A new age in child care
Toddler Link allows parents to check in on classes via the Internet
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Michelle Pellino and 3-year-old Ciara Mann read along with the other children at Millstone's Kiddie Academy on Route 33 on July 11.

MILLSTONE - Susan Gresko wants to change the way people think about child care.

The director of Kiddie Academy on Route 33 believes child care should not be just a baby-sitting service, but a compassionately staffed, pleasant place where children are immersed in educational programming, social experiences and overall fun like the learning center she works in.

"We take great pride in taking the best care of these children as possible," Gresko said, adding that all of the staff members at the academy recognize that they have been put in charge of caring for people's most precious gifts.

Communication is the key to success for the academy, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Discussions with administrators and the teaching staff are encouraged from the moment a parent or guardian expresses interest in possibly relying on the academy for child care, according to Gresko.

A group of children ride around one of the classrooms at Millstone's Kiddie Academy on Route 33 on July 11.

Having good discourse helps the academy tailor its services to the needs of each child and each parent or guardian. Kiddie Academy offers full-day programs as well as part-time programs all year long that suit the needs of both working and stay-at-home parents, Gresko said.

The academy services children ages 6 weeks old to youngsters who are old enough to attend kindergarten.

Children and their parents are welcomed into the lobby of the facility with sky-blue walls painted with a border of bright flowers. A gardening station holds forms, schedules and the monthly newsletter. Parents use a touch screen computer to sign their children in and out to ensure safety. Even before getting into the garden-themed lobby, anyone entering the building must have a security code to get through the locked front doors. Those without codes must be buzzed in by an administrator after providing photo identification and other information.

The interior of the academy is adorned with inviting, child-intriguing decor. There are brightly painted rooms decorated with fanciful items such as butterflies, swinging monkeys, games and toys, all of which would most likely make anyone want to be a child again.

Every age group has a separate classroom/playroom with age-appropriate equipment. There is an infant room, a room for 13-month to 18-month-olds, a toddler room, and 2-year-old, 3-year-old, 4-year-old and 5-year-old rooms.

The infant room, which is referred to as the "cuddly cubs" room, has a playing, feeding and sleeping area. Each infant gets his or her own crib.

Near the 2-year-old room, referred to as the "bouncing bumble bees" room, the children were helping their teacher create a sand-castle bulletin board in the hallway. In the 3-year-old room, which is referred to as the "swinging monkeys" room, a teacher helped her students construct an indoor beach, and the children could be seen playing with buckets and beach balls in the sand.

Each classroom/playroom has an intercom system, which links to the administrator's office. All the rooms are also equipped with cameras for Toddler Link, a program that allows parents and guardians to check in on their students via the Internet at any time during the day.

"Parents absolutely enjoy the fact that they can watch their children from home or work," Gresko said.

Daggett said Toddler Link also allows parents and guardians who can't make it into the academy for a special event to see that event as it is happening. Only registered adults have access to Toddler Link, she said.

The programming at the school is curriculum-based. Each teacher develops a curriculum that not only educates and entertains, but also indulges the five senses, according to Gresko.

At Kiddie Academy, learning is a priority all year round. The summer curriculum includes fun and educational trips as well as in house performers, making each day a unique learning experience.

Throughout the school year, activities are designed to inspire children and spark their natural curiosity about the world around them. While children are exploring their environment, discovering new ways of doing things, observing cause and effect relationships, and learning how to get along with others, they are naturally reinforcing all of the skills needed for success. By embedding academic skills and planned learning opportunities into children's play, the directors see more motivated, creative and happy children who are excited about learning.

Katie Daggett, assistant director, "We help build a foundation. When parents look back on their child's time here, we want them to think it was well spent."

Both administrators in the building are former teachers. Gresko has had experience in running two other Kiddie Academy's before running the Millstone site. All the teachers in the building are either certified or in the process of pursuing certification, according to Gresko. All the teachers have had cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first-aid training. The Kiddie Academy franchise also offers continuous training and other educational seminars to all its teachers.

"Just look at the way we develop our teachers," Gresko said. "We do the same thing with our children."

For those who may be interested in sending their children to the academy but aren't quite sure, the academy offers a "play date," where parent/guardian and child can spend some time at the academy interacting with the staff.

The school has an open-door policy, and parents and guardians are encouraged to check in on or visit and play with their child whenever they would like to.

The academy encourages lots of family time and holds special family events such as picnics and spaghetti dinners once or twice per month. The center also offers parents a night out with baby-sitting services available from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on scheduled evenings.

Tuition includes breakfast, lunch and a snack. Daggett also noted that the facility and all of its equipment are cleaned nightly.

In addition, the academy prides itself on community service and does various projects throughout the year. This month, the kids collected scissors and washable markers for students in need.

Although it is not required to do so, the Millstone Kiddie Academy has set goals toward receiving National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) along with accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), based in Washington, D.C.

The academy is also now enrolling new students for its 2007-08 state-certified kindergarten program. The full-day kindergarten program takes place Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The academy encourages all those interested in finding out more about its programs to call and schedule an appointment for a tour of the facility.

For more information, call (732) 446-0079, e-mail kidmstone@yahoo.com or visit kiddieacademy.com.