Early educational experiences are key to supporting children’s learning and overall academic success. One local preschool is committed to equitable, high-quality care for local children.
Located in Ann Arbor, Foundations Preschool of Washtenaw County has made it their mission to provide “equitable access to high-quality care and education; prepares children for future academic and social success; and strengthens families through opportunities for professional, personal, and parental growth,” According to the website.
The history of Foundations Preschool
Foundations Preschool has a long history of supporting area students. In fact, their legacy for offering early childhood education goes all the way back to 1939 when they began as the Perry Nursery School.
Perry was initially created as a Works Progress Administration Nursery School, intended to provide assistance to families impacted by the Great Depression. In the midst of World War II, the school continued to focus on aiding families by providing care as an increasing number of mothers joined the workforce. The school has continued to evolve over time, changing names and locations but always seeking to prioritize equitable, quality child care.
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Available programs
Foundations Preschool of Washtenaw County offers care for children from birth through pre-kindergarten, and even provides summer camps for kindergarten and first grade students.
Each room is focused on supporting development for children across each age group. For example, their “Butterfly” room, geared toward toddlers, includes sensory-motor materials and outdoor exploration while the prekindergarten “Kangaroo” room focuses on vocabulary, math and pre-reading skills.
They show a purposeful, research-based approach to literacy, stating on their website, “While many pre-K programs focus on the basics of letter and number recognition or reading skills, our program prepares for kindergarten readiness by encompassing more than a few isolated skills. We look at the whole child and feed all the skills and strengths that make each child unique.”
Support Foundations mission
According to their website, Foundations’ Preschool works to “dismantle barriers families face accessing care, empowering them to work or attend school with reliable, full-time childcare [through] tuition scholarships, free meals and snacks, navigation of family assistance programs, a supplemental food pantry, translation services, and socio-emotional support and referrals.”
They also partner with community organizations to provide additional resources to local families. There are several ways in which you can support this mission, such as through donations of money and/or supplies or by volunteering your time. For more details, explore each option here.
Interested in joining Foundations Preschool?
Foundations Preschool of Washtenaw County is a tuition-based childcare and preschool, however scholarships are available for qualifying families.
Foundations has over 40 spots available for families who qualify for the federal Great Start Readiness Program. Foundations also accepts scholarships through DHHS (Department of Health and Human Service) and CCN (Child Care Network). They also accept U of M employee scholarships and Washtenaw Community College student scholarships. For more information, visit their website or email info@foundations-preschool.org.
Author: Dr. Alyssa Whitford is a former K-12 teacher and current professor of education at Hope College in Holland, MI. She is passionate about literacy, social studies, and all things education. She is also a proud parent to two children of her own.
