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Empowering Families

A Free Comprehensive Class for Parents on Nurturing Children’s Social and Emotional Growth

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

September 14 & 28 | October 12 & 19

9am – 1pm

Each day the sessions will go from 9am – 1pm with a free lunch and child care available for those who need it. As a bonus we are giving away two (2) $50 gift cards to two random participants for your commitment. 

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!

Location

The Historic Day Nursery

104 East Rio Grande, 80903

Melissa Caron Headshot

Melissa Caron

Instructor

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.

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

Staff

Join the Team

Board of Directors

Tammy Havens, Chair

Sr. Technical Product Manager

Compassion International

Lauren Ragland, Vice Chair

Process Engineer

Keysight Technologies

Claire Nutter, Treasurer

Deputy District Attorney II

Office of the 4th Judicial District Attorney

Kim Roberson, Secretary

Western Region Development Officer

Morehead-Cain Foundation

Sandy Dye

Community Member

Maureen Smith Lawrence

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

El Pomar Foundation

George Luke

Retired

Colorado Springs Utilities

Robert Gonzales

Regional Account Manager, First onsite Property Restoration

Gregg Thatcher

Vice President of Investments

Raymond James & Associates

Janet Brugger

CEO Jbrugger Consulting, LLC

Sandy Jaray

Community Member

Deborah Layne

Senior Accountant, El Pomar Foundation

Carissa Ruben

Community Member

Welcome to the Early Connections Learning Centers Alumni Page

Early Connections Learning Centers has been dedicated to giving children a great start in life since 1897. Hundreds of children, staff, board members and volunteers have passed through our doors to enrich young lives and contribute to the overall well-being of Colorado Springs.

We deeply value our rich heritage and invite anyone who has been associated with Child Nursery Centers, The Day Nursery or any of our centers to visit us and share your story.

Books at home reading

Corporate Offices

Enrollment Information

Antlers place

Center Director

rachelle roofener

Rachelle Roofener

Ext. 1201 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

Ext. 1301 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

Tasha Jackson

Ext. 1101 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

Sand Creek

Center Director

Jade Cowden

Ext. 1500 jcowden@earlyconnections.org

550 Sand Creek Dr 80916

The School Age Program at Sand Creek, within Early Connections Learning Centers, is located at Sand Creek Elementary School and is affiliated with Harrison School District Two in the southeastern region of Colorado Springs. We serve before and after school care at this location.

Ages served - 5 years - 12 years

hours M-F 7:00 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

check availability

Our enrollment team will walk you through our availability, costs and answer any additional questions you may have. First, fill out the form below so that we can evaluate your needs.

Enrollment Information

Let's get started! Please tell us a little bit about your needs

Name(Required)
Email(Required)
Which center are you considering?(Required)
Do you qualify for any of these programs?(Required)
Your Child's Date of Birth(Required)
Hidden
What ages do you need care for?

Tour your center

It is highly recommended that you tour any potential centers you are interested in. This gives you the opportunity to not only meet our teaching staff but also watch them in action. Our team can also let you know if you qualify for one of the many programs we offer: Head Start, Colorado Preschool Program and UPK.

See center locations

required Documents

Here are some documents that you can expect to provide:

  • 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 and Education

We are delighted you are considering us for the care and early education of your child. The safety, education and well-being of your child is of the utmost importance to us at Early Connections, and it is our hope that you find our services beneficial for your entire family.

Learn more

Early childhood education helps children develop important skills and concepts during their early years, such as social-emotional skills, basic math, reading, and thinking abilities.

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

Our nationally accredited programs include a literacy-focused curriculum, family support activities, nutritious meals and snacks, physical and behavioral health support, and highly qualified professional staff. We share the same goal as you do for your child: for them to be happy and successful in learning and in life.

get started with enrollment