Hilltop is special. Your children will find that Hilltop Child Development Center is a home away from home, a place that provides stability and comfort. The children enjoy great interaction with staff. When you visit the center you may see children reading, doing arts and crafts, cleaning their areas, napping or returning from a field trip. The days are planned so that each child learns according to his or her ability. Your child will enjoy the days spent at Hilltop, and you will enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing your child is in good hands.
Because of United Way funding and private donations, Hilltop Day Care Center is able to help families underwrite the cost of child care fees. Fees include breakfast, lunch and snacks. Hilltop is a great place for children from two to five years of age. The center also offers a summer program for school-age children up to ten years old.
Hilltop Child Development Center
- is one of four accredited day care centers in north St. Louis city
- has degreed teachers on staff
- looks after the children's emotional and educational development, as well as their physical safety
- has an active parents' organization which coordinates fund-raisers for the center and acts as an advisory panel to the director
- has computers for the children's use
- teaches children about the world around them through programs such as Project Safe Touch
Philosophy
Hilltop Child Development Center provides quality child care to families of any ethnic or religious background. We provide children with a wide variety of basic skills that prepare them for success in elementary school. Children are encouraged to develop their creativity, and their physical, intellectual, and social skills. Hilltop places a strong value on developing good self-esteem, verbal and creative expressiveness, assertiveness, and a sense of personal responsibility that is age appropriate.
Each child is valued for their individual strengths and is encouraged to be self-directed in their learning by exploring and investigating their environment.
This learning takes place in a warm, safe, nurturing, and stimulating atmosphere. Hilltop invites and values parental visits or volunteering in the classroom or on special occasions. Furthermore, Hilltop provides support to families through:
1) developing a specialized learning plan for children based on their individual needs
2) using diagnostic tools including: eye exams, hearing test and language and speech assessment
3) provides referrals to other resources.
Location and Phone Number:
We welcome you to call for an appointment to tour the center and meet the children at Hilltop who will be delighted to share their enthusiasm with you.
6155 West Florissant
St. Louis, Missouri 63136
(314) 389-1001
Click here to email Hilltop Child Development Center
Center Hours:
6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
Center Holidays:
Hilltop Child Development Center is open all 12 months, full year, except for the following 10 holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Martin L. King's Day
- President's Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day and Friday after
- Christmas Day
If there are any changes you will be notified in advance.
Enrollment:
It is necessary for parents to set up an appointment before your child can be enrolled in Hilltop. During this time, the program and center's policies will be explained to you. Information will be shared on what you need to bring with you on your child's assigned enrollment date. For example, you will need to bring in two current payroll check stubs, social security cards, your child's birth certificate, drivers license or state ID and immunization record. If you are receiving assistance from the Division of Family Services, Hilltop will need copy of your EBT card and Medicaid Card. We will set up a pre-placement day when you and your child/children will be required to spend a half-day in his/her classroom. Upon enrolling in the center, we ask all parents to sign an arrival and pick-up agreement stating what time your child/children will arrive in the morning, and what time they will be picked up in the evening. If for any reason these times change, you must sign a new arrival/pick-up agreement form. All information is confidential and complaint with HIPPA.
Staff/Child Ratios:
In order to be in compliance with the State Laws of Missouri, the following staff/child ratios shall be maintained on the premises of the center at all times.
- 2 yrs.: 1 adult to 8 children (16 in a room)
- 3 yrs.-4yrs.: 1 adult to 10 children
- 5 yrs. and up: 1 adult to 16 children
Meals:
Our meals and snacks are USDA approved to insure a well balanced diet. Every student participates in the food program. Please have your child here by your signed arrival time to be counted for breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast is served at 7:00 a.m., lunch begins at 10:50 a.m., and a snack is served after nap. Please do not send you child with candy, gum, or food to school.
Clothing:
The daily program always includes painting, water play, sitting on the floor during games, and active outdoor activities. This means children are going to get dirty. Your child does not need dressy, hard to launder clothing. He or she does need clothing that is comfortable, easy to fasten and unfasten, and simple to wash. Shoes are much easier to put on than boots and also allow children to exercise their muscles.
Every child needs a change of clothing in his/her cubby. Sometimes the children spill things or have accidents. If your child uses his/her extra clothing during any day, please return a clean set the following morning. Please use permanent marker and include the child's name.
Program Description
The program at Hilltop does not fit precisely any of the school models. We basically incorporate the Bank Street College model, Cognitive model, and Responsive model, borrowing from each of them. At Hilltop, due to the type of families served, we add a sociological concept, that of establishing an atmosphere to meet the nurturing needs of young children. Here we aid in the socialization of the young child, encouraging emotional maturity. Our teaching procedures should help the young child to become self-directed in his/her learning, develop a strong sense of exploration and investigation. It should also help to both develop and enhance positive self image and intellectual ability, emphasizing language development, problem solving, perceptual acuity, abstract thinking and physical coordination. The Hilltop children are encouraged to explore and find answers, amidst responsive people.
Discipline Policy
We use positive redirection of discipline at the Center. There is no physical punishment of any kind, including spanking, slapping, shaking, biting, or pulling hair. Children are redirected to other more productive activities and encouraged to slowly solve the problem. If there is consistent inappropriate behavior exhibited by a child, the parent may be asked to keep the child home for two-three days without an adjustment in your fees.
Back to top
