Principal
Principal Barbara Golik
Barbara Golik joined the Early Learning Center in 2016. She began her career as an at-risk preschool teacher at the Early Childhood Development Enrichment Center in Arlington Heights, before moving on to Mount Prospect District 57's Westbrook School as a 1st-grade teacher. After receiving her first master's degree, she became a literacy specialist before taking on the role of Interim Principal in 2015.
Ms. Golik received her BS in early childhood education from Illinois State University and two MAs -- in reading education and educational leadership -- from Concordia University.
A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL GOLIK
Dear Early Learning Center Families and Visitors,
Welcome to an exciting year at District 63’s new Early Learning Center (ELC), home of the First Steps Preschool program! Here, our youngest learners begin their education in a safe, play-based environment designed to foster curiosity, language, problem-solving, and social-emotional skills. We are proud to hold a Gold Circle of Quality Rating from the Illinois State Board of Education. As principal, I am honored to serve our students, staff, and families.
We are committed to helping every student succeed without boundaries through hands-on, engaging activities. Children will explore varied units of study in classrooms, apply math skills in the Make It Market, experience arts in the outdoor sensory area, and build technology skills in the Tinker Hub. Guided by the Creative Curriculum, best practices, and the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS), our dedicated staff designs daily experiences that support our district's mission: Empowering all students to succeed in a changing world.
To monitor development, we utilize Teaching Strategies GOLD, an ongoing, observation-based assessment evaluating growth across social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and academic areas, including mathematics, literacy, science, and the arts.
We highly value our partnership with families. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. On behalf of the staff, we look forward to a fabulous year of learning!
Warm regards,
Barb Golik
Principal, Early Learning Center