Child Nutrition Requirements
- View Malaika’s Procedures for receiving and processing complaints alleging civil rights discrimination: SFA Civil Rights Complaint Procedures
- View Malaika’s local wellness policy
STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY
The Malaika center is a state-of-the-art learning facility, built in 2003 by local philanthropists Dennis and Kellie Mueller. The facility features:
In 2010-2019 Malaika received donations grant to purchase technology equipment and software for classrooms. This access to computer technology enhances our students’ learning, helps them develop their fine motor skills, and keeps them current with our modern, digital environment. In 2016, with the expansion of 1st through 3rd grade the classrooms were built equipped with state-of-the-art technology in the classroom as well as iPads for the students.
PROGRAM SUMMARY
Located on 1st Street and Auer Avenue in the northeast Milwaukee neighborhood of Harambee, Malaika Early Learning Center is an accredited childcare center and a private, Choice-eligible school for K4 through third grade that provides a safe, nurturing place for children to learn and grow. The concepts and design for the center were developed over a year’s time, based on a framework created by Dr. Gary Childrey, an African-American child psychologist and director of DePaul University’s Community Mental Health program, who has done extensive work in Cabrini Green and other impoverished areas of Chicago. Malaika’s early childhood learning program emulates the model programs proven to be the most effective.
We use a specially-designed early childhood curriculum that maximizes opportunities for early learning, featuring:
OUR PROGRAMS
0-3 YEAR OLD PROGRAM
The curriculum emphasizes activities to develop important cognitive skills in infants, toddlers and preschool aged children. All staff are qualified and work one-on-one with children to help address any deficiencies or challenges. Teachers use industry-best curricula to ensure each child meets or exceeds the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards. Each class is led by a certified teacher. Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 infants/toddlers, 10:1 preschool.
K4-3rd GRADE PROGRAM
(Content coming soon)
BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL
Malaika provides a safe, nurturing place for Malaika scholars enrolled in the early elementary education program (K4-3rd grade) for before and after school care. Like the center’s other programs, highly qualified teachers lead the before/after school program, which provides a rich educational environment for participants.
SUMMER PROGRAM
Malaika’s summer program emphasizes academic assistance, development of social skills and teamwork, and exploration of the larger community, as well as superb enrichment opportunities featuring partnerships such as Artists Working in Education (AWE), SHARP Literacy, UWM College for Kids programs, Milwaukee Public Library and other community programs. Malaika’s state-of-the-art learning facility serves over 100 children per day across all our programs during the school year and approximately 55 during the summer.
ENROLLMENT INFORMATIONSPECIAL PROGRAM FEATURES
- Music education through the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
- Nature education in partnership with the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
- Bi-monthly educational field trips
- Introduction to computer-based learning
All lesson plans are reviewed weekly by administrative staff.
Malaika has fully implemented the Creative Curriculum and Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards to provide consistency across the early care & education and school programs. All teachers have received 30 hours of training on how to use the Model Standards and Creative Curriculum.
Malaika has received its accreditation from AdvancED (now Cognia). Learn more about accreditation.
Hot, nutritious meals are served daily for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
Two buses transport children to-and-from school when their parents are unable to do so.
To ensure that parents can afford to bring their children to the center, Malaika offers discounts and works with parents receiving Wisconsin Shares benefits.
FAMILY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
Each school year, Malaika offers an average of 85 hours of parent/family-involvement activities, such as:
- Parent training on topics including: discipline vs. punishment, stimulating child brain development, and maintaining healthy relationships
- Enhanced Childhood Head Start workshops
- Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit
- Parent/teacher conferences
- Family Fun Night
- Family of Love
- Grandparents Day
- Fathers & Grandfathers Day
- Mothers & Grandmothers Day
- School performances
- Donuts for Dads
- End-of-year picnic
- Educational and fun field trips, such as:
- Milwaukee Public Museum
- Milwaukee County Zoo
- Apple Holler
- Discovery World
- MSOE (STEM)
- Mad Science
While these activities are fun for parents and children, their benefit goes far beyond enjoyment. Children with involved parents are more likely to:
- Attend school regularly
- Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school
- Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
- Be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits
- Graduate and go on to post-secondary education
Benefits of parent-involvement activities for parents include:
- More confidence in the school
- Higher teacher expectations of their children
- Higher teacher opinions of themselves as parents
- More self-confidence
In addition, if low-income parents are involved in their children’s preschool program, those children at age 19 are:
- 40 percent MORE likely to graduate from high school
- 35 percent MORE likely to be employed
- 55 percent LESS likely to be on government assistance
- 40 percent LESS likely to have been arrested
HIGH EXPECTATIONS & GREAT OUTCOMES
Malaika has high expectations of the students and families we serve. We expect that:
- Children will exhibit age-appropriate social, emotional and cognitive skills
- Parents will understand their role in child development and participate in the child’s educational process
- Students will “graduate” from Malaika at or above grade level for their next stage of education
For evidence of Malaika’s effectiveness, examine the Head Start Outcomes survey results. Between fall 2007 and January 2008, Malaika 3- and 4-year-olds eligible for Head Start increased on every outcome measured, including:
- Self-awareness
- Speaking/listening
- Emergent literacy
- Writing
- Pre-academic math/science
- Music/art/creative play
- Fine motor skills
Each student at Malaika is assessed quarterly to determine his or her physical and emotional developmental needs and progress. This information is used by teachers in their day-to-day planning to ensure students’ needs are addressed. Ultimately, Malaika’s high quality early childhood education prepares children for elementary school success, with 95% of our students leaving Malaika at or above grade level for their next stage of education and 90% of our students going on to quality private, charter or public schools.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Malaika maintains strong relationships with schools – such as the Hope schools, Martin Luther King, Messmer Preparatory, Milwaukee Academy of Science and St. Marcus Lutheran – that share Malaika’s educational and parental-involvement philosophy. Malaika hosts open houses where parents of Malaika students meet representatives of these schools and prepare to continue their children’s exemplary education. In the past, Malaika also hosted the monthly Hands Around First Street Block Club neighborhood meetings, maintaining our strong presence in the surrounding Harambee community.
ACCREDITATION
Only 10-15% of Milwaukee early childhood programs are accredited, and Malaika is part of that select group. Although the process is rigorous, costly and time-consuming, Malaika understands it’s important to demonstrate that Malaika provides the same high quality childcare to central city families that is typically available to more affluent families. Accreditation also validates Malaika’s educational model and serves to remind us that all children deserve high quality early childhood care. Malaika is accredited by AdvancED. The AdvancED standards are very similar to the NAEYC accreditation standards which ensure the quality of children’s daily experiences in early childhood programs and promote positive outcomes.
“Research Spotlight on Parental Involvement in Education,” http://www.nea.org/tools/17360.htm “A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement” by Nancy Berla, Anne T. Henderson and National Committee for Citizens in Education.
