TEACHING TREE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER

TEACHING TREE HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH TO MEET THE INCREASING CHILDCARE DEMAND IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN EARLY 2024, OUR LOVELAND CENTER JOINED THE LOVELAND YOUTH CAMPUS, QUADRUPLING ITS CAPACITY. WE ARE NOW ABLE TO SERVE 200 CHILDREN DAILY, AND OVER 300 CHILDREN ANNUALLY IN LOVELAND, MIRRORING OUR FORT COLLINS CAPACITY. TOGETHER, OUR TWO CENTERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE OVER 600 CHILDREN ANNUALLY. AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, WE'VE EXPANDED OUR TEAM BY BRINGING ON NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS, ASSISTANT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND KITCHEN STAFF. TEACHING TREE NOW EMPLOYS APPROXIMATELY 90 TEAM MEMBERS. THIS GROWTH REFLECTS OUR DEDICATION TO DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE AND SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES WE SERVE. 2024 WAS ALSO A YEAR OF COLLABORATION, NOT ONLY AT THE LOVELAND YOUTH CAMPUS, BUT WITHIN OUR PROGRAMMING AS WELL. WE HAVE MADE GREAT EFFORTS TO MAKE THERAPY SERVICES ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES. BY PARTNERING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT FAMILIES WITH MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, AND SPEECH, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WE PROVIDE SPACE ONSITE FOR THERAPISTS, AND, WITH PARENT PERMISSION, THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPPORTS, WITHOUT PARENTS TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR WORKDAY TO GET CHILDREN TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS. WE SERVED 530 CHILDREN IN 2024. OF THIS TOTAL, 39% LIVED IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, 27% WERE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, AND 22% LIVED IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. WE SUPPORTED LOW-INCOME FAMILIES' EFFORTS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 283,351 IN CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS. IN ADDITION TO ENABLING PARENTS TO WORK, THIS ASSISTANCE ENSURED THAT THEIR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG CHILDREN WERE RECEIVING QUALITY CARE AND PARTICIPATING IN AND EVIDENCE-BASED EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM THAT BUILT UPON THEIR STRENGTHS, HELPED THEM OVERCOME ADVERSITY, AND PREPARED THEM TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. IN 2024. TEACHING TREE ALSO: HELPED CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY (1) PROVIDING FULL-DAY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR 144 CHILDREN IN THE UPK PROGRAM AND (2) GRADUATING 89 STUDENTS READY TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITH THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED. INCREASED CHILDREN'S SKILLS IN ALL 6 DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS ESSENTIAL TO SCHOOL SUCCESS (PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, LANGUAGE, MATH, LITERACY). ADDRESSED CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH/BEHAVIORAL ISSUES BY RECEIVING CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE FROM THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL OF LARIMER COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANTS. PARTNERED WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL'S MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANTS TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR 20 TEACHING TREE FAMILIES, FREE OF CHARGE AND LOCATED ONSITE AT TEACHING TREE IN FORT COLLINS. SERVED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH TO 147 STUDENTS AND PROVIDED CHILDREN WITH 152,680 NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND SNACKS. TO ADDRESS THE CHILDCARE WORKER CRISIS, WE SECURED FUNDING TO CONTINUE A MONTHLY INCENTIVE BONUS PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, OUR BOARD APPROVED RAISING STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS AND AIDES AND GIVING ANNUAL RAISES TO EXISTING STAFF.