Choosing a childcare center that will nurture your child from infancy through preschool may be one of the most important decisions you make. The St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center, rated five stars by Ohio’s Step Up to Quality program, provides a safe, loving and nurturing atmosphere where children can learn, grow and develop. Located on the St. Augustine Health Campus just minutes from downtown Cleveland, the Child Enrichment Center is licensed by the State of Ohio to serve children six weeks to five years old.
Our focus supports school readiness through:
Our not-for-profit philosophy is designed to give children at each stage of development a beginning foundation of success and to promote a love of learning while encouraging self-sufficiency. In an environment that nurtures self-esteem and fosters respect for diversity, our highly trained and caring staff help develop each child to their fullest potential developmentally, physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively with an emphasis on self-reliance skills. With smaller class sizes and low child-to-teacher ratios, the Child Enrichment Center is able to create a nurturing environment that allows children to be problem-solvers, independent explorers and creative thinkers.
Step Up to Quality 5-star rating:
The Ohio Department of Education has awarded St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center a five-star rating (out of five stars) as part of the Step Up to Quality Program. Ratings are based on numerous criteria such as the educational content is aligned with the Ohio Early Learning Content Standards, current education level of staff, continued specialized training, and developmental screenings of students.
Pre4CLE Center of Excellence:
The St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center has been accepted into PRE4CLE, a city-wide initiative to expand access to high quality Pre-K to the children of Cleveland. The Center is one of the first of 90 providers in the Cleveland to be a part of the effort – an early adopter!
Laura H.
Enrollment Coordinator / Receptionist
Laura is our receptionist and enrollment coordinator and has worked at the Child Enrichment Center for 15 years. She holds a bachelor’s in applied behavioral science from Kent State University and has a teenage son who is a 2012 Child Enrichment Center graduate! Laura believes that early learning is important because the lessons that are learned, the habits that are formed and the bonds and connections that are made during a child’s first five years can determine the course of their life.
Kate L.
CEC Director
Kate L. is our CEC Director and holds 8 years of teaching experience. She is a graduate of John Carroll University with a B.A. in Economics and Spanish, M.Ed in Education and loves all the little magical moments that come along with working in early education. “I love the happiness, innocence, and silliness of young kids – it is a privilege of being a caretakers for them in the formative years.” When asked what Kate enjoys most about this field, she said, “the most rewarding aspect of working in Early Childhood Education is receiving the love, hugs, and smiles from the kids every day. Seeing them happy and healthy makes all the hard work worth it!”Jen D.
Infant I Teacher
Miss Jen is one of our infant teachers and she can be described as kindhearted, friendly, and hardworking. Miss Jen considers herself a nurturing person by nature and has always had a passion for teaching. “It is such an amazing feeling knowing that I play a role in children being loved, cared for, and growing a healthy body and mind,” Miss Jen shares. She also enjoys seeing each child develop in their own unique way.
Mary J.
Infant II Teacher
Having been in the child care field for 29 years, Mary has been part of the Child Enrichment Center family for over 16 of those years. She has two grown daughters and is our Infant II teacher. Watching the babies reach their major milestones like learning how to walk and talk and seeing the smiles on their faces when they come in to the Center in the morning are among her favorite parts of being a teacher. An important skill infants learn in Mary’s classroom is using spoons when feeding. This skill is the beginning of the Infant II babies’ journey to independence, as well as an aid in developing their fine motor skills.
Skylar P.
Preschool Teacher
Skylar graduated from Bard High School Early College Cleveland in hopes to enter into the field of Early Education. “I come from a large family and there is nothing more rewarding than making a positive impact in a child’s life – I love watching them develop into their own person and watching them do the things that I was able to help teach them!”
Connie F.
Toddler Teacher
Connie is currently enrolled at Colorado State Online to finish getting her Bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Pre-Health in hopes to become a Child Life Specialist after her Masters degree. “I have always loved working with children. Helping children and their families is my passion. The thing I enjoy the most is making the kids laugh and trying to put a smile on their faces everyday.” She also notes that she has been babysitting and nannying since 6th grade and has worked with them for a long while!
Kathy M.
Preschool Teacher
A veteran of 32 years in the child care field, Miss Kathy has been a member of the CEC family for over 8 years. She is a graduate of Cuyahoga Community College with a degree in early childhood education and mom to her adult son. Kathy says that the most important thing kids learn from being in her classroom is independence and self-help skills. “I try to help them gain these skills by allowing the kids time, trial and error, and opportunities to think abou tother ways to solve problems.”
Shelly S.
Infant II Teacher
Shelly joined the Child Enrichment Center family in 2009 and has a bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University. One of the most important things infants will learn in Miss Shelly’s classroom is communication. “They learn sign language then the verbal words that allow them to get their needs and wants known and met,” she says. “I love seeing them proud of themselves when they can tell us things like hi, bye, I’m hungry/tired and I love you! They seem to enjoy the communication and ability to finally begin to form conversations.”
Meghan M.
Infant I Teacher
Meghan has been an infant I teacher in our Center since 2010 and has three young children of her own. Miss Meghan feels that early learning is important because the early years provide a foundation for all future learning and development. Children can then build and branch out in any direction and learn so much more because they have that steady foundation to refer back to. When asked what the most important thing students learn from being in her classroom is, Meghan says, “That they are safe here, their needs will be met and I am on a team with their parents/caretakers, working together for their success.”
Jackie P.
Float Teacher
Jackie is our float teacher and is currently enrolled in a DMS ( Diagnostic Medical Sonography ) program at Tri-C to continue her education. “I have been babysitting since I was 12 years old, ever since then being around kids and working with them has been a major aspect of my life.” Jackie has previously worked in a child care center at her local recreation center alongside babysitting. “Working with kids has always been so important in my life, especially helping them learn new ways to communicate. One of the best things is watching a kid learn how to be a ‘little human’ whether it is talking, walking, or figuring out their emotions – just being there to help them with those things is the biggest reward!”
Kyla N.
Toddler Teacher
Kyla is a Toddler Teacher and is currently enrolled in CDA courses (Child Development Associates) at Polaris and will graduate from the program February 2024. “There is nothing quite like getting to see the kids grow and flourish, becoming more ‘themselves’ every day.” One of Kyla’s favorite activities with the children has been watching them step up to the stage with “Dramatic Play Center”, where they showcase their creativity and imagination through putting on their own little personal play. “To see the students start to understand different concepts and learn from one another is awesome.”
Alexis F.
Toddler Teacher
Alexis is one of our newer toddler teachers at the Child Enrichment Center. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in criminal justice but had always aspired to be a teacher since she was a little girl. Alexis spent the past four years nannying and working with children, enjoying the little moments with them. “It really is an honor to watch them grow and learn, I feel privileged to work here with such great staff and wonderful kiddos.”
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