ONTARIO — The state of Ohio has awarded Clover Hill Early Learning Center (CHELC) with a 5-Star rating under the Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) system.

This award was given for meeting the highest level of quality standards established by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Ohio Department of Education.

Clover Hill Early Learning Center achieved this goal in 90 days when this typically takes programs years to achieve this high rating.

Step Up to Quality is a five tiered rating system for learning and development programs.

The rating system is used to assess the quality of care that children receive that exceeds the health and safety licensing regulations in Ohio.

The goal of the SUTQ rating system is to increase the quality of childcare that is measurable, easy to understand, and provides the flexibility for early learning and development. 

Staff at CHELC create and implement weekly lesson plans using the Creative Curriculum and the Early Learning Content Standards (ELDS). The Creative Curriculum is a play-based curriculum that focuses on children’s interest and learning through exploration.

During the academic school year, children are assessed using an on-going assessment, Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG), and a variety of informal assessments.

Teachers maintain student portfolios during the year to document evidence of learning using the individual child’s development goals that are created with the family when the child begins enrollment.

Children are also screened within their first 60 days of enrollment using the ASQ-3 developmental screening tool. 

Students are screened in the following areas; communication, personal-social, problem solving, fine motor and gross motor development.

The ASQ-3 helps identify a child’s strengths or areas that may need additional support. If they need additional support, a referral is made so that the child can begin to receive early intervention services to assist with their on-going development. 

Clover Hill Early Learning Center is located at 2986 Park Avenue, W., Ontario. They are an Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) licensed full day preschool and childcare program that provides quality care for children ages 6 weeks – 10 years old.

CHELC provides infant, toddler, preschool and summer school age programs. Natasha Repp is the owner/director, and.she was previously the principal of an early learning program for the past nine years in the Madison Local School District.

Clover Hill Early Learning Center was opened in November 2023 with hopes to expand the center into another location very soon.

CHELC is currently enrolling children for the preschool and school age summer programs. For more information about Clover Hill Early Learning Center, please visit https://www.cloverhillelc.com or call the center directly at 419-723-0001.

CHELC information can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.