1. You are located in St. Francis or affiliated with St. Francis Hospital.
Actually, we are located in Glendale, a northeast suburb of Milwaukee.
We are an independent, private, non-profit and non-sectarian educational facility on the Cardinal Stritch Campus and directly across from Nicolet High School.

2. You are a Catholic institution.
Since our inception in 1968, we have been non-sectarian, serving children of all faiths. Our co-founders were a Roman Catholic nun and a Jewish businessman. Our name was chosen by one of the original significant donors, but we have never been affiliated with any religious institution.

3. You only serve children with special needs.
Although that was true in our early years, since 1989 we have been serving both regular needs and special needs children. We believe strongly in the benefits of creating learning environments that consider the developmental needs of all children from the earliest age. Research clearly supports the concept of this educational model. We rely on this mix of children to carry out our mission of serving all children, including those with special needs.

4. The progress of my typically developing child will be harmed if he is in a classroom with children who have special needs.
Research has proven that inclusion benefits both groups of children. Children with special needs are provided with competent peers with whom to interact and learn new social and communication skills. Typically developing children are provided with models of individuals who successfully achieve despite challenges and develop a more accurate, realistic view of individuals with disabilities. Our curriculums and play-based activities are designed to maximize the educational development of each child. In addition, our programs are directly led by or are under the guidance of teachers who are licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in Early Childhood: Exceptional Education Needs (EC: EEN). All hold a minimum of a four year degree, some hold masters degrees and more than one certification.

5. Your childcare is expensive.
We conduct yearly tuition surveys of other childcare facilities in the Milwaukee area. Our childcare rates are competitive. We are not the least expensive, but we are not the most expensive either.

6. You are not a school.
Although we serve children as young as 4 weeks of age, we are registered with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as a private school. We contract with public school districts throughout southeastern Wisconsin to serve families who choose St. Francis Children's Center as the location for their child's education until they transition directly into their home school district.