About Verner - Verner Center for Early Learning

About Verner

Families

Teachers

Community

Why Verner?

Mission:

Verner delivers high-quality educational and relationship-based learning environments from prenatal to pre-kindergarten where every individual (child, family, staff, and faculty member) is valued and respected. Our programming is comprehensive, culturally meaningful, resiliency-focused, trauma-responsive, and child- and family-centered. We connect with families and early education partners to provide integrated services. We support family wellbeing throughout a child's development, so our whole community can lead healthy, happy, and productive lives.

Vision:

An early childhood education community where every individual thrives.

Values:

DIVERSITY, we believe that a rich learning environment is created when all types of people join together with a common vision. PLAY, we believe that play ignites curiosity, enables us to become better explorers and problem solvers, builds stronger relationships, and leads to transformation. RESPECT, we believe that each person has the right to be treated with dignity, always. COMMUNITY, we believe that by providing a safe, welcoming environment, all who enter here feel they have a place where their time, knowledge, experiences, and needs are valued. COMMUNICATION, we believe that trustworthy partnerships are only built through authentic and consistent communication. EXCELLENCE, we believe it is the product of an unyielding passion for our mission combined with intentional professional development, hard work, diligence, and consistency which can be emulated by others. COLLABORATION, we believe that through strong partnerships we build trust, increase effectiveness and resources, and are more impactful in our work. INTEGRITY, we believe in an uncompromising commitment to a high code of honor supported by strong ethical principles. CARING, we believe that expressing genuine concern about the needs and feelings of others is a key component of a strong community.

Beliefs:

Children from all socio-economic and ability levels, races, cultures, family types and backgrounds need and deserve high quality, comprehensive early care and education. The most effective education of a young child requires the active partnership of family, community, and school. It is our purpose to nurture the development of the whole child. It is our obligation, as leaders in the profession, to model best practice for others in order to raise the quality of early care and education for children and families beyond the Verner walls.

At Verner We Believe:

Every child deserves high-quality care and education from birth, regardless of their socioeconomic background, race, family type, or unique needs. Young children learn most effectively when families, communities, and schools are in active partnership. Our purpose as educators goes beyond grades - our purpose is to nurture the development of the whole child. We gladly share what we've learned and model best practices, in order to raise standards across the board.

Previous slide

Next slide

Four Cornerstones of our philosophy

1. High Quality Early Childhood Education

Through our Early Head Start, NC Pre-K, and childcare programs, we deliver high-quality early childhood education and care for children ages 0-5. Our childcare centers and educational programs offer highly trained and dedicated teaching and administrative staff, low child-to-staff ratios, nurturing environments, and programs designed to keep children actively engaged.

2. Family Services for Parents & Caregivers

Verner provides parenting classes, individual consultation, and referrals to other social service agencies. Our Family Empowerment Program helps families set and meet self-sufficiency goals, such as finding employment or balancing their budget.

3. Health & Nutrition Services for Children

Verner provides dental, vision, speech, hearing, and developmental screenings for the children we work with. We also provide health resources that help families stay informed and up-to-date on preventative health care services.

As a certified Shape NC demonstration site and a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Center, we model and practice healthy habits including developmentally appropriate tooth brushing, outdoor learning environments, and promoting healthy eating.

Through our nutrition program, Rainbow In My Tummy® (RIMT) our child care centers provide children with healthy breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon snacks. Meals include a wide variety of culturally diverse, nutritionally dense foods representing all of the colors of the rainbow.

4. Teacher Education

We provide a teacher mentoring program for our educators to increase their knowledge in the field and then model best practices to others on staff. We invite professionals in the field of early childhood education and development, and college students pursuing a career in teaching, social work, or nonprofit management to tour our centers and participate in our teacher training programs. Our two centers and Community-Based EHS Program all employ highly trained teachers and support staff to maintain rich, play-based environments for children from birth to age five.

Language Preservation:

We have joined the Bilingual Generation (formerly the Language Preservation Project) in the movement to reverse the trend of language loss across the generations. Below you can find a link to the “Talking to Grandma” podcast, which works to elevate the narratives of those who are trying to preserve their heritage language, through weekly episodes. For more information email mcuadra@verneremail.org.

Verner Center for Early Learning is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Asheville, NC is located on the ancestral lands of the Cherokee and Yuchi people. At Verner we recognize that we are living and working on these ancestral lands. We value and respect the Indigenous People, their culture, and the land we are occupying.