Heritage 4 Kids Early Learning Center

Heritage 4 Kids Early Learning Center is widely recognized for the quality and professionalism. Our facility, located in Braddock, is licensed by the Department of Welfare (DPW) and accredited by The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which sets demanding standards for early education programs. We have also reached Star 4 level of Pennsylvania’s Keystone STARS, a program for the highest quality in teacher qualifications, professional development, classroom environments and curricula.

We’ve served more than 3,500 children and their families since we opened in September 1998. Our community-based center and school-based classrooms focus on the cognitive, emotional, physical, social, and creative needs of the children.

Some of our evidence based benefits are:

4 Kids “graduates” are far less likely to repeat grades or to need special education services once they are in school;
Even children who start out far behind their peers can catch up by the time they start school;
The behaviors of enrolled children improve significantly;
The children learn a range of skills and attitudes that will provide the foundations for success in school, in the work force... and in life!

Enrollment

We accept children six weeks through five years old. We offer both Head Start and Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts classrooms. Fees are based on individual family circumstances. If a family is eligible for a subsidy such as CCIS (Child Care Information Services), the 4 Kids staff will assist in the arrangements—we work closely with parents to make sure care is available and affordable for all families. 4 Kids also offers bridge funding for income-eligible families through our involvement with the EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program. Every child receives the same excellent care and education, no matter what the family pays.

4 Kids Early Learning Center is open 6:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. We close for eight holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We also close for five in-service days for staff training. In case of an emergency or weather related closings, our Alert Now system allows parents to know in advance if the center will be closed or delayed.

To enroll a child, the parent or guardian must complete enrollment forms, and the child must have a health assessment and be current with immunizations. To learn more about enrolling your child, please call us at 412.271.3300.

Curriculum

Our curriculum is based on a holistic approach that includes child, parent/guardian and teacher in identifying and addressing academic, emotional, cognitive and psychological needs for each child.

For each age group, a carefully planned curriculum outlines what children will learn, along with the teaching strategies we use to achieve those goals. Because reading is the foundation for success in school and the workplace, each curriculum’s major focus is promoting emerging literacy. We also focus on math, science and technology, through our “First Steps to Math and Science” program. But many other factors also contribute to school success, and we work to make sure that enrolled preschool children are “school ready” before they enter kindergarten.

Our classroom environments are designed to promote successful learning as well as safety, comfort, and stimulation. Every day includes multiple enrichment activities designed both to be fun and to reinforce the curriculum. Art and music are woven throughout the day; every classroom has a pet to learn from; and the outdoor education area is the source of many lessons. Our outdoor education area includes various play structures, a butterfly and vegetable garden, and a sandbox.

Heritage 4 Parents

Parents are critical to a child's success in school and peer relations. The Heritage 4 Parents program was created to provide 4 Kids parents with the skills and resources necessary to support their child's future. Heritage 4 Parents seeks to ensure that parents of young children have:The parenting skills necessary to interact with and advocate for their children as they move through their academic careers, access to support services that will enable them to provide for their children’s needs, and a network of parents and specialists to work through parenting issues.

4 Parents offers families workshops about issues relevant to parenting young children as well as one-on-one support for individualized needs. Visit the 4 Parents page to learn more about current workshops.

4 Kids Bulletin Board

Enroll Now at 4 Kids! Now accepting enrollment for all age groups (6 weeks through age 5). Call 412.271.3300 or email Lacey Twigg, 4 KidsCenter Director, at ltwigg@heritageserves.org for more information.

Mission Minute

Last spring when two-year-old Amanda entered the 4 Kids Early Learning Center, her teacher’s noticed she was showing delays in speech and having difficulty following directions. After working with Amanda for several months, 4 Kids teacher’s met with Amanda’s mother to voice their concerns. Soon 4 Kids Staff helped Amanda’s mom to arrange a meeting with partner agencies so that Amanda could be evaluated and get the help she needed to overcome her speech difficulties. Thanks to the extra help she is receiving, today Amanda is thriving in her 4 Kids classroom.