Highland Children’s House On Path To Opening in Mid-August

 

Callie Smith is Director at Highland Children’s House, a new childcare service set to operate soon as a nonprofit organization out of the Highland Center.  Leasing the lower level space of the Center, Highland Children’s House is looking to provide a much-needed service in Highland County.  Ms. Smith has updates on the progress.

She says, “We are just coming into the Highland Center.  We have loaded in our first installment of equipment and setting up the desk and office area, and we would love to have people come by and say, ‘Hello.’  We will be there Monday through Friday, approximately 9:30 to 3:30.  We are accepting enrollment applications and would love to talk to families who are interested in our services.  We plan to open the third week in August and will be open from 6:45 a.m. through 6:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.  We will have weekly and daily rates.”

“We are a nonprofit.  We have a wonderful Board.  We are very honored to have Laura Warner as our president, Cappie Hull as our vice president, Stacy Slaughter as our treasurer, Sara Warner as our secretary, and Mary Robinson has also joined our Board recently.”

Ms. Smith provides further details on childcare services.  She says, “We will be offering care for infants as young as 10 weeks through school-agers as old as 12 years.  We will have a before and after-school program.  Children who need care before school will be offered breakfast and will be taken to the bus.  We’ll have a bus stop at the Highland Center and then children who need care after school can be brought to the Highland Center.  They will be offered a nutritious snack and will have an option to participate in structured activities such as recreational sports, arts and crafts, working with technology, gardening and nature studies and other community activities.  We will also provide the time and space to relax and focus on schoolwork if needed.”

“Our aim in the infant and toddler environment is to provide the warmth, security and experiences that foster language, motor, cognitive and social/emotional development.  We will provide a full meal service that will cater to each child’s phase and development and personal eating habits.  We’ll also follow their own sleep schedule.  Weather permitting, we’ll have a set time for outdoor play and exploration each day.  Our preschool program will follow the Montessori approach, as well as our infant and toddler program, where we’re meeting the individual needs of each child and following their interests.”

Information about rates and enrollment applications can be found on the Highland Children’s House Facebook Page.  People can also call 540-468-1100 to learn more.

Story By

Chris Swecker

is the Assistant Station Coordinator and a News Reporter for WVLS. He has roots in Highland County going back several generations, and he grew up in Monterey. Since graduating from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts and Design, he has pursued his career at a news station and advertising agency in Virginia, on Microsoft’s campus in the state of Washington, and in both states as sole owner and employee of a video production company. He enjoys exploring life with his wife, Jessa Fowler, traveling, hiking, hunting, gardening, and trying new foods, all while discovering more about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. He feels blessed to be a small part of this talented AMR team to help give back to the community that has provided him with so much.

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