Virginia Tech
Child Development Center for Learning and Research
140 Wallace Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0416
Phone: 540/231.6148 Fax: 540/231.7012
www.humandevelopment.vt.edu/cdclr.html
APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT
PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION CLEARLY
APPLICATION DATE: _________________________
Child’s Information
Last Name: __________________________ First Name: ______________________ Middle Initial: _____
Street Address (line 1): __________________________________________ Date of Birth: _____________
Street Address (line 2): ______________________________________________________________________
City: _____________________________ State: _______ Zip Code: ___________ Phone: ____________
1st Parent/Guardian Information:
Last Name: __________________________ First Name: ______________________ Middle Initial: _____
Work Phone: ___________________ Cell Phone: _________________ Home Phone: _______________
Street Address (1): __________________________________________________________________________
Street Address (2): __________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________ State: _______ Zip Code: ___________ Email: ____________________
2nd Parent/Guardian Information
Last Name: __________________________ First Name: ______________________ Middle Initial: _____
Work Phone: ___________________ Cell Phone: _________________ Home Phone: _______________
Street Address (1): __________________________________________________________________________
Street Address (2): __________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________ State: _______ Zip Code: ___________ Email: ____________________
Siblings
Name: ________________________________________ Age: ______________
Name: ________________________________________ Age: ______________
We encourage applications for children that have diverse backgrounds and needs. Please
mention any special situations which you would like us to know about:
Mission
The mission of the CDLCR is to provide model programs and leadership for the local, state and
national early childhood communities within the teaching, research and service missions of the
university.
Philosophy
The philosophy of the CDCLR holds that knowledge and understanding are constructed
through social interactions. Classrooms are inherently social places where teachers and
children negotiate the curriculum together. Our aim is to offer a developmentally appropriate
environment where children are given opportunities to make choices, pursue their own
questions and concerns, connect what is known and unknown and be successful as they
explore and discover through play, informal learning activities and projects.
Curriculum
Our goal is to provide a safe and secure learning environment where children are encouraged
to learn through play and engaged in projects as primary means for discovery and translating
meaningful experience into understanding. Furthermore, we implement a negotiated, socially
constructed, emergent and inquiry-based curriculum that is based on the children’s needs and
interests. We promote positive self-expression, active exploration, investigation, problem solving
and reflection as ways for constructing knowledge. We encourage growth of autonomy,
independence, social competence and self-discipline to the degree appropriate to one’s age
level. We encourage the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, creative development and the
joy of learning.
Research
Enrolling your child at Virginia Tech’s Child Development Center for Learning and Research
enters you and your family into the exciting world of developmental and education science
research. Researchers from a variety of disciplines work with our center’s faculty to improve our
understanding of young children, their environments and how best to nurture and educate
them. By enrolling your child at the Center, you become a contributor to increasing scientific
knowledge about optimizing children’s and families’ growth.
Details of the kinds of research conducted at the Center are given in the Parent Handbook. All
studies are approved by Virginia Tech’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), which provides
oversight for the protection of participants involved in research. All studies require parental
permission.
Daily Schedule
7:30-9:00
9:00-9:15
9:15-11:00
9:45
11:00-12:00
12:00-1:00
1:00-3:00
3:00-4:15
Arrivals and Morning Exploration
Morning Meeting
Morning Investigations
Snack
Outdoor Investigations
Lunch
Quiet Time
Afternoon Investigations
3:30
4:15-5:15
5:15-5:30
Snack
Outdoor Investigations
Departures
Times on schedule are subject to change based on children’s needs.
Food and Nutrition
We provide a nutritious morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack each day. Our cook
prepares these meals daily in our kitchen. Snacks and lunch are offered family style.
Home School Partnerships
We believe that the parent-child relationship is the most important social context for learning
and development; we strive to maintain a close relationship between home and school.
Parents are viewed as a vital source of knowledge about their child and are encouraged to
share this information to support their child’s experiences at school.
Who We Are
Children ages 15 months – 5 years
Blue Room (toddlers)
Orange Room (young preschool)
Maroon Room (older preschool)
Director
Assistant Director
Research Director
Curriculum Director/Studio Teacher
Program Assistant
6 classroom teachers
Assistant teachers and undergraduate student interns
Cook
Admissions and Waitlist
The CDCLR’s priority is to serve the families of Virginia Tech faculty, staff and students. With a
few exceptions, enrollment is on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a family already has a child at
the CDCLR, they are given priority over new families for enrolling another child. Because we are
a lab school, with the exception of families already enrolled at the CDCLR, we reserve the right
to selectively look for a specific age-range or gender when filling spaces. In addition,
enrollments may include one or two children who represent a diverse range or experiences and
backgrounds from the extended community.
Parents can put their child’s name on the waitlist by filling out an application form during
pregnancy or any time thereafter. Application forms should be submitted to: Child
Development Center Attn: Admissions 140A Wallace Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0416.
Families who are admitted will receive a phone confirming their acceptance into the program.
We encourage parents who have children with special needs or families of diverse
backgrounds to put their child’s name on our waiting list.
Tuition
The tuition for full-time enrollment for each child is $815 per month for the toddler room and $790
per month for the young and older preschool rooms. Enrollment is for one calendar year (12
months.) A non-refundable, one –month deposit is due at the time of acceptance to enroll.
Upon enrollment at our school, the deposit will be used as payment for the twelfth month.
Tuition is prorated for the fiscal year and is paid directly to the Bursar’s Office through Payroll
Deduction. You should contact the Bursar’s Office to arrange your payment schedule. If
neither parent is employed at the university, then tuition is billed by the Bursar’s office and paid
with a check made out to the TREASURER of VIRGINIA TECH and sent directly to the Bursar’s
office on a bi-monthly basis, two weeks in advance. This must be arranged with the Assistant
Director.
If you must withdraw your child from our school for any reason, you must give a minimum of a
four-week notice IN WRITING to at the Assistant Director, Karen Gallagher, 140A Wallace Hall,
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0416. You are obligated to pay for the tuition during these four
weeks, even if you do not use the service. Additional notice is greatly appreciated.
Features
 Three full-time, full year classrooms for: toddlers, young preschoolers and older
preschoolers.
 NAEYC accredited since 1987
 Optimum child/teacher ratio
 Classroom observation facilities
 Balance of child and teacher initiated learning
 Continual professional staff development
 Opportunities to participate in research to deepen our understanding of children’s
development and how to best support that maturation
 Intergenerational programming with Virginia Tech Adult Day Services
 Nutritious morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack are served
 Collaboration with campus and community resources
 Physical environments designed to connect with educational philosophy
 Gradual transition visits for newly enrolled families
 Home visits offered for all families
 When possible, children stay with their same peers and teachers to promote continuity of
care
 Two spacious, safe and challenging playgrounds
 Located on the beautiful VT campus, opportunities to visit the Duck Pond, Horticulture
Gardens and more
 Diversity of people, cultures and ideas
Accreditation
Our program has been nationally accredited since 1987 by the National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC.) Accreditation is awarded to quality programs that
provide developmentally appropriate activities, well qualified and trained staff and
opportunities for parents to become partners in the program.
School Hours
7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Monday – Friday
We operate full-time, full-year with the exception of being closed:
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Thanksgiving Break
Winter Break
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Memorial Day
One week in the summer including Independence Day
Transition Days between school years
Days for professional development
Our policy states children must arrive to school no later than 9:00 a.m. each day with the
exceptions of doctor’s appointments or when arrangements have been made ahead of time.
Children and families must be ready to leave the school by 5:30 when we close; therefore we
encourage families to pick up their children at 5:15 to allow time to talk with the teachers and
gather belongings.
Tours
We encourage families to call us to set up a tour to learn more about our school’s program and
see our facility if you are interested in enrollment. Please call our Assistant Director Karen
Gallagher, 540/231.9815 to schedule an appointment.
For More Information, please contact:
Virginia Tech Child Development Center for Learning and Research
140 Wallace Hall (0416)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0416
Tel: 540/231.6148
Fax: 540/231.7012
www.humandevelopment.vt.edu/cdclr.html