Mission

At SouthSide, we know that early childhood education can be the difference between being left behind and leading the way. We are an early childhood center that creates equitable and inclusive learning opportunities and support services for all children and families. We work alongside families to eliminate bias and actively strive for an antiracist approach to all our practices, programs, policies, and platforms. 

We put our mission into action through our four pillars of education, health, connection, and thought leadership.

Education

Every child has potential, but not every child has opportunity.

Education creates opportunity.

High quality early childhood education is life changing. With 80% of our students living below the federal poverty line, and 25% of our students possessing developmental delays, early childhood education can be the difference between being left behind and leading the way.

Our research-based curriculum encourages creativity, exploration, and problem-solving in a play-based setting. With degreed teachers in each classroom—and specialized speech-language, motor, and cognitive support for children with special needs—kids get the attention that they need to thrive at SouthSide.

Health

Children learn best when they are healthy. Healthy families can support success.

Something as seemingly small as a toothache or earache can dramatically interfere with learning. This is why SouthSide provides a wide range of health services through partner agencies, including dental, hearing, and vision screenings, as well as weekly visits from nurse practitioners. Families are also enrolled in health insurance.

Families living in poverty experience stress at toxic levels. Our on-staff mental health professional helps children explore their inner worlds and cope with stress through play therapy. Parents also have the opportunity to participate in positive parenting programs. We know that children also learn best when their homes are stable.

Connection

Connection is transformative and can break the cycle of poverty. We connect with families in order to connect them to the resources they need.

Isolation often accompanies life on the edges of society. For the refugee, immigrant, and disadvantaged families that we serve, this isolation affects both parents and children, and can perpetuate the cycle of poverty for generations. At SouthSide, we believe that connection is the answer.

We connect with children and families where they are, and work to help them create measurable change in their lives through our Family Partnership Program. By removing barriers, such as language and cost, families can connect to the resources they need. Whether it’s help with family budgeting or the support needed to become a stronger parent, SouthSide is there.

Thought Leadership

We have been pioneers in early childhood education for over 135 years. Thought leadership is central to who we are. 

Whether advocating for early childhood education as a priority in the state of Missouri or working with SouthSide parents to increase civic engagement, we are committed to being--and supporting--the kind of leaders that kids need us to be. 

Thought leadership has driven us dramatically forward as an organization over the past 5 years. In 2018, we embarked on a path unparalleled in our organization’s history. We proudly worked as part of the First Step to Equity Leadership Collaborative to help research and envision a better regional early childhood education system in St. Louis. After identifying a staggering needs gap, we worked to nearly double our capacity after being selected as 1 of 2 early childhood centers in St. Louis to join the STL Pre-K Cooperative. Read more about The First Step to Equity here.

Today, we offer consulting services to support other early childhood centers, non-profit entities, researchers, and individuals in the ECE space. By sharing and helping to develop thought leadership, we continue to deepen our commitment to creating more equitable access to high quality early childhood programming.