Business Details
10 Years
experience
Trusted Early Learning Programs in Sacramento
River City Early Learning Center was founded in 2016 with a vision to create a trusted program rooted in high-quality, community-rooted, relationship-based care and education. We believe in nurturing the whole child through safe, engaging environments that foster curiosity, exploration, and growth. Our team of experienced educators prioritizes meaningful relationships with children and families, ensuring personalized attention to developmental needs. We maintain rigorous health and safety standards, including daily sanitization protocols and partnerships with third-party sanitation experts. Our commitment extends beyond the classroom through community outreach initiatives like holiday toy drives and international donations. With campuses in Sacramento and Elk Grove, we offer programs tailored to infants through school-age children, emphasizing play-based, child-directed learning.Our leadership team brings decades of early childhood education expertise, including specialized training in curriculum development and milestone assessments. We actively advocate for early childhood education policies at the state level and maintain partnerships with local schools for seamless transitions to kindergarten. Our facilities operate under strict Department of Social Services regulations, ensuring continuous supervision and adherence to quality benchmarks. Through annual parent orientations and transparent communication channels, we build lasting partnerships with families to support each child's unique journey.
Services
Infants and Toddlers Care
Early Preschool Program
Preschool Curriculum
Transitional Kindergarten
School Age Program
Details
- Year established: 2016
Highlights and features
- We offer 20+ years of leadership experience in early childhood education
- Our programs use ECERS-rated environments for measurable quality assurance
- We provide ASQ milestone assessments for developmental tracking
- Our staff maintains 1:8 teacher-child ratios in early preschool classrooms
- We operate under strict Department of Social Services health regulations
What people say
Loved and well taken care of
Excited to go to school
Met all kindergarten standards
Patient and understanding staff
Seamless transition to elementary school
Services
Infants and Toddlers Care
Our infant and toddler program provides a nurturing environment with rotating activities to stimulate early development. Teachers focus on building trust through consistent care while introducing foundational learning experiences. Each child receives personalized attention through 1:8 staff ratios and daily developmental observations.
Transitional Kindergarten
This kindergarten preparation program emphasizes social-emotional development alongside academic readiness. Our curriculum uses play-based learning to build pre-writing skills, STEAM concepts, and music activities while maintaining smaller class sizes than public programs.
Preschool Curriculum
Our preschool program develops foundational academic skills through themed, child-directed activities. Certified teachers implement a curriculum covering alphabet recognition, social development, and early math concepts while maintaining strict state-mandated supervision standards.
School Age Program
This program offers structured after-school care with homework assistance and recreational activities. We provide transportation to and from Joseph Sims Elementary School with dedicated staff for children aged 5-12 during school breaks and summer months.
Developmental Assessments
We conduct annual ASQ milestone assessments to track developmental progress in communication, motor skills, and social-emotional growth. Results inform individualized learning plans and identify support needs through evidence-based screening tools.
People
Jessica Dawson-Brown
Executive Director
With over 20 years in early childhood education, Jessica founded River City Learning Company in 2016. She holds a B.S. in Applied Management and California Site Supervisor Permit. Her leadership combines classroom experience with advocacy work at the State Capitol.
Monique Melendez
Director at Laguna West Campus
A 15-year preschool field veteran, Monique recently earned her Master's degree. She specializes in family relationship-building and implements innovative early education practices at our Laguna West location.
Kevin Miller
Assistant Director
Kevin supports daily operations at Laguna West Campus with extensive experience in early learning program management. He maintains close communication with families and staff to ensure quality care standards.
Kaeleigh Dizon
Assistant Director
Kaeleigh oversees operations at May Lee Campus, ensuring compliance with state regulations and maintaining the center's educational standards through regular staff training and parent engagement initiatives.
Felicia Byrd
Operations Assistant
Felicia coordinates administrative operations at May Lee Campus, supporting both staff and families with enrollment processes, policy implementation, and daily center management logistics.
Questions
What age groups do you serve?
We provide care for children aged 6 weeks through 12 years across our infant/toddler, preschool, and school-age programs.
Are meals included in your programs?
Yes, our school-age program includes meals during the day with scheduled snack times and dedicated homework assistance.
How do you handle potty training?
We work with families at the child's developmental pace without pressure or deadlines in our early preschool programs.
What safety protocols are in place?
We enforce strict health policies including daily symptom screening, 24-hour exclusion periods for illness, and regular third-party sanitation services.
Do you offer parent communication tools?
Yes, we use Brightwheel app for real-time updates, virtual forms, and direct communication with teachers and administrators.
What curriculum do you use?
Our play-based, themed curriculum is individualized for each child's level and developed by early childhood expert Nancy Dougherty, M.A.
