Each year, the story of Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County comes down to a shared belief: that our children deserve, and our community depends on, a strong, integrated approach to early childhood education. Across Stamford, families, educators, and public and philanthropic partners work together to make sure children don’t just learn, but thrive — and that families have the stability to fully participate in our local economy.
That belief has deep roots. Since 1902, CLC has led the way in delivering high-quality, affordable early childhood education and care. Today that work reaches more than 800 children each year across six Stamford locations, with every program accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children or approved through Federal Head Start. But the number that says the most about what we do is a smaller one: one in three children in every Stamford Public School kindergarten class is a CLC graduate.
The Whole Child-Whole Family Approach
The foundation holds because we see learning as inseparable from everything else a child needs. In our classrooms, children discover, connect, and grow in environments that nurture their learning, confidence, and sense of belonging. At the same time, families are supported through services that promote stability, health, and well-being — because these supports are essential to a child’s success.
That care shows up in concrete ways. Each year, CLC serves more than 500,000 meals and snacks at no cost to families, meeting 80% of children’s daily nutritional needs. For the families we serve — 87% of whom live below 50% of the state median income — that kind of support isn’t a small thing. It’s part of what makes learning possible.
Learning together
Making a strong start possible also means creating classrooms where every child is supported, inspired, and encouraged to grow. Through The Creative Curriculum, a research-based approach to early childhood education, children develop social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills through play-based learning. They explore hands-on, project-based studies focused on real-world topics — experiences that spark curiosity, creativity, and discovery, and make learning both joyful and meaningful.
For children who need more, we bring the support to them. At our William Pitt and Maple Avenue sites, in partnership with Stamford Public Schools, integrated classrooms serve children with specialized learning needs in nurturing, inclusive environments. Children with Individualized Education Programs receive services directly in the classroom, learning alongside their peers. The goal is to educate every child in their least restrictive environment — and over the course of the year, many children are able to reduce the specialized services they once needed, still learning beside their friends, still part of the classroom community. Identifying needs early is what makes that progress possible. The earlier a child’s needs are recognized and supported, the stronger their footing when they reach elementary school and beyond.
What it gives back
The clearest measure of a strong start is what happens after a child leaves us. Children who attend CLC enter kindergarten more prepared — academically, socially, and emotionally — and continue to demonstrate stronger outcomes as they move through school: higher attendance, higher literacy scores, and higher math scores than children who did not attend preschool. Just as importantly, their families gain the stability they need to work, grow, and contribute to our community.
That return may not always show up on a spreadsheet. But it shows up in the children who walk into kindergarten ready, and in a community that grows stronger because its youngest learners were given a strong start — carried forward for a lifetime.