About Us

Good Child Transitional Center

Over 50 Years of Child Care Excellence we have extended our services to provide a learning and transitional environment that empowers children to overcome all emotional and physical barriers while they thrive to be successful students.

Our identity is more than a colorful, attractive logo…. it is a promise. A promise to the children we care for… a promise to the families that entrust us with their child… a promise to our teachers and our employees… a promise to the community within which we live and work.

Every child will be exposed to children from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and different abilities. We like to refer to it as the true face of America. Why is this important? Because the earlier they encounter people of diverse backgrounds, the more they will build understanding and acceptance of each other.

If we do our job right, we prepare our children to be part of a vibrant community in the Town of Orange that they will nurture and grow over time. We will be a representation of the Town of Orange’s core values, being one piece, but a significant piece of the Good Community of the Town of Orange.

Our Mission

Good Child Transitional Center is committed to integrating social and emotional support to children and their families while using evidence-based and intensive behavior intervention practice.

History

In 1968, the people of Wildermere Beach Congregational Church started developing the idea of opening a childcare center for the disadvantaged families living in the church’s neighborhood. They gave the center the name Good Shepherd Day Care Center, which opened in 1969.

Within a short time, the church discovered that the families they wanted to serve could not afford the real expense of childcare. The church sought help from the State of Connecticut. The State responded and began to supply partial funding so that parents could pay on a sliding scale.

In 1984, the Center moved from the Wildermere Beach Congregational Church to a larger facility at St Peter’s Episcopal Church. In October of 2008, Good Child Development Center moved into a facility that was designed and built for the program. It is now located at 170 Old Point Road in Milford. The center is now considered a “green” building and can accommodate more children.

In 2023, Good Child Development Center extended its services to the Town of Orange and surrounding neighbors with ABA specialized toddler and preschool center. Good Child Transitional Center will provide education and ABA services for children ages 18 months-6 years old.

Good Child Transitional Center will serve children from 18 months-6 years old. Children that can benefit from smaller classroom therapeutic settings and need applied behavior analysis. Our scope of work will address social and emotional support to our children and our staff will use evidenced based and intensive behavior intervention approach. 

The objectives of Good Child Transitional Center are to enhance communication and language skills, enhance behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or affect learning, and enhance and promote behavior changes more effectively with positive instead of negative consequences. Early Intensive Behavior Intervention (EIBI) is used to teach social, adaptive, communication, and functional skills. 

The staff at Good Child includes administrative staff, head teachers, teachers, and teacher assistants. All teaching staff is experienced in early childhood education. All professional staff members participate in continuing education through workshops and classes sponsored by the Center as well as external courses. A staff member who has been certified in First Aid and CPR is on the premises at all times.

Equality

Good Child Transitional Center is non-denominational with a diverse demographic.

Our Staff

Bill Okwuosa
CEO

Jo-Ann Arena
Center Director

Lana Baumgarten
Marketing & Communications Director

Miss Dani
Center Head Teacher & Toddler Teacher

 

Miss Alyana
Toddler Teacher

Miss Sara
Preschool Teacher

Miss Lin
Preschool Teacher

Miss Miranda
Toddler & Preschool Teacher