Child Development Center seeks children for the Virginia Preschool Initiative
The ACCA Child Development Center in Annandale has openings for about 40 children, including 20 slots available under the Virginia Preschool Initiative.
The VPI program provides funding to schools and community-based organizations, such as the CDC, to ensure at-risk 4-year-olds not served by Head Start are ready for kindergarten. Participating schools receive additional funds to help eligible children meet their learning goals.
CDC Executive Director Isabel Ballivian urges eligible families to enroll promptly, as children in the VPI program must be attending school by Sept. 30.
To be eligible under VPI, children must be from households with incomes at or below 200 percent of the area’s poverty level, be 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 30, and live in Fairfax County or the City of Fairfax.
Families who do not meet the VPI criteria can enroll any time.
“The VPI program is comprehensive, addressing various aspects of children’s development and family engagement,” Ballivian says.
In addition to high-quality early education, the program provides:
- Health, mental health, dental, and developmental screenings and follow-ups.
- Experiences that promote smooth transitions to kindergarten.
- Workshops and events to engage families in their children’s education.
- Literacy programs and resource materials to support learning at home.
- Professional development and technical assistance for educators.
- Classroom materials that support engaging learning environments, high-quality adult-child interactions, and curriculum implementation.
Families who enroll their children in the VPI program at the CDC must be eligible to receive subsidies from the Child Care Assistance and Referral program. This financial support ensures that families can access high-quality early education without financial barriers.
Ballivan urges interested families to come for a tour and meet the staff. The CDC is located at 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale.
Contact Jenny Chambi, operations manager, at [email protected] or 703-256-0100, for more information on the enrollment process.
The CDC is hosting a full day of entertainment, games, crafts, and other fun activities for children at the Taste of Annandale on Sept. 21.
