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Welcome to the Pierce College
Early Childhood program


the early childhood experience

Pierce College offers three separate early childhood education programs with one common vision:

Advocating for and promoting quality experiences for children, families and professionals in the ECE field. Philosophies of the ECE Programs will look very similar, as we hold common belief systems about Early Childhood Education.

Pierce College ECE programs have individual eligibility requirements and associated costs. For more information, students, staff, faculty and community members are encouraged to contact the Pierce ECE programs by email: children@pierce.ctc.edu (your email will be forwarded to the proper department) or by visiting the individual program websites below.

The ECE Program

  • ECE is a Professional/Technical program with adult instruction as the driving force. The program includes a laboratory school (on the Ft. Steilacoom campus) for Pierce College ECE practicum students to complete their student teaching. The lab school offers Nursery School for limited hours during the day, as well as an Evening Child Care program (currently open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 8:30 p.m.).
  • For more information, contact:
    • Greg Brazell, (253) 964–6696, for the instruction/degree program
    • Barb Kohler, (253) 964–6691, for the lab school/nursery school

Cooperative Preschools

  • Preschools affiliated with Pierce College operate throughout eastern Pierce County, for children one to five years old and their parents. These schools serve as a laboratory to help parents learn techniques in guiding young children. They also provide supervised learning and socializing experiences for young children.
  • For more information, contact:
    • Michelle Barnes, (253) 840–8444

Child Development Centers

  • Milgard CDC on the Ft. Steilacoom campus and Garnero CDC on the Puyallup campus–provide quality childcare service with child/family experiences as the driving force.
  • Hours of operation for the Child Development Centers are 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday.
  • More information can be obtained by calling: Milgard @ (253) 912-3680 or Garnero @ (253) 864-3302.