Our story
Dr. John (Jack) Pierce founded the Fauntleroy Children’s Center in 1977. Our mission was to provide local working families with high-quality, affordable childcare as well as job opportunities for West Seattle residents. Our nonprofit is governed by the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency (FCSA) and supported by our Parent Advisory Board.
Fauntleroy School was built in the heart of the Fauntleroy community in 1917. Because of the closure of the Fauntleroy elementary school in 1981, FCC was able to move into the Schoolhouse that fall. We are fortunate to still call the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse our home nearly 50 years later. The FCSA now owns the entire Schoolhouse property fostering a diverse community center with a variety of services where all families are welcome.
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Our outdoor space spans much of the property bordering Fauntleroy Creek and includes expansive play structures for each classroom, a large grassy field, and ample parking. Classrooms and playgrounds feature personalized touches hand-crafted by staff, parents, and volunteers as well as gardens for each child to tend to. Along with repurposed original fixtures from the Schoolhouse’s days as an elementary school, every piece comes together to create a delightful and engaging home-away-from-home.
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Multiple generations of West Seattle families have come through our doors and since our first spaghetti dinner fundraiser in the early 1980's to our advocacy and outreach, we are a well-known fixture in the community where people feel inspired to be part of the FCC family. We have our volunteer Boards, committees for technology, fundraising, policies and events throughout the year. We are powered by volunteers where family involvement is a key part of our programs.


Curriculum
Curriculum Philosophy – The Value of Play
Our skilled staff helps children build strong socio-emotional relationships. This is done through provision of nurturing childcare, a secure, consistent environment. Children are free to explore and participate in enriching hands-on educational activities. Teachers foster children’s natural curiosity about their world through careful observation and thoughtful planning of the curriculum. Teachers help children acquire and strengthen self-regulatory and problem-solving skills. These skills are consistent with their development.
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​Play experiences are essential to the development of critical thinking skills and lead to learning play based academic skills. We value play as concrete experiences to build upon. This is done by expanding vocabulary, providing resources for further discovery and helping children to create the connections between new experiences and old. FCC invites families to share their skills, talents, traditions and favorite activities. By providing a wide engagement with their world, children will bring to their on-going school experiences knowledge and understanding that will assist them in their academic work; many opportunities to create, build, manipulate and interact with their environment, peers and teachers.
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Curriculum Objectives
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To achieve the Fauntleroy Children’s Center Program objectives, we use The Creative Curriculum® system (by Teaching Strategies, Inc.) for planning curriculum goals and objectives for individual children. The goals and objectives of Creative Curriculum® are organized into four developmental areas: (1) social/emotional (2) physical; (3) cognitive; and (4) language. These areas address the important aspects of a child’s development and learning and can be influenced by the care and education that is provided.
Daily Routine
Schedules vary depending on the classroom.
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7:00 AM School Opens, Free Play & Activities
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9:00 AM Breakfast (FCC provided)
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9:30 AM Activity Time (music, stories, art)
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11:00 AM Outdoor Time
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12:00 PM Lunch (FCC provided)
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1:00 PM Nap
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3:00 PM Wake Up & Snack (FCC provided)
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3:30 PM Circle Time (group activity or experience)
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4:00 PM Outdoor Time
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5:30 PM Free Play & Activities
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6:00 PM School Closes
