Child Development Centers
Child Development Centers, 3814 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506
About
Child Development Centers offers Spring Camps, Summer Camps, extended care programs, and before and after school programs. Children take part in activities that include art, science, nature experiences, tummy time, music, and sensory play.
• Ages: 0–12 years old
Child Development Centers is a private, nonprofit organization that provides childcare and early childhood education to children in a safe, happy and healthy learning environment. The organization offers infant and toddler care, preschool, school-age programs, and seasonal camps, and nurtures more than 2,000 children from 6 months old through 6th grade across 19 locations in Crawford, Erie and Venango Counties. Its infant program includes a peaceful, caring environment with soft lighting, gentle routines and attentive caregivers, toddler classrooms include hands-on experiences, movement and connection, and preschool classrooms, including Pre-K Counts and Head Start, focus on school readiness, social-emotional growth and discovery. School-age programs include care before and after school and during summer months, and services at specific centers include combinations of Head Start, Pre-K Counts, private-pay preschool, wrap care, summer camp, spring camp, part-time preschool, infant and toddler care, and school-age programs. The program uses a rigorous, research-based curriculum and provides over 824,000 free and healthy meals each year, offers private pay options for all programs, and accepts ELRC funding, as well as offering Pre-K Counts and Head Start free, full-day preschool programs for ages 3–5 for families that meet specific income eligibility requirements.
Child Development Centers has been providing childcare and early childhood education for over 55 years and has been growing young minds since 1969, starting as a small community-based program in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Rina Irwin, the nonprofit’s budget grew from $900,000 to $28 million over more than 25 years of her service, and the organization now operates 13 centers and 10 partnering locations across Northwestern Pennsylvania, a large increase from the five small centers that were in operation when she started. The leadership team includes Rina Irwin, Chief Executive Officer of Child Development Centers; Cat Sullivan, Enrollment Coordinator; Sara Ahlgren, Billing Clerk; Maija Carol, Communications Director; and Evie McPherson, Vice President of Human Resources. In 2022, the Nonprofit Partnership named Rina Irwin the 2022 Best CEO of the Year.
Child Development Centers states its mission as “Educating children to succeed” and its vision as “We believe that prosperous futures begin with an exceptional learning experience.” The organization offers Spring and Summer Camps across Erie and Venango Counties and operates Erie Summer Camp at Mercyhurst Preparatory School, as well as extended care programs in partnership with the Erie Catholic School System and the Millcreek Township School District, and an extended care program in Venango County hosted within Cranberry, Franklin Area and Hasson Heights Child Development Centers. Community involvement by leadership includes service on boards such as the ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Bridge Builder’s Community Foundation, Venango County Human Services, the Governor’s Early Learning Council in 2018, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association Board of Directors, and the UPMC Northwest Board of Directors, where Rina Irwin served as vice chair for over five years.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
• Ages: 0–12 years old
Child Development Centers is a private, nonprofit organization that provides childcare and early childhood education to children in a safe, happy and healthy learning environment. The organization offers infant and toddler care, preschool, school-age programs, and seasonal camps, and nurtures more than 2,000 children from 6 months old through 6th grade across 19 locations in Crawford, Erie and Venango Counties. Its infant program includes a peaceful, caring environment with soft lighting, gentle routines and attentive caregivers, toddler classrooms include hands-on experiences, movement and connection, and preschool classrooms, including Pre-K Counts and Head Start, focus on school readiness, social-emotional growth and discovery. School-age programs include care before and after school and during summer months, and services at specific centers include combinations of Head Start, Pre-K Counts, private-pay preschool, wrap care, summer camp, spring camp, part-time preschool, infant and toddler care, and school-age programs. The program uses a rigorous, research-based curriculum and provides over 824,000 free and healthy meals each year, offers private pay options for all programs, and accepts ELRC funding, as well as offering Pre-K Counts and Head Start free, full-day preschool programs for ages 3–5 for families that meet specific income eligibility requirements.
Child Development Centers has been providing childcare and early childhood education for over 55 years and has been growing young minds since 1969, starting as a small community-based program in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Rina Irwin, the nonprofit’s budget grew from $900,000 to $28 million over more than 25 years of her service, and the organization now operates 13 centers and 10 partnering locations across Northwestern Pennsylvania, a large increase from the five small centers that were in operation when she started. The leadership team includes Rina Irwin, Chief Executive Officer of Child Development Centers; Cat Sullivan, Enrollment Coordinator; Sara Ahlgren, Billing Clerk; Maija Carol, Communications Director; and Evie McPherson, Vice President of Human Resources. In 2022, the Nonprofit Partnership named Rina Irwin the 2022 Best CEO of the Year.
Child Development Centers states its mission as “Educating children to succeed” and its vision as “We believe that prosperous futures begin with an exceptional learning experience.” The organization offers Spring and Summer Camps across Erie and Venango Counties and operates Erie Summer Camp at Mercyhurst Preparatory School, as well as extended care programs in partnership with the Erie Catholic School System and the Millcreek Township School District, and an extended care program in Venango County hosted within Cranberry, Franklin Area and Hasson Heights Child Development Centers. Community involvement by leadership includes service on boards such as the ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Bridge Builder’s Community Foundation, Venango County Human Services, the Governor’s Early Learning Council in 2018, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association Board of Directors, and the UPMC Northwest Board of Directors, where Rina Irwin served as vice chair for over five years.
Last updated July 12, 2026.
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