About Us

Since 1981, TLC has been providing exceptional early childhood education within a welcoming and richly diverse community.  We believe in providing communities with the best resources in childcare and education.  Executive Director, Patricia Forkan, opened TLC after not being able to find quality childcare for her own children. Striving to create the best educational facility for her own family, TLC has grown into two state-of-the-art facilities in both Blue Island, IL and Crest Hill, IL to serve families looking for the same educational experience for their own children. Children, parents, and teachers are mutually respected and trusted. Our professional and dedicated teachers encourage each child to be confident of his or her abilities and sensitive to the needs of others. We provide a well-balanced and developmentally appropriate curriculum which encourages social growth. We value open communication with parents which helps reinforce what is learned at home and in school. Since opening, TLC has reached highest honor of becoming NAEYC-accredited school which only 8% of all childcare centers have accomplished. We also participate in the Quality Counts Quality Rating System.  We provide transportation to and from all area elementary schools as well as serve three snacks, breakfast, and lunch.  

Philosophy:
TLC Learning Center is a co-educational, day school located in Blue Island and Crest Hill, Illinois enrolling children from as young as 6 weeks old to 12 years old. Our primary goal is to provide a solid beginning for our young students that will instill intellectual curiousity, compassionate engagement, and active participation in the world.  We believe that a community that is cultually, ethnically, and economically diverse allows children to broaden their understanding of themselves and the world around them in an atmosphere of inclusion and respect.  TLC provides nurturing, child-centered settings for children committed to building and fostering a community of life-long learners.

We are educators guided by the philosophy and the standards set forth by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and The Creative Curriculum © developed by Teaching Strategies, Inc. 

TLC Learning Center admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

 

Teachers & Staff
Our Teachers come from diverse cultural and edcational backgrounds.  They are fully committed to providing a foundation for our students' educational careers and for what we hope will be a lifelong journey of learning.

TLC is dedicated to nurturing your child and treating him or her with respect and dignity.We’re here to help your child become an independent, self-confident, inquisitive learner. Your child will be encouraged to develop to their fullest potential socially, emotionally, physically and academically.


Accreditation of Programs for Young Children:
Since 1985, NAEYC's national, voluntary accreditation system has set professional standards for early childhood education programs, and helped families identify high-quality programs for their young children.

From NAEYC Accreditation:
A Commitment to Excellence in Early Childhood Education



The National Association for the Education of Young Children, the world's largest organization of early childhood educators, established its accreditation system to raise the quality of early childhood education and help families and others identify high-quality child care centers, preschools, kindergartens, and other early childhood programs. NAEYC accredited programs are committed to providing high-quality educational services to young children and their families. While the accreditation process examines all aspects of a program including health and safety, teacher qualifications, and administration, the focus is on the quality of interactions between teachers and children and the nature of the child's experience. To earn accreditation, programs comply with national standards of quality that go well beyond state health and safety licensing requirements.  The NAEYC accreditation criteria address all aspects of an early childhood education program, including the following.

•    Teacher qualifications and development
•    Teacher-to-child ratios
•    Teacher/child and teacher/family relationships
•    Curriculum
•    Physical environment
•    Health and Safety

Significant Accomplishments:
Patricia also is a  the board member  of PSO/Illinois Child Care Association. She has received a Level 3 Directors Credential. Denise Robinson the center Director has been at the company 28 years. She has earned her Level 1 Directors Credential.

Organizations:
TLC is a member of the Crest Hill Chamber of Commerce, National Childcare Association, The National Child Care Professionals, American Montessori Association, and NAEYC, CAEYC,SAEYC