Martha's Table Early Childhood Programs

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Martha’s Table’s comprehensive, high quality Healthy Start program offers full day early childhood education programming for students 3 months to 3 years of age. Our educators work to ensure a sound developmental and academic foundation for children, laying the framework for school readiness beyond preschool.

Through a partnership with AppleTree Institute, we uphold high standards of quality, and work to ensure that our programming is research-backed and evidence-based. AppleTree Institute helps our leadership team conduct Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) assessments, partners with our educators to offer professional development, and provides targeted assistance to our Academic Coach and Early Childhood Specialist. In addition, AppleTree Institute supports Martha’s Table to maintain a strong academic focus through use of the Every Child Ready Tool, a model that helps impart literacy skills in early childhood.

OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME

Students in Martha’s Table’s nationally accredited out-of-school time program practice inquiry and develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Our program offers literacy-focused activities, and employs a project-based approach, which allows teachers to tailor activities to students’ interests, ensuring that children are active participants in their education.

Our out-of-school time program has strong community connections, creating opportunities for unique and engaging experiences for students. In addition to fostering an ongoing partnership with An Open Book Foundation, a literacy nonprofit, and Reset, a science and engineering program, Martha’s Table also partners with local organizations to offer yoga, tae kwon do, and engrossing field trips for students.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Our Healthy Start program is complemented by a critical family engagement and education component, which creates a strong home-school relationship for our students, and connects caregivers to supports they need to nurture successful families and futures. Our engagement efforts include:

• A Home Visiting Program, which provides caregivers essential support during their child’s critical early years.
• The Parenting Journey, a course that allows caregivers to reflect on how they were parented as children, and supports them to make intentional parenting decisions to ensure strong outcomes for their children.
• A partnership with Healthy Futures, which offers resources and trainings on social-emotional development.

Our program also offers education to caregivers, connecting them to a range of vital resources related to parenting, financial literacy, and adult education.

ACCREDITATION

Martha’s Table’s after-school programs are accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). This accreditation is recognition of meeting high measurable standards of quality in programs serving children and youth. Martha’s Table is one of only two after-school programs in Washington, DC to hold this distinction.

As an accredited program licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) for the District of Columbia, Martha’s Table’s quality programming is also ensured through regular inspections.  Our standards for national accreditation far exceed state licensing qualifications, and OSSE recognizes our Healthy Start center as an exemplary “Gold Tier” program.