Skip Main Navigation

Orfalea Children's Center
Lab School

Welcome to the Children's Center Lab School

The Orfalea Children's Center Lab School, housed in the Family and Consumer Education Center (Building I), provides quality care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers between three months and five years of age. The center serves as the lab school for Early Childhood Studies students who assist the credentialed staff in providing an enriched learning environment designed to foster social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth for young children.

The Lompoc Valley Children's Center Lab School, located in Building 2, Room 122, provides care for toddlers and preschoolers between 18 months to five years of age. The Lompoc center also serves as a lab school for Early Childhood Studies students who assist the credentialed staff in providing an enriched learning environment designed to foster social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth for young children. 

The Orfalea and Lompoc Children's Center Lab School is open for: 

Fall & Spring Hours Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m

Summer Hours Monday - Thursday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

The program's philosophy is to provide each child with the tools and the opportunity to be actively involved in the learning process, experience a variety of developmentally appropriate activities and materials, and to pursue their own interests. As an integral part of the Early Childhood Studies program, the centers provides a multicultural, anti-bias inclusion approach where children have the opportunity to experience differences in gender, race/ethnicity, abilities, learning styles, and individual needs.

Both centers are available to student parents en-rolled in nine or more units during fall and spring semesters, six or more units during summer session, and/or CalWORKs or Title 5 participants. Limited staff spaces are available. Applications from student parents taking less than the minimum units are accepted on a space-available basis. An orientation session is required prior to enrollment.

License
Infant/Toddler: 426207705
Preschool: 421711023
Lompoc: 426215763

For further information, contact Children's Center Program Director Maria Suarez at 805-922-6966 ext. 3935 or email maria.suarez@hancockcollege.edu.