Leaders hope a new childcare center opening this week in a former Danville elementary school will be a model for other providers to fill what’s still termed a critical need and barrier to economic development.
On Monday, Nurturing Young Minds Child Care invited the community to see the new space in G.L.H. Johnson Elementary School, which is being replaced with a new building just a few feet away.
The issue of childcare came into the spotlight last year when a study released by the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Outreach revealed that about 800 slots were needed to fill a demand. The Partnership for Regional Prosperity, a regional think-tank style group, spearheaded the study and ensuing community conversations surrounding the issue. It also showed that parents sometimes have to leave the workforce to stay home simply because there are no options available.
Matt Watkins knows that all too well.
His two children — one almost 8 and the other 6 — will be attending the center this year.
The day care facility the family was using announced it would stop before-school care, prompting him to look elsewhere.
“There were no other openings,” he told the Register & Bee while touring the classroom spaces for the children.
He said the family “lucked up” to find Nurturing Young Minds.
Watkins said the space “looked nice” when he first saw it on Monday afternoon.
About 60 students are enrolled already at the center, which will open on Friday. That number that could go up to 100 if needed.
Dave Cohen, director and chief financial officer of Nurturing Young Minds, said there’s a wide variety of ages signed up for both care during the day and after school.
Employees of Danville Public Schools and the city of Danville were given first priority for the available space, which was then open to anyone else in the community.
Danville Public Schools Superintendent Angela Hairston said it was the Virginia Tech study that prompted an internal talk at the school system to see if the shortage was impacting recruiting and retaining teachers.
“And the answer was yes,” she told the newspaper before Monday’s ribbon-cutting and celebration. “That’s what really got us thinking about this childcare shortage.”
Danville Public Schools conducted its only survey, which found that it was what Hairston called a “critical issue” for the workers.
“A lot of people were silent about the need,” she explained. “They were not as vocal as they should be about the need for quality childcare.”
That’s when the system partnered with the Center for Early Success, a nonprofit that works with groups caring for children from birth to 5 years old.
How the business was picked
Since Danville Public Schools had the space with the now-vacant elementary building, a request for proposal was put out for businesses to operate the childcare center.
Nurturing Young Minds was selected in May. That happened after Hairston made an “unannounced” visit to the first childcare center, which is located in Brosville.
“That helped seal the deal,” Cohen said, explaining the superintendent was impressed with the operation in the western part of Pittsylvania County.
That space is steadily growing in enrollment.
Since students were still in the Johnson building until the end of May, it was June 1 before the business could get started setting up the classrooms.
Cohen said the two locations — the Danville opening in particular — were prompted by the study, pointing to the dire need for more childcare options.
“Hopefully to bring an oasis to the childcare desert,” is what Cohen described was the role of Nurturing Young Minds.
About 15 people will work in the Danville location for now. As the need grows, it can scale up.
“We’ve got a good list of candidates as well,” Cohen told the newspaper of future workers.
Cohen has been in “multiple business” ventures since moving to the region from Florida some 30 years ago.
It was W.A. Merritt who Cohen credited as the visionary behind the two operations. His wife, Kathy Williams-Merritt, is the majority owner of the business.
Why it’s a model for others
Nurturing Young Minds Childcare will be responsible for all operations. The school system is providing the location and things like trash service, internet access and playground equipment.
Anne Moore-Sparks, the president and CEO of the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce, said this is a model for organizations and businesses with the end goal of filling the needed childcare slots.
“I am thrilled,” Moore-Sparks told the newspaper moments before the ribbon was sliced. “This is a wonderful example of a public-private partnership to help solve a workforce issue.”
The chamber president cited the Virginia Tech study as the catalyst that led to the opening.
Angela Wells, the executive director of the Center for Early Success, also hopes this will lead to more partnerships.
This could work in a business environment as well. For example, if a company has space to provide childcare for workers, it can find a vendor to take on the liability of running the operation.
“It absolutely is a model for collaboration and partnership and showing the need for early childhood education and how it can be accomplished,” Wells told the newspaper, taking a brief break from popping in and out of the refreshed classrooms during a tour Monday.
In the year-plus since the study opened the region’s eyes to the dilemma around childcare, Wells said there’s hope and momentum building. But even more, the community is understanding that the issue is larger than just a family searching for a space for a child to stay.
It impacts the ability to bring in new businesses. That’s why Wells often has a seat at the table when it comes to economic development.
Hairston said one barrier to fixing the problem is capital, meaning there are people qualified for the work, but more places are needed for employment.
“This is amazing, I’m so thankful for Danville Public Schools for giving us this opportunity,” Cohen told the newspaper.
How an old building was saved from demolition
The Johnson space will temporarily be used in the coming year to house students from Forest Hills Elementary School when that facility undergoes a massive renovation.
Otherwise, it was going to be torn down. Now, the most up-to-date section of the building will remain for the childcare center.
“It’s actually a newer part of the facility,” Hairston explained of the latest part of Johnson that was renovated.
“We are just very excited about the evolution of this public-private partnership,” she said. “We’re hoping it becomes a model for some other companies or nonprofits as they may have buildings that can easily be transitioned into a childcare center for their employees.”
Different classrooms are designed for specific ages. One has cribs lined against the walls and rocking chairs for the littlest of the guests.
On Monday, children ran into the rooms to play with things like a look-alike stovetop, books and a child-style drum.
Speaking at the celebration, Christy Harper, the director of member engagement for the chamber, said they weren’t just standing in front of a building.
She called it the “heart” of a transformation.
“One that honors the legacy of learning that once filled these halls and one that looks boldly to the future of care, support and community,” Harper said.
Article from the Danville Register and Bee – Charles Wilborn