Programs

  • Santa Monica Early Childhood Lab School

    AS WE EMBARKED ON OUR 36TH YEAR, WE OPENED A NEW CAMPUS THE SANTA MONICA EARLY CHILDHOOD LAB SCHOOL. WE SERVED 56 FAMILIES IN OUR FOUNDING YEAR AND WILL SCALE UP TO 106 CHILDREN ANNUALLY AT THE LAB SCHOOL CAMPUS, FOR A TOTAL OF 250 CHILDREN AT GROWING PLACE. FURTHERMORE, THE LAB SCHOOL CAMPUS INCREASED OUR REACH TO TRAIN A NEW GENERATION OF TEACHERS. THROUGH THE OBSERVATION CAMERAS AND OUTDOOR DECK, 72 SANTA MONICA COLLEGE EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDENTS COULD OBSERVE AND LEARN AT GROWING PLACE THIS YEAR.OUR OPERATIONS CONTINUED TO BE IMPACTED BY THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19. DUE TO THE STAFFING STORAGES AND DIFFICULTY IN STAFF RETENTION, WE OPERATED WITH REDUCED HOURS. WE ALSO CONTINUED WEEKLY COVID-19 TESTING OF OUR STAFF. IN A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY, WE ARE PROUD TO PROVIDE STABILITY AND COMMUNITY TO 200 WORKING FAMILIES IN WEST LOS ANGELES.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Aug 1, 2021 – Jul 31, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $4.7M

  • Program 1 [2024]

    DURING THE 2023/24 SCHOOL YEAR OUR NEWEST CAMPUS, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LAB SCHOOL, WAS FULLY ENROLLED FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ITS NEW CAMPUS DIRECTOR, AMANDA HONDA. GROWING PLACE PARTICIPATED IN THE ECSTEM CONFERENCE IN FEBRUARY OF 2024 MAKING THIS OUR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THIS ESTEEMED PROGRAM. AT OUR MARINE PARK CAMPUS WE REMODELLED BOTH THE PRESCHOOL (PALM) ROOM AND THE TODDLER (MAGNOLIA) ROOM GIVING BOTH ROOMS A MUCH NEEDED FACELIFT. WE ALSO BEGAN MAKING PLANS FOR BIGGER REMODELS OF THE INFANT (WILLOW) ROOM AND THE ADMIN SPACE. WE WERE AWARDED A $1.05M GRANT BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO REMODEL THE UNUSED 2ND FLOOR OF OUR OCEAN PARK CAMPUS TO CREATE TWO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS. THIS WORK IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN THE SUMMER OF 2026 WITH THE NEW CLASSROOMS READY FOR USE THE FOLLOWING YEAR. IT WAS A YEAR OF CHANGE FOR US AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 12 YEARS, PAULINE MCPEAKE, MOVED ONTO A NEW OPPORTUNITY IN THE LA PRESCHOOL WORLD. JULIE BACZEWSKI WAS HIRED AS INTERIM ED IN JULY OF 2024.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Aug 1, 2023 – Jul 31, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $6.4M