FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A, PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: |
SAN DIEGO CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM (SDCDM) HAVE SERVED 84 SCHOOLS IN 18 DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. ALL PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITS ARE DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 5 AND ALIGN WITH CALIFORNIA COMMON CORE STATE CONTENT STANDARDS, NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS), VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS CONTENT STANDARDS, AND CALIFORNIA PRESCHOOL LEARNING FOUNDATIONS. TIME SPENT AT SDCDM DEVELOPS CRUCIAL LIFE SKILLS LIKE CURIOSITY, CONFIDENCE, AND CREATIVITY, ALL OF WHICH HELP CHILDREN EXCEL IN LIFE. INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND GUIDED PLAY ARE CRUCIAL AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED ELEMENTS OF CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. RESEARCHERS HAVE DETERMINED THAT LEARNING OCCURS BEST WHEN CHILDREN ARE MENTALLY ACTIVE, ENGAGED, SOCIALLY INTERACTIVE, AND BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO THEIR LIVES. GUIDED EDUCATIONAL PLAY, WHICH IS CONSIDERED IN ALL OF OUR MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS, ACTIVELY ENGAGES CHILDREN BECAUSE IT'S FUN, FLEXIBLE, AND VOLUNTARY. YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN DIFFERENTLY THAN OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AND PLAY IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE, HIGH-QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION. AT SDCDM, CHILDREN ARE GUIDED BY CARETAKERS AND MUSEUM EDUCATORS WHILE PLAYING WITH EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS AND ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE THEY ARE PROGRESSING WITH LEARNING GOALS. SDCDM IS THE ONLY RESOURCE OF ITS KIND IN THE AREA, PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS ACROSS THE REGION. SDCDM IS A PLACE WHERE EDUCATORS AND PARENTS CAN SEE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE LEARNED IN SCHOOL, AND WHERE CHILDREN CAN LEARN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. OUR MUSEUM PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION OF REAL-LIFE TOPICS IN SCIENCE, ARTS, AND WORLD CULTURES. WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD THROUGH PLAY AND EXPLORATION, CHILDREN BEGIN TO MAKE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT, ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LIVES AND THEIR WORLD. THESE IMPORTANT INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES ARE A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS, ALLOWING CHILDREN TO MAKE CONCRETE CONNECTIONS WITH THE INFORMATION THEY ARE LEARNING. SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN 2000, WE HAVE OUTGROWN TWO MUSEUM FACILITIES, AND IN LATE 2011 WE MOVED INTO A 13,500 SQUARE FOOT SPACE IN DOWNTOWN ESCONDIDO THAT INCLUDES A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT MUSEUM WITH A 7,500 SQUARE FOOT OUTDOOR CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY GARDEN. SINCE MOVING INTO OUR NEW MUSEUM LOCATION, ATTENDANCE INCREASED FROM 15,000 IN 2011 (IN OUR OLD FACILITY) TO 170,000 THROUGH ALL SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 2019. WITH RESPECT TO THE MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, IN FYE2019 SDCDM ALSO HIT A NEW MILESTONE, SERVING A RECORD-BREAKING 21,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS. WE BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES LIKE THOSE OFFERED AT OUR MUSEUM, REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL ABILITY. OUR ACCESS FOR ALL INITIATIVE DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO HANDS-ON LEARNING BY PROVIDING FIELD TRIP SCHOLARSHIPS AND MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM SCHOLARSHIPS TO AROUND 13,500 CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME AND TITLE-I SCHOOLS, FREE ADMISSION TO AROUND 14,000 ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES, FREE ADMISSION PASSES TO OVER 30,000 ADDITIONAL CHILDREN AND ADULTS, FREE ANNUAL FAMILY MEMBERSHIPS TO AROUND 1,000 FAMILIES THROUGH EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS, AND AROUND 300 MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC CHECK OUT IN LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, LOCAL AND ALL COUNTY LIBRARIES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS. |
FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B |
A COPY OF THE FORM 990 IS PROVIDED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THEIR REVIEW PRIOR TO FILING THE RETURN. EACH MEMBER SIGNS ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT AND REVIEW OF THE RETURN. THE APPROVAL OF FILING THE FORM 990 IS DOCUMENTED IN THE BOARD'S MEETING MINUTES WITH A COPY OF THE REVIEWED RETURN. BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT PRESENT AT THE MEETING ARE EMAILED A COPY FOR THEIR REVIEW AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR APPROVAL IN A RETURN EMAIL, WHICH IS FILED WITH THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES. |
FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 |
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S SALARY IS REVIEWED PERIODICALLY, AND COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. OTHER TOP MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT ARE REVIEWED ANNUALLY, AND COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. |