ONTARIO — Parents of children ages 18 months through 5 years old will soon have a new option for child care and preschool education in Richland County.
Natasha Repp hosted an open house celebration for Clover Hill Early Learning Center on Wednesday. The former principal of Madison Early Childhood Education Center said she was inspired to found the center after seeing a need for more childcare in the area.
“We know there’s a big need for childcare in the area and we want to provide a high-quality program to our families and our kiddos,” she said.
“I’ve been in early childhood education for more than 20 years, and all of our staff have degrees in education or a background working in child development.”
Repp said she has experience working with the five-star rating program Step Up To Quality, administered by the Ohio Department of Education. She hopes to earn five stars within a year of running Clover Hill Early Learning Center.
The center’s mission is to “create a community of learners by providing a high-quality preschool and childcare program that promotes continuous growth through best practice,” according to its website.
The center is located at 2986 Park Ave. West. Repp said she and her family have been renovating the property since Memorial Day.
“We paved the parking lot and took the flooring out to the studs,” she said. “And we had some help from contractors too. Everything is ADA accessible, brand new and safe for kiddos.”
The center has eight staff members including Repp, an assistant director and an assistant and lead teacher for both toddler and preschool groups. Two substitute teachers will also have varying hours.
The center posts its schedules for preschool and toddler groups on bulletin boards inside. Playtime, reading, outdoor play, lunch and snacks are included on the schedule for both groups. The center is licensed for 38 children, specifically 24 preschool and 14 toddlers.
The toddler program will serve children ages 18 months through 3 years old, and the preschool will serve ages 3 to 5.
“We can enroll a few extra kids for absences and things like that,” Repp said. “I’m used to working in a facility with more than 200 kids, so this will be a new experience but I’m excited for it.”
She said the school will charge weekly tuition for all kids enrolled, but hopes to eventually offer part-time rates.
Hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday–Friday throughout the year. Repp said she hopes to open on Nov. 27.
“If anyone is interested in enrolling, they’re welcome to reach out to us and we’d be happy to bring them and their kids in for a tour,” the owner/ director said.
Clover Hill Early Learning Center is on Facebook and online at cloverhillelc.com. Its phone number is 419-723-0001.