Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) opened its second Early Learning Center at the start of the school year as part of the school system’s expansion of prekindergarten. The Early Learning Center, Waldorf serves 153 three- and four-year-old students accepted into the CCPS prekindergarten program. Known as ELC, Waldorf, it is located at 3155 John Hanson Drive in Waldorf taking over the former CCPS Transition School.

ELC, Waldorf held a ribbon cutting ceremony recently to celebrate the opening of the building. Center Coordinator Ashley Valenzuela-Carrington and ELC, Waldorf staff welcomed CCPS staff, Superintendent of Schools Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., and members of the Board of Education of Charles County to the event.

Valenzuela-Carrington opened the ceremony with a thank you to everyone who attended the event, contributed to the opening of the center and to staff who help the building run smoothly. “I want people to see the great things we are doing here at the ELC, Waldorf,” she said. “Our students are three- and four-year-olds, but many of them are doing an outstanding job learning the routines of being in school. This is largely due to our amazing staff.”

Navarro opened by thanking everyone for their hard work in renovating the building to fit the needs of the county’s youngest learners. “We discussed how we would utilize the building long term, and this is where the idea of ELC, Waldorf being housed here started,” she said. She mentioned how the former full-sized items and appliances in the building were replaced with smaller equipment to meet the basic needs of each student at the center.

Board Chairperson Yonelle Moore Lee, Esq., mentioned how she enjoys visiting the prekindergarten program because of the hope that exudes from each student. “I love the young children because the hope that they have is infectious and you can’t help but be joyous around them. You can’t help but really see that our future will be bright,” she said.

During the ribbon cutting portion of the ceremony, Josiah Wade, a student at ELC, Waldorf held the plastic, oversized scissors as staff and guests gathered around for the moment. Wade was the first student who registered to attend the ELC, Waldorf when it first opened. After the ribbon cutting, Valenzuela-Carrington guided the guests on a tour of the building.

Throughout the tour, Board members highlighted the importance of education during this early stage for the students in the program. “What they are taught now will shape their voice and worldview as they get older,” Board Member Dottery Butler-Washington said.

“I have two goals for our students: I want them to know that they are loved here and that they leave here demonstrating elementary school readiness with both social and academic foundation skills,” Valenzuela-Carrington said. “It is also very important to me that families feel connected to the ELC, Waldorf. Building relationships with our students and families has been a top priority of mine. Along with that, it's important to me that my staff feels supported. The work we do is hard, but I wouldn't want to do it without any of them. The teamwork amongst our staff is incredible to see.”

ELC, Waldorf follows as the second CCPS Early Learning Center after the ELC, La Plata, housed on the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) opened last school year. The center in Waldorf officially opened on the first day of school for prekindergarten students for the 2024-2025 school year, Tuesday, Sept. 3. 

The opening of ELC, Waldorf is part of the school system’s expansion of early learning opportunities, as well as to fulfill the early childhood education requirement found in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation.

The prekindergarten program at the center is the same as those held in CCPS elementary schools, with students completing the program and advancing to kindergarten at their zoned school.

Students attending ELC, Waldorf are zoned for the location through their home address. Some classrooms are inclusion classrooms with preschool-aged special needs students as well as typically developing peers. The CCPS prekindergarten curriculum will be followed and CCPS provides bus transportation and meals for all students.

To learn more about the CCPS prekindergarten program, visit the school system website at https://www.ccboe.com/departments/prekindergarten.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,765 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. 

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).