Located in the heart of Madison, WI, University Avenue Discovery Center (UADC) serves children ages 3 through age 11 in our spacious Preschool, 4K, and school-age classrooms. University Avenue Discovery Center Preschool is licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, is accredited by City of Madison Accreditation, and is also accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
We also hold a 5 star rating with the Department of Children and Families Youngstar Program. Parking is available for drop-off, pick-up and visits in the city designated 10 minute loading zone on the east side of Lathrop Street.
We also hold a 5 star rating with the Department of Children and Families Youngstar Program. Parking is available for drop-off, pick-up and visits in the city designated 10 minute loading zone on the east side of Lathrop Street.
Services
Vision: Empowering children to boldly explore and compassionately interact with their world. Mission: Our pursuit is to emphasize equality, solidarity, emotional literacy, and exploration of the arts within our classrooms and surrounding community. It is our goal to build on a child's academic foundation with play-based learning, hands-on experimentation, group discussions and use of local resources as an extension of our classroom environments.
UADC Preschool, 4K, After-School and Summer Camp enrollment is now open! UADC office staff will invoice for enrollment fees and send additional paperwork once your child's enrollment is confirmed. Need help with funding? We are here to help and there are options out there for you. UADC offers scholarships and we can also assist you in applying for state or city assistance, please contact us at manager@uadc.org to make a Funding Appointment today.
Reviews (10)
Megan Baltz
Sep 10, 2020
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value
My twin sons have thrived during their time at UADC. Every single staff member is dedicated and are passionate about my children's safety, wellbeing and social-educational development. Any family is lucky to a part of this program!
My twin sons have thrived during their time at UADC. Every single staff member is dedicated and are passionate about my children's safety, wellbeing and social-educational development. Any family is lucky to a part of this program!
Sarah Rogers
Sep 24, 2019
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We have been so happy with our son's experience at UADC. You'll find a compassionate and committed staff here. Also, the space is truly amazing. The classrooms area huge, there is a separate lunch space (with cloth napkins!), and an enormous "running room" for cold weather days. Additionally, breakfast, lunch and snack are made right there by the talented chef. There's yoga, dance, Spanish and more for all the kids during the week.
Keir Serrie
Jun 04, 2016
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What an amazing school! All three of our kids attended UADC in our 2 years in Madison, and it was a wonderful experience for our entire family. The faculty and staff are true educators, constantly training and keeping current in their field. Maybe even more important, they are all extremely warm and caring people who became like a family to us. UADC is a very welcoming environment, with families from around the world contributing to a unique and diverse community. Meals and snacks are cooked by a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu (YUM) and are included in tuition. Specials like music and yoga, as well
Kristyn Masters
Jun 16, 2015
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I am so in love with UADC, I don't even know where to start singing its praises. And, importantly, my daughter who attends UADC (for 4K) loves it just as much as I do. The teachers, the healthy food, the management, the caring environment, and the overall learning experience at UADC are just fantastic. My daughter is not someone who adjusts well to new social situations (to put it mildly), and we had already experienced years of unrelentingly painful drop-offs and early-morning 'tummyaches' prior to coming to UADC. I don't know what sort of magic they worked at UADC, but my daughter now begs to
Erik Miller
Jun 11, 2015
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My family loves UADC. Our oldest daughter has been attending for two years now, and she enjoys going to school every day. The staff are wonderful and do a great job of nurturing and teaching kids in class. We love the daily emails that tell about what the class did that day. My daughter loves the play-based learning and feels comfortable and safe at school. The classrooms are large, and set up with lots of different areas to explore.Overall, it is a wonderful place!
Charles Gervasi
Oct 11, 2014
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UADC is amazing. Their job is to make life easier for the parents. If you have any special requests, they'll accommodate them. Their proximity to campus means great diversity in students and teachers. Many of the parents work on campus. If they offered programs for kids over 6, I would keep my kids there as long as possible.
Susan Ridgely
Sep 05, 2014
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Our 3 year-old son is in the pre-school program at UADC and our 5 year-old daughter is in the after school program. Both kids love UADC. The teachers support each child and his or her individual interests. The programs focus on building social skills and empathy in the kids, which has helped them build lasting friendships and improved their ability to handle disappointment. UADC also teaches the kids about our community through incredible field trips and walking tours. On snowy days the Owls have even gone sledding, exactly what we would have done if I had been able to be with the kids at home
Carol Van Hulle
Feb 01, 2014
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My son is attending UADC for the second year now. He loves it. The teachers focus on the whole child, promoting socio-emotional development in addition to introducing kids (even in the 3 yr old classroom) to reading, writing, math, science, and art. The kids get additional yoga, music, and Spanish classes. They get lots of time to run and jump as well. Lunch and snacks are prepared on-site and served family style. UADC recently added an after-school program, which my son will attend once he starts elementary school.
Brenda Ray
Oct 21, 2013
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Julene Gaspard
Aug 27, 2013
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We have been at UADC for 4 years with our children. It is a child-centered, community minded, non profit preschool who provides exceptional early childhood programming and value. Their rates match or are lower than most comparable, accredited centers in Madison, AND they include daily specials like music, yoga, dance, spanish, art, full meals and snacks and low teacher-child ratios. The UADC staff are engaged, committed, and nurturing educators who truly go above and beyond. Our children have thrived at UADC and excelled afterwards in elementary school.
