Edison State College
NCEF Early Childhood Development Center Campus Category
Community colleges and other two-year institutions
Contact Information
Jyoti Naik
Facility Planner/ Building Official
Facilities Planning and Maintenance
Education and Research
We have a our first LEED building which is the childcare building in our Naples campus. It is the first geen building in Collier County. It recieved a Gold Certificate. This child care center is owned by Edison College and is located on their Collier County
Campus. It will be managed and operated by Collier County Child Care Resources,
Inc., a subsidiary of Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc., a non-profit child care training
and provider agency that has been serving families in this area for forty-one years. This
center can serve over 100 children who range in age from infancy through four years.
The Naples Children and Education Foundation (NCEF) is the main private funder of
the new child care center on the Edison campus in Collier County. Several of the NCEF
trustees strongly suggested that we design this facility to serve children from lower
income homes while also providing a classroom setting for future educators and a
demonstration site where existing and potential providers of early care and education
can experience a Reggio Emilia-inspired program in operation.
The underlying operating philosophy of the center will be based on the Reggio Emilia
approach. The Reggio Emilia schools were first started in Northern Italy after World War
II. Based on the work of Loris Malaguzzi, Reggio inspired schools are known for their
belief that children are capable learners, parents are equal partners with teachers in
educating their children, the environment functions as an additional “teacher”, and that
teachers continually reflect on their practice and are lifelong learners. The curriculum is
characterized by long-term projects that result in in-depth learning by children.
Family and community members will be active members of this, their center. There will
be accommodations for students in early childhood programs both at the college and at
the high school teaching academy level to observe and/or participate in the life of the
center. In keeping with the Reggio Emilia model, special attention will be paid to weave
arts and artists (performing and visual) into the fabric of the center. Integrated within the
building will be dedicated spaces for parents to meet, health screeners and therapists to
work with children, teachers to prepare materials and share ideas and resources, and
classes and community seminars to be held.
The seven classrooms will each be aesthetically pleasing, bright, cheerful spaces
designed to nurture and support the inquisitive nature of young learners. There will be
areas for both quiet and active play and exploration. There are many wall size windows
that allow for an easy flow between indoor and outdoor areas and encourage an
awareness of, and respect for, the environment. Natural elements, light, and native
plants will abound. Artwork (photos, sculpture and paintings) throughout the building will
be that of local artists and art students as well as that produced by the children of the
center. Documentation of the children’s in-depth project work will be respectfully
displayed for both the children and their parents to review.
The outdoor area is as important as the inside as a learning environment. Children, as
young scientists, will be able to construct their own theories about the world and will be
supported and encouraged to test out those theories through authentic interactions with
the environment and with others to arrive at an understanding and appreciation of their
world. According to Loris Malaguzzi, one of the original creators of the Reggio Emilia
philosophy, “Each child is unique and the protagonist of his or her own growth. Children
desire to acquire knowledge, have much capacity for curiosity and amazement, and
yearn to create relationships with others and communicate.”
Key Points of the Reggio Emilia Child Development Philosophy Used in this Center
Children
Campus Operations
We have a recycling policy on all our campuses. All our waste dumpsters are recycled. We use only green chmeicals for housekeeping. We have also made a commitment to make all our new buildings green.
Administration and Finance
All our forms are now elctronic and available on the web. We have green building seminars on campus.
