- Home
- Departments
- Mayor’s Office of Children, Youth & Learning
Mayor’s Office of Children, Youth & Learning
About
The Office of Children, Youth, and Learning (OCYL) is a one-of-a-kind education center that supports children and youth as they learn, grow, and achieve their fullest potential. Our mission is to help foster a comprehensive learning environment for the first two decades of their lives. Our mission is to help foster a comprehensive learning environment for the first two decades of their lives.
At OCYL, we believe that the out of schooltime hours and preschool years provide an invaluable opportunity for each child to engage and explore in their own learning through unique, enriching educational programs.
OCYL is committed to supporting the development of life-long skills necessary to succeed: collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, social-emotional awareness, and a sense of community.
Early Childhood Education Program
OCYL’s unique early childhood classes are joyful, dynamic, and developmentally appropriate, with play as a key ingredient for learning.
OCYL teachers purposefully support all children during self-guided discovery, construction of knowledge, and development of skills utilizing a curriculum that aligns with RI Early Learning & Development Standards. During class time, teachers also intentionally support each child’s development of language, cognition, social/emotional, and motor skills. Formative assessments are utilized by the teaching teams throughout the school year to aid in measuring children’s progress and to inform teaching and learning of specific early learning goals.
Teachers are responsible for creating a safe and nurturing environment. All adults in the classroom strive to nurture each child’s potential through positive, developmentally appropriate interactions that promote self-confidence and motivation to learn.
Teachers communicate with families as partners in their child’s education and development and are open to finding answers to questions from families while respecting children’s varying learning styles and home environments. All Lead Teachers, Teacher Assistants, OCYL Staff and Volunteers act professionally in the classroom/building and when interacting with families to create a joyful place for learning and growing, as we strive to serve all children and their families in our community.
Early Childhood Sessions Offered
OCYL’s Literacy and Number Sense classes are taught by experienced teachers and assistants. Class includes circle time, learning centers (where children explore and play) and teacher led activities in a 2-hour preschool setting. Students are assigned to Level A or B class.
Literacy Classes
Children learn literacy skills through a targeted curriculum that includes songs, poems, circle time, literacy centers, small and whole group activities, and read-alouds. Children engage in play and activities that are related to phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, print knowledge, comprehension, reading and writing.
Number Sense Classes
Children learn math concepts through games, circle time, songs, learning centers, whole group activities and everyday math related experiences and problem solving. Children engage in play and activities that are related to number recognition, counting, and using numbers and language to compare quantities. Sorting, patterning, shapes, measurement, graphing, and number formation are included in the curriculum.
FALL - 8 classes, and WINTER & SPRING - 7 classes each season
Music & Movement Adult/Child Classes
Ages 0-3, Wednesday or Thursday
9:00 – 9:45 AM or 10:15 – 11:00 AM
A parent or adult/caregiver must accompany the child(ren) during these engaging classes
Afternoon Lunch/Class Combos For registered school year Level B students only.
11:35 – 1:15 PM
Lunch followed by:
Preschool Science – Monday or Tuesday
Preschool Music & Movement – Wednesday or Thursday Preschool Process Art – Friday (Fall & Winter) Little STEAMers – Friday (Spring)
Preschool Science and Music & Movement Mini Camp – Buggin’ Out!
One week in June, 9:00 – 11:00 AM, Ages 4-5
Literacy & Number Sense Classes 4 weeks, July – August, 9:00 – 11:00 AM, Levels A, B & C (Ages 3- 6)
Additional Programming
About
Early Childhood Education is where children engage in essential early learning experiences.
Our classes are unique, joyful, dynamic, skills-based, and developmentally appropriate. The curriculum, aligned with the RI Early Learning and Development Standards, provides exploration and practice, and measures children's progress toward specific learning goals. The classes also help develop language, social/emotional, cognitive, and motor skills.
Details
- Ages: 0 to 5
- School Year and Summer Classes: Ages 3 to 5, Literacy and Number Sense
- Seasonal: 8-Week Classes and Lunch/Class Combos: Preschool Science, Music and Movement, Preschool Process Art, and Little STEAMers, Parent/Child Music and Movement
About
The STEAMshop at OCYL is where the depth and breadth of creativity and learning is driven by each unique mind.
The STEAMshop is a place for student-centered expression, creativity, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking. Participants are empowered to take creative risks to develop perseverance, resourcefulness, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, teamwork, and flexibility for the 21st century.
Details
- Grades: Kindergarten to 12th Grade.
- School Year, Seasonal 8-Week, Afternoon & Evening and Monthly Saturday Programs: Chess, Art, Creation Lab, Guitar, Piano, Voice Music Lessons, and more!
- Summer 6-Week Evenings and Week-Long Camps: Check for class listings in late spring.
About
Backpack to Briefcase is where teens are empowered to take charge of their future.
In these programs, teens have access to civic engagement opportunities, can try out various leadership roles, learn personal responsibility, and explore and prepare for college and career while becoming agents of change in their own lives. Join the Cumberland Youth Commission, attend leadership camps, and make an appointment for college advising!
Details
- Grades: 7th to 12th Grade
- School Year Programs: College Advising, Art Portfolio Prep Workshops, Cumberland Youth Commission and Our Minds Matter, expressive arts and wellness programs.
- Summer High School Internships and Cumberland Leadership Academy
-
Liz White
DirectorPhone: 401-475-0929, ext. 4
Newsletters
View the Office of Children, Youth, and Learning Newsletters in the Archive Center.