River Ridge Learning Center * Where Passion Meets Education *

Meet the Director

An Experienced and Motivated Educator

Della Miller Micco has 25 years of experience in various leadership and teaching roles within early childhood education (ECE) and music education and holds a B.S. in Music Education/Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She previously coached ECE programs to quality improvement and accreditation and has held teaching and management positions with Head Start, as a prevention educator, and as the owner of her own Kindermusik program. As the Director, Ms. Micco oversees all aspects of the development, daily operations, and future expansion of the Early Learning Center.

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Early Learning Center Director, Della Micco

Della Miller Micco

An Experienced and Motivated Educator

Early Learning Center Director

(812) 850-2143

Words from the Director

An Experienced and Motivated Educator

Words from the Director

"I know the importance of high-quality early education, and I believe it is possible to offer an exceptional early education for children of working families and outstanding opportunities for the early childhood workforce"

"I have learned a great deal of the different models of early education and am excited and confident that all of the b

"I have learned a great deal of the different models of early education and am excited and confident that all of the best from each of the best models can be combined at River Ridge to create a type of early childhood utopia"

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Vision

The River Ridge Early Learning Center creates an innovative, exceptional program for young children to wonder, explore, and investigate within a safe environment and promotes developmentally appropriate cognitive, social-emotional, and creative growth.

Three children playing with wooden toys outdoors

Purpose

Three little girls, two of them are trying to look through a microscope

To support the workforce and businesses of the River Ridge Commerce Center by providing an exceptional early learning program for children.

Curriculum/Approach

We will utilize an emergent curriculum, with a project and play-based Reggio Emilia approach. Additionally, we will utilize leading research-based curricula as resources for provocation and inspiration of our studies. Our curriculum is developmentally-appropriate, and rich in literacy, mathematics, science, social-emotional skills and the creative arts. With our approach, children will develop their executive function skills, which will prepare them for kindergarten and life. Learn more about the Reggio Emilia approach here:

Indoor/Outdoor Environments

We will be using high-quality materials that are best suited to stimulate the minds, senses, and creativity of young children to help with their development. This will include a multitude of natural and open-ended materials that research has proven to be best for young children. The above pictures are examples* of what materials we may offer our students in our classrooms and outdoor play area.

(*actual materials may differ from the examples shown)

Our Response to COVID-19

We have the unique opportunity to be proactive in creating systems to keep our children, families, and staff safe and healthy. Below are many of the steps we will be taking:

Following all CDC and licensing guidelines
Low child to staff ratios
Small class sizes
Meals & snacks served in the classroom
Usage of disposable, recyclable dishes and utensils
Extended outdoor time
Drop-off and pick up procedures eliminate additional persons into the center.
Temperatures are taken upon entry.
Daily cleaning and sanitization of the center and its contents.
Children that become ill will be cared for in a private, sanitary, comfortable space until parents/guardians find alternate care.
Blankets laundered daily.
Rotation of children’s learning materials
All items chosen for the center are being carefully selected to ensure they can be cleaned, sanitized and disinfected.

Our Email List is now forming!

We are starting an e-list for our Early Learning Center so please share some basic information to learn more about our program and what is to come! Also, feel free to submit a question or comment (e-list subscription not required).

Name*

Email*

Phone*

Child(ren)'s Birthdate (MM/YY)

Non-discriminatory Policy

The River Ridge Early Learning Center admits students of any race, color, 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, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.