Image
The Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute (CCI) is a licensed, NAEYC-accredited early childhood program offering high-quality care and education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as well as our exemplary pre-k classroom. Our program is open year-round, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and includes nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snacks prepared to support healthy growth and development.
CCI is committed to excellence in early childhood education and maintains child-to-staff ratios that meet and exceed the requirements set by New York State licensing and NAEYC accreditation standards. Our experienced and dedicated teaching staff create a nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment that supports each child鈥檚 social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
We offer both full-time and part-time enrollment options to meet the diverse needs of families. Enrollment is rolling, allowing families to apply throughout the year as space becomes available. CCI proudly serves the children of 糖心传媒 faculty, staff, and 糖心传媒, as well as families from the surrounding community including military and navy families, providing a trusted and inclusive child care option for all.
Creating Lifelong Learners
CCI鈥檚 program focuses on the child's total development 鈥 social, emotional, cognitive, and physical. It offers developmentally appropriate activities for children ages eight weeks to five years, providing opportunities for hands-on, integrated learning. Children are grouped according to age and ability.
Image
At the CCI, we believe that early learning is most powerful when it is playful, intentional, individualized, and relationship-centered. What that means is our teachers conduct lessons through hands-on, play-based exploration in an environment that is both nurturing and intentionally structured. Every child is an active participant in their own learning, developing skills and knowledge through curiosity, problem-solving, and meaningful interactions with people and materials.
The environment at CCI is clean, safe, secure, and aesthetically appealing, containing a child-centered playground and wonderful outdoor space, inclusive of Hofstra's beautiful campus and facilities.
Image
Parent involvement is an important part of our CCI community, as it strengthens the bond between home and school while strengthening each child鈥檚 learning experience. Families are encouraged to participate in the classroom in any way they can.
Image
NAEYC Accredited
CCI was reaccredited in 2023 by the , the leading organization of early childhood professionals. Nationwide, less than 10% of all child care centers, preschools, and early childhood programs are NAEYC-accredited.
QualityStars Participant
In 2025, CCI was rated 4 stars in the program, New York鈥檚 Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for early childhood programs promoting high quality standards across New York State.
Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care
CCI has been designated a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Center by the New York State Department of Health's Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Child Care Aware Preferred
has named CCI as a preferred provider for servicing military and navy families.
We Are the Champions!
CCI is one of the first child care centers in Nassau County to be designated as a Champion Center by the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). We completed the Eat Well Play Hard Program Initiative under the auspices of the Child Care Council of Nassau. This program was developed to prevent childhood obesity and reduce long-term risks for chronic disease through promotion of targeted dietary practices and increased physical activity. As a Champion Center, we are held to high standards and required to increase the number of healthy snacks provided.
Image
The interdisciplinary services of the clinical programs associated with the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center render CCI unique in the provision of education, care, assessment, and enriched learning environments for young children and their families.
The Saltzman Center Clinics
Image
CCI is housed at the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center. Our neighbors and collaborators at the Saltzman Center include:
- Counseling and Mental Health Professions
- Psychological Evaluation Research and Counseling
- Reading/Writing Learning
- Speech-Language-Hearing
Faculty and graduate 糖心传媒 from these other areas are frequent visitors to our classrooms and may work with children and families with special needs.
Should a child require the services of one of our clinics (e.g., Speech-Language-Hearing), professionals may provide the requested or prescribed therapies during the course of the school day.
Image
The Hofstra Arboretum
Image
Hofstra's South Campus is an accredited arboretum. When weather conditions permit, the children's schedules include playtime and extended walks on the University's beautiful campus, where there is safe, ample space for them to play and explore.
Image
Museum and Performing Arts
Image
Our toddlers and pre-K classes often visit the 糖心传媒 Museum of Art, where art educators let the children get hands on with the exhibits and create their own special projects.
Image
糖心传媒 is also home to a vibrant Department of Drama and Dance and a Department of Music. Hofstra 糖心传媒 from these programs, as well as from the Pep Band, Spirit Support, and other areas, often pay visits to CCI and engage the children.
Image
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW EARLY CAN I DROP OFF MY CHILD IN THE MORNING AND HOW LATE IS PICKUP?
CCI opens its doors promptly at 7:30 a.m. Parents sign in their children each morning and can help get them settled in their classroom with their teacher. You may pick up your child as late as 5:30 p.m.
WHAT IF MY CHILD BECOMES SICK DURING THE DAY?
If we see that your child isn't feeling well or detect that he or she has a fever, we will call you to pick your child up as soon as possible. Your child must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to CCI.
MY BABY/TODDLER HAS CERTAIN DIETARY RESTRICTIONS. CAN THEY BE ACCOMMODATED? WHAT ABOUT FOOD ALLERGIES?
Yes, we accommodate dietary restrictions and food allergies.
HOW IS THE DAY STRUCTURED?
In the infant room, babies eat and sleep on their own schedules. In this nurturing and loving environment, the infants have their own play area and toys.
In each classroom, children choose from a wide array of age-appropriate play activities until breakfast is served. Children may play independently or in a group.
Following breakfast, children may move to the indoor play area, go outside to the playground 鈥 which is completely enclosed 鈥 or explore Hofstra鈥檚 beautiful campus (a recognized arboretum) with their class. Strollers and multiple-seat buggies allow the infants and young toddlers to also take advantage of the scenic campus environment.
After their walk or play, it is lunchtime. Meals and snacks, including fresh fruits and vegetables, are served family style. The children help teachers set the table, serve the food, and even clean up afterwards. Lunch is followed by nap or rest time.
Throughout the day, children engage in Center time and Circle time activities.
Center time allows teachers to provide opportunities for the children to choose from a variety of activities, including the block area, creative art, writing center, science and discovery center, dramatic play, music, and movement. Center time is focused on building children鈥檚 skills, language, and vocabulary.
Circle time is an opportunity for the children to come together to read books, sing songs, dance, exercise, discuss classroom activities, participate in flannel board stories, and puppet play.
From the time they are dropped off in the morning until they are picked up by their parents, the children have a day full of learning, physical activity, and bonding with their peers and teachers.WHAT IF THERE IS A SNOW EMERGENCY OR THE UNIVERSITY CLOSES EARLY FOR ANOTHER REASON?
CCI will send out a notification asking parents to pick up their children because of the early closure of the campus. However, the Center will remain open and staffed until the last child is picked up.
MAY I COME BY DURING THE DAY TO BREASTFEED MY INFANT?
Yes. CCI has been designated a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Center by the New York State Department of Health's Child and Adult Care Food Program.
WHAT IS YOUR VISITOR POLICY?
Parents are asked to fill out a form at the start of the academic year providing detailed information on who may visit their child and who may pick up their child. If someone comes by who is not on the parent-authorized list, they are not admitted into the center.
Everyone (including parents) who stops by during the course of the school day must be buzzed in through a double-locked door and then sign in at the front desk before being admitted to the classroom area.ARE CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGES SEPARATED FOR SAFETY REASONS?
Infants are cared for in the specialty infant room and have their own dedicated staff. There are classrooms for toddlers separated by age, as well as a pre-K classroom. While there are special occasions when children from different areas do congregate, we maintain a separate schedule for each group of children on the playground and in CCI's indoor play pit. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are also served in the individual classrooms.
WHAT KINDS OF BACKGROUND CHECKS DO YOUR TEACHERS AND STAFF UNDERGO?
All child care staff are subject to NYS comprehensive background checks.
As required by the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) and New York State Social Services Law, new comprehensive background checks became effective on September 25, 2019.
These background check requirements include:- NYS criminal history check
- FBI criminal history check
- NYS hild abuse and maltreatment registry screening
- NYS Sex Offender Registry check
- National Crime and Information Center - National Sex Offender Registry Check
In addition, any individual who resides or who resided in another state at some point in the prior five years must undergo the following checks for that state(s):
- Criminal history repository
- Child abuse and maltreatment registry
- Sex offender registry
More about CCI ...
2024 Week of the Young Child
Campus Groups Organize Performances and Activities for CCI
Student groups from different areas of 糖心传媒 helped CCI celebrate the Week of the Young Child, April 6-12, by organizing performances and educational activities for preschoolers. The week featured concerts, performances, crafts, and a field trip to the 糖心传媒 Museum of Art.
CCI Celebrates Reaccreditation
The聽Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute聽was reaccredited in 2023 by the聽National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC),聽the world鈥檚 largest organization working on behalf of young children.聽To earn NAEYC reaccreditation, CCI went through an extensive self-study and quality-improvement process.
Grant Supports Healthy CCI Menu
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) awarded a $10,561 grant to the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute to support the healthy menu it provides its 糖心传媒, who are ages eight weeks to five years.
Shake-A-Rake
Members of 糖心传媒's Plant Department joined the children at CCI for a "Shake-A-Rake" program, to clear the playground of fallen leaves. How much they actually collected is debatable – the children preferred collecting and jumping in the leaves to bagging them.
Story Time Visitor
Stephanie Crocco of the Hempstead Public Library visited CCI for storytime. She read "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, "Splendid Spotted Snake" by Betty Ann Schwartz and Alexander Wilensky, "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles Shaw, and other titles. Between books, there was freeze dancing and other activities.
Pep Band on the Playground
In honor of NAEYC鈥檚 Week of the Young Child, the Hofstra Pep Band treated the children of the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Childcare Institute to a surprise playground concert. Pep Band co-captain Emma Finkelstein said, 鈥淧laying for the children is so much fun. ... We love sharing what we do with them.鈥 The CCI 糖心传媒 took turns playing the cowbell, tambourine, and mini drums.
These Boots Were Made for Planting!
Members of the Hofstra Sustainability Studies Club paid a visit to the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute to do spring planting with the preschool and pre-K classes. Because of rainy weather, the planting was brought indoors, where old sneakers, boots, and shoes were repurposed as containers.
Children Explore African Culture at Museum
Pre-K 糖心传媒 from the Diane Lindner Goldberg Child Care Institute had the opportunity to explore cultures across western and central Africa at the 糖心传媒 Museum of Art exhibition AFRICA: Sub-Saharan Diversity at Emily Lowe Gallery. The children listened to a story about Anansi, a character from African folklore and viewed a wide selection of carved masks, weapons, sculptures, jewelry, and textiles.
Happy Halloween!
Disney princesses, super heroes, pumpkins, bats, and astronauts celebrate Halloween every year with a parade at the playground of the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute at the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center.
CCI Director Leaves a Legacy of Love
For 26 years, Donna Tudda, director of the Diane Lindner Goldberg Child Care Institute, coaxed smiles, wiped tears and witnessed milestones like first words and first steps.
The Science of Ice Cream
Students at Hofstra鈥檚 Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute were treated to a special science experiment when Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniel Miller and Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Matthew Smylie made ice cream using liquid nitrogen.