Who is in charge of the daily operation of the center?

The administrator of the James Meade Learning Center is Tanya Purcell. Tanya was the original administrator and creator of the center in 2003. Before accepting the position at JMLC, Tanya was a preschool teacher and a child care director for over 20 years. Although her experience over the years was not directly in a child care center, Tanya was the Lucas County Specialist for Step Up To Quality during the initial onset of the pilot program and also a state representative for the Early Learning Initiative. Tanya received her BA as a Certified Family Life Educator and is a member of the National Council of Family Relations. Tanya received her MA degree in Counseling with additional course work in play therapy. Tanya serves the community by volunteering to help abused and neglected children that have been removed from their home and be the voice in the courtroom for the child, and also volunteers to assist individuals through the last moments of life through Hospice. Tanya has authored several programs that are taught in the community on topics of adoption, children of divorce, children of incarcerated parents, and children and grief.

In addition, Melissa Wurch plays an important role in the daily financial operation of the center. Melissa graduated with a BA in Education and currently is the financial director for the center. Melissa is responsible for tracking tuition, creating budgets, establishing staff payroll, and county and state contracts.

Are the classroom teachers certified?

Yes. Each classroom has at least one teacher with a degree; however, several of the staff members hold a BA in other areas of study within the child care field. The staff continually attends professional development requirements and gains knowledge about child development. Further, the JMLC staff is professional when teaching and implementing classroom management.

Can my child attend part time?

Yes, JMLC offers a part time program for every age and classroom.

Will my child have outside play time?

Yes, the children are scheduled for outside play time and the teachers plan a variety of activities for outside. The children enjoy water play, lunch, art, and as an extension of the classroom, the natural setting of the playground provides a landscape for maximum learning.

In addition, the JMLC has designed a play area for the infants! The infants learn about their world on the deck or on the grassy area.

What curriculum do you use for teaching the children?

JMLC believes that children learn and explore through play. Non directive play allows the teacher to enter into the child’s world and detect areas of difficulty. Through careful assessment, the teacher identifies areas of development and plans activities accordingly. Each child deserves individualized learning and the research based curriculum allows for personal and school readiness skills to be mastered with success.

Does my child need to be potty trained?

No. The toddler staff understands the signs of readiness and development as individual and unique as your child. A cooperative plan with the teacher and the child allows for potty training to be accomplished with ease.

What additional opportunities do you provide for parent communication?

The teachers provide individual conferences two times each year to review your child’s portfolio, create goals and discuss concerns. Your child’s teacher is available to meet with you to identify your child’s strengths and explain developmental needs at any time.

Is JMLC a star awarded center?

Yes. JMLC was awarded during the pilot program in 2006. Since then, JMLC has continuously been awarded as a quality center. JMLC has discovered that obtaining a star is an achievement; however, maintaining high quality year after year is the true meaning of the star award.

Does the JMLC have a board?

Yes. JMLC has a governing board that appropriately solves problems, casts a vision, oversees the center administrator, and provides support for the center operation.

When do I pay my child’s tuition?

Some parents pay on a weekly basis and others pay every two weeks.

Are there additional costs for the program?

Yes, depending on the additional activities you choose for your child to participate in during the year. JMLC offers a variety of dance, sport, art, and soccer programs, which would be additional costs.

Do you serve lunch and snack to the children?

JMLC takes a different approach to lunch time. Parents provide lunch for their child because of a variety of reasons. The most important reason is the health of the child. Too many child care centers rely on processed foods from a caterer or prepped by a cook. At JMLC parents are encouraged to provide the appropriate portions of fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins for their child. A second reason to pack lunches is simply because your child will eat what they are use to eating at home. When mom cooks, it always tastes good! The food program is rich with learning experiences in nutrition, language, social interaction, and self help skills. At JMLC lunch is actually part of the lesson plan which provides opportunity for your child to gain knowledge about healthy eating habits.