Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is Washington's pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children from families furthest from opportunity for success in school and in life. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) oversees the program. ECEAP is free to families that meet low income or other qualifying factors.
The ESD 105 ECEAP team believes in the value and uniqueness of each child we serve. Our preschool program is designed to promote each child’s individual social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
As caregivers and educators, our mission is to provide a safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment, which fosters a child’s natural desire to explore, discover, create, and become a lifelong learner.
We believe parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. We encourage families to be actively involved in our program. We have an open-door policy which means we welcome you to come into the classroom, read a story, participate in activities or have a meal with your child.
Philosophy & Guiding Principles
Our program is built around the concept that children are born ready to learn. As caregivers, we strive to create a learning environment that is safe, stimulating and encouraging. The following principles are excerpted from the Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines and serve as the foundation for our program.
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Every child and family has unique gifts and abilities that are to be celebrated and nurtured.
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Birth to third grade is the most extraordinary period of growth and development that lays a foundation for learning throughout one’s life.
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Families are their child’s first, most important, and life-long teachers.
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Children are active learners who learn through relationships, play, active involvement, engagement, exploration and use of their senses.
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Every child and his or her family deserve equitable access to appropriate supports that acknowledge their uniqueness and enable them to reach their full potential.
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Learning and development are interrelated; this means that learning builds upon previous learning and development in one area impacts other areas.
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Children learn best when they are emotionally and physically healthy, safe and free of hunger.
ESD offers three ECEAP Programs
- Blessings Early Learning Center, Toppenish (full-time, year-round)
- Blossoms Early Learning Center I, 411 N 4th St, Yakima (full-time, year-round and school-day)
- Blossoms Early Learning Center II, 1604 E Race St, Yakima (full-time, year-round and school-day)
- Cle Elum-Roslyn School District, Cle Elum (school-day)
- Ellensburg School District, Ellensburg (part-day)
- Heritage University Early Learning Center, Toppenish (full-time, year-round)
- MAKA Early Learning, Yakima (full-time, year-round)
- Taylor Tots Too, Yakima (full-time, year-round)
- Taylor Tots, Gleed (full-time, year-round)
- Toppenish School District Preschool, Toppenish (school-day)
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