Name of Site: William Patrick Day Early Childhood Center

Contact Persons:

Celeste Bajorek, Early Childhood Manager
Jeanni Brezina, Early Childhood Intervention Specialist

Address: 2421 Community College Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115

Phone: (216) 736-2920

Fax: (216) 736-3393

Email Addresses:

bajorek@cuyahogabdd.org
brezina@cuyahogabdd.org  

Designation Date as MOVE Model Site: May 21, 2003

MOVE International Trainers: 

           Jeanni Brezina, Early Childhood Intervention Specialist
           Paula Papp, Special Education Teacher
           Joyce Yates, Physical Therapist

Description of Site:

The William Patrick Day Early Childhood Center is a collaborative early childhood center, operated by the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, offering health, nutrition and educational services to children ages birth through five, with and without disabilities, and their families. Center educational programs are collaborative with community partners such as Head Start and the Cleveland Municipal Schools. The CCBMR/DD provides Early Intervention (ages birth to three) and Preschool Special Education (ages three through five) programs at the Center. All services to eligible children and families are free, funded in part by county property tax dollars. The William Patrick Day Early Childhood Center is the largest of six Early Childhood Centers located throughout Cuyahoga County.

Number of students:

354 total, including 72 toddlers (under three years old), 112 preschoolers with disabilities (ages three through five), 170 preschoolers without disabilities.

Number of students using the MOVE Program: Approx. 50 children, ages one through five.

Student/staff ratio:

Each session has a maximum of eight children with a certified special education teacher and one or more classroom assistant teachers. Children with developmental disabilities have opportunities for inclusion with peers.

Research:

MOVE Curriculum Outcome Data - 2006, MOVE Curriculum Outcome Data - 2005 and MOVE Curriculum Outcome Data - 2003 show that the MOVE Program is helping their students improve mobility skills.

Other notes of interest:

We are the first Model Site devoted exclusively to using the MOVE Curriculum with young children in an inclusive environment. We use a model of collaborative consultation to provide a comprehensive interdisciplinary team for each child, including the family. The curriculum blends regular and special education, with developmentally appropriate practice as a foundation, individualized for each child. The MOVE curriculum is used in any classroom. Several classrooms specialize in MOVE for children with complex medical needs. MOVE is integrated into adapted physical education, swimming, music and field trips. Our Model Site Project was supported in part by a grant from The Cleveland Foundation. Our site trainers and program staff continue to "spread the word" throughout the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities early childhood, school-age and adult programs. For more information about CCBMR/DD: http://www.ccbmrdd.org

Directions to William Patrick Day Early Childhood Center:

From Toledo, Chicago, and Michigan regions proceed to the I-80/I-90 toll road East to the 8A Exit (exit for I-90 East). Proceed on I-90 East to the 172B exit. Turn right onto East 22nd Street and proceed to Community College Avenue (stop light). Turn left onto Community College Avenue. The center is on the lefthand side of the street (2421 Community College Avenue).

From Columbus, take I-71 north. I-71 becomes I-90 East. On I-90 East take the 172B exit. Turn right onto East 22nd Street and proceed to Community College Avenue (stop light). Turn left onto Community College Avenue. The center is on the lefthand side of the street (2421 Community College Avenue).

From Akron and Youngstown, proceed to I-77 North. On I-77 North take the 162B (East 14th Street) exit. Take the ramp toward East 22nd Street (do not actually turn onto East 22nd Street) and simply merge onto Community College Avenue. The center is on the lefthand side of the street (2421 Community College Avenue).

From Buffalo, take I-90 West. On I-90 West take the 173A (Prospect Avenue) exit. Turn left at the stop light onto Prospect Avenue. Turn right onto East 30th Street. Turn right onto Community College Avenue. The center is on the righthand side of the street (2421 Community College Avenue).