In the heart of Multnomah Village
A place for discovering and learning togetherIn the heart of Multnomah Village
A place for discovering and learning togetherAt West Hills Learning Center, we are proud to offer nurturing care, quality learning environments, and a blended creative and emergent curriculum that prepares your child for school… and for life.
Tucked away in the quaint Multnomah Village area of SW Portland, we have been serving families since 1950. West Hills Learning Center is a safe haven where your young child will play and learn, grow and thrive.
Incorporating Culture
All of our classrooms from the Sunflower Room (Older Infant/Toddler’s) through the Maple Room (Younger Preschool) are introduced to basic Spanish vocabulary. The Aspen Room (Older Preschool) has Spanish lessons each week, and the older children (Willow and Azalea rooms) benefit from the richness of a daily afternoon Spanish program. (Read more about our cultural programs)
Prepared for Any Future
Enriched creative and emergent curriculum (see below), engaging classrooms, nutritional lunch and snacks, and expansive playgrounds with outdoor gardens provide your child a rich and diverse environment in which to learn and grow.
Your child will be more than prepared to transition to a public or private school after spending their foundational years at the West Hills Learning Center.
Be social with us!
Curriculum
Emergent
An Emergent Curriculum is an ongoing and creative process. It begins with purposeful observation of the children’s interests and passions. The teachers use these observations to envision where they and the children might adventure together. Using careful documentation, creative brainstorming, flexibility and patience, the staff use the children’s own interests to develop enticing and meaningful programs.
Developmentally Appropriate
Our developmentally appropriate learning practices give us the standards for what young children are like in terms of social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language development, and the characteristics and experiences that make each child unique. Knowing what is typical at each age and stage of early development is the key to promoting optimal learning opportunities.
Creative
Our Creative Curriculum provides a “blueprint” for planning and implementing developmentally sound programs. Beginning by creating classroom environments that offer a variety of “areas of interest”, the teachers offer age-appropriate, skill increasing, group and individual activities.
Curriculum Resources:
Emergent Curriculum by Elizabeth Jones & John Ninno
Developmentally Appropriate Practices by Sue Bredekamp & Carol Copple
The Creative Curriculum (4th edition) by Diana Trister Dodge & Laura J. Cloker
Evaluations:
Classroom teachers observe and document your children’s progress regularly and formally evaluate them three times throughout the school year. These evaluations are always available to parents and are utilized during parent/teacher conferences in the Fall and Spring.
Parents As Partners
Recognizing that home and school are a young child’s two most important worlds, we connect these two worlds in positive and respectful ways. Partnering with families using informal and formal communications, offering a variety of ways for families to contribute, and conducting conferences to discuss progress and to plan together—all these components join together to support each child’s healthy development and learning.
Outside Play Gallery
Contact Us to learn more about our programs and for a tour of our Center.