TLC Learning Center

A nonprofit organization

$61,785 raised by 74 donors

95% complete

$65,000 Goal

WHO WE ARE:

TLC Learning Center is a pediatric therapy and early childhood center for infants, toddlers, and preschool children located in Longmont, Colorado. Founded as The Tiny Tim Center in 1956 by local families, TLC has grown to serve the community with the highest quality infant care, toddler care, preschool, and pediatric therapies. Our classrooms prepare every child for kindergarten through positive social-emotional development and a multi-sensory approach to learning, creating a holistic learning environment that focuses on the whole child. In addition to cognitive and social-emotional development, TLC preschool students participate in YogaKids and Young Athletes which encourage motor development, self-regulation skills, and interacting in small groups.  

TLC serves children in a fully inclusive, deliberately diverse environment to foster compassion and critical thinking in all of our students. To fulfill our mission – to provide comprehensive early childhood education and therapeutic services to assist each child in reaching his or her highest potential – we are a Level Four Colorado Shines-rated center. All of our classrooms serve children with neurotypical development (no identified special needs or developmental delays), as well as neurodiverse children with therapeutic needs. Diverse classrooms are part of our fully inclusive learning model. 

TLC provides therapeutic services (occupational, physical, and speech pediatric therapies) to children from birth to age 12 in a variety of settings including on-site, natural environments such as the home and out in the community, and in our early learning classrooms on campus. This allows TLC staff to identify therapy needs in children as soon as possible and provide early interventions for improved long-term success. Because of the integral role they play in the classroom, therapists work collaboratively with classroom teachers to improve social-emotional skills and development outcomes. TLC students are diverse, and we are proud of our fully-inclusive classrooms where all kids learn best side-by-side with their peers. Inclusive classrooms foster compassion, empathy, and leadership skills in all children, and benefit both those with typical abilities and therapeutic needs.


TESTIMONIALS:

"After our daughter was expelled from another early learning center because she had such significant behavioral challenges, TLC was the only preschool option that offered not only enough hours, but also in-house therapy, so that both of us parents were able to stay employed. Beyond the growth our daughter made during her time there, they also helped us learn how to be the best parents for her. We will be forever grateful to TLC and the donor community that made this possible. I'm happy to report that she's now doing well in public school, and is with the general education students with limited outside support--this would not have been without the skills she learned at TLC." 

--Libby, TLC Alum Parent


"The truth is that life often presents us with situations we can’t predict or prepare for. How quickly you adapt to these situations often depends on the support system around you, as well as your own willingness to grow, learn, and change. And so, we ask you to support this special organization and the children they work with in any way you can. Not just because they’re a quality resource for many families in Longmont, not just because they do amazing things for children with and without special needs – children who will all too soon be contributing members of our society – but also because life is a series of unexpected twists and turns, and you never know when someone you love will need a strong support system, like we found at TLC." -

--Ashley, TLC Alumni Parent


"TLC has far exceeded my expectations as both a parent and an educator. Years after their graduations, we continue to witness in our children the foundation that was laid during those critical early learning years at TLC. Teachers and therapists are skilled in integrating academic, social-emotional, and life skills into every facet of a child's day, while also differentiating for each child's unique needs. Not only have the early intervention therapies our kids received at TLC made a huge difference as we've navigated their individual academic challenges during their school years, their time at TLC has given them the tools to recognize that we all learn differently and that those differences are to be celebrated as part of an inclusive community. I would recommend TLC to any caregiver looking for an educational experience that fosters diversity, compassion, and lifelong learning."  

--Amy, TLC Alumni Parent


Giving Activity

Mission

The mission of TLC Learning Center is to provide, in a fiscally responsible manner, comprehensive early childhood education and therapeutic services to assist each child in reaching his or her highest potential.

Background Statement

In 1956, families from Longmont were being advised to place their children with disabilities in state institutions. Not every family felt this was a viable option and so they united together to create The Tiny Tim Center, now called TLC. TLC initially provided educational and therapeutic programs to children with developmental disabilities 3 to 21 years old. Due to legislative changes in the late 1960's, our focus changed to serve only preschool age children with special needs. In the early 1990's, we expanded our preschool program to include children who are considered 'at-risk' for future developmental and/or social-emotional concerns as well as children who are progressing within expected developmental milestones. A Therapeutic Services program was added in 1997 to provide individual occupational, physical and speech language therapies both in the home and/or on-site. In 2007, we piloted a developmental pre-kindergarten program, Learning in Advance for Kindergarten (LINK), for children not quite ready for public school kindergarten. TLC is the only agency in our community to offer unprecedented inclusion for children with special needs, those considered 'at risk', as well as 'typical' children. We promote diversity, empathy, respect, and friendship, and accept Medicaid to work with children of all backgrounds. In 2009, our agency was awarded the title of Non-Profit of the Year by the Longmont Chamber of Commerce in partnership with The Longmont Community Foundation. In 2012, our preschool teacher, Mary Beth Boyer, was awarded Teacher of the Year of the St. Vrain Valley School District. In 2013, we were Longmont Mayor Coombs's Charity of Choice for as a beneficiary for the Fireball Run Adventurally.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

TLC Learning Center

other names

TLC Learning Center, TLC, The Tiny Tim Center

Year Established

1971

Tax id (EIN)

84-0523717

Category

Education, Human Services

Organization Size

Large Organization

Address

611 Korte Parkway
Longmont, CO 80501

Service areas

Boulder County, CO, US

Phone

303-776-7417

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