Where are we located?

Nestled around our historic brick building and beautiful gardens are four playgrounds designed specifically for children eight weeks to five years of age. These playgrounds, along with our indoor gyms, give children the chance to develop and practice the many physical activities that form the foundation of later physical skills.

Our most recently designed playground received the 1998 Landscape Award from the Western New York Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc.

What Sets Us Apart?

Financial Assistance:
Westminster is committed to offering its services to all children, regardless of socio-economic status. Through the help of local foundations and contributions from Westminster Presbyterian Church, WECP has been able to increase its scholarships, and offer financial assistance to families in need.

Parent Partnerships:
Westminster parents are integrally involved in the operation of the school, as well as in the day-to-day happenings in the classroom. Our parent involvement program promotes solid partnerships that strengthen the bonds between school and home, and enhance the experience of the child.

Spiritual Component:
Westminster, the children come together once a week for an interfaith experience to celebrate God's goodness and love. We give thanks for all the good things in this world, we sing interfaith songs and focus on kindness to each other. This inter-faith program is broadly ecumenical in its approach to spiritual growth, where differences of religious belief and practice are welcomed and affirmed.

Outreach:
WECP welcomes children with special needs, as well as children and families who reflect the cultural, racial, ethnic, religious and economic diversity of our community. Through partnerships with the Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center of Children's Hospital and the Heritage Education Program children with special needs are fully integrated into our programs. These inclusion opportunities have been successful and beneficial for all children at WECP.

Our Mission

WECP's mission is to provide each child with a safe, nurturing environment that encourages self-esteem, individuality and respect for diversity. This environment fosters each child's development socially, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and physically.

Through play and exploration we foster children's creativity, curiosity and confidence as they become problem solvers, critical thinkers, and life-long learners.

We develop warm relationships with adults and children, building a sense of caring and community for all families.

National Accreditation

In August 2002, Westminster Early Childhood Programs was granted accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This prestigious recognition has been achieved by approximately 7% of early childhood programs nationwide.

NAEYC accreditation is a rigorous voluntary process by which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. Child care centers, preschools, kindergartens, and before and after school programs are eligible to seek NAEYC accreditation. Approximately 15,000 programs are engaged in working toward accreditation. Programs seeking accreditation undergo an intensive self-study, collecting information from parents, teachers, administrators, and classroom observations. They receive an on-site visit, conducted by early childhood professionals especially trained by NAEYC, to validate the self-study results. All of this information is independently reviewed by a team of national experts who grant or defer accreditation. When awarded, accreditation is valid for three years.

“The heart of NAEYC accreditation focuses on the child’s experience,” said Barbara Willer, spokesperson for NAEYC. “The process carefully considers all aspects of a program including health and safety, staffing, staff qualifications, and physical environment. The greatest emphasis is on the children’s relationships with the staff and how the program helps each child grow and learn intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.”

WECP will now proudly display the NAEYC torch - the sign of NAEYC accreditation. Parents who look for the torch when choosing early childhood education programs for their children will find programs which have made a commitment to excellence for young children and families.