TOLEDO – Nelson Mandela once said, “History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.”
For most American parents, childcare is necessary for everyday life and many struggle to afford it. According to Policy Matters Ohio, the average annual cost of childcare for one infant in Ohio is $10,417.
The Toledo Day Nursery (TDN) is changing this narrative by creating initiatives that make childcare more affordable and accessible for Toledo families.
“Any family that goes on maternity leave or even medical leave does not have to pay any tuition during that time,” said Julia Myers, director of the TDN Jefferson Ave. location.
During November and December, she said no family at either the Stickney or Jefferson avenue locations paid tuition.
“It’s a really hard time to be a parent. It’s the most beautiful time; you’ve got all these wonderful holidays, you get to spend all this time with your family, but things are very expensive,” Myers said. “We wanted parents to feel a sense of relief when it came to the holiday season.”
Chelsea Davis, director of the TDN Stickney Ave. location, added that this tuition-free initiative would not have been possible without the help of the Bainum Family Foundation, which selected TDN to be a WeVision EarlyEd Solutions Lab site.
“The hope is that by gathering enough data, we’ll be able to push policy on a national level to make childcare affordable, not just for the places that are part of this WeVision initiative, but across the entire nation,” Davis said.
While Bainum is based in Washington, D.C., it has 22 lab sites spread throughout the U.S.
“They [Bainum] trust and refer to the directors and the trusted caregivers as proximity experts. And through that, they’ve given their proximity experts full autonomy to decide how they’re going to meet deliverables,” Davis said.
Marica Cox Mitchell, chief program officer at the Bainum Family Foundation, emphasized that each of the lab sites is unique.
Cox Mitchell explained that variety between test sites helps each one minister to the unique needs of the communities they serve, and this diversity helps Bainum gather data on effective childcare methodologies.
TDN was selected because it excels as a childcare facility, not only in Ohio, but also in the country at large. From affiliations with Toledo Public Schools and Hope Toledo to becoming and dissolving a charter school, TDN has been a long-standing community resource.
“We’ve had so many different hats we’ve worn, but the mission has always been to positively impact children’s lives. I think the beauty of our 100 and almost 55 years is that our mission has always remained the same,” Myers said.
While TDN uses a state-based curriculum, it also has its own adaptive methodologies to implement in the classrooms, such as Montessori toys and conscious discipline strategies.
“Each of our classrooms have an extra staff person in there, which gives more intentionality,” Davis said. “You’re actually hearing the things they [the kids] are wanting to do, what they’re interested in. It also gives space to plan and think outside the box.”
To foster better learning, Myers and Davis have also added their own personal touches to the center.
“Julie and I have vision. Aesthetically, when you walk into our buildings, you know you’re going to feel a certain way. That’s very intentional,” Davis said. “We’re very purposeful with the things that we do, but we also adapt different philosophies depending on what different classrooms may need.”
TDN also concentrates on the well-being of its teachers, following a trickle-down philosophy that if the teachers are well-served, the children will be, as well. TDN teachers receive free tuition for their children and are invited to team outings that help teachers prosper.
“I truly believe we’re putting the teachers’ mental health first,” Myers said.
Founded in 1871, TDN continues to evolve with the times in order to keep serving the Toledo community.
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