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our programs

Family centered education

amanda chelton sonAt Early Connections, our programs are designed not only to educate children but to support whole families. We meet families where they are, recognizing that every household comes with unique needs, resources, and goals. Our team works to layer available subsidies and support, helping families navigate complex systems like the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, Head Start, military fee assistance, and more. And for families who do not qualify for public funding, we use a sliding scale based on household income to ensure access remains within reach. 

This approach—built on equity, compassion, and flexibility—is made possible in large part through philanthropic support. Donors help us bridge funding gaps and ensure no child is turned away due to cost. Whether you are a parent exploring care options or a supporter investing in early education, know that you are part of a community deeply committed to every child’s success. 

What Makes Our Programs Unique

We do more than provide care—we build strong foundations. Our “whole child” approach integrates research-backed learning with social-emotional support, nutrition, and health services to help children grow in every way.

Early Learning

We use the Creative Storybook Journey curriculum—an exploration and literacy-rich experience rooted in child-led learning.

  • Aligned with developmental milestones
  • Project-based studies to build confidence, creativity, and critical thinking
  • Emphasis on language, social-emotional growth, and kindergarten readiness
  • Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)—a distinction earned by fewer than 10% of programs nationwide

Family Engagement & Support

antlers family photo brother sister mother

Families are our partners. We help caregivers feel connected, informed, and supported at every stage.

  • Family orientations, home visits, and parent-teacher conferences
  • Center-wide family events
  • Monthly book giveaways through our Books at Home program
  • Kindergarten transition support for families new to school systems

Comprehensive Health

Healthy kids are ready to learn.

  • Two nutritious meals and a snack each day
  • Fresh, nutrient-rich menus that exceed USDA guidelines
  • A warm, mealtime environment to build lifelong healthy habits
  • On-staff RN overseeing health screenings, immunizations, medication protocols, and hygiene practices

Behavioral Health & Emotional Support

We are nationally recognized for integrating behavioral health into early education.

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Behavioral Health Interventionist, and Family Advocate on staff
  • Use of the Pyramid Model to support mental health: promotion, prevention, and intervention
  • Staff trained to recognize and respond to children’s social-emotional needs
  • Coaching for teachers and direct support for families experiencing challenges

Our Story

A Legacy of Care Rooted in Community

women 1930s day nursery

In 1897, amidst the challenges of a growing Colorado Springs, fourteen visionary women came together to address a pressing need: providing quality care for working mothers. This initiative led to the founding of the Colorado Springs Day Nursery Association, marking the beginning of what we now know as Early Connections Learning Centers.

At the heart of this movement was Alice Bemis Taylor, a dedicated philanthropist whose family’s relocation to Colorado Springs in 1881 was influenced by her mother’s battle with tuberculosis. Recognizing the city’s influx of health seekers due to its reputation as a haven for tuberculosis treatment, Taylor understood the importance of community support structures.

Day Nursery Construction

In 1923, honoring her mother’s legacy, Taylor funded the construction of a Tudor-style building for the Historic Day Nursery that sits on the corner of Rio Grande and Tejon, providing a permanent home for the organization and a cornerstone of our community!

Over the decades, Early Connections Learning Centers have evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. From offering a haven for children in its early days to medical services such as the removal of the appendix and tonsils in the early 1900s to today, our organization has consistently prioritized comprehensive care to working families in Colorado Springs.

Today, we continue to honor our founders’ vision by providing accessible, high quality early childhood education across multiple centers in Colorado Springs. Our commitment remains steadfast: to support children and families, fostering a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.

Mission, vision & Values

Our Mission

To provide high-quality, comprehensive early care and education for all children.

Our Vision

A community where every child enters school ready to learn, every family has access to the support they need, and every early educator is empowered to thrive.

Core values

girl happy equity core value

We believe all children deserve the same opportunities, no matter their background.

We Pursue the highest standards in early learning and care.

We collaborate with families, educators, and community partners to amplify our impact. 

teacher infant compassion core values

We create safe, nurturing environments where children and families feel seen and supported.

We evolve with the needs of our families, always striving for better solutions.

president & CEO

Liz Denson

President & CEO

At Early Connections, we believe early childhood education is the most powerful investment a community can make. For over 125 years, our mission, vision, and values have driven everything we do—because every child deserves the strongest start. As President & CEO, I’m deeply committed to this work. Our team shows up every day guided by purpose, equity, and the belief that what happens in early childhood shapes everything that follows. But we can’t do it alone. Whether you’re a parent, partner, donor, or advocate—there’s a place for you here. Join us.

kids cover photo

Empowering Families

A Free Comprehensive Class for Parents on Nurturing Children’s Social and Emotional Growth. Held virtually on Tuesday nights.

Spring 2025 Positive Solutions Virtual events

Parent Name(Required)
Email(Required)
Which Center is your child currently enrolled at?(Required)

Registration is now closed. For questions please contact mcaron@earlyconnections.org

Our goal is to empower families with the insights needed to support children’s social and emotional development.

about

This workshop supports the social emotional development of children by helping to reduce challenging behaviors while increasing positive behaviors. 

The parenting class was phenomenal. It was informative as well as entertaining. It showed me more to do and better tactics to use with my son and daughter. Learning that it takes time to change the behavior gives me more hope that it works. Plus the amount of resources available were amazing.

Deanna | Parent at Early Connections

Schedule

Sessions will be held virtually every Tuesday night. Join in on any night.

April 8, 15, 22, 29 | May 6, 13, 20

6pm – 7:30pm

Day 1 Agenda

Making the connection

Keeping it Positive

Day 2 Agenda

Behavior Has Meaning

The Power of Routines

Day 3 Agenda

Teach Me What To Do!

Responding with Purpose

Final Day

Putting it all Together

Celebrate Completion!

Instructor

Melissa Caron Headshot

Melissa Caron

With a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Social Work, Melissa has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2006. With over 20 years of experience working with children, she has spent the past 11 years at Early Connections. Here, she collaborates with teachers, parents, and children to promote social-emotional development and prevent challenging behaviors. She has been leading parenting workshops for nearly two decades and has taught the Pyramid model to teachers since 2010 and Positive Solutions since 2013. She is also a parent of two children: one who will be a freshman in high school and another who will be a freshman at CU.

Location

The Historic Day Nursery

104 East Rio Grande, 80903

Parent testimonials

“This class is truly life changing if willing to understand and change your behavior so that you can implement these strategies to change your child’s behavior.”
John
Parent at Early Connections
“I love Positive Solutions for Families! It has given me so much information and knowledge on how to make my house structured for my family and how to recognize and help my son label and manage his emotions.”
Miranda
Parent at Early Connections
“This class has been a positive light as parents to 3 littles. The tools you have provided have changed our child’s behaviors. We have seen more communication, positive interactions, and most importantly made us aware of our language to our children. I think everyone should be a part of this class! Thank you so much!”
Harmony
Parent at Early Connections

questions

For questions or concerns please contact Melissa Caron at (719) 632-1754 extension 1024 or please email at mcaron@earlyconnections.org

corporate Staff & Board

Board of Directors

Tammy Havens, Chair

Sr. Technical Product Manager

Compassion International

Claire Nutter, Treasurer

Deputy District Attorney II

Office of the 4th Judicial District Attorney

Kim Roberson, Secretary

Senior Director of Institutional Giving

Rewiring America

Mitchell McNeil

Software Engineer

Bluestaq LLC

Maureen Smith Lawrence

Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Regional Partnerships Program Officer

El Pomar Foundation

Robert Gonzales

Regional Account Manager

First onsite Property Restoration

Gregg Thatcher

Vice President of Investments

Raymond James & Associates

Janet Brugger

CEO

Jbrugger Consulting, LLC

Deborah Layne

Community Member

Carissa Ruben

Community Member

Rebecca Limoge

Founder

Limoge Consulting

Antonio Huerta

Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer

Colorado Department of Military & Veterans Affairs

Center locations

Explore all of our locations

See locations
Books at home reading

Corporate Offices

Apply for Enrollment

Antlers place

Center Director

rachelle roofener

Rachelle Roofener

(719) 381-4837 rroofener@earlyconnections.org

108 Antlers Place 80903

Antlers Place Center, centrally located behind the Antlers Hotel in downtown, provides a beautiful and convenient setting for your child. It's easily accessible for drop-off and pick-up, making it ideal for downtown families and working professionals. Accredited by Colorado Shines Level 4 and NAEYC.

Ages served - 18 months - 6 years

hours M-F 6:30 am - 6:00 pm

South Chelton

Center Director

Amanda Gonzalez

Amanda Gonzalez

(719) 247-1408 agonzalez@earlyconnections.org

1465 South Chelton 80910

South Chelton's Early Connections Learning Centers, situated in the southern part of Colorado Springs, occupies a shared facility with the Boys and Girls Club. It holds a Colorado Shines Level 4 accreditation and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Ages served - 6 weeks - 5 years

hours M-F 6:30 am - 6:00 pm

Day Nursery

Center Director

Tasha Jackson

(719) 381-4821 tjackson@earlyconnections.org

104 E. Rio Grande St 80903

Established in 1923, the Historic Day Nursery has consistently provided childcare services to the children of Colorado Springs. Nestled in south downtown, its grand building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Accredited by Colorado Shines Level 4 and NAEYC. This location also serves school age children in before and after school programs.

Ages served - 3 years - 14 years

hours M-F 6:30 am - 6:00 pm

Court Care

court care

270 S. Tejon St Room S 140

In partnership with Early Connections Learning Center, Court Care of the Pikes Peak Region has provided free, drop-in, licensed child care to families that have court-related business in the Fourth Judicial District Court.

Ages served - 6 weeks - 14 years

Learn More

Learn how to enroll

Affordable Education for all Families

apply for enrollment

Our enrollment team will walk you through our availability, costs and answer any additional questions you may have. First, fill out the interest form so that we can evaluate your needs. We accept all state assistance programs and offer a sliding scale fee for those who may not qualify.

To apply, start by completing our online interest form. Once submitted, a member of our team will contact you to discuss availability, answer questions, and schedule a tour of our center.

Current enrollment availability

Antlers Location

3-5 year olds – 3 spots available

18-30 months – 3 spots available

Day Nursery Location

2.5-5 year olds – 5 spots available

Chelton Location

3-5 year olds – 2 spots available

Tour your center

During the tour, you’ll learn more about our curriculum, daily routines, and how we partner with families. If a space is available and it’s the right fit for your child, we’ll guide you through the full enrollment packet, including health forms, documentation, and a start date.

See center locations

required Documents

Here are some documents that you can expect to provide when enrolling at our centers:

  • Birth Certificate
  • Immunization Record
  • Physical or date of physical appointment
  • Parent/Guardian ID
  • 2 Emergency Contacts (name, address, and phone numbers)
  • 4 weeks of most recent paystubs OR
  • 3 paystubs if military (LES’s)

Submit forms online

After touring and making the decision to enroll with us, fill out our registration forms below. If you have any questions, contact our enrollment department at 719-632-1754 or email us at enrollment@earlyconnections.org.

High quality early care & Education

We offer affordable high quality education

Learn more

Early Connections Learning Centers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality early child education and care for children in Colorado Springs. For over a century, we’ve been helping children build strong foundations for lifelong learning while supporting working families with affordable, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate programs.

A community where every child enters kindergarten healthy, confident, and ready to learn.

mission

Early Connections Learning Centers is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high quality early care and education for ALL children.

History

Since 1897, our work to provide high quality early childhood education has positively impacted thousands of children and families in the Pikes Peak region.

Leadership

Experience and longevity ensure strong leadership and a depth of knowledge unequaled elsewhere. Our management team has a combined total of over 100 years with Early Connections.

Thanks to our recognition by the State of Colorado as a high-quality provider, families who use their CCCAP benefits at Early Connections will enjoy a 20% reduction in their copays!

costs

At our centers, we embrace and welcome families from all walks of life, regardless of their income. We recognize that child care costs can be a significant burden for many families, and we are committed to accommodating each family’s unique financial situation. We are committed to making quality childcare affordable, with a sliding scale fee structure.

discuss your options
We accept UPK & Head Start programs

curriculum

Today, we serve hundreds of families each year through our locations across El Paso County. Our programs are designed to meet the needs of diverse families—providing nurturing environments, qualified teachers, nutritious meals, and support services that help children and parents thrive together

get started with enrollment

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We provide care and education for children ages 6 weeks to 14 years old, with age-appropriate programs for each developmental stage.

Yes, Early Connections Learning Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every dollar we receive goes directly toward supporting children, families, and teachers.

We operate multiple centers in Colorado Springs, including the Historic Day Nursery, Chelton, and Antlers locations.

Yes. We provide tuition assistance, scholarships, and accept CCCAP (Colorado Child Care Assistance Program) to make early education affordable for every family.

You can support us by donating, volunteering, sponsoring events, or participating in community fundraisers like the Gingerbread & Jazz Gala.