About - Virginia Early Learning Academies

Learning and Growing are Things of Beauty

Every child is a unique masterpiece just waiting to be revealed, over time and with care, effort, and consistency. At Virginia Early Learning Academies, we take the long view of positive, successful early learning development while celebrating the many milestones along the way. Partnering with families and caregivers, Virginia Early Learning Academies creates the space for children to explore, learn, and develop at their own pace toward fulfilling their individual purposes.

Philosophy

Virginia Early Learning Academies believes a well-rounded approach to early learning yields children who are confident and adept—cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Toward that end, we strive to model the following Core Values with everyone we serve, in everything we do. The tenets that shape us include:

Excellence—the ultimate focal point for Virginia Early Learning Academies code of conduct
Integrity—the backdrop of how we aim to live, trustworthy and kind
Service—the energy that swirls from hearts and hands as we tend to our families and each other
Inclusion—the frame encompassing us all as we welcome diversity and promote unity
Community—the primary, overarching commitment to honor and care for our intersecting lives

Our Teachers

Not just an aim for every student, lifelong learning applies to our teachers as well. And while Virginia Early Learning Academies educators all meet the minimum standards set by each state, we purposefully seek teachers who are true artisans—bringing a depth and breadth of experience, creativity, compassion, and diversity to their work. Receiving ongoing, ELA-sponsored training to enhance their Professional Development, our educators come together to learn, share, mentor, and invest in each other so they can pour back into their students, generously and expertly.

Safety

Virginia Early Learning Academies regularly reviews its centers to maintain quality and safety standards across the board. Because of COVID-19, we’ve broadened our public health focus toward stringent adherence to the latest published guidelines (both locally and from the Centers for Disease Control). Concerning our buildings, we employ protected entrances and exits with door alarm notifications, and adhere to best practices with regard to preparing food, limiting visitors, cleaning and sanitizing, and much more. Finally, we have a family notification system and emergency plans firmly in place to hasten contact in the event of illness or emergency.

Differentiators

ELAC strengthens its early learning success from every angle by:

• Encouraging children to learn at their own pace

• Allowing for creativity and exploration (individualized, self-directed learning)

• Fostering social involvement, community service, and good citizenship

• Utilizing (but not relying entirely upon) technology to learn

• Promoting an atmosphere that’s inclusive, generous, kind, and supportive

• Prioritizing family engagement because those partnerships further benefit children’s growth and development

Mission

There are daycare centers, and then there are Virginia Early Learning Academies Centers! Ours are staffed by wise, caring educators and professionals with years of early learning expertise who strive to:

• Reveal and encourage the greatest potential for students, families/caregivers, and themselves

• Provide tools for children to gain social and emotional maturity

• Continually challenge and facilitate opportunities to grow

• Offer age-appropriate ways to further learn, develop, and explore

• Deepen curiosity and a love of learning (for students and teachers alike!) with an invitation to gather and scatter knowledge every day