Early Childhood Center

Where Faith, Fun and Learning Begin

St. Thomas Aquinas Early Childhood Center is a ministry of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and is part of the Diocese of St. Petersburg Catholic Schools and Centers. At our school, children are given the opportunity to develop spiritually, socially, physically and intellectually. We seek to provide faith filled, qualified teachers to work with our children. At St. Thomas Aquinas E.C.C. we continually strive to offer you the best possible program at an affordable rate.

Visit our website at www.staecc.org and check us out on Facebook and www.greatschools.org. You can see parent testimonials and learn more about our wonderful school!

VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten)

VPK stands for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. If you live in Florida, and your child turns 4 four years of age by September 1, your child is eligible to participate in Florida’s FREE Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) education program.

Benefits of early education and the VPK program

• The most important growth and development in the brain happens by the age of five.
• The early years are the learning years. A child’s ability to be attentive and to follow directions emerges in the early years. Structured early learning fosters these abilities for later success in school and in life.
• Pre-K prepares children to be ready for school. Children who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs develop better language skills, score higher in school-readiness tests and have better social skills and fewer behavioral problems once they enter school. They are also better prepared for Kindergarten, especially in the areas of pre-reading, pre-math and social skills.
• Pre-K promotes a love of learning in children. Pre-K enhances what a child learns at home and instills a love of life-long learning.