative Education Experience.

Students will work in positions related to their career goals. Student objectives are established through mutual agreement by the student, the employer, and the cooperative education experience coordinator.
Progress is evaluated at designated time(s) during the period of employment.

How Cooperative Education Works

Southeast Community College's Cooperative Education Experience is designed for students who have completed specific courses in their program of study and have achieved a grade point average of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4.0.

Coordinators work closely with employers and students to determine the optimum Cooperative Education arrangement.

The student registers for the Cooperative Education Experience and earns college credit while being paid a salary for the cooperative experience; the salary is set by the employer and agreed upon by the student.

• A unique opportunity to apply what is learned on campus to “Real World” situations in a variety of early childhood settings.
• The student will be a paid employee while participating in this cooperative education experience.
• Students and cooperative site supervisors will set mutual goals that will enhance the student’s knowledge and depth of experience in the early childhood field.
• Program instructors will regularly communicate and problem solve with each coop student and/or supervisor.
• Positive coop experiences often lead to a student obtaining fulltime employment at their coop site.