The mission of the Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center, a community educational center which promotes respect and diversity, is to ensure the development of the full learning potential of each child, the professional development of all early childhood staff, and the valued involvement of all families through: a safe, nurturing child-centered environment; a research-based curriculum with developmentally appropriate practices and assessment system; professional development that encompasses a continuum of higher learning; personalized opportunities for families to participate and grow; and collaboration with community and educational partners.